Soft corals hung like Christmas decorations from the bommie walls. Near the base a large opening led into a cave with a huge internal chamber lined with small gorgonians and more soft corals. At the back of the cave we spotted waving feelers of a small painted lobster; beside it a leering dark moray eel backed off as we moved in for a better look. Near the entrance a half-metre long spotted pufferfish moved aside for us, quite put out.
We exited through a smaller hole on the opposite side of the cavern; the reef tumbled into the blue on the seaward side and a school of metre-long Spanish mackerel moved casually past. A large titan triggerfish hovered; the cavities of severyl giant clams yawned bright blue to plain brown. Above us the dive boat hung like a dark balloon.

Every dive had something different. Small World closer to shore had fantastic hard corals and huge schools of small fish. The tiny basslets hovered like butterflies, almost covering the reeftop in orange, yellow and mauve. Large reef fish were still quite common and moved around close to us.
The end of each dive brought a deco on a shallow bommie, each with its own special ecosystem; small bright nudibranchs, shrimps and shells were discovered tucked amongst the growths. The corals were in beautiful condition and fish of every colour and shape cruised above them. More giant clams, smaller than those at depth, were scattered among the corals and anemones flowed in the gentle surge, each hosting its own clownfish species.

Fijian regulations forbid the taking of any marine life on scuba. Local fishermen hunted with hand spears for fish to sell at the markets; they also caught painted crayfish but we saw plenty in holes near the tops of the bommies. Their hunting methods ensure reefs will sustain healthy marine populations.

The diving we experienced was just as it was described to us - pure magic. We brought back unforgettable memories and images to share with others. Fiji's politics are a world away from Rakiraki and Nananu-i-Ra Island and life there continues interrupted. More importantly, once you've dived these reefs the desire to return never leaves you.