Just keep swimming!

Well, I've ended my time at Wakatobi with a nudi count of 17.  Although I didn't see any new species in the last couple of days, a count of 17 unique species is a pretty big number for just 10 days.  I'm off to SCUBA Seraya today, so I know I will up my number even tomorrow.  I was there in January of 2006.  I didn't do too many dives but there were sooo many species on their beach, Seraya Secrets.  The woman I met there, Christianne, said that she has photographed over 100 species of nudis on that beach alone.

Do I need to tell you how excited I am? 

To round out my nudi shots here at Wakatobi, here is a shot of a Phyllida pustulosa crawling on a sea cucumber... getting very close to its anus.

We also went on a tour of the local town yesterday.  It made me very grateful to be who I am.  Here is a shot of some of the kids.

Vince, a local dive guide and videographer (who grew up in Chicago!) went to town with us as well and shot some scenes for National Geographic.  I didn't even realize he was filming when I shook hands with each of the young girls at the local school.  They all wanted my autograph and I felt like a big movie star.

We ended the day with a sunset cocktail hour and slide show.

Unfortunately, Craig and I had to hold a funeral for a very sugar fueled beetle named Bertrand (masquerading under the pseudonym Bob) who attacked his cake and then died from either a food coma or suicide (jumping off the side of the plate).  It was very sad.

OK, I am about to check out and I'm not sure what the internet connection situation will be next.

As Dori from Finding Nemo said "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim."