Baby Cakes
Not one, but two, cake shaped coral heads sit underwater at this site not far from Maravagi. With their round shape and flat top, you can see why these islands were named after cakes.
The boat anchors nearby and we descend down a line to the larger of the two mounds where we begin a counterclockwise navigation. Almost immediately we see the menacing face of a moray eel tucked into the rocks. He slowly opens and closes his jaw to pass water over its gills for breathing.
A little further along, we reach the channel between the two island. It’s a bit of a push through as the current runs against us, but it is worth the effort as we swim past half a dozen nurse sharks gliding across the bottom. There is also a substantial patch of garden eels and we stop to watch them poke their shy heads up for a look at their surroundings.
Around the back side of the island, we find eleven lionfish hanging in the coral. While invasive in the Western Atlantic, this species in native to Solomon Islands and we are happy to see them living in balance and harmony with the reef.
Back to the line where we ascend for our safety stop. We find tiny skeleton shrimp arching their backs in a comical dance all over the line.
📌 Baby Cakes, Florida Islands, Solomon Islands
📷 Amos Nauchom
🐟 Lionfish
