O'Keefe's Island, Micronesia

By Chip Scarlett (Adapted from "passport to diving the world")

Well Known For :

The rarely seen mandarinfish can be found at this dive spot.

With elusive, darty motions, mandarinfish are rarely seen critters that will turn even the most patient photographer into a sputtering fool. So imagine my surprise when, glancing over the side of the dock at the Manta Ray Bay Resort, I spotted a dozen ornate mandarinfish flitting through the rubble. My wife, Susan, and I subsequently devoted 10 straight dusk dives on O'Keef's Island to photographing the mating antics of the mandarins. An what a show it was! Males romancing females - the girls giving coy come-hither looksto they guys - and big males displaying and fighting with other males. Susan had mandarinfish in her hair much of each dive. The action with these little Lotharios was so intense we didn't care if we dived with the famous mantas.

(Ok enough with the stories, I'm itchin' for a dive)