Mike Dixon

Tim switched off the GPS and turned the boat to the
north. It seemed a big waste of time to David. If they‟d gone
straight to the channel they‟d be started by now. There was
no point in arguing. He sat back. His eyes were adjusting to
the light and he was beginning to take in his surroundings.
He soon forgot about the channel and looked around in wonder
… there was so much activity.
A sea eagle flew overhead and joined a flock of seagulls
dive-bombing a spot in the ocean. David guessed there was
a shoal of fish down there and the birds were crashing in for
a feed. He watched for a while but was soon distracted by a
flurry of activity in front of the boat. Fish were leaping from
the water. Or were they birds? David wasn‟t sure. They
looked a bit like fairy penguins but there was something different
about them.
Penguins make a series of leaps, never clear of the water
for long. These had taken to the air. They were like fish one
moment and birds the next. Then the truth dawned. They
were flying fish, a whole flock of them. Or was the term
„school‟? He wasn‟t sure. Perhaps „squadron‟ would be a better
name. At any rate, the water was far too hot for fairies.
He‟d always pictured flying fish as gliding. Now he realized
they really did fly, using enlarged pectoral fins as wings.
They beat them and covered large distances before plunging
back beneath the waves.
It was awesome … just awesome! He‟d always wanted to
see Great Barrier Reef. He‟d watched endless videos of dive
expeditions and read extensively about it. Being there was
something different. It was all around. Not squashed up on a
flat screen. And the sea was alive. He watched as a huge
manta ray left the water and crashed back. It kept up the act
for a hundred yards or more, splashing down and rising back
up. David guessed it was fleeing from a shark.
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