We went out at Rutaki Passage on the southern edge of Rarotonga. The passage is one of three that drains the lagoon on the southern edge of the island. Though it is called a passage, underwater it is more akin to a canyon. It has steep walls and drops a good 20-metres or so. For spear fishing it is a great spot as the fish tend to congregate along the walls. And because the passage opens to the ocean, larger fish often cruise into the passage looking for some fishy snacks.

One of those larger fish just happened to turn up while we were out there – a beautiful Giant Trevally or GT, as they are commonly known. Having spoken to people that dive at the mouth of the passage, this guy is a bit of a regular in the passage. Either way, it was really amazing to turn around and suddenly be faced with this monster fish. This GT is about 5-feet long.

At first I was really excited to see the GT and to have the chance to take some photos. About 5-minutes into the encounter though, the GT swam right up to me, clearly checking me out. It was at about this time, I realised that this was actually a really big fish. For a brief moment I even asked myself “do GT’s bite humans?”.

A Giant Trevally (Caranx ignoblis), Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

The GT turned up as Bobo had speared a number of fish and they were on a rope, attached to a plastic bottle. This keeps the fish fresh and allows Bobo to keep hunting. Needless to say, the GT was after a free lunch. So much so, that not long after he first turned up, we ended up swimming back to shore and the GT followed us all the way into the shallows, eventually attacking the dead fish Bobo had on his rope. The only casualty was a dead Black Snapper, which had its tail bitten clean off.

In terms of photography, these two photos were taken with a wide angle lens and neither image was cropped. That right there should give you an indication of how close the GT was to me. In the photo below, I could easily reach out and touch the big guy as he followed Bobo and his dead fish back to shore.

A Giant Trevally or GT (Caranx ignoblis), Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

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Answer: You book a 50-minute flight to Aitutaki Island for a week of island exploring, snorkelling and deserted island hopping.

Now if you are wondering what ‘island fever’ is, it is just like cabin fever. Too much time in a small space, with the same scenery and the same people. It probably sounds weird to people that visit the Cook Islands for a holiday, but living in a popular holiday destination is akin to living anywhere else. After a while, you just need a change of scenery.

Aitutaki Island didn’t disappoint. Far from it. Apart from some rain on the first day, my wife and I were blessed with 6 days of glorious sunshine. And it was blissfully hot. It was the type of heat, where you go searching for some midday shade or can’t think of a better reason to rack out in the hammock with a book for a couple of hours’.

Despite the fact the Bank of Cook Islands was robbed while we were staying on the island (I have a rock solid alibi!), Aitutaki Island is very laid back. Even more so than Rarotonga, which I wouldn’t have thought physically possible.

The jewel of Aitutaki is the lagoon. During my day with Campbell Cecil photographing him spear fishing in the lagoon, Campbell asked me did I really think the lagoon was as good as people say. I responded “absolutely”. And here is why:

1. The lagoon is just the right size. You can easily zip around the entire lagoon in a day on a moderate sized speed boat.

2. The lagoon has some fantastic snorkelling, complete with giant clams introduced from Australia and healthy coral reefs.

3. The lagoon has some stunning deserted motus (islands) surrounded in the most incredibly coloured water I have ever seen. Big claim I know, but hand-on-my-heart, I was blown away by the colour of the water running through the channel just off the beach of One Foot Island (the last photo below is One Foot Island).

4. The lagoon has some great sandbars and I’m a huge fan of them. There is nothing like walking on a sandbar surrounded by water in every direction. If I hadn’t gotten married on the grass roof top at Kandalama Hotel in Sri Lanka back in 2007, it would have been a sandbar for sure.

Did I mention the non-existent traffic? The uber friendly locals? The long lazy days feeling miles from anywhere?

Yep, Aitutaki Island was a great week away from Rarotonga. I encourage all visitors to the Cook Islands to pencil some Aitutaki Island time into your agenda. You won’t regret it.

Links:

Cook Islands | Aitutaki Island Images

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Questions about what to do on Aitutaki Island? Then ask me on Facebook.

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As a medium to photograph in, water is just incredible. Water seems to have such an amazing array of textures, patterns, colours and forms. Can’t wait for a clear day so I can hit the surf with it!

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Hip to Facebook? Then connect. Go on.

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There are the odd exceptions though, like the brand spanking new SPL water housing I picked up from the post office yesterday.

Hot dog! I haven’t felt that excited about a piece of photographic equipment…ever.

Today I took it out twice. First to test it without a camera in it. I’ve drowned a camera before sea kayaking and I didn’t want to replicate that experience with my new housing. It passed with flying colours, so I loaded it with my SLR and lens and went to a place I call ‘Weekend Beach’, about 15-minutes by moped from my place.

Using a water housing is quite a different experience to using just a camera. Though I’m still a toddler splashing in the shallow end of the swimming pool when it comes to underwater photography, I did learn a few things today. In no particular order:

1. A camera inside a water housing is a bit like picking up your camera with thick woollen mitts for the first time. Everything feels a bit awkward. It was because of this, I didn’t swim straight out into the bone crunching waves coming in on the reef edge. Instead I got used to the weight, feel and controls of the housing. Baby steps…

2. You have to protect the lens port. Colleague and friend – Dave Collyer – gave me a great piece of advice in this regard. Always flip the port up towards the surface, when not shooting and swimming over rocks and reefs. I can see how in the blink of an eye you could bang the front port and damage it.

3. Though you can look through the viewfinder, it is a bit of a clunky experience (and definitely not something you will be doing while photographing waves while in the ocean). This means I need to learn how to frame my photo without looking through the viewfinder. Today I learnt that I point the lens a little too high.

4. Good light underwater is like good light above water. Wait for the clouds to clear from over the sun, to get the best looking light and colours beneath the surface.

5. I’m using a 12-24mm lens set at 12mm, so it is pretty wide. Like shooting on land, this means you have to get close to whatever it is you are photographing.

This one sort of goes without saying, but shooting in warm crystal clear waters (yeah I know, rub it in), with a water housing IS a lot of fun. I think I walked around all afternoon with a huge smile after that session.

Can’t wait to photograph some water based ideas I’ve had since arriving in Rarotonga. Having a water housing has definitely opened up an ocean world of creative opportunities. (I just couldn’t say it).

A couple of photos from today’s test shoot.

Self portrait. Rarotonga, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Water surface, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Fish, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

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I live about 7-minutes by push bike from Muri Lagoon and I find myself down at the lagoon every couple of days. Muri Lagoon is the sailing hub of Rarotonga, as well as a popular vaka paddling training area with locals. Given the favourable aspect of the beach, the nearby islands, which you can paddle to or walk to at low tide, the lagoon is rightly so, a popular place with visiting tourists.

When I first visited Muri Lagoon, I didn’t think there was that much going on. Then I started meeting the locals; I joined the sailing club (races every Saturday); I joined the vaka paddling club (training Tuesday and Thursday evenings) and I met people like local boat designer / builder, Ken Kingsbury. Quite suddenly, I realised there is plenty going on at Muri Lagoon. As for photography, the lagoon is a pretty idyllic place to photograph.

Muri Lagoon at sunset, Cook Islands, Rarotonga. © www.thomaspickard.com

Muri Lagoon, Rarotonga Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Captain Tama's Cruises, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Table for four? Sails Restaurant, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Ken Kingsbury and Leilani Sadaraka sailing on Muri Lagoon, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Stacked ocean outrigger canoes, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Kayaker, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Brown Apera Pori Makea riding his scooter, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Sailing perfection, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Incoming tide, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Related Posts:

As Good as it Gets: Muri Lagoon Rarotonga

School Vaka Paddling Competition Muri Lagoon

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Double page spread in Qatar Airlines Oryx Magazine. Published 1st February 2010.

As a photographer there is almost nothing I love better than seeing my work printed full page.

This opening spread ran in the February 2010 issue of Oryx Magazine and was the opener of a six page article I produced, complete with imagery.

The image at left, showing a board walk set amongst turquoise blue waters in the Maldives, can be licensed via Aurora Photos.

The image at right, showing a dhoni travelling along an atoll edge in the Maldives, can be licensed via Aurora Photos.

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For now, two photos from the recently opened Shangri-La Resort, Maldives.

Shangri-La Presidential Suite, Maldives.

The old and the new. Resort staff motoring past a dhoni.

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