Whitesands?
That's up Hamilton Island way isn't it? I flew over it in a helicopter once. Supposed to be the softest sands in the world.

I did a bit of snorkelling up there on the Barrier Reef. Absolutely mind-blowing. Especially when a grouper swam up to me. The thing was considerably bigger than I was with the HUGE teeth. But they're friendly - this one even had a name.....

One of my best memories of Hamilton Island was on a fishing trip where the guide whistled an eagle in. No joke - he whistled really loudly and then pointed to some mountains a few miles away. We could see this huge eagle flying towards us. It hung back from the boat and we threw a big fish up which it caught in it's claws and then flew off. I got some great shots of it in action...

Happy days....
( Legless Mister Stabby - shanks for the memory, Mon 7 Feb 2011, 11:20, 2 replies)

Madness Legless
You dived exactly where I did and yes it is near Hamilton, do you know what they called the grouper fish? Mick Jagger, because of the big lips thing haha!! I swam near it but it shit me up because hungry groupers, although rare, have been known to swallow people whole. Didn't get the Eagle thing though, how cool is that?!!
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Mon 7 Feb 2011, 11:56, closed)

Queensland grouper?
Was it a queensland grouper? black and yellow? We got one of those at work, at 'baby' at 2ft long! Critically endangered apparently, and around 12ft long as adults :|
( Bathory, Mon 7 Feb 2011, 12:07, closed)

I think it must have been
2001 so my memory is a bit vaugue. 12ft. holy shit!

I couldn't find a live one but i am certain he was this colour -

www.bing.com/images/search?q=grouper+fish&view=detail&id=F4A0314EE65CEE0CB59982BF127051C0430824E5&FORM=IGRE2
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Mon 7 Feb 2011, 12:14, closed)

Nah
Not a queensland. www.ladyelliot.com.au/uploads/floraFauna/Qld-Grouper.jpg there's a medium sized one. I should know the name of the red grouper mentioned, working with the lil gits and all, but alas, I have failed you all...
( Bathory, Mon 7 Feb 2011, 12:25, closed)

I found a list of them, there is loads so you are more than forgiven -
Black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci
Comet grouper Epinephelus morrhua
Gag grouper Mycteroperca microlepis
Giant grouper Epinephelus lanceolatus
Goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara
Miniata grouper Cephalopholis miniata
Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus
Saddletail grouper Epinephelus daemelii
Scamp grouper AKA Broomtail grouper Mycteroperca phenax
Tiger grouper Mycteroperca tigris
Warsaw grouper Epinephelus nigritus
White grouper Epinephelus aeneus
Yellowfin grouper Myceroperca venenosa
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Mon 7 Feb 2011, 12:34, closed)

LOL
I've been to the same spot in the Red sea a few times, mainly to catch up with my old mate Monty the morray eal. He's always there hanging around having his picture taken year after year.

There's a grouper call gordon that hung around in the gulf of mexico for a while, but I think he's in retirement in an aqarium now somewhere in Texas. He was fucking huge.
( buffet_the_appetite_slayer ٩(●̮̃•)۶ jacked in to the ICE on, Mon 7 Feb 2011, 13:48, closed)

You've never seen a helicopter! You've never even left the house! You're in a wheelchair!
And you can't swim!

How's Mrs Legless?
( disasterprone "Pyjamas caused the Holocaust", Mon 7 Feb 2011, 12:08, closed)

LOL - One of the best divemasters I ever had couldn't walk
she had no bother in the water.
( buffet_the_appetite_slayer ٩(●̮̃•)۶ jacked in to the ICE on, Mon 7 Feb 2011, 13:56, closed)