Three kilometres offshore from Madang town is the volcanic seamount known as Planet Rock. The seas around the mount plummet to a depth of over 2,000 feet, but the strong ocean currents that surge through Astrolabe Bay sweep around and across the apex of the mount at only 15 feet. These currents bring with them large schools of predatory, pelagic fish.
One recent visitor coined the quotable quote "When I dived on Planet, I really felt like I was entering a food chain!"
This statement is no exaggeration. As soon as you hit the water on Planet Rock you are aware of an agitation and excitement amongst the smaller schooling fish which inhabit the surface of the mount. Premier amongst these is the magnificent Balistoides Consicillus (Clown Triggerfish) which is often caught in ambient light conditions by lucky photographers. Care needs to be taken however, as the many species of Triggerfish that make their homes on the mount are aggressive and territorial. Another popular inhabitant of Planet Rock is the "Gymmothoraz Flavomarginatus" (Agate Eyed Moray Eel), which, although a nocturnal hunter, can often be seen peering out of the rocky crags as the spritely little "Labroides Dimidiatus" dart in and out of the fearsome jaws, going about its cleaning duties. These eels are also abundant along the Barrier Reef where they present a more accessible photo opportunity as part of a night dive.
Schools of Blue Fin Trevally and Jacks glide through the currents around the edge of the mount and their occasional darting scatters are inevitable signs that some large predator is approaching. Virtually all of the larger sharks that inhabit PNG waters have been seen and photographed in the currents around Planet Rock. The white tipped reef sharks of the reefs closer to shore are less obvious here, as they make way for the larger Silver Tips and Whalers. Fortunate divers also have encounters with Hammerheads, which have been known to school here, and the awesome "Galeocerda Cuvieri" - the Tiger Shark. Due to the strong currents and its location offshore, Planet Rock is not always accessible, but when it is, you won't find a better spot to get the adrenaline pumping.
