Lake Okataina

 The weather has been glorious this summer, so for a change from Okereka, we took the longer drive to Lake Okataina

 All the rain prior to Christmas has filled the lakes to the brim.

 The urchins loved that the jetty was under water.

Christmas Tree Worms

 Throughout our visit to Mele Island, there were a number of creatures underwater, that captivated my attention.

View from the top

I have discovered recently these are beautiful worms that live in the coral - Christmas Tree worms.

 If you touch them, they disappear into the coral, leaving an "eyelet" type hole.  When they think the coast is clear, they pop out again.