We finned out on the surface with a lazy back float, peering under the water through our masks from time to time until we could see we were directly above the shoulder of the reef. This is where the depth starts to drop off—15 to 20 to 25 feet— where the white sand disappears under the sea rod, gorgonians, and fans that grow denser like the edge of a forest. I faced the shoreline where we’d entered the sea, now 150 meters away, and took a compass heading on my dive computer, memorizing the number—we’d need it to navigate back later. It was 20 minutes after sunset and growing dark, but in the twilight, I could see Gishani a few feet away. We said a few words to confirm our dive plan, then descended into the gloaming. It was to be a night dive like we’d never done—without lights.
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