Wakatobi

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Indo Aggressor 29th-Oct-10th-Nov Captain’s Log.

CREW:
Captain: Kasim
Cruise Director: Michel
Dive Guides: Michel, Tarzane, Tanning and Rizal.
Head Steward: Polos
Chef: Gusti

GUESTS:
Paul, Theresa, Alexsey, Harry, Bob, Chen, Qing, Konrad, Withold, Thomas, Foo, Jane.

TEMPERATURE: Air 30, Water 26-29.

DIVE SITES:

Tuesday: Kaunadi west, Kaunadi East, Kaunadi reef.
Wednesday: Kakabia North, Batu Kakabia, Kakabia North
Thursday: Batuata corner, Batuata east, Outer Reef
Friday : Binonko east, Binonko Reef, Marimabo reef, Batu Marimabo
Saturday:Spiral Corner, Fan 38, Tanjung Tanok, Tomia Harbor
Sunday: Fan 38, Lighthouse, Roma, The Wall
Monday: Koromaha Reef 2x, Ndaa, Kadilupa Reef
Tuesday: Kapode Reef, Batu Kapote, House Reef
Wednesday:Wowoni reef

Monday 31th October 2016
Today was arrival day onboard the Indo Aggressor and with great excitement we welcomed 11 guests on board. We have guests joining us from Canada, USA, Malaysia, China, Belarus and Germany. Due to afternoon arrivals there was no time to dive but we enjoyed a beautiful sunset on our way to an island called Kaunadi.
Tuesday 1th November 2016
This morning we started of diving with a check-out dive at a dive site called Kaunadi West.
The condition where perfect for this first dive, the water was crystal clear and with 30c nice and warm. Highlights included: Black tip reef shark’s, Spotted eagle ray’s and Nudibranch’s. For the second dive we went to the east side of the island. The shallows where covered in beautiful healthy coral as on the wall it self we found lots of gorgonia’s. Highlight’s included: Dog toothed tuna, Turtle’s, Nudibranch’s and leaf scorpionfish. The third dive we did at kaunadi reef. A combination of a wall and sloping reef with something for everyone. Highlight’s included: Spotted eagle ray’s, Black tip reef shark’s, Turtle’s and a wide variety of Nudibranch’s.
Wednesday 2nd November 2016
This morning we arrived at Kakabia island. For the first dive we went to the north side of the island. A stunning wall dive with lots of overhang and sea fans. Sightings where: Denise Pygmy seahorse, Mantis shrimp, Turtle’s and black tip’s. The second dive we did was Batu Kalabia, a stepping wall dive with huge barrel sponges. Highlight’s included: Spearing mantis shrimp, Leaf scorpion fish and Nudibranch’s. For the 3th dive we went back to the Northern side of the island and redid or first dive site. Highlight’s included: Nudibranch’s Denise Pygmy seahorse and dog toothed tuna.
Thursday 3th November 2016
Today we arrived at Batuata island. Crystal clear warm water welcomed us on our first dive at a site called Batua Corner, a stunning wall dive with overhanging reef and soft corals hanging down. Highlight’s included: Turtle’s, Banded sea snake, Dog toothed tuna and Nudibranch’s. For the second dive we moved to the east side of the island. A magical wall dive with lots of overhang and perfect to get good wide-angle shots. We had sightings of: Green Turtle’s, Banded sea snakes, and Nudibranch’s. Our third dive we did on the outer reefs of Batuata island. A gentle sandy slope with lots of healthy corals and sponges. Highlight’s included: Ornate and robust ghostpipefish, Banded seasnakes, Green turtle’s and schooling baracuda’s.
Friday 4th November 2016
Early this morning we arrived at Binongko island where we started of diving at the east side of the island. We started the dive on a gentle reef slope that turned in to a steep slope with some overhang here and there. With the crystal clear water, big sponges and huge fans this was a perfect opportunity to get some good wide-angle shot’s. The second dive we did at Binongko reef. A sandy slope that unfortunately was quit damaged. Highlights included: mantis shrimp, spotted eagle ray’s and pink scorpion fish. After the second dive we decided to leave Binongko for what it was and quickly move on to Tomia island. Our first dive site here was called Marimabo Reef, an excellent healthy coral reef with thousand of red toothed trigger fish, and schooling batfish. Highlight’s included: Green Turtle’s, mantis shrimp and hairy squad lobsters.
For the night dive we did the same dive site called Marimabo reef. After dark the reef transformed completely with lots of crustaceans moving around over the reef. Highlight’s included: Leaf scorpion fish, Hairy squad lobster spearing mantis shrimp and Giant Frogfish.
Saturday 5th November 2016
Today we started diving at a place called Lintea Island. The first dive site we visited was called Spiral corner, A sloping reef which was covered with red toothed trigger fish and Pyramid butterfly fish. We followed the reef on our right shoulder and had many sightings of: Leaf scorpion fish, Green Turtles, Pygmy seahorses and Nudibranch’s. For the second dive we did one of the Wakatobi signature dive sites called Fan 38. This incredible wall is covered in all sorts of gorgonians some small, some big and others where just huge! Obviously this provided us with perfect wide-angle opportunities. But with all the fans there we did have sighting’s of Denise and BargiBanti Pygmy seahorses, dog toothed tuna and hawksbill turtle’s. For the third dive we went to Tanjung Tanok a mini wall that dropped to about 10-15 metres from there it kept going as a gentle slope with lots of small critters such as: Longnose Hawkfish, Juvenille Pinate batfish and scorpion fish. For the night dive we went to the harbor of Tomia island, a sandy slope with coral boomies here and there highlights included: dwarf cuttlefish, bobtail squid, lots of different crustaceans and nudibranch’s.
Sunday 6th November 2016
This morning we moved back to the dive site called Fan 38. We did this site yesterday and we all liked it so much that we decided to do it again, only this time we decided to do it in the opposite direction. We where very lucky that the sun was out and the water super clear, this made the reef look stunning with all its colors and different variety of corals and sponges. We had sightings of: bumphead parot fish, BargiBanti Pygmy seahorses, scorpionfish and Nudibranch’s. For the second dive we moved to a dive site called Lighthouse. This stunning wall was home to 100’s of red toothed triggerfish and Pyramid butterfly fish. Highlight’s included: Bumphead parot fish, Green and Hawksbill turtle’s and a wide variety of nudibranch’s.
The third dive we choose to do at Roma. One of Tomia island signature divesite’s. Roma is a large submerged reef which starts of at about 5 meters in the shallow area. As you decent trough the thousand’s of Fuseliers, Butterfly and trigger fish you start seeing this stunning healthy reef. A steep slope dropping to about 40 meters at the deepest point. Highlight’s included: Baracude, Hawksbill Turtle’s and Broadclub cuddlefish.
The night dive tonight we did at a dive site called the wall. Again a sandy slope with lots of coral boomies. Highlight’s included: Octopus, Nudibranch’s and Waspfish.
Monday 7th November 2016
Early this morning we arrived at an atoll called Koromaha. Here we decided to do 2 dives.
The first dive was a stunning wall dive with lots and lots of fish life. As we descended we saw big school’s of pyramid butterfly fish and neon fuseliers. The wall was covered in huge gorgonian’s all sorts and sizes. Highlight’s included: Dog toothed Tuna, Bumphead Parrotfish and Green turtles. Just before we started the second dive we spotted a pod of Pilot Whales we observed them for a bit and then decided to try to get in the water with them. Some of us got really lucky and where able to take some video of these incredible animals. For the second dive we decided to do the same site again. Highlight’s included: Denise Pygmy seahorse, Dog toothed tuna, Green and hawksbill turtle’s and a wide variety of crustaceans. Dive number 3 we did at an island called Ndaa. Again an incredible wall dive with good coral coverage. Highlight’s included: White tip reef shark’s, schooling pinate batfish and a variety of turtle’s. For the night dive we moved to an island called Kalidupa. We did our dive on the northern side of the island a nice sloping reef with lots of different critters. Highlight’s included: Bobtail squid, Dwarf Cuddle fish and Nudibranch’s.
Tuesday 8th November 2016
Today we started diving at a small island called Kapote, it’s located next to the island Wangi Wangi. The first dive we did at Kapote Reef. A wall dive with lots and lots of schooling small reef fish. Highlights included: Banded sea snakes, Crocodile fish and Nudibranch;s. The second dive was at Batu Kapote Again a wall dive with a beautiful overhang with lots of little crevices where blue spotted stingrays were hiding in. Highlight’s included: Banded seasnakes Napoleon Wrasse and a variety of shrimp. The second dive we did at the Wakatobi dive shop house reef. A combination of a gentle and a steep slope with lots of little critters. Highlight’s included: Orang Otang crabs, Denise’s pygmy seahorse, Nudi branch’s Clingfish and squad lobsters.
Due to the long trip ahead we were not able to do a night dive.
Wednesday 9th November 2016
This morning we arrived at Wowoni where we did the last 2 dives of this cruise. We did both dives on the same reef because we enjoyed the first dive so much.
Highlight’s included: Ourang Outang crab, Big jelly fish, stonefish, scorpionfish, Nudibranch’s and Turtle’s
After the dive we started moving towards Kendari. On our way back to port guests enjoyed a farewell cocktail party followed by a small award ceremony. We then enjoyed a farewell dinner together on board the Indo Aggressor. Sadly tomorrow is departure day and guests disembark.