Bali, East Sumbawa and Komodo National Park 6th-16th August 2013

Dive Crew on board:

Cruise Director: Fin                 Dive Master: Seno                   Dive Master: Gede

                                                                                                Guests on board:

Day 1: 6th Aug

                Ombak Biru welcomed on board sixteen guests for this ten day Bali to Flores dive adventure. People travelled from Europe, Romania, Germany and France, and from the Americas, U.S.A. and Canada, with a couple also popping over from Australia.

                For the first afternoon we took it easy and cruised up the Badung channel to our first site, Jepun, in the area of Pandang Bai. It was an easy dive to check the weights but also turned out to be a very productive dive. Whitetips and bamboo sharks were spotted and a Wunderpus, yes a Wunderpus! Guests watched this critter for 20 minutes before being encouraged onwards and upwards by their DM to find nudibranchs and ribbon eels. Why did nobody bring their cameras on the check dive!? No proof of the Wunderpus, what a pity.

Seen: Wonderpuss, whitetip reef sharks, bamboo shark, ribbon eel, nudibranchs, raggy scorpion fish.

Day 2: 7th Aug

                After a very choppy night anchored at Pandang Bai the Captain decided to move early to Tulamben for our two morning dives before heading east to north Sumbawa. Our first dive was on the Liberty Wreck and as soon as we jumped in we were surrounded by bumphead parrotfish. These lazy giants were just waking up so provided very good opportunities for photographers to shoot and film them. On the wreck itself flatworms, nudibranchs, ribbon eels and a scorpion leaf fish were found. We do not often get a chance to dive a good wreck in these parts so it was a real treat to glide through the overhangs and swim-throughs that this one provides. As the wind was picking up we decided to dive Tulamben Drop-Off for a sheltered entry and exit. On this site there are plenty of hydroids for critters to hide in and feed on, plus there are many colourful sponges growing on the rocks. With the black sandy bottom it was easy to spot chromodoris nudibranchs moving around and a small shoal of striped catfish. On the reef there were yellow box fish, cuttlefish and carpet anemones with magnificent partner shrimp. After this dive it was time to start our longest journey of the trip over to Moyo Island for tomorrow’s diving.

Seen: Schooling bumphead parrot fish, leaf scorpion fish, ribbon eel, flatworms, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, striped catfish, magnificent partner shrimp.

Day 3: 8th Aug

                On arriving at Moyo we dived at two sites in the morning, Long Reef and Angel Reef. It was wonderful conditions on the sheltered west side offering 28C blue water. On Long Reef we drifted along the length in medium current spotting Spanish mackerel, blacktip sharks and blue-fin trevally bullying millions of fusiliers. As our first fishy dive of the trip guests were surrounded by fish life for the majority. For our second dive we had a pleasant drift along a wall inspecting small alcoves and huge sponges. As we got pulled around the corner guests had fun hooking onto the reef watching trevallys and schooling midnight snapper. As we shallowed up onto the sandy slopes you could almost hear Barry White playing in the background as reef octopus and banded sea kraits coupled up in front of our eyes. The sea kraits were all of an impressive size so caution was needed by some of the guests when approaching. Then we had a leisurely cruise over to the Island of Satonda diving Black Magic Rock spotting various banded pipefish and spiny lobsters under ledges, yet another large cuttlefish with a small school of razorfish and on the sandy rubble jawfish were feeding with ribbon eels.

                Seen: Spanish mackerel, blue-fin trevally, juvenile GTs, sea kraits, cuttlefish, schooling fish (banners, red-tooth triggers, fusiliers, damsels, chromis), reef octopus, white mouthed moray, crinoids shrimp, various banded pipefish, razorfish, crown of thorns, hairy sponge coral squat lobster, ribbon eel, blue-spotted stingray, white-cap and signal gobies, spiny lobsters.

Day 4: 9th Aug

                We arrived at Bima Bay, north-east Sumbawa at 6.45am for our morning dive on Fuzzy Bottom. The muck dive provides so many critters this time showing the guests four thorny seahorses, pairs of dragon seamoths, gilded pipefish along with juvenile barramundi and an algae octopus. For the second dive on Rocky Bottom it was nudibranch time spotting various chromodoris and flabellina. Snake eels were out and about too with common and banded filmed free swimming. To gain better visibility were moved to the outer bay for the next dive at Tanjung Sai. Here the sun lit up the shallow colourful reef with many reef fish. Again nudi’s were in full abundance on the dark silty sea bed and razor fish were in groups darting from one black coral bush to another. For our night dive it was back to Fuzzy Bottom for more even more nudibranchs but fire urchins with their zebra crab and commensal shrimp buddies were also spotted.

Seen: Thorny seahorse, Pegasus seamoths, gilded pipefish, juvenile barramundi, juvenile mapper pufferfish, algae octopus, snake eels, cuttlefish, nudibranchs (chromodoris, flabellina, head-shield slug, facelinia, zephyrinia, t-bar), pleurobranchs, flatworms, rosy spindle cowrie, razorfish, fireworms, fire urchins, zebra crab, commensal shrimp.

Day 5: 10th Aug

                In the morning we arrived at the east coast of Sangeang Island to dive Deep Purple and Hot Rock.  With light current we could navigate the sandy channels and deep walls and pinnacle on Deep Purple spotting bumphead parrot fish, a hawksbill turtle and surgeon fish in the blue while on the reef scorpion fish were lying in wait. Adult and juvenile ribbon eels were extending themselves from their burrows and many different anemones were open for photographs. Once again Hot Rock did not fail to amaze with the bright soft corals swaying in the mixing currents and schooling snappers on the point. Zanzibarica shrimp were found hiding on the whip corals, soft coral imitator crabs on the broccoli corals and egg cowries on the leather corals. Photographers had to be careful where they put their hands down as scorpion fish covered the bottom topography, some of them acting quite aggressively. For our third dive we drifted on Tikno’s Reef spotting a Pikachu nudi laying an egg ribbon and a tiny juvenile ornate ghostpipe fish in a black coral bush. On the deeper rocks Durban dancer and cleaner shrimp were active and as the current picked up speed midnight snapper schooled in the blue. For the finale of the day we took a walk into Bonto Village and then dived on the reef within their bay. During the walk we watched the water buffalo return to the village from their waterhole with some of the calves calling out loudly for their parents to catch up. The night dive was very active producing tons of flabellina nudis, hydroids with skeleton shrimp, Spanish Dancers and a pair of adult ornate ghostpipe fish to name but a few.

Seen: Ribbon eels, nudibranchs (t-bar, flabellina, chromodoris, polyceria, thuridilla, hancockia), common stingray, tozeuma stick shrimp, zanzibarica shrimp, xeno crab, long-nosed hawkfish, marbled groupers, hawksbill turtles, juvenile ornate ghost pipefish, crinoids squat lobster, peacock mantis shrimp, cuttlefish, boxer crab, Spanish dancers with emperor shrimp, skeleton shrimp, pink-eared mantis shrimp, a pair of adult ornate ghostpipe fish, skeleton shrimp, decorator crabs, sharon shrimp.

Day 6: 11th Aug

                A morning dive again on Bonto Reef produced so much macro for our photographers. Peacock mantis shrimp were everywhere you turned and on the seabed a variety of different nudi’s and flatworms were seen. One of the DMs, Seno, spotted a tiny rough-nosed ghost pipefish and a warty frogfish in the shallows. While guests queued up to take pictures of the yellow frogfish a reef octopus watched the commotion from the shelter of its garden. Then it was off to Banta for another two dives, one on Roller Coaster, the other at Circus. Conditions at Roller Coaster were fantastic allowing dive groups to go any-which-way they chose. Schools of twinspot snapper and horse-eye jacks swirled in the blue and macro fauna in the shape of nudi’s along with many morays were seen on the reef. Plus during the safety stop one group was lucky enough to have three fully grown spotted eagle rays cruise by. For the night dive we jumped in at Circus to spot demon walkers feeding, stargazers hiding, flatheads, snake eels and some got up close and personal with bobtail squid.

Seen: Warty frogfish, rough-snout ghostpipe fish, nudibranchs (bornela, chromodoris), flatworms, mantis shrimp, octopus, waspfish, wally’s hairy crab, three eagle rays, schooling fish (surgeons, twinspot snapper, horse-eye jacks)

Day 7: 12th Aug

                An early morning drift dive at Batu Monco woke up our guests with a medium current. We drifted past the wall experiencing visits from whitetip, blacktip and one fat grey reef shark. Bumphead parrotfish were cruising about while on the reef pygmy seahorses were found, various nudibranchs, coriocellas and cute families of fire gobies. Moving east again we stopped for a dive on Crystal Rock in a rising tide which tightly packed the fish life onto the reef.  Schools of various snapper and black-spined surgeon fish were seeking shelter while in the current many whitetips patrolled waiting for the action to being. Soon enough it did with napoleon wrasse, trevally, emperor snapper and large marbled groupers hitting coral blocks trying to gain access to small hiding fish, a true action dive! For the third dive we attempted a drift on The Passage but the current changed quickly which forced divers back onto the coral gardens. Scorpion leaf fish were on the reef while sharks and schooling snappers were in the channel around the blocks. For those with enough energy we then went for a hike on Gililawa Darat for a panoramic buenavista. Some had so much energy that they hiked to the very top and swam back to the boat! Then it was time for a night dive on Spanish Step to view octopus, scorpion fish, morays and of course Spanish Dancers and their emperor shrimp.

Seen: Grey reef, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs (shield-head, chromodoris), coriocella, fire goby families, GTs, blue-fin trevallys, napoleon wrasse, emperor snapper, schooling fish (humphead, sweetlips, surgeons, banners, fusiliers), sea kraits.

Day 8: 13th Aug

                Our first dive of the day was on Shotgun shooting the guests through the channel and the varying topography. In the canyon many schooling snapper could be watched leisurely along with a few GTs. Whitetips were seen flying around in the cauldron and a small mobula manta was playing around in the current. Then on Castle Rock we had a very fishy dive indeed. Robust fusiliers descended on the reef making visual contact between buddies impossible, a school of horse-eye jacks span around as they moved into the current and large GTs swept into cleaning stations. Many marbled groupers were about and a very inquisitive napoleon wrasse split up the groups. After lunch our third dive was done at Lighthouse Reef of which conditions presented quite a strong drift for most. At the point schooling snapper and trevally were seen and a highlight was finding a pair of giant frogfish on the wall, one green and one black. For the experimental night dive we cruised around the south reef of Gililawa Laut. The coral there is wonderful but prettier by day than by night we believe. However, soft coral imitator crabs were found on broccoli coral, feeding tiger cowries and sleepy turtles.

Seen: Mobula manta, whitetip reef sharks, bamboo shark, green and hawksbill turtles, marble groupers, GTs, schooling fish (midnight & twinspot snapper, blue-fin trevally, surgeons, banners), octopus, white-mouth moray, giant frogfish, sea krait, soft coral imitator crab, cowries.

Day 9: 14th Aug

                Batu Bolong was the choice for the first dive which provided a very challenging down current for one group and aquarium-like conditions for the others. Schooling fusiliers were kept in-check by GTs in the current while in the shallows millions of anthias and sergent majors swarmed the divers. Napoleon wrasse and marbled groupers dotted the reef and brightly coloured nembrothas were photographed. Tatawa Besar provided fantastic conditions with stupendous visibility for the next dive. Guests drifted slowly over the brilliant coral garden here bumping into cuttlefish, mantis shrimp and many turtles feeding on the stagthorn coral. It was worth a try but we came back empty again at Makasar Reef. Mantas sightings have been low in July and seem to be continuing into August, however there was plenty of rubble to entertain our guests with the odd shark making an appearance. Wainilu was subject to our night dive efforts presenting us with much macro to entertain. Painted frogfish, amazing nudi’s and flatworms were photographed along with a multitude of flamboyant crustaceans.

Seen: GTs, blue-fin trevally, emperor, humphead & sweetlip snapper, hawksbill turtles, nudibranchs (nembrotha, chromodoris), flatworms, pleurobranchs, whitetips, bamboo shark, green turtles, painted frogfish, razorfish, cuttlefish with eggs, demon walker, marbled grouper. 

Thank you all so very much!!

Day 10: 15th Aug

                For our last two dives we headed just north of Rinca for Pengah Besar and Kecil. On Honeymoon Rock (kecil) we drifted around the reef with the morning sun on our backs and a huge abundance of reef fish. It was angelfish and butterfly fish galore with a few turtles all yo-yoing from reef to surface and back again to catch their breath. Schools of spadefish tucked in close to coral while on the corner we flew by GTs and emperor snapper. The second dive of the day and final of the trip was on the shallow coral garden of Tengah Besar . Guests took it easy on the shallow coral playing with anemone fish and a few different nudi’s were spotted. After lunch we headed for Loh Buaya to watch the Komodo Dragons basking and then cruised back to Labuan Bajo port for our final evening meal together.

Seen: Hawksbill turtles, giant morays, zanzibarica shrimp, nembrotha nudibranch, schooling fish (GTs, blue-fin trevally, fusiliers, red-tooth triggers, emperor snapper, spadefish), coriocella.

                I would like to say thank you to all guests for coming on board Ombak Biru, Komodo Dancer and we hope to see you again. You provided a good sense of humor and open minds considering we travelled so far over the ten day period.

Thank you to Gail and Laurence for providing the photographs.

Sangeang

Flores

Rinca

Komodo

Banta

Sumbawa