MANTAS MANTAS MANTAS

in KOMODO!

Liveaboard trip 21/6 – 28/6 2008

Bali - Komodo
INDONESIA

Mermaid I

So, here we are, back in Komodo again... As always, really good diving, with a great range from the tiniest Pygmy Seahorse, only a centimeter long, to the largest Manta Ray, spanning 4 meters across. And pretty much everything in between!

We started off at Moyo Island, with a dive at the beautiful Angel Reef. Clear, blue water, and plenty of fish around. Leaf Scorpionfish, Orangutang Crabs, Spearing Mantis Shrimps and Pink Squat Lobsters were among this dive’s sightings.

Satonda is a place to see unusual stuff. A playful Clown Frogfish, Mushroom Coral Pipefish, lots of Nudibranchs and a miniscule juvenile Batfish kept the photographers busy.

Next morning’s dive was at Sangeang volcano. A true magical place, with bubbles raising from the bottom. We found Blue Ribbon Eels, Leaf Scorpionfish, Pygmy Seahorses and the endemic, neon-coloured, Thuridilla Nudibranch.

At GPS Point, we were investigated by a school of young Grey Reef Sharks, only a meter long. Up in the shallows, zillions of orange and red Anthias, playing in the current.

The first Manta Ray of the trip made an appearance (if brief...) at Crystal Rock. Together with big schols of Surgeonfish, baby Whitetip Sharks and Turtles, this made for a great dive!

The first nightdive in Komodo National Park, Pink Beach, turned out to be a virtual parade of critters: Spanish Dancers, Zebra Crabs, Coral Cat Shark, huge Pleurobranchus Nudibranchs just to mention a few.

Walking with the Komodo Dragons is one of the highlights of any trip. We found two of the huge varans, warming up in the morning sun. In this World Heritage Site, you can also see Deer, Wild Boar, Cockatoos and a variety of rare Orchids.

Cannibal Rock, a true top-ten-in-the-world divesite, was absolutely awesome! Enormous Frogfish, big Turtles, Whitetip Sharks, all the Nudibranchs in the book and fantastic soft corals!

Next day we did Manta Alley, in South Komodo, and were blessed with a serious Manta Experience! Feeding at the surface (mouths wide open!), getting their morning shower at a cleaning station or just playing around. We all came back on the boat with big smiles on our faces!

We continued with a cracking dive at Takat Toko, off the north-east corner of Komodo. A bit of a current running, so lots of action. Nine Whitetip Sharks circled in front of us, with a back-up team of Grey Reefs just behind. Enormous schools of Unicornfish, Jackfish, Red Snappers and Surgeonfish almost made us miss the Dolphin, swimming by in the blue.

Last day of the trip, we enjoyed plenty of Nudibanchs at Sumbawa Wall, and finished with a completly new dive site, also at Sumbawa, where we found no less than five Robust Ghost Pipefish, a Stick Pipefish and, as a little finale, the beyond-belief rare Wonderpus!!

A very lucky trip indeed, which we all realized admiring each other’s photos as we cruised into the sunset, heading back to Bali.

PJ Widestrand

Video-Pro
Mermaid I

Liveaboard trips to Thailand, Burma, Bali - Komodo and Andaman Islands.