JonnieB
Contributor
Mabul trip at Scuba Junkies. First day...2 dives at Kapalai and 2 at Mabul - turtles and crazy macro are the main themes. Sadly large aggragations of reef fish are not. (If you want to see all the parrotfish, snappers, groupers, jacks, barracudas, and even pufferfish no need to go to Mabul or Sipadan, just go to the seafood restaurant holding tanks in Semporna, that cater to the Chinese tourist crowds. The reefs seem denuded of many common schooling reef fish.
Highlights from Kapalai dives: 8-10 turtles - mixed Hawksbill and Green (but mostly Greens), 12-15 nuddies (assorted), 4-5 Pharoah and/or Broadclub cuttlefish (one very large 70-80 cm), Pair of Marble Snake Eels, Brown Snake Eel, Fimbriated, Snowflake, and White Eye moray eels, Harlequin Crab, Orangutan Crab (pair), Coral Whip Shrimp, several large (1m) Crocodile Fish, Flying Gunard, Blu Spot Ribbontail Stingray.
Dive 3: Sipadan Water Village to Scuba Junkie house reef. Painted Frogfish (green), Reef Stonefish, Robust Ghost Pipefish, Bottletail Squid or Crinoid Cuttlefish, Flamboyant Cuttlefish (pair out hunting), Lacy Scorpionfish (Rhinopias).
Crazy Nite Dive: Four Frogfish (2 Clown (white & yellow), 1 Painted (red), 1 unidentified (pinhead size 1-2mm), Long Arm Octopus (3), Coconut Octopus (3-4) Mimic Octopus, Cockatoo Waspfish, Bottletail Squid (2-3), Stumpy Spine Cuttlefish (2), Papuan Cuttlefish (3), Ornate Ghost Pipefish (pair), Rhinopias, and highlight of the day Ambon Scorpionfish!!!
Grails ticked off: Lacy Rhinopias, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Ambon Scorpionfish. After one day, I can pack up and go home... definitely the most epic dive day for me ever!!!
Highlights from Kapalai dives: 8-10 turtles - mixed Hawksbill and Green (but mostly Greens), 12-15 nuddies (assorted), 4-5 Pharoah and/or Broadclub cuttlefish (one very large 70-80 cm), Pair of Marble Snake Eels, Brown Snake Eel, Fimbriated, Snowflake, and White Eye moray eels, Harlequin Crab, Orangutan Crab (pair), Coral Whip Shrimp, several large (1m) Crocodile Fish, Flying Gunard, Blu Spot Ribbontail Stingray.
Dive 3: Sipadan Water Village to Scuba Junkie house reef. Painted Frogfish (green), Reef Stonefish, Robust Ghost Pipefish, Bottletail Squid or Crinoid Cuttlefish, Flamboyant Cuttlefish (pair out hunting), Lacy Scorpionfish (Rhinopias).
Crazy Nite Dive: Four Frogfish (2 Clown (white & yellow), 1 Painted (red), 1 unidentified (pinhead size 1-2mm), Long Arm Octopus (3), Coconut Octopus (3-4) Mimic Octopus, Cockatoo Waspfish, Bottletail Squid (2-3), Stumpy Spine Cuttlefish (2), Papuan Cuttlefish (3), Ornate Ghost Pipefish (pair), Rhinopias, and highlight of the day Ambon Scorpionfish!!!
Grails ticked off: Lacy Rhinopias, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Ambon Scorpionfish. After one day, I can pack up and go home... definitely the most epic dive day for me ever!!!