Missing Divers - Komodo National Park

[lemurs2]

okay, I've read through this post and am happy the divers were found alive and they had a great DM with them. One thing no one has pointed out that wild animals come in 2 forms: predator and prey, both are unpredictible.
Komodos are predators, squirrels and such are prey, gorrillas have no predators but humans.
I have done dives with divers that let sharks get extremely close to them, trusting that the shark will not decide to take a nibble. Komodos may seem unintrested in humans but they can change their minds and bite quicker then a human can jump out of the way. The bite is very deadly and painful. Predators have survived much longer then humans have been around so do not take for granted the "uninterested" gait, be respectful and weary.
I've worked with many animals, both wild and domestic, and respect them all

 

[dutchpickle]

I don't know too much about the komodo dragons but this was a neat tip i picked up when diving in Indonesia:

If you drift far away from the boat take off one of your fins and wave it back and forth as high as possible over your head. It's not too high tech but it does work.

the cell phone idea - i think would be good to contact the fishermen in the area so they would be keeping a keen eye out for lost divers. They know the waters and the currents. I don't suggest it would be good to dive with one though.

...I'm just happy that everyone is safe and sound!

ps. dragon meat tastes like chicken

 

[Kim]

ps. dragon meat tastes like chicken

....and people taste like pork!

 

[DandyDon]

I don't know too much about the komodo dragons but this was a neat tip i picked up when diving in Indonesia:

If you drift far away from the boat take off one of your fins and wave it back and forth as high as possible over your head. It's not too high tech but it does work.

Uh, get a Sausage! Mine has been with me on every dive, including trainging dives in a 20 ft deep spring.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I read the reports of the dragons attacking deer and buffalo; I suppose the deer are smaller than typical North American deer are? Tropical and Asian deer are usually quite a bit smaller? How big are the buffalo tho?

... a lot bigger than the dragons ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[SlowRain]

Wow...missed out on this I guess. I went diving all weekend and wasn't around a computer (let's see...diving or computer...hmmm not much thought on that decision needed).

Probably need the big bucket if this keeps going.



Yes, I have been to Indonesia...specifically 6 times in 2006 to the island of Batam. In Singapore a dozen times during the same time frame and Malaysia about 6 times as its right across the channel and you can easily drive there. The business I work for has sites in all three countries and I have spent a fair amount of time there. I have dove there numerous times.

In my opinion...for whatever it is worth...I think you need to be prepared not only in the event things go wrong underwater, but above the water as well. Obviously these things do happen. Hope is not a strategy. One would be well advised to have some means of effective signalling and at least a rudimentary knowledge of basic survival skills, especially if you are going to dive areas that are remote.

Glad the group made it out of this situation and that they are safe.

 

[DandyDon]

... a lot bigger than the dragons ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Full sized beats huh? :11: I kinda doubt the dragons are going for those monsters (watch me get blasted for thinking again

), maybe they'll catch a baby then come back when the corpse is so ripe that momma leaves it, but I'm guessing their rep for eating buffalo is really one of carrion consumption. I'm guessing (here I go again, thinking :no) that a visitor would want to use similar cautions one might use with many other predators: don't approach, don't turn you back, stand tall and try to look big - with the exception of not using the play-dead trick which would play right into their preferences. I don't guess opossums could make coexist there. Thanks!

I read (I get busted for that here too

) that the former Royal Marine and his cute GF had gone home and were looking for work. Hope they found a good agent and partner for the book deal. Cheers to the others who survived the ordeal, giving us all hope to never give up if we get lost, but those two are obviously the most marketable. The newspaper pics capture her blue eyes nicely.

I know we had some friends of the operator posting here earlier. Still like to see their comments about the boat crew not watching in all directions when they surfaced so close? I gather that it may be a no-frills op that caters to backpacking divers perhaps, but a Dive Alert for the DM and Storm Whistle and Sausage for the rental BCs would still be a good investment.

 

[victor]

Things I am going to add to my regular dive gear on my trips.
Mirror, I new I needed one just never bothered to get one
Strobe
Collapsable water bottle full of fresh drinking water (1 litre if I can find)
I am thinking seariously about a personal locator beacon

 

[DandyDon]

Things I am going to add to my regular dive gear on my trips.
Mirror, I new I needed one just never bothered to get one
Strobe
Collapsable water bottle full of fresh drinking water (1 litre if I can find)
I am thinking seariously about a personal locator beacon

See link in my Sig for other good ideas. A liter of water would be nice if lost, but I'd rather use that space and weight for better signaling devices. I just might stick my Marine VHF walky-talky in an Otter box and add it - gawd, what a boy scout I'll be then.

 

[itsjustme0770]

Nope Dandy, they can and will take out a full sized buffalo. Here's the video.

YouTube - Komodo dragons eating buffalo

Also, from National Geographic....

"As the dominant predators on the handful of islands they inhabit, they will eat almost anything, including carrion, deer, pigs, smaller dragons, and even large water buffalo and humans. "

Komodo Dragon, Komodo Dragon Profile, Facts, Information, Photos, Pictures, Sounds, Habitats, Reports, News - National Geographic

We're heading out on the Komodo Dancer next week and will try to avoid being eaten....