Alor: Macro vs wide angle

[Christian]

2 days after full moon, eh... Koen & Melissa still in charge or new managers ?

When you have a moment, what depth were you at Yellow Corner to see the HH?

Bit of misinformation from my side. Koen and Melissa (didn’t really listen to names) spent a couple of seasons at AD. The couple that came today is Kevin and Julia.

HH 35ish meters. Not a great encounter, they were skittish. Sent a few scouts up and then gone. Hardly saw them. Some others who were a minute earlier saw them a little better.

 

[Mr.Poseidon]

Bit of misinformation from my side. Koen and Melissa (didn’t really listen to names) spent a couple of seasons at AD. The couple that came today is Kevin and Julia.

HH 35ish meters. Not a great encounter, they were skittish. Sent a few scouts up and then gone. Hardly saw them. Some others who were a minute earlier saw them a little better.

Christian:
We’re returning to Alor early November. When you have second, what dive sites have been your favorite not including the macro dives in the strait? Also, did you dive Clown Valley? Thoughts? We were informed to pass in 2023.

 

[Christian]

Christian:
We’re returning to Alor early November. When you have second, what dive sites have been your favorite not including the macro dives in the strait? Also, did you dive Clown Valley? Thoughts? We were informed to pass in 2023.

From the top of my head Red Sands and Bima Wall. The Edge. And then Yellow Corner of course stood out (3 dives there). AD House reef is really good too. Inmo, there was not a single bad site. Did not dive Clown Valley so perhaps the recommendation still holds. We visited during full moon so a lot of weird currents. Couldn’t dive Cal’s favorite as a result, which is supposed to be a top site. It is a place that requires a lot of intimate local knowledge to hit sites at the right time—a few liveaboards had their guests at the wrong place at the wrong time and had to cancel and change sites.

 

[cozcharlie]

From the top of my head Red Sands and Bima Wall. The Edge. And then Yellow Corner of course stood out (3 dives there). AD House reef is really good too. Inmo, there was not a single bad site. Did not dive Clown Valley so perhaps the recommendation still holds. We visited during full moon so a lot of weird currents. Couldn’t dive Cal’s favorite as a result, which is supposed to be a top site. It is a place that requires a lot of intimate local knowledge to hit sites at the right time—a few liveaboards had their guests at the wrong place at the wrong time and had to cancel and change sites.

Christian definitely has a point about local knowledge being helpful. Alami Alor said they tracked the currents at each site relative to tide and moon cycle. Some sites they only considered diveable 4 days a month.

Dove one site from a liveaboard where current picked up during the dive. Swam against current for 15-20 minutes then hit a dowcurrent. Had to hang on to the wall for dear life for 10 minutes or so and then climbed the wall to get to top (my hands have basically recovered after a month after getting torn up on the coral).

I was told multiple times by people that have been diving continuously in Indonesia for more than a decade that while Komodo is known for current, Alor is substantially worse. All that said, Alor is absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to go back.

 

[Christian]

Christian definitely has a point about local knowledge being helpful. Alami Alor said they tracked the currents at each site relative to tide and moon cycle. Some sites they only considered diveable 4 days a month.

Dove one site from a liveaboard where current picked up during the dive. Swam against current for 15-20 minutes then hit a dowcurrent. Had to hang on to the wall for dear life for 10 minutes or so and then climbed the wall to get to top (my hands have basically recovered after a month after getting torn up on the coral).

I was told multiple times by people that have been diving continuously in Indonesia for more than a decade that while Komodo is known for current, Alor is substantially worse. All that said, Alor is absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to go back. View attachment 919656View attachment 919654View attachment 919659View attachment 919657

Agree 100%. It can be ”reef climbing”, hands, hook and stick.

 

[Dan]

Dove one site from a liveaboard where current picked up during the dive. Swam against current for 15-20 minutes then hit a dowcurrent. Had to hang on to the wall for dear life for 10 minutes or so and then climbed the wall to get to top (my hands have basically recovered after a month after getting torn up on the coral).

Glad to hear that you got over such downcurrent. Where was it?

We may want to avoid Weka’s Wow when we are in Kawe, North Raja Ampat in February 2026.

Thread 'Raja Ampat diver death'

Dec 1, 2023

Just read this article: Turis Asing Asal Amerika Serikat Tewas, Diduga Gegara Diving di Raja Ampat - tribunsorong.com .

• hiker11
• Replies: 96
• Forum: Accidents, Incidents, & Near Misses

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[Christian]

Had to hang on to the wall for dear life for 10 minutes or so and then climbed the wall to get to top (my hands have basically recovered after a month after getting torn up on the coral).

… can't wait to go back.

 

[Luko]

Couldn’t dive Cal’s favorite as a result, which is supposed to be a top site.

I guess you mean Kal's Dream.
I never dived it based on AD owner's feedback that it's not a photography-friendly site because of its topography, the hit-and-miss factor (apparently not always that good) and its currents that can be quite difficult to manage with a big photo rig.
So you probably didn't miss anything if photo was your prime purpose.

 

[Christian]

I guess you mean Kal's Dream.
I never dived it based on AD owner's feedback that it's not a photography-friendly site because of its topography, the hit-and-miss factor (apparently not always that good) and its currents that can be quite difficult to manage with a big photo rig.
So you probably didn't miss anything if photo was your prime purpose.

Cal’s Dream, yes. Kal Müller I believe, who named it. Fred estimated it’s good once a month when currents are right.

 

[Mr.Poseidon]

From the top of my head Red Sands and Bima Wall. The Edge. And then Yellow Corner of course stood out (3 dives there). AD House reef is really good too. Inmo, there was not a single bad site. Did not dive Clown Valley so perhaps the recommendation still holds. We visited during full moon so a lot of weird currents. Couldn’t dive Cal’s favorite as a result, which is supposed to be a top site. It is a place that requires a lot of intimate local knowledge to hit sites at the right time—a few liveaboards had their guests at the wrong place at the wrong time and had to cancel and change sites.

Thanks for taking the time. Much appreciated!