Alor
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PeCaRi
Registered
I just dived with Thomas Scheiber in Alor (reports follow). In Alor, everthing is possible, but you never know, when! That is the fun. Well, there is a reason, why the Alorese still know how to kill a whale by spear :thinking: But it is not an aquarium, it needs a lot of luck, in particular because whales generally do not like scuba noise. That is the reason why it is highly recommended to have your snorkel very close.
gilbubblefish
Registered
have been diving alor for 5 years, living on the beach in Alor strait...Sperm Whales are common sight durung the october, novenber, december months. but ORCAS are rare, i have seen only 2 or 3 times ....
gilles
Alor-Divers
gilles
Alor-Divers
Andy_from_Germany
Registered
Hi Midget,
I have been diving a lot on Alor (with Thomas from Alor Dive), too. As PeCaRi mentioned everything is possible but there's a lot of luck involved spotting Orcas, whales and other big fish ;-)
But: I can (nearly) give you a guarantee that you will see dolphins (maybe not under water but on the surface).
Regarding the operator advertising with Orcas:
If it's the one operating from Kupang on Timor: He's far too expansive for what he offers! Better take a local operator.
The other operators on Alor, Kepa or Pantar are ok but, as a German, I prefer Thomas ;-)
Good luck on Alor, it's definetly worth a visit!!
Andy
I have been diving a lot on Alor (with Thomas from Alor Dive), too. As PeCaRi mentioned everything is possible but there's a lot of luck involved spotting Orcas, whales and other big fish ;-)
But: I can (nearly) give you a guarantee that you will see dolphins (maybe not under water but on the surface).
Regarding the operator advertising with Orcas:
If it's the one operating from Kupang on Timor: He's far too expansive for what he offers! Better take a local operator.
The other operators on Alor, Kepa or Pantar are ok but, as a German, I prefer Thomas ;-)
Good luck on Alor, it's definetly worth a visit!!
Andy
Andy_from_Germany
Registered
Hi frogfish,
well, this operator, if we mean the same, advertises a lot.
In general, you have good chances to see ""everything"", ranging from Mola-Mola to Orcas, from Whales to Dugungs and huge schools of XX fish (replace XX with any name you want) around Alor.
BUT, and it's a bold BUT: There's no guarantee!
What I can tell from my experience of many dives in different seasons around Alor is that you will nearly always see lots of Dolphins (at least on the surface, under water I wasn't lucky yet), tens, if not hundreds of jumping Thuna and/or Sail-Fish from the boat. Under water you have good chances to see schools of Thuna or Barracuda.
Sharks and rays are common, but you might have bad luck and don't see one for two weeks.
Regarding Mola-Mola: I once saw one on the surface but currents prevented me snorkling/diving with it.
Apart of that I can guarantee that the corals around Alor are still very intact with all it's inhabitants.
To get an impression of what to find (keep in mind that some photos needed 100s of dives around Alor to see that animal) have a look at the photos on Tauchen in Alor. As well you will always have a chance to see something extraordinary around Alor.
Thomas made some photos of a water-python drowning a bat (http://www.bdinet.de/pic_uw/1024/x087.html and http://www.bdinet.de/pic_uw/1024/x088.html) or of a juvenile lion-fish (http://www.bdinet.de/pic_uw/1024/x058.html). In case you wonder why I have the links: He asked in a german dive-forum about the name of the snake and linked the image there.
In short: Alor is definetly worth a visit and, if you're not only focussed on big stuff, you will nearly always find something new and special.
HTH,
Andy
well, this operator, if we mean the same, advertises a lot.
In general, you have good chances to see ""everything"", ranging from Mola-Mola to Orcas, from Whales to Dugungs and huge schools of XX fish (replace XX with any name you want) around Alor.
BUT, and it's a bold BUT: There's no guarantee!
What I can tell from my experience of many dives in different seasons around Alor is that you will nearly always see lots of Dolphins (at least on the surface, under water I wasn't lucky yet), tens, if not hundreds of jumping Thuna and/or Sail-Fish from the boat. Under water you have good chances to see schools of Thuna or Barracuda.
Sharks and rays are common, but you might have bad luck and don't see one for two weeks.
Regarding Mola-Mola: I once saw one on the surface but currents prevented me snorkling/diving with it.
Apart of that I can guarantee that the corals around Alor are still very intact with all it's inhabitants.
To get an impression of what to find (keep in mind that some photos needed 100s of dives around Alor to see that animal) have a look at the photos on Tauchen in Alor. As well you will always have a chance to see something extraordinary around Alor.
Thomas made some photos of a water-python drowning a bat (http://www.bdinet.de/pic_uw/1024/x087.html and http://www.bdinet.de/pic_uw/1024/x088.html) or of a juvenile lion-fish (http://www.bdinet.de/pic_uw/1024/x058.html). In case you wonder why I have the links: He asked in a german dive-forum about the name of the snake and linked the image there.
In short: Alor is definetly worth a visit and, if you're not only focussed on big stuff, you will nearly always find something new and special.
HTH,
Andy
PeCaRi
Registered
as much as I know, there is no special season. The only thing is, Mola2 is a deep water creature so that colder temperatures resp. deep currents which are coming up are needed (before full moon or new moon). There you have the sites. not in the fjord. How I have already written, everything is possible, but you never know when.;-)
Thanks Guys - I spent a week diving in Alor 3 years ago and agree that corals and macro are outstanding, plus you get the impression that anything my happen on a good day 
We did see huge dolphin pods as well and apparently a humpback well passed by when we were looking for those elusive pygmies (at least that's what the boat map told us)
I actually really liked it and thinking of going back next month.
We did see huge dolphin pods as well and apparently a humpback well passed by when we were looking for those elusive pygmies (at least that's what the boat map told us)I actually really liked it and thinking of going back next month.
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