Hammer time
- Thread starter wildbill9
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That is the best time! Should be good. However, if it's a Sorong to Ambon trip, I am not sure you will be going far enough south for the hammers? You can get them at Hatta in the Banda Neira islands as well as at Nusa Laut, both of which you should visit so that will give you a good chance
paulfromharwich
Registered
Hi,
Are there any land based operators that dive the sites where the hammerheads can be found or is it only possible to dive them on a liveaboard?
Thanks, Paul
Are there any land based operators that dive the sites where the hammerheads can be found or is it only possible to dive them on a liveaboard?
Thanks, Paul
CWK
Contributor
I’m doing Ambon to Sorong in December and the boat is scheduled to dive around Banda ... so I presume that a boat traveling the other way could also do Banda.
Meanwhile some hammers to whet your appetite....
Hopefully Banda will be better.
Meanwhile some hammers to whet your appetite....
Hopefully Banda will be better.
Dan
Contributor
I’d like to see them too. Here are some info that I have gathered so far:
From White Manta Diving - Maumere-Alor-Banda-Ambon
“Day 4-7. (3 dives x4 days) Ring of Fire; diving around Volcanic Islands and stunning seamounts in search of hammerheads, encounter many sea snakes, huge schools of fish, reef sharks, tunas, & other pelagic superstars.
Day 8-9. (3 dives x2 days) Diving around Banda Islands with excellent visibility, fantastic coral coverage and tremendous numbers of fish along with potential Hammerhead sightings, plus a visit to one of the Spice Islands.”
From Banda Dive sites information - Scuba Diving Resource
“Karang Hatta is a reef located South East of Pulau Hatta. Its dive sites are the ones closest to the 6000 m deep Banda trench, which makes diving interesting as the chances to see big pelagics are the best here. Schooling trevallies, barracudas, tunas and even chances to see bigger sharks (hammerheads and grey reef sharks), as well as many turtles can be seen close to this underwater mountain...”
“Ai Island: north and south-west coast surrounded by beautiful reef wall, full of caves also the habitat for harbors fish. Just as Pulau Hatta, Ai offers some of Banda’s best reefs. The northern sites of the island, for example the dive site Batu Payung (= Umbrella rock), have a rather steep wall with lots of cracks and overhangs whereas the southern reef areas are sloping off down to the sand bottom at 40-50 m. In the south of Ai, occasionally Hammerheadsharks have been sighted, giving this dive site its name “Hammerhead point”. Napoleons and turtles can often be seen here, as well.”
From Dive Spots of Banda Sea - Calico Jack Adventures
“Pulau Nils & Pulau Dusborgh
Pulau Dusborgh has only recently been uncovered to be a hot spot for schooling hammerheads at this particular time of year.
Nils Desperandum
Nil Desperandum, which when translated means “don’t despair”, possibly refers to the ship that was wrecked here centuries ago. A big atoll with a very steep drop off, schooling sharks including hammerheads, silky and gray reef sharks can be spotted in the deep.”
From White Manta Diving - Maumere-Alor-Banda-Ambon
“Day 4-7. (3 dives x4 days) Ring of Fire; diving around Volcanic Islands and stunning seamounts in search of hammerheads, encounter many sea snakes, huge schools of fish, reef sharks, tunas, & other pelagic superstars.
Day 8-9. (3 dives x2 days) Diving around Banda Islands with excellent visibility, fantastic coral coverage and tremendous numbers of fish along with potential Hammerhead sightings, plus a visit to one of the Spice Islands.”
From Banda Dive sites information - Scuba Diving Resource
“Karang Hatta is a reef located South East of Pulau Hatta. Its dive sites are the ones closest to the 6000 m deep Banda trench, which makes diving interesting as the chances to see big pelagics are the best here. Schooling trevallies, barracudas, tunas and even chances to see bigger sharks (hammerheads and grey reef sharks), as well as many turtles can be seen close to this underwater mountain...”
“Ai Island: north and south-west coast surrounded by beautiful reef wall, full of caves also the habitat for harbors fish. Just as Pulau Hatta, Ai offers some of Banda’s best reefs. The northern sites of the island, for example the dive site Batu Payung (= Umbrella rock), have a rather steep wall with lots of cracks and overhangs whereas the southern reef areas are sloping off down to the sand bottom at 40-50 m. In the south of Ai, occasionally Hammerheadsharks have been sighted, giving this dive site its name “Hammerhead point”. Napoleons and turtles can often be seen here, as well.”
From Dive Spots of Banda Sea - Calico Jack Adventures
“Pulau Nils & Pulau Dusborgh
Pulau Dusborgh has only recently been uncovered to be a hot spot for schooling hammerheads at this particular time of year.
Nils Desperandum
Nil Desperandum, which when translated means “don’t despair”, possibly refers to the ship that was wrecked here centuries ago. A big atoll with a very steep drop off, schooling sharks including hammerheads, silky and gray reef sharks can be spotted in the deep.”
Dan
Contributor
I’m gathering my group to see them next year with the same boat as yours (Blue Manta): Ring of Fire September 9-19, 2019
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Dan
Contributor
I reiterate @dirtfarmer post in my Ring of Fire thread above about his “Hammer time” trip. He went there with Black Manta, Ambon-Sorong thru Banda Sea to Missol Nov 2015. He saw hammerheads around couple of small islands in Kekeh Besar area. Hopefully he reads this thread & fill in more specific dive sites where the hammerheads cruising by.
Dan
Contributor
I went on a Ambon-Sorong crossing trip last November. Dove in Nusa Laut & saw no hammerheads. I guess it was too late of the season?
We tried to sail on to Banda, but hit a storm. The boat had engine problem, had to skip Banda & detoured to Ceram. We spent a day in Ceram to repair the engine. Luckily, the rest of the trip in Raja Ampat was fantastic. Nov 20 - Dec 2, 2017 Ambon - Sorong Crossing Trip Report
Dan
Contributor
CWK
Contributor
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