Komodo Dancer Captain's Logs

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Komodo Dancer Captain’s Report July 11 – 21, 2012

It is a real pleasure to greet guests from all over, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong and America for this trip. To make it even more special, the owners of Komodo Dancer, Evelyne and Jiat were on board as well! We have a returning guest Natasha who joined us last year in Komodo and decided to come back for our Alor Cruise. It is also exciting to greet 3 generations of family onboard with us; grandmother, mother and 2 boys all the way from Belgium. After the guests were shown to their designated cabins and given time to settle down we held a general vessel briefing and dive briefing in the comfort of the lounge.

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The second day was an excellent day to begin diving. The checkout dive was done in calm sea conditions and sunny weather in Bacatan, Adonara Island. It is a pleasant surprise that our youngest divers Louis (15) and Thjis (13) are comfortable and confident underwater despite their inexperience. After lunch, we sailed 50NM (nautical miles) north to Komba for the volcano sighting. We arrived just before sunset and enjoyed the fireworks show of nature as we had dinner. From Komba, it is a 12-hour voyage southeast to Alor archipelago.

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One of the signature sites of Alor, the Red Wall did not disappoint us.
Named Red Wall for the swarming red anthias’, the beautiful soft corralled wall is barely visible from 3-8 meters depth, due to the thousands of anthias covering the reef. Our guests had an amazing time diving along the wall, enjoying the pristine health and condition of the reef.

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Mucky Mosque is another hidden treasure where the first impression is nowhere close to what you can find hidden amongst the coral or on the sand. With the plain, silky sandy bottom, this muck diving was so productive that most of the guests couldn’t get enough and they were more than happy to join the dusk dive for another round of it. Two beautiful weedy rhinopias were found perched just barely in 12metres depth. A fascination point for some of our guests since it is their first time looking at these rare creatures.

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On Sunday, we headed over to Clown Valley where a whole different range of anemone species can be found here. This is truly a treat for the divers due to the topography. The second surprise comes when the village children come out for a swim right above the divers. After that, we headed back to Red Wall for another visit before we leave Pantar. Our guests are fascinated with the electric file clam found at the Mini Wall. Our photographer guests were also found hanging very near the surface attempting to take a good shot of two different ghost pipefish. With the dusk, came the sightings of juvenile batfish, moray eels and an array of decorative crabs with adorable soft corals adorning their shells.

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We next headed east to Pura and guests could be seen quietly hovering to catch the sight of the somewhat elusive flasher wrasses in full color. The Bargibanti pygmy seahorses here are what we jokingly termed as “giant pygmy seahorse” given they were close an inch in size! We couldn’t find an easier pygmy seahorse to shoot.

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On the last day, due to the “no flight time” surface interval before flying the guests were taken on a 3 hour cultural village tour where they were given a taste of chewing beetlenut, smoking hand rolled cigarettes and sipping locally made palm wine. It was an eye-opening experience with local dances and the villagers showing the step-by-step process of weaving the famous ‘ikat’ cloths.

As a whole, it was a wonderful trip as our guests enjoyed the fantastic drift and reef dives in Pura Island, Pantar Straits. We would like to thank Natasha for coming back this year, Brian for booking 2 trips to Komodo with us and Curt, Martine, Louis and Thjis to allow Komodo Dancer the privilege of being your first liveaboard experience. We would also like to thank Jim and Edith for joining this memorable trip.
 
Komodo Dancer -East of Flores - Alor Itinerary: 29th of June - 9th of July 2012

29th of June, Friday - Embarked Komodo Dancer, Maumere Bay
17:00, depart Maumere to North Kawula Island, Free and Easy

30th of June, Saturday - North Kahula Island & Mt. Komba Volcano
08:30hr, arrived at Batjatanwutun Bay
09:15hr, checkout dive at Batjatan Inner Bay
12:45, 2nd dive at Batjatan Ledge
14:30hr, depart for Mt. Komba Volcano
18:00hr, arrived at Komba
19:00hr, depart for Pantar Strait
We spotted: many species of cardinalfish, cuttlefish, flatworm, Bargibanti & Denise’s pygmy seahorses and whitetip reef shark.
U/W temperature: High: 28c Low: 28c
Topside: Mt. Komba Volcanic Eruption

1st of July, Sunday - Pantar Strait & Kalabahe Bay, Alor
06:00hr, arrived at East Pantar
07:45hr, 1st dive at French Window
11:00hr, 2nd dive at Babylon -Ternate Island
14:45hr, 3rd dive at Mucky Mosque
18:00hr, dusk dive at Mucky Mosque
We spotted: 2 weedy rhinopias, giant frogfish, ornate ghost pipefish, thorny seahorse, cuttlefish, zebra crab, painted frogfish, leaf fish, coconut octopus, bobtail squid, and many others.
U/W temperature: High: 28c Low: 27c

2nd of July, Monday - Pantar Strait & Biangabang, South East Pantar
07:00hr, 1st dive at Pak Yan’s Village, North Pura
10:30hr. 2nd dive at Red Wall, East Pantar Island
11:45hr, depart for Biangabang, South East of Pantar 3rd dive at Biangabang
18:00hr, dusk dive at Biangabang
20:00hr, depart for Kalabahe Bay.
We spotted: great hammerhead shark, Napoleon wrasse, seaslugs, snake eels, coconut octopus, demon stinger and stunning walls covered by millions of anthias
U/W temperature: High: 28c Low: 24c
Topside: Visit Biangabang Vllage

3rd of July, Tuesday - Pantar Strait, Pura, Ternate & Buaya Island
07:45hr, 1st dive at Crown Valley, East Pura Island
11:00hrs, 2nd dive at (Repeat Site) Babylon South Ternate Island
14:30hr, 3rd dive at Buaya Rock, South East of Buaya Island
18:00hr, dusk dive at Mucky Mosque, Kalabahe Bay.
We spotted: marlin, painted and giant hogfish, coconut octopus, cuttlefish, rhinopias, thorny seahorse, bobtail squid and millions of anemone
U/W temperature: High: 28c Low: 24c

4th of July, Wednesday, Treweg Island & Kalabahe Bay
07:30hr, 1st dive at Treweg II
10:30hr, 2nd dive at Treweg 1 at Treweg Island
15:00hr, 3rd dive at Mini Wall
18:00 night dive at Mini Wall,Kalabahe Bay
We spotted: potato grouper, dog tooth tuna, green turtle, twin spotted scorpionfish, disco clam, dragon shrimp, nudibranchs, mushroom coral pipefish, juvenile batfish, banded pipefish, popcorn shrimp etc.
U/W temperature: High: 27c Low: 23c

5th of July, Thursday - Pura island East of Flores -Alor
07:45hr, 1st dive at Crown Valley, East Pura
12:15hr, 2nd dive at Pak Yan’s Village, North Pura
15:15hr, 3rd dive at Mini Wall, Kalabahe Bay
18:20hr, dusk dive at Mini Wall
We spotted: disco clam, dragon shrimp, solar power nudibranch, mushroom coral pipefish, juvenile batfish, banded shrimp, ghost pipefish, coconut octopus, decorative crabs etc.
U/W temperature: High: 28c Low: 24c.
Topside: visit to Pura Vllage.

6th of July, Friday - Pura, Pantar & Buaya island, Pantar Strait
09:00hr, 1st dive at Board Room, North Pura
12:00hr, 2nd dive at French Window, East Pantar.
15:30hr, 3rd dive at Crocodile Cave, South of Buaya
17:30hr, depart for West Kahula Island
We spotted: flasher wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, green turtle, sea snake, and blue spotted ray
U/W temperature: High: 28c Low: 27c

7th of July, Saturday - Leba Leba Bay, West
07:30hr, 1st dive at Sizzler 1
12:00hr, 2nd dive at Sizzler 11
15:30hr, 3rd dive at Ice House
18:00hr, depart for Pulau Babi, Maumere Bay
We spotted: rhinopias, demon stringer, blue ribbon eel, nudibranch, frogfish, Mandarin fish, ghost pipefish, leaf fish and many, many more.
U/W temperature: High: 27c Low: 24c

8th of July, Sunday - Maumere Bay
07:30hr, 1st dive at The Crack 1, Pulau Babi
10:15hr, 2nd dive at The Crack 11, Pulau Babi.
11:30hr, return to Maumere Port
14:00, a visit to Dokar Ikat Weaving Village
We spotted: eagle ray, humphead parrotfish, blue ribbon eel, and solar power nudibranch
U/W temperature: High: 28c Low: 28c

9th of July, Monday
07:00, disembark Komodo Dancer, and fly back

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---------- Post Merged at 05:30 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 05:27 PM ----------

Our second time on the boat - wow! Just as great as the first time! The service was amazing, the weather was beautiful, and Michael is great! Can't wait to come back again! Thanks!! Emily and Michael H.
This trip to Alor area was now my third time on the Komodo Dancer. As always, service was excellent, the meals were delicious, and the diving was superb! AND - the currents were most "manageable!" (Thanks Michael!) Looking forward to trip number four some day again. Thanks for a great time!- Stephen D., Seattle
Thanks to the wonderful crew of the Komodo Dancer! Always pleasant and most efficient - and good food. I have a whole new appreciation for the word "manageable". The diving was great. Lots to see and photograph. This is our third trip to Indonesia and first to Alor. Michael, you are a great manager and we had a great time= great trip. Thanks. Vicki C.
Thanks for a great Dancer Crew who made out stay a pleasure. You were here for every need, and found out every current and made us safe in swift currents. Michael thanks for running a great ship. Helping us with equipment. - Michael and Alvin R.
Vicki expressed my impressedness and feelings well above. I think that Michael is a great cruise director, always helpful and a valuable photography advisor! The day trip to the village was also very interesting for its cultural immersion. Thanks much.- Dave C.
Thanks again for a great trip on Komodo Dancer, it was comforting to see Michael again (just missed Helen) Until we meet again. Aloha + - Holly and Darryl B.,Hawaii

There is also a video made on this trip. https://vimeo.com/46858934
 
Komodo National Park, Sumbawa & Bali
Itinerary - 24th of July - 3rd of August 2012

24th of July, Tuesday - Embarked Komodo Dancer
Labuhanbajo - Northern Komodo
12:00hr, depart for Sebayor Kecil,
15:00hr, Checkout dive at Sebayor Kecil.
17:00hr, depart for South of Gili Lawa Laut, Free and Easy.
We spotted: green turtle, cuttlefish, leaf scorpionfish, garden eel, and big pufferfish.
U/W Temperature: High: 26c Low: 26c.

25th of July, Wednesday - Northern Komodo National Park, Gili Lawa Laut and Darat
07:00hr, 1st dive at Shot Gun - Gili Lawa Laut
10:30hr, 2nd dive at Castle Rock
14:30hr, 3rd dive at Crystal Rock, both sites are North of Gili Lawa Laut
18:00hr, Dusk dive at Spanish Steps. Gili Lawa Darat Bay
We spotted: dolphins, giant trevally, dogtooth tuna, big school of fusiliers, slender surgeonfish, white tip sharks, gray reef shark, Napoleon wrasse, green turtle, moray eel, nurse shark, black snappers, school of oriental sweetlips, giant grouper, Spanish dancer, decorative crabs and much more.
U/W Temperature: High: 28c Low: 27c

26th of July, Thursday - Lintar Channel, Loh Buaya -North Rinca, Northern Komodo National Park
07:00hr, 1st dive at Karang Makarsa - Lintar Channel
11:00hr, 2nd dive at Batu Bolong - Lintar Channel
15:00hr, Trekking at Loh Buaya, North Rinca
18:00hr, Dusk dive at Wai Ni Lo
21:00hr, depart for Southern Komodo Island
We spotted: whitetip reef sharks, dogtooth tuna, giant trevally, Napoleon wrasse, many species of very special nudibranchs and sea slugs, painted frogfish and more.
U/W Temperature: High: 28c Low: 28c

27th of July, Friday - Langkoi - Southern Komodo & Nusa Kode - Horse Shoe Bay, Southern Rinca
08:00hr, 1st dive at Manta Alley - Langkoi
10:00hr, depart for Southern Rinca, Horse Shoe Bay
12:00hr, 2nd dive at Cannibal Rock -Horse Shoe Bay
17:30hr, dusk dive at Torpedo Alley
We spotted: sea apple, many species of nudibranchs, shelled sea slug, hawksbill turtle, zebra crab, mantis shrimp, many species of spider crabs, bobbit worm,
white “v” octopus, cuttlefish, frogfish, and torpedo ray.
U/W Temperature: High: 23c Low: 24c

28th of July, Saturday -Nusa Kode - Horse Shoe Bay, Southern Rinca
07:45hr, 1st dive at Cannibal Rock
11:00hrs, 2nd dive at Yellow Wall
14:30hr, 3rd dive at Cannibal Rock
18:00hr, dusk dive at Torpedo Alley
23:59hr, Depart for Gili Lawa Darat, Northern Komodo National Park
We spotted: sea apple, many species of nudibranchs, Coleman shrimp, mantis shrimp, many species of spider crabs, coconut octopus, cuttlefish, giant frogfish, cowry, spearing mantis shrimp, moray eel and much more.
U/W Temperature: High: 24c Low: 23c

29th of July, Sunday, Northern Komodo & Gili Banta
07:00hr, 1st dive at Golden Passage, Gili Lawa Darat
10:45hrs, 2nd dive at Lighthouse Reef, Gili Lawa Laut
12:00hr, depart for Gili Banta
14:30hr, 3rd dive at Roller Coaster, Gili Banta
18:00hr, dusk dive at The Circus
20:00hr, depart for Sangeyang Island, North East of Sumbawa
We spotted: school of bumphead parrotfish, giant sweetlips, turtle, manta ray, school of batfish & oriental sweetlips, pygmy seahorse, stargazer, octopus, snake eel, ornate ghost pipefish and more.
U/W Temperature: High: 24c Low: 23c

30th of July, Monday -Sangeyang Island, North East of Sumbawa Island
07:30hr, 1st dive at Hot Rock, North East of Sangeyang Island
10:30hr, 2nd dive at Black Magic, North West of Sangeyang Island
14:45hr, 3rd dive at Techno Reef, West Sangeyang Island
18:15hr, dusk dive at Bonto Reef, South East of Sangeyang
We spotted: banded shrimp, octopus, decorative crabs, 2 different species of ghost pipefish, mating bobtail squid, very friendly Sharon shrimp, nudibranchs, squad lobsters and many others.
U/W Temperature: High: 28c Low: 27c

31st of July, Tuesday - Bima Bay, North East of Sumbawa
07:30hr, 1st dive at Fuzzy Bottom, Bima Bay
10:45hr, 2nd dive at Copy Cat, Bima Bay Entrance
14:30hr, 3rd Fuzzy Bottom
18:15hr, dusk dive at Fuzzy Bottom
20:00hr, depart for Satonda Island
We spotted: ghost pipefish, mimic octopus, wonderpus, melibe and many other species of nudibranchs, stick pipefish, thorny seahorse, crown frogfish, cuttlefish, snake eel and more.
U/W Temperature: High: 27c Low: 28c

1st of August, Wednesday - Satonda - Moyo, Northern Sumbawa Island
07:15hr, 1st dive at Magic Rock, Satonda Island
09:00hr, Set Sail for Moyo Island
12:30hr, 2nd dive at Angel Reef, Moyo Island
14:00hr, depart for Bali, Tulamben
We spotted: lots of fusilier and banner fish, midnight snappers, popcorn shrimp, jaw fish, sea snake, squad lobster, and super-sized barrel sponges
U/W Temperature: High: 28c Low: 27c

2nd of August, Thursday -Tulamben, Seraya Bali
07:30hr, 1st dive at USS Liberty Wreck, Tulamben
10:30hr, 2nd dive at Seraya House Reef
11:45, depart for Benua Harbor, South Bali
19:00hr, arrived at Benua Harbor
We spotted: school of bumphead parrotfish, giant barracuda, razor wrasse, nudibranchs, batfish, painted frogfish, moray eel, cleaner shrimp, and more.
U/W Temperature: High: 28c Low: 28c

3rd of August, Friday
09:00hr, disembark Komodo Dancer

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Komodo Dancer Captain’s Report September 9th – 19th 2012

We have a very interesting group of divers coming from US, Australia, Singapore and Canada diving with us in Komodo this week. We welcome Brian back, who had previously joined us for the Alor cruise.

We had fantastic weather throughout the cruise. The sun was shining and the seas were calm, with a comfortable water temperature ranging from 23-27C/73-81F degrees. We started the day with an easy check out dive at Sebayor Island, just to make sure everyone has his or her gear and proper weights checked. We ended the first dive day with Gili Lawa Darat and guest had a nice spotting of leaf scorpionfish, blue spotted stingray, comet fish and a few nudibranchs.

Second day started early with Golden Passage, Karang Makassar and Batu Bolong for an exhilarating current dive. A firm favorite of guests, Batu Bolong did not disappoint with the busy activities buzzing around. We had fun watching a green turtle munching onto hard corals. After the three dives, we decided to go for a change of scene and invited the guests for a bit of hiking where an amazing 360 degrees view of the Komodo National Park can be can seen at the top of the hill. It was well worth a 30 minutes hike. Ending the day with a dusk dive at West Reef Slope, guests had a spectacular day with wonderful sightings of tons of fusilier, Napoleon wrasse, blacktip sharks, giant barracuda, green turtle, bumphead parrotfish, oriental sweetlips, giant grouper, giant trevally, giant sweetlips and decorative crabs.

Third day started with a bang on Shotgun, aptly named for its strong currents going through a narrow channel where guests experience a swift drift dive through it. Great site to get your adrenalin pumping! After that we dived at Castle Rock and Crystal Rock, one of Komodo’s signature site and ended the day with Circus where we met our friendly stargazer. Schools of fusilier, giant jacks, Napoleon wrasse, sweetlips, giant grouper, white tip shark, green turtle, dog tooth tuna, bobtail squid, flathead, and a snake eel were some of what we saw.

Day 4 was macro day at Bima Bay with sightings of coconut and mimic octopus, saw blade shrimp, bobtail squid, snake eel, tons of frogfishes and thorny seahorse, demon stinger, dragonet, tons of nudibranchs, Coleman shrimp, urchin commensal shrimp, and stick pipefish to name a few. Another fantastic day of diving with a cozy water temperature of 27C/81F degrees.

We started a wonderful first dive on day 5 at Hot Rocks with little tiny bubbles popping from the sandy bottom of the site. These bubbles are originating from the volcano and the feel of warm sandy bottom is an amazing contrast to the cooler water temperature. Ghost pipefish, saw blade shrimp, Sharon shrimp, bobtail squid, lots of nudibranchs, snake eel, pigmy seahorse, cuttlefish, reef octopus, yellow snappers and long nose hawkfish were spotted at Sangeang island. We had a short detour in the evening for a short visit at the nearby Bonto Village for a nice cultural visit. A small celebration of cake was made for Serena in commemoration of her 200th dive with a toast made around the table for this mini celebration.

Day 6 came pretty quickly with us diving in the North West of Komodo National Park. Giant jack, Napoleon wrasse, white tip shark, manta rays, green turtles, snake eel, and leaf scorpionfish were our companions underwater.

We headed towards the South of Komodo National Park for what will be our destination for the last three days. Here the water temperature dropped to a low of 23C/73F degrees. It is definitely a fruitful place to dive despite the cooler waters. Colorful pristine reefs at Cannibal Rock and Yellow Wall beckons photographers to take extra shots and macro enthusiasts were not left out as they also had a great time shooting the array of nudibranchs these sites have to offer. We stayed at Horseshoe Bay for two days with findings of sea apple, green turtles, zebra crabs, cuttlefish, moray eels, decorator crabs, ghost shrimp, ghost pipefish and many others. On land, we spotted the ferocious Komodo dragons, along with wild boar and Timor deer lazing around on the beach, basking under the sun where they were easily getting a tan.

We ended the last day of diving in Langkoi with a good ending as we dived with manta rays, nurse shark, black tip shark, white tip shark, green turtles, bumphead parrotfish, school of batfish, crocodile fish, and twin spotted goby.

Thank you to our guests this week for making this a memorable trip.
Komodo Dancer Crew

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Komodo Dancer Captain’s Report March 16 – 26, 2013
Martin Edge Photography Workshop

Every trip is memorable onboard the Komodo Dancer but this one especially so as we had renowned UK photographer Martin Edge’s Workshop onboard for ten nights. The order of the trip was to inspire any dive photographer no matter where they had been previously.

The photographers were greeted on their first days diving by mantas and the soft coral reef of Tatawa Besar. Martin’s keen eye noticed the surrounding mangroves and the opportunity they offered at sunset so they finished the day in the mangroves shooting wide angle and splits into the lowering sun.

The currents were so kind that it was possible to sleep in the Current City vicinity so the group hit Makasar Reef the next morning spotting a manta, a sleeping nurse shark and many sleepy green turtles on the shallow soft coral gardens. Next up was Batu Balong with hunting action from GTs, whitetip reef sharks and large emperor snapper. The shallows here provided great wide angle opportunities with the sites famous sponge encrusted pinnacle with a buffer zone of orange and purple anthias. A switch to macro was then needed as we headed to the Wainilu muck dive. The group spotted giant and clown frogfish, robust pipefish, leafy filefish, ribbon eels and juvenile fish of all sorts, one of which was to become very famous by the end of the trip.*

The trip to South Komodo’s Langkoi Bay only took 3 hours and by noon the group was back in the water with mantas and snapping wide-angle shots of the waves crashing into the rocks. After a couple of dives at Manta Alley we jumped in for a night dive on the Pinisi Wreck for macro heaven.

Zebra crabs, frogfish, soft coral crabs, Wally’s hairy coral crabs and reef octopus along with calm conditions provided the Edge Photography Group with exactly what they needed to quench their macro urges on Cannibal Rock. The dive was repeated again in the afternoon after a second dive on Rhino Rock and the night dive took place at Torpedo Alley.

So satisfied were the group that we did not move from Nu Sakode for another two days, diving Cannibal Rock, Pelican’s Head, Yellow Wall and Banana Island. As the monsoon winds were clearly changing and bringing with them thick upwellings of plankton we decided to move the next day in search for better visibility. The cherry-on-top in this area was experiencing Komodo Dragons on the beach from the tenders.

The following two days were spent at Padar and Current City once again, where the visibility had improved dramatically to 25-30 meters. We jumped in at Secret Garden, Batu Balong again, Tatawa Kecil and Besar where the group ended up in the mangroves again. The water was bright blue with action all around. Schooling big-eye jacks and twinspot snapper were swirling off the reef while reef sharks and turtles were spotted passing now-and-then.

Gililawa Laut and Darat were on the menu for the final two days with the group diving some of Komodo NP’s signature sites; Castle Rock twice, Crystal Rock and Shotgun of which exploded the minds of the wide angle users and many announced it was in their top five dives of all time! Many schooling fish photographs were taken including those of batfish, blackfin surgeons, bannerfish and fusilier bait balls. Pelagics such as whitetips, GTs, various groupers, dogtooth tuna and an ornate eagle ray complimented the scenes.

As always the trip was rounded off with a walk in the dragon reserve of Loh Buayo where people at the front of the group enjoyed treating their feet and lower legs to a Rinca mud bath. Fun was had by all especially in the lounge in the evening where the Komodo Photo Competition voting was held. David A. and Martin G. came in joint second place with Paul S. piping them at the post with his macro shot of a juvenile cowfish shot in Wainilu.*

Special thanks goes out to the group and particularly Sylvia and Martin Edge for their ability to bring a set of people together that are relaxed, good fun and full of great divers.

Author: Finbarr

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Komodo Dancer Captain’s Report April 6 – 16, 2013

More than 30 Mantas at Manta Alley!

Day 1: 6th April
This trip we had a mixed group of divers from America and Great Britain with some of them new to the Komodo area. After a red snapper lunch the Komodo Dancer, locally known as ‘Ombak Biru’, cruised west to the island of Sebayor. Here we anchored for the evening while we had a sunset dive and ate our first three-course meal together. Underwater the group encountered 30-meter visibility along with two large cuttlefish camouflaging against a coral rubble bottom. We witnessed their stealthier side as they began the evening’s hunt. Also spotted were giant moray, common and banded cleaner shrimp, bearded scorpion fish and nembrotha nudibranchs. After dinner the boat was visited by a large banded sea krait that was using the boat lights to hunt small fish on the surface.

Sightings: Giant moray, large cuttlefish, common cleaner shrimp, bearded scorpion fish, nembrotha nudibranchs, unicorn and surgeonfish and great visibility.

Day 2: 7th April
During the night Captain Kasim moved the boat over to the volcanic island of Sangeang, northwest of KNP. This circular island provides different dive sites around its perimeter with our first choice showing off some volcanic sulphur vents. Hot Rock showed the beautiful colors of the soft coral, which were made even more vibrant by the black volcanic sand background. Everyone on the dive saw various nudibranchs on the wall section of the site with some people snapping pictures of their mating procedure. Snake and ribbon eels, soft coral swimming crabs, a hawksbill turtle and schooling fusiliers were all seen on this dive. As the current picked up during the end of the first dive we decided to dive next at the Estuary site, which is sheltered and offers a steep sloping topography along with various soft corals. Some of the wire corals were a very impressive size. Common and commensal shrimps were found in the bubble anemones along with a juvenile many-spotted snapper. The third dive again offered 25 meters plus visibility with soft coral pinnacles bordered by black sand. One-meter long garden eels were watched picking up passing food as wart slugs; scorpion fish and fire gobies were seen on the reef.

Captain Kasim then eased the boat further west and anchored just off the only village on Sangeang Island. Along with a few presents for the village of Bonto we took the speedboats over to the beach to have a look around. It was a very humbling experience for all to witness how these traditional Indonesians were living with no electricity and surviving off the land. The main points of interest were the dilapidated wooden shacks, water wells, their crops and livestock, which consisted of water buffalo, goats and chickens. Once back onboard it was time again to jump into the water for a night dive within the same bay as Bonto Village. On this dive the reef and black slope was home to bumble bee shrimp, starry octopus, Spanish dancers, box and decorator crabs.

Sightings: Sulphur vents from Sangeang volcano, soft coral swimming crab, banded snake eel, ribbon eel, nudibranchs (soft coral imitator, leopard, neon dragons), hawksbill turtle, various anemone fish with common and commensal shrimp, mantis shrimp, bearded scorpion fish, bumble bee shrimp, starry octopus, box crab, decorator crabs.

Day 3: 8th April
Komodo Dancer traveled from Sangeang to Gili Banta early morning for the first dive at K2. This was a great early morning dive with lots of soft coral pinnacles but we could have done with a little extra sun. The weather had turned on us over night and the sky was grey and the rain had started. So we warmed up from the return tender ride with a hot breakfast and prepared to for dive two of the day at Roller Coaster. The medium current allowed us to descend onto the east wall and follow the reef on the right shoulder. At the beginning the current was pushing us through colonies of orange and purple anthias as they picked up the passing marine snow. On the wall sections there were various species of nudibranchs, leafy filefish hiding in fan corals, spotted boxfish sheltering in small overhangs and a large puffer fish hovering above the coral garden on the safety stop.

Star Wars was chosen for the third dive as it provided a good drift around the corner and protection for our phinisi schooner as the wind had picked up and there were white capped waves all around. Chromodoris nudibranchs were found on the sponge pinnacles here and thick schools of anthias of all varieties. We stayed sheltered inside the bay for the night dive at Circus. It was a pity that the current was at medium strength for this dive as it made it hard for us to stay on the sandy area. Before allowing ourselves to drift to the coral reef bobtail squid, white V octopus, flounders and snake eels were photographed and then crabs of all sorts including decorators and box were found on the reef. A good end to a good day’s reef diving.

Sightings: Black cowrie eating leather coral, giant morays, banded cleaner shrimp, nudis (wart slugs, nembrotha, chromodoris) leafy file fish, giant porcupine fish, porcelain crabs, colonies of anthias, damsels and chromis, spade fish, giant puffer, emperor snapper, hunting jack fish, decorator crabs, white V octopus, peacock flounders, marble shrimp, snake eel, scorpion fish, bobtail squid.

Day 6: 11th April
With Manta Alley on top form a vote was cast in favor of another two morning dives in Langkoi Bay. At the beginning of the first dive nearly 20 mantas were flapping about on the surface and then proceeded to disperse as the morning current brought their breakfast to them. The small channels here provide excellent playgrounds and bottleneck the plankton for the rays so it was easy for the guests to just hook in and watch the action. The second dive saw cold and clear upwellings from the west sending the mantas into a frenzy with the odd reef shark passing by too. This time there were uncountable sightings of these amazing creatures as they cruised the shallows and queued up at the cleaning station.

It was then at last time to move on to Nu Sakode, Horseshoe Bay on south Rinca Island. With the weather still cloudy we opted for the shallow dive on Cannibal Rock with the abundant soft corals, fire urchins and shoals of fish. Listed as one of the best macro sites in the world it also offered the divers many white tip reefs sharks and various groupers on the point. While schools of blue-lined snapper swirled in the mixed current frogfish blended near-perfectly into the reef. With a huge population of crinoids this site showed us commensal shrimps, zebra crabs, morays and nembrotha and flathead nudibranchs. It was then time for the night dive on Torpedo Alley. To start the group descended onto a waiting blotched stingray and then proceeded to search the dark sand and soft corals for decorator and soft coral crabs, basket star commensal shrimps, miniature morays and flounders.

Sightings: Too-many-to-count manta rays, black tip and white tip reef sharks, bumphead parrot fish, trevally, hawksbill turtles, frogfish, nudibranchs (nembrotha, flat heads), feather star squat lobsters, soft coral and sea pen crabs, octopus, blotched stingray.

Day 5: 10th April
By 6 am we had reached the Bay of Langkoi, south Komodo Island and the home of the famous Manta Alley dive site. The current allowed a steady drift from east to west and showed the guests how much life is on this reef. A school of bumphead parrotfish was there to greet us in the shallows, and then upon descending there were a few sleepy white tips and mantas to start the show. It was easy for people to use their reef hooks and gaze up at the rays playing in the gullies and then unhook and drift to the next section. Most of the mantas were gliding around in ten meters of water or less with a few in the channel quite clearly feeding with mouths stretched open wide showing off their impressive barrel-like chests. As planned we “dove” Manta Alley a second time but this time jumping in on the west side. On descending to the main cleaning station there were manta rays fighting for the attention of the black-lipped butterfly fish and the cleaner wrasse. People counted in excess of 15 rays circling the station with more than 40+ on the site in total. Luckily the experienced dive guides were on-hand to be able to relieve the boredom of the divers by pointing out some sea apples and blue spotted stingrays! All guests came out amazed.

As the current had become strong in Langkoi Bay we cruised east to the bay of Lok Sera for a walk on the beach and a sunset dive on a small phinisi wreck. On the top of the wreck there were glassfish and young fusiliers being hunted by blue-fin trevally from above and bearded scorpion fish from below. On the latter part of the dive we searched for the ever-illusive mandarin fish with success and also came across three very pretty ringed pipefish.

Sightings: Over 30 reef manta rays, white tip reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, schooling fish (giant sweetlips snapper, blue-lined snapper, fusiliers,) hawksbill turtle, sea apples,

Day 4: 9th April
So after all the coral reef diving we wanted to change to something a little more fishy. Captain Kasim delivered the boat to the northern islands of Komodo National Park and by 7.30 am we were back in the water. This time on the submerged seamount of Castle Rock in 25 meter viz and 29C warm water. Amazingly the large sponge corals on this site were spawning timing it perfectly with the upwelling as low tide started to move to high. The reef was busy with millions of fusiliers and reef indicator fish being hunted by giant trevally (GTs) and small dogtooth tuna. By looking into the current you could see whitetips cruising back and forth while schools of banner fish, various sweetlips and surgeon fish kept a tight formation. The second dive at Crystal Rock was more of the same; great visibility once again and very low current allowing the divers to swim a figure of eight around the pinnacle and seamount which is rarely done. One particular highlight was the arrival of two large napoleon wrasse chasing each other.

After lunch the tide was falling providing an opportunity to dive between Gililawa Laut and Gililawa Darat on the notorious Shot Gun dive site. The groups slowly drifted through the channel steering their way from bombie to bombie. The current started to pick up as we approached the ‘fish bowl’, which the striped trevally seems to enjoy along with several male white tip reef sharks. As we entered the bowl itself we watched two large female white tips guarding the exit (I think we will have some juvenile reef sharks in the shallows soon enough) and then it was time to fight the current to get over to the lush soft coral garden in the shallows. This area proved to be a feeding ground for the turtles with one large great barracuda watching over all. As a night dive two of the divers still had energy to photograph a long-arm octopus and a few Spanish dancers.

Sightings: Giant trevally (GTs), blue-fin trevally, dogtooth tuna, spawning sponge coral! whitetip reef sharks, mapper and giant puffers, schooling fish (unicorns, surgeons, banners, horse-eye jacks, black snapper), napoleon wrasse, striped trevally, Spanish dancers, long-arm octopus.

Day 7: 12th April
To wake up and re-energize the guests we all dropped in on Pelican’s Head for the morning dive using torches on the deep wall to spot various chromodoris, sea apples and ladybugs. While ascending towards the end of the dive a large hawksbill drifted by as orangutan crabs and a false stone fish hid on the reef. Once again Cannibal’s Head was repeated on slack tide offering a complete aquarium-like scenario for the guests. With no current we were free to roam the shallow reefs taking pictures of frogfish, bearded scorpion fish and paired fire urchin commensal shrimps. This dive site has to have one of the best safety stops in the world with carpets of various soft coral while schooling fusiliers and juvenile snapper surround the divers.

A slow easterly current coming into Horseshoe Bay provided a good opportunity to drift on Yellow Wall. There were many red-tooth triggers, surgeons, unicorns and fusiliers to be seen in the blue. As divers shallowed their dive profile a few hawksbills were caught munching away on broccoli corals one with numerous barnacles living on the shell. On the Torpedo Alley night dive small orange frogfish were found along with many different nudibranchs, crustaceans and bobtail squid.

Sightings: Hawksbill turtles, octopus, sea apples, ladybugs, orangutan and zebra crabs, paired commensal shrimps, frogfish, false stonefish, nudibranchs (various chromodoris, nembrotha), and comet fish.


Day 8: 13th April
We headed back to Gililawa Laut for repetitive dives on Castle Rock and Crystal Rock in an effort to seek out warmer and clearer water and that is exactly what we got. All the dives were 29-31C with at least 20 meters visual range. We even had the sun breaking though the cloud finally! Castle and Crystal Rock gave what they do all the time, fantastic fishy dives. Huge bait balls of fusiliers were the main part of the action with white tips, trevally and the odd grey reef circling them. The fusiliers were so densely packed that communication between buddy teams was difficult. The third dive was a drift on Tatawa Besar that showed off the stunning coral garden and schooling spadefish and oriental and diagonal-lined sweetlips. It was almost as though the group had had enough of the sun so it was back to storm chasing down at Wainilu for the night dive. The guests came out with stories of tiny orange frogfish, various crustaceans and starry octopus.

Sightings: Grey and white tip reef sharks, GTs, blue-fin trevally, dogtooth tuna, napoleon wrasse, snapper (black, twinspot and blue-lined), scorpion leaf fish, hawksbill turtles, schooling fish (various sweetlips, humphead snapper, blue and robust fusiliers), and groupers.

Day 9: 14th April
So it was back to Current City for the last full day of diving to see if the currents had calmed down. We had a window of opportunity in the morning and were able dive Batu Balong on the sheltered side of the powerful northerly current. The reef was alive with schooling fusiliers swimming away from trevally while napoleon wrasse were shadowed by blue-fin trevally whilst hunting. As the sun lit up the shallows it was like swimming in an aquarium. The next dive was Makasar Reef for a drift on the soft coral garden and rubble slope on the lengthy marine structure. Guests saw juvenile nurse sharks, sleeping white tips, many turtles, cuttlefish and blotched stingray. To seek shelter from the rising tide current we moved Komodo Dancer to Gililawa Darat to dive The Passage. Even though this area was more sheltered is still provided a very healthy drift with our divers flying by turtles, sharks, GTs and a school of blackfin barracuda. For some the dive was ended out in the blue as their safety stop nearly took them back to the boat while some managed to kick to the north coral reef. As the sun was setting most of the guests came on a walk to for a panoramic view of the bay showing the coral reefs, currents and gliding fish eagles.

Sightings: GTs, blue-fin trevally, hawksbill and green turtles, napoleon wrasse, millions of anthias and chromis, white tip reef and nurse sharks, blackfin barracuda.

Day 10: 15th April
For the last two dives of the trip we chose Lighthouse and Tatawa Kecil. The first presented the divers with a beautiful shallow soft coral garden bathed in the morning sunlight. Lobsters were tucked away under the bombies, pyjama chromodoris nudibranchs were having some hanky-panky and soft coral imitator crabs were eating plankton caught by the host coral. The safety stop was best of all though with various soft and hard corals living in harmony bordered by bright white sand, quite a sight. Then it was back to Current City for the last dive of the trip. The guests saw large schools of snapper, horse-eye jacks with fusiliers and banner fish maneuvering away from GTs and blue-fin trevally. It was then onto north Rinca for the Dragon Walk at Loh Buajo and a sunset cruise back to Labuan Bajo for our final meal.

Sightings: Mating chromodoris nudis, flatworms, GTs, schooling fish (horse-eye jacks, twin spot and black snapper), soft coral crabs.

Thank you to all our guests on board for the last 11 days. It has been a very successful and enjoyable trip for all. We hope to see you again. Thank you all so very much!

Author: Finbarr Irvin-Stubbs
Photographs by: Adel, Doris, Alexander, Jisook, Clare and Frederick.

Dive Crew on board: Cruise Director Fin, Dive Masters Gede and Komang

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Komodo Dancer Captain’s Report April 18 – 25, 2013

Day 1: 18th April
For this seven-day “Deep South Komodo National Park trip we had British, Americans, Canadians and Germans totaling to twelve on the Komodo Dancer, locally known as the Ombak Biru vessel. For our check dive we jumped in at the relaxed Sebayor Kecil site just west of Labuan Bajo to check everyone's equipment set up and weights. With this successfully checked we enjoyed drifting along the reef here spotting spearing mantis shrimps, stonefish and tiger cowries. In the 29C blue water many surgeonfish danced in the current and a school of juvenile bumphead parrotfish swan through with determination. Sightings: Bumphead parrotfish, spearing mantis shrimp, stonefish, tiger cowries, mating nudibranchs.


Day 2: 19th April
Just a little further west laid our first dive site of the day, Tatawa Besar. The beautiful coral garden on this site acts as a feeding ground for turtles that stuns the guests along with schooling oriental sweetlips, snapper, and spadefish around some of the larger pinnacles. As for benthic fauna various nudibranchs were found with scorpion and crocodile fish blending into the corals and sandy bottom. For the second dive we chose the pinnacle that is Batu Balong. The strong northerly current forced us to zigzag on the south side of the site enjoying the bountiful populations of damsels and anthias. Feeding mapper pufferfish was abundant, along with a couple of hawksbill turtles, bearded scorpion fish, octopus and nembrotha nudibranchs. Heading south we jumped in at Honeymoon Rock with both groups diving a different side of the site. Hawksbill turtles, groupers and nudibranch were on the viewer’s menu this time. For a night dive we traveled to Dragon Bay for the Wainilu night dive. This offered the divers an array of interesting creatures to try and pick out from the sea bottom. Various crustaceans, huge nudibranchs and flatworms were found along with cuttlefish, spiny demon walkers, spiny flatheads and picturesque dragonets. Sightings: Schooling fish (oriental sweetlips, spadefish, damsels, chromis), crocodile fish, giant moray, hawksbill turtles, nudibranchs (neon dragon, wart slugs), octopus, scorpion fish, banded pipefish.


Day 3: 20th April
In the early morning the captain followed the lowering tidal current down to the south bay of Komodo Island, The Bay of Langkoi. Here we experienced very calm underwater conditions with next to no current, 20 meters visibility and 29C water temperature. We executed two morning dives on Manta Alley bumping into schooling snappers, turtles and the odd bumphead parrotfish as we drifted along the reef and through the channels. Black tip and white tip sharks were timid but present and large reef mantas were having their morning “car wash” treatment. Again on the second dive mantas were dancing around the cleaning stations as the guests took snaps while hiding behind the coral boulders. Corrine’s Corner for the third dive provided some exercise for all, as there was large surge and counter currents but plenty of fish and macro fauna on the wall. On the corner a couple of people were lucky enough to see a pod of bottlenose dolphin in the blue, which is a rare sight in this area. For calmer waters and a night dive we departed from Langkoi and headed for Lok Sera. Here we had a night dive on the pinisi wreck where there were some huge pufferfish hiding in the wreck away from the action of juvenile fusiliers being hunted by trevally. Highlights were the mandarin fish, in the stag thorn coral at the beginning of the dive, and the single pinnate spadefish at the end with its beautiful bright orange outline. Sightings: Reef mantas, bumphead parrot fish, white and black tip reef sharks, hawksbill turtles, great barracuda, schooling fish (unicorn, blue-lined snapper, humphead snapper), pod of bottle-nose dolphins, pinnate spadefish, banded jawfish, box crab, decorator crabs, scorpion fish.

Day 4: 21st April
It was then time to head over to Horseshoe Bay for macro heaven. We immediately dived Cannibal’s Rock to find slack conditions, good viz and 29C water, a complete change to last week! Nudibranchs littered the reef so divers saw the long-tailed slug, the leopard slug, splendid chromodoris and neon dragons. Giant frogfish were also out in the open and fire urchins with their commensal shrimps and zebra crabs. Rhino’s Rock is another macro dive delivering the solar powered nudibranch and a tiny yellow pygmy seahorse. Wall diving on Yellow Wall was a good option for the afternoon and with the sun beaming onto the site it made it very colorful and easy to find orangutan crabs, zanzibarica shrimps and Wally’s hairy coral crab. Then it was a night dive on Torpedo Alley, which blew everyone’s mind. So much was spotted but the highlights were an incredible number of nudibranchs (including a variety of facelinidae, the sea pen eating arminidae and various chromodoris), tiny orange frogfish and ornate ghost pipefish. Sightings: Giant frogfish, nudibranchs (long-tailed poly slug, leopard, splendid chromodoris, solar powered), commensal shrimps, zanzibarica whip shrimp, sea apples, scorpion fish, schooling fish (blue-lined and humphead snapper, fusiliers), various groupers and rock cods, large hawksbill turtle, pygmy seahorse, zebra crab, ornate ghost pipefish, warty frogfish.

Day 5: 22nd April
We had a very fishy dive on Rodeo Rock first thing in the morning with schooling snappers swirling around just off the pinnacle while fusiliers and banner fish in the thousands pointed into the current. A couple of white tip reef sharks were chilling on the sandy seabed and a nurse shark was spotted snoozing under a ledge. The next site was Pelican’s Head with its deep wall providing perfect feeding grounds for vibrant nudibranchs and sea fans for pygmy seahorses. Then it was time for a double dive on Cannibal’s Rock. One afternoon dive spotting some new frogfish, turtles and octopus and then a night dive. During the night dive the sea apples finally opened up to feed and all of the anemone cup corals came out to make a fairy light effect on the reef. Leopard slugs with their eggs were active on the shallow reef blocks, bobtail squid were swimming about and decorator crabs were showing off their latest coral headwear. Sightings: Schooling fish (twin spot and black snapper, black spine surgeons, banner fish, fusiliers), white tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, giant morays, nudibranch (nembrotha, chromodoris, leopard slug), frogfish, blotched stingray, hawksbill turtles, decorator and box crabs, spiny lobster, bobtail squid.


Day 6: 23rd April
At 4.30am we started our journey to Padar Island to dive the surrounding sites on the southern bay. We dived the Three Sisters site at slack tide first thing in warm waters. We were able to glide away from the pinnacles to find cuttlefish, blue spotted stingray and turtles on the rubble surroundings. On the reef a pair of dancing frogfish were found displaying courtship behavior, mantis shrimp were seen doing their house cleaning and a couple of Mobula were caught flying above us near the brow of the pinnacles. To find shelter from the strengthening current we dived with more Mobula mantas on Secret Garden for the second dive and also spotted a black frogfish. The last two dives of the day were both at White Beach. Here we saw another frogfish, upside down jellyfish, carry crabs and various crustaceans and nudibranchs. Sightings: Courting frogfish, Mobula mantas, white tips, cuttlefish, turtles, stingrays, schooling surgeon fish, twin spot lionfish, mantis shrimps, jellyfish carry crab.

Day 7: 24th April
For the final two dives of this seven-day trip we headed for the north island of Gililawa Laut to dive Castle Rock. As a seamount north of Komodo Island it never fails to attract lots of fish and the action that comes with them. On the point of the current white tips and grey reefs were seen gliding about in the blue while GTs kept the fusiliers in tight formation. Schools of banner fish added a black and white spotted effect to areas and big-eye jacks were playing in the eddies between the shallow mounds. For the last dive of the trip we visited Tatawa Besar again for its fabulous shallow coral encrusted reefs. Sweetlips, spadefish and turtles provided the entertainment for the guests on this dive. Then it was off to Loh Buaja for the Dragon Walk to take in the views from the hillsides and the savannah trails. Finally we cruised back to Labuan Bajo as the sun set over the national park to moor up and have our final meal together. Sightings: Grey reef and white tip reef sharks, GTs, blue-fin trevally, ribbon eel, schooling fish (big-eye jack, banners, fusiliers), various groupers, hunting fish (GTs, napoleon wrasse, trumpet fish, goat fish, dogtooth tuna), turtles, dragon shrimp, sweetlips snapper, and spadefish.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the guests on board this trip. Each and everyone brought their own personality to the table while the group had good team spirit all the way through. A good trip for all!


Dive Crew on board:
Cruise Director Fin, Dive Master Gede and Dive Master Komang

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Komodo Dancer Captain’s Report April 28 – May 8, 2013

Day 1: 28th April
This trip the Komodo Dancer, locally known as Ombak Biru, was host to a Russian dive outfit called ‘Gulf Stream’ from St. Petersburg. The plan was to start in Komodo and ten days later wake up in Bali. With over 250 nautical miles to cover from east to west we had a large area to dive.

An easy first day with a short cruise to Sebayor and a single dive was a relaxed start. On Sebayor Kecil everyone checked their weight configuration and equipment set up at the same time as spotting crocodile fish, leaf scorpionfish and large cuttlefish. Then it was time to sink into the liveaboard lifestyle with a three course seated meal, watching dive trip videos and stretching out under the stars. Sightings: Cuttlefish, crocodile, scorpion leaf fish, nudibranchs, and Zanzibar shrimp.

Day 2: 29th April
With some guests not having dived for a few years we decided to stay out of the currents for the first morning so Lighthouse Reef was the perfect place to be. We did two dives here on the beautiful soft and hard coral gardens, one on the east side and one on the north. This area not only provides a nursery for marine animals such as white tips and snappers but the upwellings deliver plankton to the reefs with schooling banner and trigger fish in huge abundance. The next place we dropped anchor was next to the dive site Shotgun. Here the currents squeeze between Gililawa Laut and Gililawa Darat creating strong drifts which sharks and trevally like to play around in. Our guests managed the current well so most were able to maneuver to the soft coral garden in the latter stages where the sunlight highlighted hawksbill turtles, giant puffer fish and all the reef indicator fish. The south bay of Gililawa Darat provided shelter for the night and a good base for a short hike and a night dive. With half the group we walked to a vantage point to overlook the channel between Darat and Komodo Island watching the currents bring through breaching turtles and hunting tuna. Fish eagles were also active attempting to grab fish from the surface and landing in trees on the jagged hills for perfect photo opportunities. The dive night was successful at Spanish Step providing the world’s largest nudibranchs dancing away flamboyantly with many crustaceans and echinoderms also in the mix. Sightings: White tip reef sharks (adult & juvenile), cuttlefish, nudibranchs (chromodoris), crocodile fish, GTs, hunting fish (emperor snapper, groupers), Spanish dancers, spider crabs, various shrimps.

Day 3: 30th April
An early morning cruise allowed the guests to wake up to a rising sun on the south of Komodo National Park. Our morning destination was a double dive at Langkoi Bay, Manta Alley. With a strong current the groups drifted through the channel along with the amazing fish life that this site has to offer. Millions of anthias flickered in the blue water while schooling banner fish and the occasional bumphead and giant puffer fish glided by. The second dive with the rising tide brought a few more mantas to the reef to be cleaned on the stations and white tips were more active in the shallows. Turtles were drifting around munching on soft coral and schooling humphead snapper were swirling in the currents. It was then time to head over to the south of Rinca Island for a spot of macro diving in Horseshoe Bay. On Yellow Wall guests saw an array of different nudibranchs and imitator crabs with sea apples and turtles feeding alongside. As the sun was setting seven fish eagles were seen plucking fish from the surface and fighting over the rights to which one ate the catch. Torpedo Alley was subject to a night dive with two groups who came back with stories of walking jellyfish, an amazing array of shrimps and crabs and then the nudibranchs too. Sightings: Mantas, bumphead parrot fish, yellow margin moray, white tip reef sharks, bearded scorpion fish, hairy crinoid imitator crab, soft coral imitator crab, harlequin swimming crab, various lobsters, nudibranchs (chromodoris, wart slugs), jellyfish carry crab, box crab, commensal shrimps.

Day 4: 1st May
Morning dives in Horseshoe Bay at Cannibal Rock and Rhino Rock provided great macro fauna for our guests. Frogfish, zebra crabs, squat lobsters, Coleman shrimp and many different nudibranchs were seen along with schooling snapper and rainbow runners. Between the two dives we took the tenders to the beach to watch the Komodo dragon behavior where macaque monkeys, wild boar, Timor dear and goats were also active. A lunchtime cruise allowed us to reach the middle island of Padar to seek shelter in the huge southern bay. Here we chose to dive the famous Three Sisters Reef and a night dive on Pasir Putih (white beach). The current on the reef brought in white tips, GTs and schooling humphead snapper and surgeonfish. Also seen were a few large cuttlefish and areas with many blue spotted stingrays. The night dive however offered a completely different selection of life; feeding anemones and worms, pleurobranchs, large fast moving gastropods and flathead crocodile fish hiding under the sand. Sightings: Giant frogfish, zebra crabs, Coleman shrimps, nudibranchs (nembrotha, chromodoris, wart slug, solar powered, giant liver), pygmy seahorse, spadefish, sweetlips snapper, schooling fish (blue-lined and humphead snapper, rainbow runner), partridge tun (snail), white tip reef sharks, cuttlefish, flatworms and nudibranchs.

Day 5: 2nd May
In an effort to dive some warmer waters the Komodo Dancer headed north back into Current City. As a first choice on Makasar Reef the temperature was still a chilly 25C for our Russian guests but the strong currents gave them some work to do to keep them warm. A couple of mantas were spotted, a large blotched stingray and hawksbills having some breakfast on the reef. Batu Bolong was the next drop and showed everyone an aquarium of anthias, banner fish and damsels. Jacks were zooming around rounding up fusiliers and groupers were lazily swimming from crevice to crevice. On the corners where the currents were creating washing machines it was fun to watch turtles struggle and get swept away while a boxfish was seen bouncing off the reef like a bumblebee. Only the most streamline can play in these currents! The Loh Buaya dragon walk was calling us from north Rinca so off we went. Witnessing the dragons and panoramic views is one thing but we were followed by dolphins there and back while fish eagles sawed through the sky. There is so much to see on this walk from mudskippers and Komodo dragons to green vipers and water buffalo. Then it was time to take another dip for the night critter dive of Wainilu. The dive guides found starry night octopus, rare nudibranchs, bobtail squid and warty frogfish amongst the usual suspects. Sightings: Blotched stingray, hawksbill and green turtles, GTs, blue-fin trevally, napoleon wrasse, grouper, scorpion fish, nudibranchs (chromodoris, neon dragons), flatworms, warty frogfish, giant frogfish, demon stingers, nudibranchs, starry night octopus, warty frogfish, bobtail squid.

Day 6: 3rd May
At last we found some warm water diving with great viz and big stuff for the guests. Crystal Rock delivered all with a medium current by bringing in sharks at the point and bait balls of fusiliers being chased by jacks, a true action dive! For the second dive guests dived amongst many white tips and a very curious grey reef which posed for pictures. On the reef there were many groupers out and about and hunting schools of goat fish with juvenile napoleons sucking up crustaceans from the nooks and crannies. After two action dives it was time for a drift on the northwest Komodo site of Batu Moncho. With its many sea fans this site shows off families of pygmy seahorses and turtles feeding on the coral reef. So we tucked into the bay for the night offering a forth dive on Coral Garden. This was a beautifully calm dive with sandy slopes hiding stargazers, bobtail squid, flathead crocodile fish and spearing mantis shrimps and extending fingers of coral delivering decorator crabs and nudibranchs. Sightings: Grey and white tip reefs sharks, GTs, schooling fish (horse-eye jacks, black & tin spot snapper, fusilier bait ball), napoleon, and crocodile needlefish.

Day 7: 4th May
For day 7 of diving we focused on the Island of Gili Banta situated in the north of the Sape Strait. Slack tide presented an opportunity to dive the Northwest Point of the island. The water was a brilliant bright blue providing a wonderful backdrop to the amazing reef covered in anthias all bathing in morning sunlight. A baby sea krait was looking for food in the shallows just below dancing reef squid while mantas were swooping in occasionally feeding in the light mixing currents. Morays partnered with spiny lobsters in the alcoves waiting for octopus to come along and huge whip corals bent in the current housing Zanzibar shrimps and xeno crabs. A great start to a day’s diving! Inside the North Bay on K2 the viz was amazing and the water temperature was a whopping 30C! Drifting along the wall section past huge fans and bumping into large cuttlefish along the way only to end up on one of the prettiest shallow coral garden the area has to offer was amazing. After the guests had lunch and a power nap it was back in the water for dive number three, this time at Swiss Dream. We followed the cold upwellings on a drift dive but no big stuff was seen. The night dive, however, was fully loaded with creatures hiding in the sand. Stargazers, flat heads and bobtail squid were uncovered while lionfish followed our torchlight to hunt juvenile fish. On the safety stop we found a beautiful painted frogfish, a stonefish, a zebra moray, decorator crabs and flatworms. Sightings: Mantas, sea krait, yellow margin and bearded morays, schooling surgeonfish, millions of anthias, cuttlefish, tiger cowries, blue spotted stingray, zebra moray, bobtail squid, flat heads, stargazers, raggy scorpion, nudibranchs, flatworms, stonefish, painted frogfish.

Day 8: 5th May
Our last full day diving was a day at Sangeang, the volcanic island. We hit Deep Purple on the first dive to enjoy the topography it offers; sandy channels split with deep pinnacles and walls displaying huge purple sea fans and colorful soft coral. Vibrant red-banded gobies and their partner shrimps were seen excavating their burrows and certain areas were scattered with many different species of nudibranchs. Hot Rock was the choice for the second dive and proved to be so popular that the guests chose to repeat it after lunch. Sulphuric vents from the volcano seeped through the black sand seabed and the reef showed off its mesmerizing array of corals. Here we found so many different types of nudi’s including chromodoris, tons of neon dragons, nembrothas, mating discodoris and thuridillas. Xeno crabs were clinging onto large swaying whips while some of the older whip corals had been taken over by tiger anemones. Raggy scorpion fish were creeping up on their prey and pygmy seahorses rested on the sea fans. A truly great day of macro diving…and we still had a night dive to come. Much was seen on the Bonto Reef night dive but before that we visited the village of Bonto. Walking through this local residency we saw how the people were living on agriculture; cultivating bananas, breadfruit, wood and even songbirds for trade on the island of Sumbawa. Sightings: Nudibranchs (chromodoris, neon dragons, nembrotha, mating discodoris, thuridilla), ribbon eels, bearded and raggy scorpion fish, goby and blind shrimps, xeno crabs, tiger anemones and pygmy seahorses.

Day 9: 6th May
Over night we powered west to the island of Satonda for two morning dives. Both were comfortable drift dives, the first being Black Magic Rock and the second Jaws. Guests saw stingrays, groupers, turtles, jaw fish and a pair of robust ghost pipefish. Between the diving we had a quick breakfast and headed over to the creator of Satonda’s volcano, which is now a lake. It is a mix of fresh and salt water and its green hue makes for a beautiful photo from a vantage point. The rest of the day and following night were spent motoring west towards Bali so plenty of time for the guests to relax. Sightings: Stingrays, groupers, turtles, magnificent partner shrimps, jaw fish, robust ghost pipefish, morays.

Day 10: 7th May
By morning we had reached the Padang Bai, Bali area for our final double dive of the trip. Two sites in the Lombok Strait bring a good amount of life and interesting topography; these are Tape Kosong and Gili Mamping. The first has a swim through at 27 meters up to 20 meters and the second is a large reef bringing upwellings and along with it good chances to see bigger fish. We saw many different species of morays on these dives including peppered, white mouth and the pretty black and white spotted varieties. There were also schools of sweetlips and black snappers, red tooth triggerfish and long-fin banner fish. Then it was time to head towards Benoa Harbor on Bali for our final evening together. Sightings: Morays, stingrays, groupers, schooling fish (black and sweetlips snappers).

I would like to say a special thank you to the whole group who had a great attitude all the way through the trip and particularly Andrei for bringing these people together. We hope to see you again in the future on Ombak Biru, Komodo Dancer.

Thank you all so very much!!

Dive Crew on board:
Cruise Director Fin, Dive Master Gede, and Dive Master: Komang

Photos by Andre, Ekaterina and Vladimir

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Komodo Dancer Captain’s Report May 10 – 20, 2013

Day 1: 10th May
Komodo Dancer, locally known as Ombak Biru, embarked on a 10-day trip from Bali to Flores at noon on 10th May. The guests on the boat were a good mix of nationalities including British, Swiss, German, Austrian, Kiwi, Swedish, Russian and American.

After a few hours of motoring up the Strait of Badung we reached Padang Bai and the site of our first dive, Jepun. This dive site offered a gentle drift for people to check their weights and get comfortable with their equipment configuration and also provided schooling fish, a whitetip reef shark, a cuttlefish and a few blue-spotted stingrays. Upon returning to the boat we all sat down to our first three-course meal of the trip and enjoyed having the crew introduce themselves.
Sightings: Whitetip reef shark, schooling fish (blue-lined snapper, damsels, chromis), cuttlefish, and blue spotted stingray.

Day 2: 11th May
After travelling overnight up the Lombok Strait and along the north of Lombok itself we reached Palau Lawang and Sulat, northeast of the dominating mountain of Ranjani. We dived twice in the channel between Lawang and Sulat, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, taking in the beautiful corals growing from the wall and the colorful reef fish pointing into the currents. For the second dive of the day we drifted around the south point in 15 meters visibility. A juvenile pinnate spadefish was found hiding away in a deep crevice and raggy scorpion fish were blending into the bright blue cone corals. Nudibranchs such as chromodoris and nembrothas were spotted and signal gobies were busy feeding on the sandy slopes. For a night dive we chose the south bay of Palau Lawang spotting various crustaceans including squat lobsters and spider crabs, cuttlefish, feeding tiger cowries and a sleepy hawksbill.
Sightings: Juvenile pinnate batfish, signal gobies, yellow barred jawfish, black tipped shrimp goby, nudibranchs (nembrotha, chromodoris, tons wart slugs), feather star squat lobsters, juvenile cuttlefish, octopus, turtle, spider crabs, banded pipefish.

Day 3: 12th May
Along with the sunrise came the island of Moyo. We chose two dive sites just off shore from Labuan Haji town. The conditions on both Long Reef and Moyo Wall were very good with 29C water and 20-30 meters viz. Both were drifts and homes to branching, table, sponge and fan corals. With their deep drop offs these reefs attract a large variety of life including schooling red-tooth triggers, twin-spot and black snapper. In the blue, fusiliers were being bullied by small jacks and dogtooth tuna, while on the reef turtles, morays, mantis shrimps, puffers and garden eels were seen. While we had lunch and a power nap Bapak Kasim steered the boat further east to the next island of Satonda. Here we picked Black Magic Rock for the third dive site as it offers great macro fauna. Spearing mantis, hawksbill, various gobies, two large cuttlefish, ribbon eels and a symmetrical flatworm were spotted by the guides and guests. A couple of excursions followed, one onto Satonda itself to see the crater lake and magic tree, and two to watch the fruit bats fly over to Sumbawa for their dinner. The shear amount of bats in the sky all at the same time was amazing; there must have been at least twenty-eight of them!
Sightings: Banded sea krait, hawksbill turtles, schooling fish (fusiliers, red-tooth triggers, twin spot and black snappers), cuttlefish, giant moray, dogtooth tuna, ornate ghost pipefish, ribbon eels, various gobies.

Day 4: 13th May
In the morning we awoke to a beautiful sunrise and the 2,028 meters tall Sangeang volcano. On the east side we proceeded with dives on Deep Purple and Hot Rock. With a medium current Deep Purple was a challenging dive bringing many fish close to the reef and deep pinnacles such as bumphead parrotfish, juvenile dogtooth tuna and “swarming” surgeonfish. The black sand on the soft coral plateau provided various nudibranchs that were photographed along with ghost pipefish, ribbon eels and porcelain crabs feeding from the safety of the carpet anemones. Then it was time for a dive on Hot Rock showing the volcano exhaling through the seabed and the bright beautiful soft corals on the rocks. Many macro creatures were found including different types of nudi’s, xeno crabs, long-nosed hawkfish, baby morays, raggy scorpion fish and ovula cowries munching on leather corals. As the sea swell grew we positioned the boat into the Bay of Bonto on the west side of Sangeang Island and did two dives on the Bonto Reef. A good day dive showed us a ghost pipefish, golden mantis shrimps, Pegasus sea moths and cuttlefish. On the night dive the reef presented the guests with white-v octopus, juvenile painted frogfish, mosaic boxer crabs and various shrimps.
Sightings: Bumphead parrotfish, ornate ghost pipefish, nudibranchs (splendid chromodoris, aeolids - flabellina, nembrotha, splendid halgerda), schooling fish (surgeons, damsels, anthias), ribbon eels, xeno crabs, long-nosed hawkfish, ovula cowries, white v octopus, painted frogfish

Day 5: 14th May
So then it was time for a day of diving at Gili Banta in 29C water with 20 meters plus viz. Our first dive was on the west point of the island and guests spotted two eagle rays flying around in the blue. Then we drifted across the site of K2 with the deep walls and fan corals to end up in the shallows of the soft coral garden. This was a special one for Sandra as she completed her 500th dive on the Komodo Dancer in Komodo National Park. Star wars was the next choice offering white tip reef sharks, turtles, leaf scorpion fish and a large variety of different reef fish. “Da da dadadadadada daa da, da da dadadadadada daa da” played the music as the marquees were erected for the arrival of the night dive at Circus. Zigzagging across the sandy bottom was a good opportunity to find star gazers, bobtail squid, snake eels and flying gurnards all while trying to protect oneself from brazen lion fish hunting in the torch light.
Sightings: White tip reef sharks, turtles, eagle rays, schooling fish (surgeons, anthias, yellow damsels), juvenile dogtooth tuna, leaf scorpion fish, reef octopus, pygmy seahorse, cuttlefish, star gazers, flatheads, grub fish, flying gurnard, napoleon snake eels, hunting lionfish, sand snake eel, twin spot lion fish, bobtail squid.

Day 6: 15th May
On this morning everyone woke up to the beautiful soundings of the collapsed volcano that is now the Bay of Langkoi, our destination…Manta Alley. On descending on the first dive it only took a couple of minutes for people to spot their first manta ray of the trip. On the cleaning stations there were up to ten rays taking it in turns to sweep by the reef to invite the black-lipped butterfly fish and cleaner wrasse in. Schooling bumphead parrotfish were roaming about biting down on coral heads here-and-there while a few small hawksbill turtles complimented the morning mixture. “Best dive ever!” one said, “Best manta experience so far!” said another. This resulted in another two dives at the same site. Mantas were on the cleaning stations and feeding in the channels on all of the dives at Manta Alley…luckily the guides were on hand to point out sea apples, wart slugs and blue spotted stingray to keep the guests entertained! It was then time to cruise over to Lok Sera for the evening and an early night dive on the Pinisi Wreck. Just before it got dark it was possible to find mandarin fish while on the wreck. There were also many feeding raggy scorpion fish, lionfish, upside-down jellyfish and crustaceans. To the side of the wreck on the sand large crocodile fish were lying in ambush and in the shallow hard corals pinnate spadefish were hiding.
Sightings: Reef mantas, white tip reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, sweetlips snappers (ribbon, diagonal and harlequin), emperor snapper, humphead snappers, hawksbill turtles, nudibranchs, giant trevally (GTs).

Day 7: 16th May
In the early morning the captain steered the boat across the Linta Strait and into Horseshoe Bay in south Rinca. Here we planned four macro dives starting with Cannibal Rock. The second was Yellow Wall then for the third a repeat dive on Cannibal Rock. Throughout these three dives we looked in fire urchins for Colman shrimps and zebra crabs, on the walls for giant frogfish and were surprised when a GT was seen following a banded nurse shark still hunting in the morning sun. The wall diving produced a variety of nudibranchs, orangutan crabs in bubble corals and cuttlefish hovering above lettuce coral. After a spot of lunch we pootled out on the tenders to view the magnificent Komodo Dragons on the beach. One male was seen whipping another in the face with his powerful tail and sea eagles joined the commotion crying out as they glided above us looking for food. Torpedo Alley was the site for the night dive so guests returned for dinner with stories of clown frogfish, torpedo rays, bobtail squid and various nudibranchs.
Sightings: Giant frogfish, Colman shrimp, sea apples, banded nurse shark, GT, schooling fish (blue-striped and humphead snappers, goat fish), nudibranchs (long tailed slug, chromodoris, polycerdoris, facelinidoris), crabs (zebra, hairy sponge crabs, soft coral imitator, orangutan), cuttlefish, torpedo rays, clown frogfish.

Day 8: 17th May
Komodo Dancer was delivered to the island of Padar in the middle of the Linta Strait by sunrise for our first dive of the day on Three Sisters Reef. Macro fauna such as frogfish and nudibranchs were spotted but we were in search of bigger creatures. Unfortunately the dive did not produce much action so we decided to go further north to hit Batu Bolong. There we saw GTs pointing into the current with schools of rainbow runners shifting direction deep in the blue. On the corners where the current picked up it was possible to watch different species of fish all hunting together. Emperor snapper and juvenile napoleons hovered above corals heads while giant morays swam through the crevices to flush out their prey. While this was happening the photographers could get shots of potato groupers and whitetips circling the action. The third dive site was Shotgun, which pushed the guests between Gililawa Laut and Gililawa Darat, into a fish bowl then into an endless school of fusiliers. Spanish Step was the choice for the night dive with divers spotting Spanish dancer nudibranchs, squat lobsters and spider crabs.
Sightings: Whitetip reef sharks, GTs, blue-fin trevally, hunting fish (emperor snapper, napoleon wrasse, giant morays, GTs, groupers), reef octopus, nudibranchs (nembrotha, neon dragons, Spanish dancers).

Day 9: 18th May
The diving conditions were perfect on the last full day of diving, 29C with twenty meters plus visibility. The first two dives were just north of Gililawa Laut on Crystal Rock and Castle Rock where there was a good current on the first and a moderate on the second. These dives produced sightings of bait balls of fusiliers chased by trevally and whitetips zigzagged in the current. Divers were able to hook in and watch the procession as sweetlips snappers sheltered against hard coral and groupers swaggered from one cleaning station to another. While on the safety stops we saw napoleon wrasse eye us up, and crocodile needlefish and black snapper sunbath on the surface. Tatawa Kecil was the third site showing off resting whitetip reef sharks on the plateau alongside schooling snapper and an eagle ray. In the shallows the sun rays highlighted lots of damsels and cleaning stations for triggerfish and surgeonfish. The sunset and night dive at Wainilu produced picturesque dragonets, harlequin shrimp, frogfish, demon stingers, flying gurnards and various nudi’s and flatworms.
Sightings: Whitetip reef sharks, GTs, schooling fish (sweetlips, humphead and black snapper, crocodile needle fish, fusiliers, spadefish), napoleon wrasse, sea krait, potato grouper, various coral groupers, eagle ray, hawksbill turtles, picturesque dragonet, frogfish, nudibranchs, and harlequin shrimp.

Day 10: 19th May
So it came down to the final two dives on day ten of the trip. We went back into Current City to drift dive the beautiful reef at Tatawa Besar spotting schooling sweetlips snappers and spadefish around the pinnacles in crystal clear water for perfect wide-angle shots. On the reef mantis shrimp and morays gazed up at us as we flew by and a few hawksbill turtles were relaxing in the shallow hard coral garden in the latter stages. For the last dive we gambled at Makasar with a drift along the shallow reef section. Nearing the safety stop everything happened at once; mantas glided out of the depths to greet some of the guests as others saw whitetips and green turtles scatter as they drifted passed.
Sightings: Schooling fish (diagonal and harlequin sweetlips snapper, spadefish), hawksbill turtles, giant puffers, mantis shrimp, mantas, whitetip reef shark, banded nurse shark, green turtles.

Then it was off to Dragon Bay to follow the guides on the trails on north Rinca. A few komodo dragons were seen; some peering down from trees and a spitting cobra was also spotted. Komodo Dancer then cruised back to Labuan Bajo, Flores for the final local-style meal.

We had a great mixed group this week, so I would like to thank one-and-all for contributing to the ten-day trip traveling approximately 300 nautical miles. Congratulations to Sandra for completing her 500th dive and Daniela and Silvio for their 200th dives during this trip.

Thank you all so very much!!
Dive Crew: Cruise Director Fin, Dive Masters Seno and Komang

Photos by Nicola, Steven and Silvio. Thank you.





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Komodo Dancer Captain’s Report May 22 – June 1, 2013
East Sumbawa & Komodo National Park

Day 1: 22nd May
This week we had a nice mix of nationalities on board Komodo Dancer, locally known as Ombak Biru, including American, Chinese, Malay, German and Australian. Within the first few hours they had bonded very well, so we knew we were in for a good trip. Our first dive was a light drift on Tatawa Besar in Komodo National Park to check the weights. Still, for a check dive the coral garden was in great condition as usual and divers spotted a few hawksbill turtles, xeno crabs, a lone great barracuda and schooling sweetlips and spadefish.
Sightings: Xeno crab, hawksbill turtle, cuttlefish, great barracuda, schooling fish: sweetlips snapper and spadefish.

Day 2: 23rd May
We cruised to Gili Banta early morning for our first full day of diving arriving at 6am. Conditions allowed for a first dive on Roller Coaster to witness the soft coral growth on the walls along with leaf scorpion fish and orangutan crabs while surgeonfish swirled in the blue. The second dive in the morning was on the coral slopes of K2 with its fans on the wall sections. People found many huge sea cucumbers and nembrotha nudibranchs. After lunch, and a quick swim for some, then it was back in the water for a drift on Star Wars. There was plenty of plankton in the area but no luck for any of the bigger stuff passing through. Still we had the night dive at Circus to come to get up close and personal with snake eels, hunting lionfish, stargazers and bobtail squid.
Sightings: Pygmy seahorse, leaf scorpion fish, raggy scorpion fish, orangutan crab, schooling fish (surgeons, black snapper), star gazers, snake eels, flat heads, bobtail squid, grub fish, a variety of flatworms, nudibranchs (chromodoris, nembrotha).

Day 3: 24th May
Komodo Dancer travelled fifty miles over night to get to Bima Bay in the northeast of Sumbawa Island. Agenda, four dives in macro heaven. The first was a muck dive on Fuzzy Bottom with guests getting lucky with many critters including Pegasus sea moths, thorny seahorses and juvenile fish such as the pretty black and white barramundis. The next two dives were Rocky Bottom and then Tanjung Sai offering bright soft corals on sloped and staggered shelf topography. Through slow motion diving the group spotted one or more nudi’s from six different families of nudibranchs; they were everywhere, even in pairs and seen just after lay eggs. Other creatures seen were crocodile, stone and scorpion fish hiding under the sand and on the coral, demon stingers, an estuarine stonefish and a juvenile painted frogfish. Then it was back to Fuzzy Bottom for a “night spectacular”. This muck dive really came alive with spiny and white-faced wasp fish, feeding squid and cuttlefish and swarms of razor fish seeking shelter around the divers.
Sightings: Pegasus sea moths, thorny seahorse, juvenile fish (barramundi, cowfish, porcupine, puffer), nudibranchs (nembrotha, loads of chromodoris, discodoris, thuridilla, phidiana and moridilla), hydroid spider crab, demon stingers, crocodile fish, fingered dragonets, stone and scorpion fish, painted frogfish, feeding reef octopus, cowries, wasp fish, bobtail squid, bobbit worm, hairy shrimp, long-armed starry octopus, razor fish.

Day 4: 25th May
On the fourth day we awoke to the sight of Sangeang volcano and a stormy sky. In the morning we dived on Hot Rock and Deep Purple to visit the sulphur vents, neon colored soft corals and deep pinnacles. Panther anemones and xeno crabs were clinging to the whips corals while nudibranchs fed and mated on the reef surrounded by black sand. Scorpion fish and morays were hiding in crevices and huge purple sea fans were feeding in the depths. In the afternoon we jumped in again on Hot Rock for a drift dive around the point spotting bumphead parrotfish emptying their guts into the blue while black, humphead and twin spot snapper swirled in the current; a hawksbill turtle cruised around and blue spotted ribbon tailed rays and mantis shrimp lay hidden under helmet corals. After a snack of banana cake we headed out for a stroll around the village of Bonto. Two billy goats fought continuously during our visit. As they clashed horns water buffalo were returning from a lazy day at the water hole to rest up for the night. For the night dive we dived the village reef of Bonto and drifted over black sand spotting Spanish dancers, snake eels and stingrays while the latter part of the dive was spent on shallow corals with various crustaceans.
Sightings: Blacktip reef shark, pygmy seahorse, xeno crabs, nudibranchs (neon dragons, chromodoris, nembrotha), ribbon eels, bumphead parrotfish, schooling fish (black, humphead and twin spot snapper), emperor snapper, hawksbill turtle, mantis shrimp, Spanish dancer, stingrays, snake eels, various crustaceans.

Day 5: 26th May
Back in Komodo National Park we first dived the northern region off the Gililawa islands. Castle Rock provided large balls of fusiliers being rounded up by GTs and blue-fin trevally while the odd whitetip cruised around close to the reef. Schools of surgeonfish and horse-eye jacks negotiated the current and marbled groupers used the cleaning stations. Two drift dives were to follow that at Shotgun and The Passage. The first at Shotgun was very gentle giving people time to study the soft coral wall in the fishbowl and zigzag from bombie to bombie. The Passage, however, delivered strong current through the final stages with GTs, mobula manta and an eagle ray. We planned to hike in the afternoon but it rained continuously; these people had paid to get wet, yet there were no takers for a walk in the rain J
Sightings: Whitetip reef sharks, GTs, potato grouper, schooling fish (batfish, humphead and black snapper, big-eye jacks, banner fish, fusiliers), napoleon wrasse, mobula manta, eagle ray.

Day 6: 27th May
Very strong current in Current City meant that we dived the sheltered side of Batu Bolong watching the fusiliers swimming away in a bait ball formation from GTs. A few turtles were just waking up and napoleon wrasse hunted with goatfish for small fish and crustaceans. The second dive of the day was at Makasar Reef for a drift with the mantas. Here we saw up to six reef mantas at cleaning stations, several whitetips and turtles. This was a first time experience with mantas for a few people on the boat, a dive to be remembered! On the way to north Rinca we jumped in at Honeymoon Rock with a school of spadefish, turtles and bumpheads. Starting early for the night dive at Wainilu gave some the opportunity to photograph mandarin and picturesque dragonets. Once the darkness set in then the critters started to come out. Feeding painted frogfish were videoed, demon stingers crept around on the rubble, bobtail squid hid under the sand and many different nudi’s and flatworms were out and about.
Sightings: Whitetip reef sharks, hawksbill turtles, GTs, blue-fin trevally, napoleon wrasse, nudibranchs (nembrotha), mantas, bumphead parrotfish, painted frogfish, bobtail squid, flatworms, demon stingers, dwarf lionfish.

Day 7: 28th May
We woke up to choppy conditions in the south Komodo Island bay of Langkoi to dive Manta Alley. The guests drift dived from west to east via the channel spotting a few mantas along with large bumphead parrotfish and fully-grown napoleon wrasse. During the surface interval the sun finally came out as we cruised over to Horseshoe Bay for the next dive at Cannibal Rock and some Komodo dragon viewing. Conditions were good on the dive and the macro fauna was all where it was supposed to be; on fire urchins commensal shrimps and zebra crabs hid away while giant frogfish tried to blend into the coral walls. Schooling blue-lined snapper and various nudibranchs were also spotted. Then we went off to the beach in the tenders to watch the largest species of lizards in the world. On the way back we took a look at Banana Island and saw fish eagles gliding around our boat looking for food opportunities. Then we had a dive at Torpedo Alley in quite a strong current. Torpedo rays, nudibranchs and twin spot lionfish were spotted with sea pens feeding from the dark sandy bed.
Sightings: Bumphead parrotfish, napoleon wrasse, manta rays, giant frogfish, zebra crabs, commensal shrimps, nudibranchs (nembrotha, chromodoris, armina), hawksbill turtles, torpedo rays, soft coral imitator crabs.

Day 8: 29th May
Morning conditions favored the seamount of Rodeo Rock off the point of Nusa Kode. This rock was being swept by light current but the twin spot snappers and surgeons fish still stuck to the reef. As the groups went around the first point a pair of eagle rays were playing at 30 meters and groupers were seen congregating even deeper. Thick swarms of anthias, sergeant majors and red-tooth triggerfish covered the site and lazy whitetips were just waking to start their morning cruises. Next it was time for another dive on Cannibal Rock with more macro but also schooling snappers and fully-grown whitetips. Then it was back to Manta Alley to see if conditions were better for the cleaning stations. It proved worth going back as more mantas were seen. Some were at the cleaning stations while other chose to play in current through the channels. Also in the channels a banded nurse shark became very intimate with one group as huge GTs navigated the area. Lok Sera and the Pinisi Wreck was the choice for the sunset/night dive with guests spotting the beautiful pinnate spadefish with its bright orange edge, crocodile fish and bobtail squid.
Sightings: Eagle rays, whitetip reef sharks, hawksbill turtles, schooling fish (twin spot & sweetlips snappers, red-tooth triggers) nudibranchs, zebra crabs, Colman shrimp, mantis shrimp, morays, mantas, banded nurse shark, GTs, juvenile pinnate spadefish, bobtail squid.

Day 9: 30th May
During the early hours the captain made a fast delivery to the north of Komodo Island for dives at Crystal Rock and Castle Rock. There was a medium strength current on Crystal for the first dive but people were able to hook in on the deeper seamount and watch whitetips and GTs gliding around. Schools of black-spined surgeonfish were scattered by the predators while juvenile napoleon and goatfish hunted from one coral bombie to the next. On Castle Rock the current had calmed creating underwater opportunities for guests to interact with schooling surgeonfish and the occasional whitetip reef shark; turtles, crocodile fish and mantis shrimp were also spotted on the reef. The rising tide suggested a third dive on Makasar Reef which proved to be successful for most divers with mantas flying about the shallow reefs and whitetips hovering above the coral rubble. Then it was back to Dragon Bay for a night dive at Wainilu with guests coming back with stories of tiny cuttlefish, painted frogfish, pleurobranchs, flatworms and demon stingers.
Sightings: Whitetip reef sharks, GTs, blue-fin trevally, marbled groupers and rock cods, schooling fish (black-spined and yellow-fin surgeon fish, sweetlips and humphead snapper, fusiliers), horse-eye jacks, hunting napoleon wrasse with gold-saddle goatfish, mantas, painted frogfish, demon stingers, pleurobranchs, flatworms.

Day 10: 31st May
So we cruised back to Current City for the final two dives on Batu Bolong and Tatawa Besar, ending where we began. In the shadow of the pinnacle napoleon wrasse were searching for breakfast and GTs pointed into the current on each point. There were also a number of large hawksbill turtles and mapper pufferfish. The final dive was declared a ‘naked’ drift dive though far too many wetsuits, bikinis and board shorts stayed on, however efforts were made by some guests to de-clothe Nicholas while flying passed the coral reef but his shorts proved very secure. Better luck next time ladies! Then it was time for the walk on Rinca Island with the dragons though the guests ended up sheltering from the rain at the guide hut snapping photos of the dinosaurs attracted by the smell of food. With all the diving done it was back to Labuan Bajo for our last dinner together and a bit of a knees-up even though they had finished all the beer!
Sightings: GTs, hawksbill turtles, morays, mantis shrimp, nudibranchs, marbled grouper, napoleon wrasse, sweetlips snapper, spadefish.

The guests onboard really made this trip what it was. With many of the guests being new to Indonesia, they saw a lot of new stuff, from small marine critters to first time mantas and the largest lizards in the world. As cruise director I would like to thank the Captain and crew, dive staff, management and guests for making this happen.

Dive Crew: Cruise Director Fin, Dive Masters: Seno and Komang

Thank you all so very much!

Thanks to Coco, Jimmy and Nicholas for the photographs.

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