Komodo national park for beginner divers

[AlanWald]

I concur completely with the previous posts .

In light of the five missing divers in Komodo area (see other scubaboard post) I think beginners should get a lot more experience before going to Komodo. Not just because of currents but the water is colder than the north of Bali.

Northern Bali, Bunaken and Lembeh would be fine for beginners and there is great stuff to see.

Currents can kill. My friend the late Dan Grenier of Crystal Dives Fiji went missing in a dive site with a similar washing machine type current in Fiji several years ago. Dan was a former US Marine, a hard hat diver and ran a dive business for several years in Fiji. I had been diving at that same dive spot the year before Dan died and aborted my dive when I couldn't reach the other divers because of a down current.

 

[Wayan]

Most of the day operators only dive in the northern part of the park. The best sites for beginners would be down in Horseshoe bay (Rinca where cannibal rock yellow wall, krinoid canon, boulders etc are. These sites still can very effected by currents.

As you say you only have 3 days so strongly suggest that you look doing your diving Bali or Manado areas both of these places and excellent in their own right. (PM me if you want more info) Currents in komodo can and are unpredictable. Certainly with more experience Komodo is a must to put on anyones list as the diving is fantastic.

August traditional is the coldest for water temperatures in the southern part of the park with temperatures hovering anywhere from 16-19 degrees C. Right now with the SE trades coming in the temps are around 20 degrees.

Good news all the divers have been found on Rinca Island (southern part of the park)

 

[viva1]

6/14/08
HI, Wayan--

We're planning a trip to Lembeh and Gangha in July, 2009 (5 days each). I'm not sure how much to worry about currents at either of those areas re: avoiding the full moon-- I hear currents are the strongest then). According to our current (no pun intended) plans, we'll arrive at Lembeh about 3 days after the full moon. Do you think currents will be bothersome then? If it were critical, we could postpone our trip a few days and be further away from the full moon, but we'd rather go sooner if it doesn't make a big difference. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Ann

 

[AlanWald]

strong currents are not a problem in the Lembeh Strait.

 

[Wayan]

6/14/08
HI, Wayan--

We're planning a trip to Lembeh and Gangha in July, 2009 (5 days each). I'm not sure how much to worry about currents at either of those areas re: avoiding the full moon-- I hear currents are the strongest then). According to our current (no pun intended) plans, we'll arrive at Lembeh about 3 days after the full moon. Do you think currents will be bothersome then? If it were critical, we could postpone our trip a few days and be further away from the full moon, but we'd rather go sooner if it doesn't make a big difference. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Ann

Currents are not a big problem in Lembeh and were they are 3 days before and 3 days after full and new moons are the the times when currents run at the peak, so you will be fine arriving 3 days after full moon.