Mermaid Crossing Trip 04 Dec to 20 Dec - anyone?

[Cali_diver]

Shhh don't spread the word.. I don't want Alor to get as crowded as Komodo.

Hooo... and the threshers were there?
Along with hammerheads, silkies, all kind of reef sharks, sometimes a blue whale passing by, it seems Alor is becoming the capital spot for big fish in Indonesia.
Anyone to add sightings of whale sharks and manta rays?

No, but we saw one up shallow (above us on the reef) on a very similar and near site in Alor. We actually saw them on a couple different sites. We did see Mola Molas and actually saw Hammerheads hunting a squadron of Eagle Rays. I can't remember if we saw Mantas. We saw so many in Komodo that it would not have been a big deal.

 

[charlier]

As much as I enjoy diving Alor, I am not sure that I would characterize Alor as the pelagic capital of Indonesia. FYI, my UW photo on SB was taken in Alor. I have to agree with cali_diver regarding Komodo. After last summer, I doubt that I will return to Komodo. One alternative is to charter Current Junkies and focus on southern Komodo dive sites. Only four divers are needed for a full charter!

 

[dirtfarmer]

[QUOTE="charlier, post: 7851242, member: 414237]One alternative is to charter Current Junkies and focus on southern Komodo dive sites. Only four divers are needed for a full charter![/QUOTE]

I'm in

 

[charlier]

[QUOTE="charlier, post: 7851242, member: 414237]One alternative is to charter Current Junkies and focus on southern Komodo dive sites. Only four divers are needed for a full charter!

I'm in

Over the past years, my wife and I along with a few other instructors talk about booking a Komodo charter. To make it work, everyone has to be on the same page. For us, we like strong currents, schooling fish, and pelagics. After two morning deep dives (30+m) and one afternoon dive, we are mostly happy in the afternoon. Perhaps time for a cocktail, sunset, and nice BBQ. Everyone has their own tempo and style for such trips. Its easy to change plans, based in dive conditions, or other factors.

 

[acidrush]

Over the past years, my wife and I along with a few other instructors talk about booking a Komodo charter. To make it work, everyone has to be on the same page. For us, we like strong currents, schooling fish, and pelagics. After two morning deep dives (30+m) and one afternoon dive, we are mostly happy in the afternoon. Perhaps time for a cocktail, sunset, and nice BBQ. Everyone has their own tempo and style for such trips. Its easy to change plans, based in dive conditions, or other factors.

I would love to join up on such a trip! Currents, schooling fish and pelagics! Thats what i like!

 

[Luko]

As much as I enjoy diving Alor, I am not sure that I would characterize Alor as the pelagic capital of Indonesia. FYI, my UW photo on SB was taken in Alor.

Well if you don't mind after 3 stays in Alor, I will.
FYI I have a full gallery in Flickr of photos taken in Alor from 2013 to 2015, even though most photos are macro I have done more blue water dives and pelagic encounters but with less sucessful photo ops, as you may know it's much more difficult to get correct shots of multiple sharks hanging 38m below in raging currents.

I think the only thing we can agree on is that I won't return to Komodo either and their boatloads of crappy dive operations led by freshly certified zero-to-heroes.

 

[Dan]

Here is a video of dolphins greeted us as we headed to Alor Eco Resort.

 

[charlier]

Well if you don't mind after 3 stays in Alor, I will.
FYI I have a full gallery in Flickr of photos taken in Alor from 2013 to 2015, even though most photos are macro I have done more blue water dives and pelagic encounters but with less sucessful photo ops, as you may know it's much more difficult to get correct shots of multiple sharks hanging 38m below in raging currents.

I think the only thing we can agree on is that I won't return to Komodo either and their boatloads of crappy dive operations led by freshly certified zero-to-heroes.

Luke, we certainly agree on Komodo Islands. How the region has changed, from the 2016 bleaching from El Niño, to the numerous day boats in northern Komodo that cater to inexperienced divers with similar experienced dive guides, and the beauty of diving in the Pantar Straits. We should try to meet - My wife is an outstanding deep water spotter for large animals.

 

[billt4sf]

Alor: we dove clownfish Valley, Mucky Mosque, and Babylon. I don't recall any of these being high current.

Following is a pic of the roommate assigned to me by Mermaid. OK, I give up on trying to add a photo. The only way I know to do it on this platform is "paste". The icons above aren;t useful (to me?) for posting a photo that I have on my desktop. If someone knows how to do it besides "paste" please let me know.


- Bill