Mola Mola in Bali where to stay

[Dan]

Sorry Clernix, a little off topic, but sharks started popping up in the thread. Gecko you mention "relatively warm waters". Last year I understand it was unusually cold waters with record sitings of molas in and around Toyapakeh and Crystal Bay and hammerheads in the Banda Sea.

Gecko, I know you're not located in the Banda Sea, but someone else may have an opinion. I'm thinking of joining a trip through the Banda Sea (in hopes of seeing the schooling hammerheads so many saw last year) but am worried that the waters will be too warm for hammerheads this year. I've heard Komodo has been unusually warm this year as well, which leads me to believe the Banda Sea will be too. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I have same thought & set up my trip for Nov 2017: One space on La Galigo Liveaboard to Banda & Raja Ampat in Nov 2017 with 15% discount

This trip fills up quick. You will need to book early. Mine is already booked full.

 

[acidrush]

Sorry Clernix, a little off topic, but sharks started popping up in the thread. Gecko you mention "relatively warm waters". Last year I understand it was unusually cold waters with record sitings of molas in and around Toyapakeh and Crystal Bay and hammerheads in the Banda Sea.

Gecko, I know you're not located in the Banda Sea, but someone else may have an opinion. I'm thinking of joining a trip through the Banda Sea (in hopes of seeing the schooling hammerheads so many saw last year) but am worried that the waters will be too warm for hammerheads this year. I've heard Komodo has been unusually warm this year as well, which leads me to believe the Banda Sea will be too. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I'm not an expert, but last year was an El Nino year. La Nina usually follows El Nino but not always. During La Nina, the opposite happens. This would mean warmer waters and deeper thermoclines in Indonesia. I would guess that this year would not be as good for Mola Mola in Bali and Hammers in the Banda sea. Like I said, I'm not an expert, but i have dived Bali and the Banda sea in the last 3 years. 2015 was the best. I am giving this year a miss.

Slightly off topic, but with La Nina, the eastern pacific spots like Galapagoes should be awesome with colder waters and lots of hammers.

 

[charlier]

Hi all, a few caveats - there is great variability SST with respect to El Niño and La Niña. Full disclosure, I have only five years of diving experience in Indonesia (work and recreation). I would not conclude that my five year time-series of Mola2 sitings in Bali would necessarily correlate with ENSO events. A mild La Niña SST has excursions into typical El Niño year, so I would be cautious making generalizations. I try to watch west Equatorial Pacific surface winds, 500 and 300 millibar surfaces, and STT before I make a forecast. Local weather systems, tidal cycle and lunar phases are in some ways more important to my overall diving experience than ENSO. My two cents... ;-)

 

[Dan]

SST, ENSO, STT, 300 millibar, 500 millibar surfaces, what do they mean?

 

[charlier]

Whoops, that was a way to geeky response. Better stated, I would not change my dive trip based on El Nino or La Niña. FYI, SST, sea surface temperature. Forget about 300 or 500 mb surfaces - they are constant pressure surfaces in the atmosphere. Such constant pressure surfaces are used for forecasting weather patterns. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation or ENSO is the periodic variation in winds and sea surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific Ocean. Sorry about the post - can I delete it or modify my post?

 

[Dan]

Thank you. No need to do anything else. It's clear enough to me now.

 

[billt4sf]

Whoops, that was a way to geeky response. Better stated, I would not change my dive trip based on El Nino or La Niña. FYI, SST, sea surface temperature. Forget about 300 or 500 mb surfaces - they are constant pressure surfaces in the atmosphere. Such constant pressure surfaces are used for forecasting weather patterns. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation or ENSO is the periodic variation in winds and sea surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific Ocean. Sorry about the post - can I delete it or modify my post?

No. You have to teach us about marine weather patterns!

 

[Alice Goot]

I try to watch west Equatorial Pacific surface winds, 500 and 300 millibar surfaces, and STT before I make a forecast. Local weather systems,

Charlie, so from what you are seeing online and by watching the E.P. surface winds do you have a feel if this season will have normal water temps or colder than normal, like last year?

 

[gekodivebali]

Ah well we had a mola today... 29 degrees, 26m at Sental, anyone can explain/deny/make me understand?

 

[charlier]

Ah well we had a mola today... 29 degrees, 26m at Sental, anyone can explain/deny/make me understand?

Apparently, it makes them happy. Just accept it and do not ask for explanations.