Nusa Penida Mola Mola Dive

[zivva]

No offense here but from my experience, it's often people trying to take a better shot that finish under the mola especially here with the difficulty to manage currents and be able to stay exactly where you want to stay to do not disturb its cleaning behaviour.

I understand & appreciate your respect for marine life in general but from my side, getting a shot as you got is already nice, no need to take the risk to disturb the mola to get a better shot

BTW, as the Code of Conduct is not widely available, here's a copy of it :

Code of Conduct for Diver:
* Always approach sunfish very slowly within its field of view.
* Stay close to the reef and do not surround the sunfish.
* If the fish are just entering the cleaning station, do not approach until the cleaning has begun and the fish have been stationary for at least 1 minute.
* Maintain a minimum distance of 5m (or 3 body lengths) from the closest sunfish when animal is at a cleaning station.
* Maintain a minimum distance of 10m (or 5 body lengths) when animal is unsettled (not in cleaning) and considering approach to the reef.
* DO NOT TOUCH AND DO NOT FEED.
* Do not swim behind the sunfish as this can startle the animal.
* Do not swim under the fish as your bubbles will disturb cleaning behavior.
* Wherever possible, do not block the sunfish’s escape route off the reef or pathway onto a cleaning station.
* If a sunfish approaches you, remain still and do not touch it. If you touch it you will remove the layer of mucus that protects it against infection.
* Do not use flash photography as this often disturbs the fish.
* Do not use personal underwater motorized propulsion vehicles or make unnecessary loud noises.

Hope it helps people interested in the encounter ...

 

[frogfish]

Just got back yesterday from Bali, and had a couple of days of good to awesome diving On the mola-mola side, we saw one at Gili Mimpang, 2 at Gili Tepekong and one at Manta Point (and yes this was in addition to the mantas). The incredible bonus was on a drift dive on the Northern side of Penida where a small whale shark passed by at the beginning of the dive !!!

And no crowds - Crystal Bay looked very packed though when we passed and the dive guides decided that Manta Point might be quieter... Which it was.

 

[pughio83]

Wow sounds exciting, I am off sept 22nd with full 9days diving in and around NL/NP with a side trip to liberty wreck. If people are saying the season is slow then I hope it picks up...but my contacts there are saying sightings have been reasonable but I guess we shall see. I hope to see at least one mola2 but I'd prefer to see it away from crystal bay if it's that packed eh!!!

My gf is going to do her advanced course there, I am well aware re currents at CB but she has not experienced currents so maybe she can see a mola at another site!

Looking forward to the diving!

 

[BCD Lembongan]

Mola molas are here
3 big ones swam right over our divers heads yesterday at Toya Pakeh divesite!!
:cool2:

 

[dave martin]

Mola molas are here
3 big ones swam right over our divers heads yesterday at Toya Pakeh divesite!!
:cool2:

Hi,
We dove these sites late last year and saw MM's at Crystal Bay on most dives, sometimes in 3's and 4's. Got some wonderful shots. We had a great time and also saw several large mantas both times we dove manta point. Crystal Bay however is a complete zoo underwater with the worst dive guide and diver behaviour I have ever seen in 1100 dives throughout the world. Everyone is there for the best possible mm experience/photo and virtually everything else takes second place....discipline, reef/environment awareness, air supply, respect for other divers and personal safety. We directly encountered a diver out of air at 20m with none of his buddies or guides anywhere to be seen! Tales of divers being swept off the reef and never being seen again are too numerous to be untrue and, for sure, the current off the reef can be a blast. I personally had no problems by obeying the guides instructions to stay close to the reef and not getting mesmerised by the mm action or led by stupid fellow divers. I also dont think there were conditions that would have challenged and absolute novice if he was well led and self disciplined. Thats just my experience though and others may have broader and more alarming experience of conditions on the site. Hope this helps. Main advice would be choose a good dive centre and do what the guides tell you.
Dave

 

[pughio83]

Sounds like crystal bay can be a disaster zone but couldn't agree more with what you said, these mantas and molas and other creatures of awe can make people do some crazy stuff! I have seen it in Palau with mantas!! Well I hopefully can dive crystal bay as early as possible to avoid some of the mainland crowds, and will defo be following what my guide says!

 

[jake11]

Tis the season!!! Very cool! :0)

 

[beaverdivers]

When we did it a few years ago. We had one of the most intense currents that I have encounter in over 5555+ dives.

Enjoy the ride.

We did have a decent Mola Mola sighting.

The other two "new" divers aborted.

 

[zivva]

Missing diver yesterday @ Crystal Bay ...

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...apanese-tourist-missing-crystal-bay-bali.html

It's unfortunate but no real surprise here : was there yesterday at the same time and conditions were far from being the best for a quite dive.

 

[divewench1]

Sad news, our prayers go out to the family.