Pelagian: Kupang to Bali Trip Report

[DontLieToMe]

This is a report of a two week trip aboard the Pelagian from Kupang (West Timor) to Bali.

16 September 2004

Today I will rejoin the Pelagian live-a-board and spend another 15 nights at sea journeying from Kupang to Bali.

Last night I stayed at the three (3) star Kristal Hotel. The Kristal is the only "luxury" hotel in Kupang. The hotel is fine for a night but not somewhere I would want to be for an extended period of time. Most of the television channels are in Indonesian although I was able to watch Cable News Asia which was in English.

I ate all of my meals in the restaurants coffee shop. They have a Chinese restaurant but it has not been open for several years. The food at the restaurant was passable but service was prompt and friendly. I might add that at most times I was the only diner.

I had lunch with the Captain and Joseph, the hotel manager. A little after noon a driver came to take me back to the boat. After a short wait on-shore one of the boat's dinghies transferred me back to the boat and I was home once again on the Pelagian.

At 2:00 PM the new guests arrived. There are ten passengers which is more than I have ever had with me on the boat. Two of the guests are German travel agents and the others are all Americans. Only two non-photographers among the eleven passengers.

Once everyone is on board with their luggage we are underway. After being tortured by telling me that the camera housing was lost between Bali and Kupang it appears. It was a joke by the Captain. What did I do to deserve that bit of cruelty.

17 September 2004

After steaming all night we arrive in the morning at Pantar Island and Beanbagang Bay. This is a place that I have dived twice previously and it is a fantastic location for small creatures. The area has a large expanse of black sand and a section with coral heads. We do four (4) dives at this location to include a night dive. Currents: None to Strong.

Sightings include Ornate Ghost Pipe Fish, Thorny Sea Horses, Dwarf Lion Fish, very small Scorpion Fish, Spearing Manti Shrimp, small to medium size Cuttle Fish, various nudibranchs, several types of shrimp. there are many different types of crabs included dozens that live in the soft bubble corals.

This location is one of the best in Indonesia for night dives. In addition to all of the aforementioned creatures there was many small octopuses, and snake eels. In addition to the two Thorny Sea Horses spotted during the day dives there is a pregnant and baby specimen.

Conditions were quite variable. During the first dive their was virtually no current and 60 foot visibility. The second dive had a very strong current that made looking for creatures very difficult as it was almost impossible to stay "anchored" in the sand due to the lack of hand holds. The third dive had a moderate current but very limited visibility at times.

Water Temperature: 73F. Visibility: 20 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 70 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: Mild to Strong.

18 September 2004

Pura Island. Clownfish Alley. This location is well known for its many species of anemone and associated Clown Fish. Conditions upon entry were a slight current that progressively became stronger. Visibility was very good. Sightings included ten or more types of nudibranchs, several types of Dragonets, a pair of mating Cuttlefish, a small Banded Sea Snake, and a Sponge Crab. At 50 minutes into the dive a very cold upwelling occurred that dropped the water temperature from 73F to 66F and brought in many fish. Water Temperature: 66F to 73F. Visibility: 70 to 95 feet. Dive Time: 71 minutes. Maximum Depth: 88 feet. Current: Moderate to Strong.

Pura Island. The Boardroom. This dive is along a very nice slope. The water temperature was a very mild 82F with a mild current. More than anything this was a pretty dive. There were a few nudibranchs, a nice collection of Dragonets, and a couple of crabs on the Barrel Sponges. On previous visits Mandarin Fish have been briefly sighted. Water Temperature: 82F. Visibility: 70 to 95 feet. Dive Time: 71 minutes. Maximum Depth: 88 feet. Current: None to Mild.

Ternate Island. Midway Between Babylon and The Arch. This dive was conducted on the trip between the recognized dive sites of Babylon and The Arch. Upon entry there was a strong current running toward the point. A small Woebegong Shark was found at 75 feet but after being disturbed it swam down to 105 feet. Needless to say, it was pursued by the photographers. Other sightings included several types of Morays and a Yellow-Green Leaf Scorpion Fish. Water Temperature: 72F to 77F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 105 feet. Current: Mild to Strong.

Little Alor. Pancoran Reef. The dive site was a relatively long ten minute ride from the boat on the other side of the bay from where the boat was anchored. The location was a slope with white sand patches. Sightings included a large Puffer Fish, several types of nudibranchs and flatworms, a Juvenile Lion Fish, Lion Fish, numerous large Scorpion Fish, and a variety of crabs. Water Temperature: 79F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 60 minutes. Maximum Depth: 60 feet. Current: Mild.

19 September 2004

Pura Island. Clownfish Alley. Due to currents we dove this location again this morning. While currents were supposed to be milder they were strong upon entry and required a rock-to-rock traverse to get to the primary exploration area. The first sighting was three small to medium size Cuttle Fish. There were several types of nudibranch, a Box Fish, a small Woebegong Shark, Scorpion Fish, and a juvenile Lion Fish. Schooling fish were plentiful. Water Temperature: 72F. Visibility: 70 to 80 feet. Dive Time: 66 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: Moderate to Strong.

Pura Island. Steven's Lament. The dive team put the divers into the water in the center of a small bay which was broken rubble. After swimming for ten minutes with the reef on the left the coral became more interesting and eventually became some small walls and very nice slopes. Sightings included some of the more common nudibranchs and Blue Ribbon Eels. Fish life was excellent with a profusion Anthias and a small school of Trevally. Water Temperature: 82F. Visibility: 70 to 90 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: None to Mild.

Pura Island. Tri-Top. For the second time in seven days the team put the divers in the wrong location relative to this excellent dive. As when I was here last the entry point was on the slope a fair distance from the Tri-Top walls. The slope is not very interesting. The conditions had a strong current running on the slope. After 20 to 25 minutes I reached the walls which were also sheltered from the current. Water temperatures began at 73F with a thermocline at 75 feet that dropped that water temperature to 66F. It might have been even colder but I did not stay around to find out. The walls at Tri-Top are spectacularly encrusted with small sponges and have an excellent variety of wall growth. Many types of nudibranchs, shrimps, and little creatures abound in the area. Fish life on the walls, especially on those facing the afternoon sun, were swarming with Orange Anthias. Water Temperature: 66F-73F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 70 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: Moderate to Strong.

Pura Island. Night Dive near Tri-Top. The area for this dive was largely flat terrain with patches of sand and coral heads. This made for easy night diving terrain. Immediately upon entry there were several large nudibranchs. Sightings included several Decorator Crabs, a Spider Crab, more nudibranchs and flatworms, a pair of Flounders, and a Bob-Tailed Squid. Water Temperature: 75 to 77F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 60 minutes. Maximum Depth: 40 feet. Current: None to Mild.

20 September 2004

Today we did three dives at Komba Island. Komba is a relatively small island Northeast of Flores. The island is a young volcano and active with sulfuric fumes and steam. The Pelagian had not conducted any dives at this island. The original plan was to do four dives but time ran a bit short and it was decided to leave after three dives.

The first dive was at an area opposite a lava flow. The dive was not very good. In fact, some people thought it was terrible. The bottom consisted of a slope composed of very light black sand with a few very scattered bits of coral. There were very few fish and one or two nudibranchs. Towards the end of the dive the slope became a near wall. The topography was interesting in that the sand could act as a river sliding down the slope into the depths. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 40 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 70 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: None to Mild.

The second dive was around one of the points. While the amount of coral was greater the general area consisted of earth and sand. Visibility was very good and the topography was more varied and at times quite dramatic. Fish life was limited and what corals did exist were scattered and hard corals. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 70 to 90 feet. Dive Time: 70 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: None to Mild.

The third dive was a crowd pleaser. There was a rich reef consisting of hard and soft corals. The hard corals dominated with a generous sprinkling of soft corals. Fish life was much more pronounced with a few Blue Fin Tuna, several types of nudibranchs, and a Nurse Shark well hidden under a ledge. The area ended in a ridge that was covered with small Table Top corals and a nice sandy bay. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 70 to 90 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: Mild to Moderate.

 

[DontLieToMe]

21 September 2004

Maumere Island. Gosong Bone. There was nothing special at this site. In fact, I did not take a single picture. The dive began on a fairly uninteresting slope. Closer to one of the points the wall became steeper and was populated by few medium size Gorgonian Fans. There was a sprinkling of soft corals. The only major sighting was two Whitetip Sharks. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 70 to 90 feet. Dive Time: 71 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: None to Mild.

Maumere Island. Panduan Point. There was very little at this sight. A few nudibranchs and a Squat Lobster. The slope was composed of extensive rubble and the top of the reef had a few coral heads but limited tropicals. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: None to Mild.

The third dive was aborted before we got in the water as the locals on the island were shouting go away and threatening us with bows and arrows.

22 September 2004

Sebolan Island. Kecil East. The dive site is a slope that has mostly hard corals with a sprinkling of soft c corals. The site had a nice collection of nudibranchs and flatworms. Other sightings include a small octopus and a Banded Black Sea Snake that was very accomodating for picture taking. Water Temperature: 82F. Visibility: 60 to 75 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: None to Mild.

Tatawa Island. Northeast Point. This remains one of my favorite dives for beauty of the coral reef, quantity of fish, and creatures. The dive begins on a slope that is rich with hard and soft corals. There are many acorn corals and a great diversity of color. There are many different types of nudibranchs and flatworms. Off of the slope is a bommie (i.e., a submerged reef) whose top is at 50 feet. The area becomes an extensive expanse of hard Staghorn Corals. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: None to Mild.

Komodo Island. Pink Beach. As was my previous experience at this location I did not find this to be a particularly exciting dive. The dive is over a sloping reef with a hard and soft corals. There were a few nudibranchs a one very inconveniently positioned Leaf Scorpion Fish. Water Temperature: 75F. Visibility: 40 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 77 minutes. Maximum Depth: 93 feet. Current: Moderate.

Komodo Island. Pink Beach. This was a night dive. There was a good collection of crabs, a Spanish Dancer, and a flatworm, and a nudibranch. My flash was not operating correctly. Water Temperature: 75F. Visibility: 40 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 62 minutes. Maximum Depth: 48 feet. Current: Mild.

23 September 2004

I have now taken to wearing my 3mm wetsuit over my 5/3mm hooded vest and all of that underneath my 5mm wetsuit. This is not as much as you might think given all three wetsuits are very compressed.

Komodo Island. Pink Beach. Instead of going on a land excursion I went diving. The original destination was a bommie but the dive crew could not find it! We sort of went to Pink Beach. The area was generally flat and covered with very few corals. There were five creatures sighted - two nudibranchs, a crab, a shrimp, and a Black Ribbon Eel. Water Temperature: 75F. Visibility: 25 to 40 feet. Dive Time: 67 minutes. Maximum Depth: 60 feet. Current: Mild to Moderate.

Rinca Island. Canibal Rock. The dive site is a bommie that rises to within 10 to 15 feet of the surface. The bommie is very rich in hard and soft corals. The top of the bommie is completely coffee in soft corals and anemones. Fish action is good but visibility can very be limited as is currently the case. There are many Fire Urchins and Sea Apples. The Fire Urchins provide homes for a variety of shrimp and Zebra Crabs. Nudibranchs are very common to include Glossodoris atromarginata, Chromodoris magnifa, and Thecacera pacifica. Many of the anemones contain a variety of shrimp. Water Temperature: 73F. Visibility: 15 to 20 feet. Dive Time: 68 minutes. Maximum Depth: 82 feet. Current: None to Mild.

Rinca Island. Yellow Wall of Texas. This dive site is a wall and slope and is very rich in soft corals. The location is also known for very good fish action. Unfortunately due to a late start from Komodo we were not able to do this dive until close to 5:00 PM and the wall was large in the shade. The shade, areas of overhang,and lateness of the day reduced the quality of the dive and the ability to sight many creatures. There was a nice Zebra Crab and some nudibranchs as well as a large pair of Lion Fish. Water Temperature: 73F. Visibility: 15 to 20 feet. Dive Time: 67 minutes. Maximum Depth: 90 feet. Current: Moderate.

Rinca Island. Torpedo Alley. Night Dive. The area is composed of light black sand and small coral heads. A highlight of the area is the Bobbit Worm that made a brief appearance. There were a couple of nudibranchs a few crabs, and some Boxer Shrimp. Water Temperature: 73F. Visibility: 15 to 20 feet. Dive Time: 60 minutes. Maximum Depth: 35 feet. Current: Mild.

24 September 2004

Nusa Kode. Outer Pinnacle. The pinnacle comes to 20 feet of the surface. The conditions had moderate current and the water temperature was from 73F to 75F. Upon entry I immediately lost sight of any other divers or dive guides. After finding the reef at 75 feet I dove counter clockwise. For the first 30 minutes I dove amongst a set of medium size boulders with sprinklings of corals - hard and soft. There was considerable fish action but since visibility was very limited I mostly small groupers and yellow snappers. The next 30 minutes of the dive was along a wall that was very rich in soft corals and several nudibranchs. At all depths there was a surge. Upon surfacing there was no boat in sight. After 15 minutes on the surface I swam to a rocky beach. After another 5 minutes the boat appeared in the distance. Water Temperature: 73F. Visibility: 15 to 20 feet. Dive Time: 74 minutes. Maximum Depth: 80 feet. Current: Mild to Moderate. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Slight chop.

Rinca Island. Canibal Rock. Conditions were very good relative to current and a sunny day but visibility was again limited. Sightings included six or seven nudibranchs (i.e., Tambja morosa, Phyllidia ocellata, Chromodoris magnifica, Halgerda malesso, Nembrotha kubaryana, etc.), some Comensal Shrimp, and a very obliging Mantis Shrimp. Water Temperature:73F. Visibility: 15 to 25 feet. Dive Time: 74 minutes. Maximum Depth: 80 feet. Current: Mild. Weather:Sunny. Sea State: Slight chop.

Rinca Island. Yellow Wall. The wall is very nice and conditions allowed a leisurely swim. Given where we entered the water the wall only composed about 15 minutes of the dive. After the main wall there is a sandy section that is not very interesting, another section of interesting wall, and then the area becomes flat with sand and scatterred coral heads. Sightings included a few nudibranchs and some commensal shrimp. Water Temperature: 73F. Visibility: 15 to 25 feet. Dive Time: 70 minutes. Maximum Depth: 80 feet. Current: None to Mild. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Calm.

Rinca Island. Canibal Rock. Night Dive. A great night dive. Any time you find a Blue Ring Octopus it is a special dive and so it was on this dive. The octopus was small and very docile. In addition, it was in an easy area for photography. However, there was many other creatures found on this dive. There were at least three Pygmy Cuttle Fish, several unusual shrimp, a large snail, and a "monster" Green Moray Eel. Add to that a crab or two and some nudibranchs and you have an amazing night dive. Water Temperature: 73F. Visibility: 15 to 25 feet. Dive Time: 60 minutes. Maximum Depth: 65 feet. Current: None to Mild. Sea State: Flat.

 

[DontLieToMe]

25 September 2004

Nusa Kode Island. Crinoid Canyon. When dived from left to right the area begins with rubble and then becomes a series of small "cliffs" and coral heads with good invertebrates. There are patches of sand in which one finds many Blue and Black Ribbon Eels. On this dive I found a large Black Frog Fish at 57 feet which I showed to one of the other divers. In the immediate area there were many other riches - an Orangutan Crab, a Blue Ribbon Eel, a Red Octopus, and several nudibranchs. In this area I saw several other nudibranchs, a Squat Lobster, and many Dragonets. Several of the Hadden Anemones had Commensal Shrimp. Water Temperature: 73F. Visibility: 35 to 50 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 65 feet. Current: None to Mild. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Flat.

Nusa Kode Island. Crinoid Canyon. The first dive was repeated by popular demand since several of the guests wanted an opportunity to see the Black Frog Fish. I was able to find the Frog Fish within 15 seconds much to the delight of the other divers. As per a diagram I drew of the location they were also able to find the Orangutan Crab, Commensal Shrimp, and Blue Ribbon Eel in the immediate area. On this return visit I found a Hadden Anemone with three types of Commensal Shrimp, a very nice Dragonette, Sweetlips, and a small school of Yellow Snappers. Water Temperature: 75F. Visibility: 25 to 40 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 82 feet. Current: None to Mild. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Slight Chop.

Nusa Kode Island. Small Canyon. The highlight of this dive which is largely a wall is the presence of Pygmy Sea Horses on Yellow and Purple Fans. The Yellow Sea Horses were not to be found but there were five rather plump Pink-Purple Sea Horses in evidence. The wall is somewhat earthen with fans and other coral growths. Visibility was as low as 15 feet and toward the end of the dive there was considerable surge. The top of the reef was very rich in invertebrates. There was a good collection of nudibranchs and a nice Dragonette. Water Temperature: 75F. Visibility: 15 to 25 feet. Dive Time: 72 minutes. Maximum Depth: 78 feet. Current: None to Mild with Surge. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Slight Chop.

Rinca Island. Canibal Rock. Night Dive. As has often been the case, Nus, one of the dive guides, was very good a finding several interesting types of crabs. Other sightings included a small Blue Spotted Ray, Pygmy Cuttle Fish, some common, for this area, nudibranchs and a nice flatworm. Water Temperature: 75F. Visibility: 25 to 35 feet. Dive Time: 60 minutes. Maximum Depth: 53 feet. Current: None to Mild. Sea State: Calm.

26 September 2004

Komodo Island. Manta Alley. The dive site is a feeding station for Mantas. Upon entry the Mantas were immediately present. They stayed in the area at a distance for 15 minutes and then were gone and not seen again until the end of the dive when one or two were briefly glimpsed. The area is a slope with boulders. There are coral heads and both soft and hard corals. The area has a few nudibranchs and some anemones. In addition to the Mantas the fish action is very good. There are large Trevally, schools of Yellow Snappers, Groupers, and an assortment of tropicals and other mid-size reef fish. Water Temperature: 75F to 77F. Visibility: 30 to 50 feet. Dive Time: 71 minutes. Maximum Depth:54 feet. Current: Mild to Moderate/Strong. Sea State: Slight Chop.

Komodo Island. Manta Alley. There were no Mantas on the second dive. No attempt was made to determine if there were Mantas at other spots in the area. Visibility was reduced and there was considerable surge from 30 feet to the surface. Water Temperature: 75F to 77F. Visibility: 25 to 45 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 85 feet. Current: Mild to Moderate/Strong. Sea State: Slight Chop.

Komodo Island. Lohoksera Point (Almost). As has often been the case the dive team has put divers in the wrong place. In this case the most interesting area, Lohoksera Point, was never reached. The dive team did not check the currents by entering the water and thus put the divers into the water too far down current from the point. The area which was dived was generally featureless. There were a couple of nudibranchs and a flatworm. At the end of the dive there was a coral outcrop that had some soft corals. Water Temperature: 77F. Visibility: 40 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 75 minutes. Maximum Depth: 90 feet. Current: Mild to Moderate. Sea State: Slight Chop.

Komodo Island. Parisi Wreck. Night Dive. The dive location is a slope that is light sand with small coral head and plant-like corals. The wreck is mostly steel beams and is of no real interest. The dive produced several interesting sightings to include a Juvenile Wasp Fish, a pair of Two-Eyed Lion Fish, several Crocodile Fish, several flat worms, nudibranchs, and common Lion Fish. Water Temperature: 77F. Visibility: 30 to 45 feet. Dive Time: 60 minutes. Maximum Depth: 70 feet. Current: None. Sea State: Flat.

27 September 2004

Padar Island. Three Sisters. This dive site consists of three bommies. There are profuse hard and soft corals at the top of the bommies and a collection of leather corals at the base of the bommies. Depths at the top of the bommies is from 20 to 30 feet with the bottom at 80 to 100 feet. There were a few of the more common nudibranchs and a couple that I had not seen on this trip. Several large Queensland Groupers and a Napoleon Wrasse were present. At one of the bommies there was a Leaf Scorpion Fish. . Water Temperature: 75F. Visibility: 45 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 74 minutes. Maximum Depth: 82 feet. Current: Mild to Moderate. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Calm.

Padar Island. Princeheep. The dive site is a wall that is rock with coral growths. Conditions consisted of a significant surge that extended from the surface to 80 and 90 feet. Fish action was good with Trevally and some Bumphead Parrot Fish. A few common nudibranchs were sighted but conditions made the search for small creatures very difficult. I ended the dive on a wall that was largely protected from the surge. Water Temperature: 77F. Visibility: 40 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 63 minutes. Maximum Depth: 93 feet. Current: Mild to to Moderate. Sea State: Flat.

Gili Lawa Darat Island. The Passage. This was advertised as an exciting dive where you "hook in" and watch the fish action. The first 40 minutes of the dive were in a shallow channel with virtually no current and no fish action. Further into the channel there was a strong current and some fish action to include Bumphead Parrot Fish. Exploration of the reef provided a few nudibranchs. It looked like the reef post the channel drift might be interesting but no time was left to explore the area. Water Temperature: 79F. Visibility: 45 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 72 minutes. Maximum Depth: 55 feet. Current: Mild to Strong. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Calm.

Komodo Island. Inside Point. The site was a slope with wall-life patches as well as sand. The dive started slowly with nothing other than a flatworm for the first 30 minutes and then the tempo increased. By the end of the dive there was four Spanish Dancers, a pleurobranch, an interesting nudibranch, a crab on a soft coral, a large Cuttle Fish, and a small octopus. One of the Spanish Dancers had a Commensal Shrimp. Water Temperature: 79F. Visibility:40 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 64 minutes. Maximum Depth: 72 feet. Current: None to Mild. Sea State:Flat.

 

[DontLieToMe]

28 September 2004

North Komodo Island. Batu Moncho. The dive began as a drift along a so-so slope. There were a pair of mating Optibranchs, a Blue Ribbon Eel, and quite a few Darters. Other than that the high point of the dive was a mini-wall at the end of the dive. The wall was well populated in sponges and soft corals. A pair of vigorously mating green Nembrothas were the highlight of the dive. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 60 to 80 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 71 feet. Current: None to Mild. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Flat.

Banta Island. K2. The area is a steep sandy slope with coral outcrops. In previous visits there had been reports of Frog Fish and Ghost Pipe Fish but none were found. A Leaf Scorpion Fish was found as 63 feet. In an Elephant Ear coral there were several types of shrimp. A Juvenile Bat Fish was found near another coral head. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 60 to 85 feet. Dive Time: 73 minutes. Maximum Depth: 92 feet. Current: None. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Flat.

Banta Island. Small Wars. This area is a flat sandy area and then a steep sandy slope. The sand areas contain a few corals. The edges of the bay contain a variety of hard corals. Several Feather Stars contained Crinoid Shrimp and small crabs. There was a couple of small nudibranchs, a pair of Yellow-White Leaf Scorpion Fish, a Spearing Mantis Shrimp, a Bamboo Shark, many Lion Fish, and several Puffer Fish. Water Temperature: 82F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 80 minutes. Maximum Depth: 93 feet. Current: None to Mild. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Flat.

Banta Island. Small Wars. Night Dive. Several octopuses were seen - one small and the other a medium size Red Octopus. There were several Star Gazers. Roaming around were several Lion Fish. Water Temperature: 82F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 60 minutes. Maximum Depth: 52 feet. Current: None to Mild. Weather: Full Moon. Sea State: Flat.

29 September 2004

Sangiang Island. Bubble Rock. The entire area of Sangiang Island is black sand and it is beautiful. This dive site was entered up current from the area known as Bubble Rock. The current was moderate to strong until one neared the area of Bubble Rock. The contrast of the coral heads with the black sand was excellent. Sightings included plump Purple Pygmy Sea Horses, several kinds of nudibranchs, small Scorpion Fish, an Octopus, and a Caledonian Stinger. Water Temperature: 82F. Visibility: 50 to 80 feet. Dive Time: 74 minutes. Maximum Depth: 68 feet. Current: None to Moderate/Strong. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Flat/Slight Chop.

Sangiang Island. Black Magic/Light House #2. The area is fine black sand with a reef on both sides of the bay-let. There were numerous creatures: Painted Frog Fish, Caledonian Stinger, several interesting nudibranchs, a Flying Gunard, and a Cuttle Fish. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 50 to 70 feet. Dive Time: 74 minutes. Maximum Depth: 78 feet. Current: None to Mild. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Flat.

Sangiang Island. Black Magic/Light House #2. On the second dive a current had begun to run that made diving on the open sand and slope area virtually impossible. On the nearby reef there was a very nice alcove that held several treasures. There were several kinds of shrimp and three Leaf Scorpion Fish. Two of the Leaf Scorpion Fish were Yellow-White and the third was Green-Brown. The reef area also held several very nice and very small nudibranchs. Water Temperature: 78F. Visibility: 40 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 77 minutes. Maximum Depth: 67 feet. Current: Moderate to Moderate/Strong. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Slight Chop.

Sangiang Island. Techno Reef. The area is a black sand slope with adjoining reef areas. A very uneventful night dive with five or six nudibranchs. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 35 to 50 feet. Dive Time: 60 minutes. Maximum Depth: 65 feet. Current: Mild. Sea State: Flat.

30 September 2004

Satunda Island. Black Magic Rock. White sand slope and a reef. This is a very barren site. The Pygmy Sea Horses are gone as the fan they live on is dead. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 40 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 70 minutes. Maximum Depth: 82 feet. Current: None. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Slight Chop.

Satunda Island. Black Magic Rock. The second dive was much like the first. This time I found a few nudibranchs and a very obliging turtle. Water Temperature: 81F. Visibility: 40 to 60 feet. Dive Time: 70 minutes. Maximum Depth: 82 feet. Current: None. Weather: Sunny. Sea State: Slight Chop.