Postcard from Bunaken/ Lembeh/ Bangka

[Luko]

:shocked2: Holy crap! I'm sorry Luko. Did the lens survive?

Nope. I was using the 17-40L, it simply couldn't survive the fish bowl.

 

[Wisnu]

Hi Gee
Glad you enjoy the trip. Seem very productive trip with lot of great pictures, indeed the fang blenny close up is amazing
where you find the tiny pontohi ?i
Hope to be back to Lembeh .. few things in my list still uncheck.
Cheers

 

[gee13]

Luko sorry to hear of the camera. Thanks Wisnu we saw the Pontohi at a site called Busa Bora. What are you still looking to see @ Lembeh? How would you compare your recent trip to Ambon to Lembeh? Which did your daughters also like better?

 

[Luko]

we saw the Pontohi at a site called Busa Bora. What are you still looking to see @ Lembeh? How would you compare your recent trip to Ambon to Lembeh?

Ok, great, I dived Busa Bora too very interesting site, typical of Bangka IMO half corals/half muck.

Although I am not Wisnu, I'll reply to your question regarding Ambon where I dived not later than 3 months. I feel Lembeh is denser in terms of critters but on the other hand, Ambon sites display more viz and there's that sense of remoteness you won't get in Lembeh where there are often 2 diveboats already on the spot.

I like better going out in Kota Ambon for dinner too, you feel like you're participating to the island life while you are tucked in your resort in Lembeh.
Also for me one of the advantages about Ambon is the possibility to have GREAT coral dive sites on the south coast... and i mean their seafans are something !!!

 

[gee13]

Thanks Luko, whats the route to Ambon is it fairly direct from Bali? Im keen to see the Ambon Frogfish. (relatively new species found?) Actually whilst in Lembeh recently we had awesome weather overall but the season felt really low - only encountered at most only 1 more small boat/ dive group from another resort so I guess we were lucky? Best thing is I had my own guide through the week and the whole op worked on finding stuff we hadnt seen before on each new dive. This is what I call A* service esp for a photographer like me.

 

[Luko]

Thanks Luko, whats the route to Ambon is it fairly direct from Bali? Im keen to see the Ambon Frogfish. (relatively new species found?)

Unfortunately you would have to go back to Surabaya (Batavia airlines has for sure a Jakarta-Surabaya-Ambon route ... or at best, through Makassar with Lion air probably)
The Ambon frogfish hasn't been seen for almost a year now, it is believed it has been eaten by a moray eel. There were 2 Ambon frogfish indivduals from what I have been told, but they do not know where the second one is hiding.

I envy you since you're photo equipement is still working.. mine drowned three days ago on Reunion island, I have to call my banker for a 4.000€ loan minimum -sigh-... since I am going to Bangka and Bali in august.

 

[gee13]

Makkasar is a better bet for me the airport in ujung pandang is new and modern. Havent heard good stories about Jakarta. Ouch at the camera Luko. Our thoughts are with your loss. Hope you can sort it and take more great pics

 

[Wisnu]

Although I am not Wisnu, I'll reply to your question regarding Ambon where I dived not later than 3 months. I feel Lembeh is denser in terms of critters but on the other hand, Ambon sites display more viz and there's that sense of remoteness you won't get in Lembeh where there are often 2 diveboats already on the spot.

I like better going out in Kota Ambon for dinner too, you feel like you're participating to the island life while you are tucked in your resort in Lembeh.
Also for me one of the advantages about Ambon is the possibility to have GREAT coral dive sites on the south coast... and i mean their seafans are something !!!

Exactly, but I can't say which location is better than the other - so, go to Ambon for your next trip.
When I was there, they also told me the ambon frogfish had not been seen for a year, but later in this forum I read somebody reported and took the picture of frog fish.


Gee,
I'm not very lucky with Rhinopia, only saw the purple one, hope to see the yellow, pink and green - and the bobbit worm.

 

[gee13]

Ambon will have to be on the cards, but I have a few more places to visit first.

Wisnu keep at it Im sure you will get to see what you're looking for. It means you have to make another dive trip to Lembeh

 

[jake11]

FYI: This was posted on May 28,2011 on Maluku divers facebook page. So the psy. frogfish is back ..or a new one is found!??
Maluku Divers
Histiophryne psychedelica returns to Ambon waters...
We have been to Ambon..Maluku divers resort 2x and KBR at Lembeh 3x. We love them both. We got to Ambon both times from Jakarta. The first time we left Bali at around 11 pm and flew to Jakarta . The Lion Air Jakarta flight leaves at around 1 am and gets into Ambon at around 6am.( time change involved) For the second visit we flew directly into Jakarta and still got on the 1 am Lion Air flight getting into Ambon at around 6 am. Both times we were geared up and on the dive boat ready to dive by 8:30 am. We had a hot cooked breakfast before diving both times! Maluku Divers will pick you up and whisk you away to the resort right away. The flight was on time both times and we had no problems whatsoever! Maluku Divers resort has Samuel, LiLi and a new dive master who has been finding teeny tiny baby frogfish and I believe a baby rhinopias??? Check out their web site! The rooms are HUGE and right on the water!
Love it there. On the other hand, we love Lembeh as well. We always see tons of stuff there. I think the other posters are right. You have to do both! We will return to Ambon again but the only difference will be that we will stay longer!