Ring of Fire September 9-19, 2019

[Mike Veitch]

Is there such a thing as a hammerhead "season"? If so, what is it? And where is it?

- Bill

Yes, the shoulder season from Sept to early Nov is the best for the Banda Sea for hammers. This is where the big schools are. The other shoulder season in late march to late may tends to get individual hammers and the odd school but not the reliability like there is in the fall. May - August tends to be too rough to travel through the Banda as the wind comes from the SE

 

[Dan]

I’m thinking of leaving home on Sep 6 (Fri) evening, arriving in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia by Sep 8 (Sun) morning. Rest for a few hours a hotel in Bali, do a land tour in the afternoon including sunset dinner in Jimbaran beach. Fly to Maumere on Sep 9 (Mon) morning. Board in Blue Manta by 5pm on Sep 9. After the ROF trip, we’ll fly from Ambon back to Bali on Sep 19 (Thu). Dive in Nusa Penida (to see manta & mola mola) on Sep 20 (Fri). Fly home on Sep 21 (Sat) evening.

September in Nusa Penida, Bali is the peak of Oceanic Mola Mola season. So, I’m going to take advantage of that. Check out this video:

 

[dirtfarmer]

I did Ambon thru Banda Sea to Missol Nov 2015. It was a great trip. Yes as Mike V. wrote Hammer season is best Sept- Nov. Guests on the boat and dive guides and cruise directors all confirmed this.
We did our trip a little differently than some Ambon-Sorong crossing trips, we didn't dive the spice island with the fort nor visit it. We dove for Hammers of another couple of small islands Kekeh Besar I believe.
We would did a couple of days there doing 3 dives a day. We would start by diving down the reef a bit then head out into the blue hoping for a sighting, stay out in the blue for a while then head back to the reef. The first 2 dives of the day would produce a few in the blue and sometimes a few on the reef. The 3rd dive of the day was done late but before sundown. That was the most productive time of day and when we would see big packs.

It was a great dive trip with really good other dives in the Banda Sea. We had glassy sea conditions the crew had never seen before, lots of dolphin spotting and a few whales also. Cruising up to Manuk in the morning as the sun is rising and then watching all the sea birds circle and take off for the day was really spectacular. Then finishing off the trip with some time diving Misool area was the cherry on top of the sunday. ( I must say I spoiled myself and then did another complete RA LOB, to spoil myself completely.)

The ROF trip looks awesome Dan I really would love to do that trip as I dream of seeing Komba erupting as I surface from a night dive.

 

[Dan]

Yes, the shoulder season from Sept to early Nov is the best for the Banda Sea for hammers. This is where the big schools are. The other shoulder season in late march to late may tends to get individual hammers and the odd school but not the reliability like there is in the fall. May - August tends to be too rough to travel through the Banda as the wind comes from the SE

Cool! It sounds like my timing is better this time than my fist failed attempt to visit Banda in the end of last November: Nov 20 - Dec 2, 2017 Ambon - Sorong Crossing Trip Report

 

[Dan]

I did Ambon thru Banda Sea to Missol Nov 2015. It was a great trip. Yes as Mike V. wrote Hammer season is best Sept- Nov. Guests on the boat and dive guides and cruise directors all confirmed this.
We did our trip a little differently than some Ambon-Sorong crossing trips, we didn't dive the spice island with the fort nor visit it. We dove for Hammers of another couple of small islands Kekeh Besar I believe.
We would did a couple of days there doing 3 dives a day. We would start by diving down the reef a bit then head out into the blue hoping for a sighting, stay out in the blue for a while then head back to the reef. The first 2 dives of the day would produce a few in the blue and sometimes a few on the reef. The 3rd dive of the day was done late but before sundown. That was the most productive time of day and when we would see big packs.

It was a great dive trip with really good other dives in the Banda Sea. We had glassy sea conditions the crew had never seen before, lots of dolphin spotting and a few whales also. Cruising up to Manuk in the morning as the sun is rising and then watching all the sea birds circle and take off for the day was really spectacular. Then finishing off the trip with some time diving Misool area was the cherry on top of the sunday. ( I must say I spoiled myself and then did another complete RA LOB, to spoil myself completely.)

The ROF trip looks awesome Dan I really would love to do that trip as I dream of seeing Komba erupting as I surface from a night dive.

Thanks for the tips. We would love to have you with us. It’ll be a lot of fun! Just PM me if you are serious about it. To date, we have the last spot in the upper deck, cabin C6, with your name on it.

 

[Dan]

Undercurrent review of Blue Manta: KM Blue Manta, the Banda Sea, Forgotten Islands, Alor: Undercurrent 02/2018

In summary:

 

[Dan]

I try to do a sunset tour of Uluwatu temple & seeing the Kecak dance at the beach cliff like what Mike Corey did here:

 

[dirtfarmer]

I love to but the farm typically keeps me here till November. Then this year I did a short last minute trip in December, and my crew decided to have meltdowns while I was gone. Trying to fix that by texting made me almost have a stroke. And I have the same crew this year so any where I go I need to be reached.

 

[Dan]

I love to but the farm typically keeps me here till November. Then this year I did a short last minute trip in December, and my crew decided to have meltdowns while I was gone. Trying to fix that by texting made me almost have a stroke. And I have the same crew this year so any where I go I need to be reached.

Sounds like you are grounded.

 

[AlMitch]

STOP IT DAN!!! Stop making us so jealous!!
Man alive what an incredible sounding trip!!
One day....one day!!!