2000 Chapbook

Indonesia is a dive hot spot that unfortunately provides few choices.... While Bali's culture is fantastic (especially if you get away from the coast), the diving's not as spectacular as in other parts of Indonesia.... On Bali's east coast the Libertywreck at Tulamben is a favorite among fish specialists, who claim to find a new species on every visit. On the north end there's a good chance of diving with mola molas.... While they're certainly harder to get to than Bali, I think the Banda Islands have some of the best coral and fish life in the world.... Although it offers few big fish, Wakatobi, a operation in remote southern Sulawesi, offers fantastic color, amazing biodiversity, and one of the best beach dives in the world.... If bizarre and rare creatures are a lure, Ambon has a dive that surpasses even PNG's famous muck dives, as does Kungkungan Bay in northern Sulawesi.... If you're into big turtles (and lots of them), Borneo Diver's operation on Sangalaki, which once got excellent reviews, finally reopened last year, and nearby Derawan Resort dives these waters as well ....The island of Flores had great diving until it was hit by a typhoon and tidal wave that destroyed its reefs.... Although it's seldom been reached by live-aboards, the diving around Komodo, the home of the dragons, is excellent. Sea Contactsstarted trips there this year.... Choices for live-aboards in Indonesia have been slim; the Pinditocovers a lot of the same territory as the Cehilidid, but it's mainly booked by Europeans and offers only two dives a day.... Northern Sulawesi has few choices for land-based resorts, and the live-aboard Serenadeleaves from the Murex Resort near Manado.... Look for more new live-aboards and new resorts to pop up in virgin territory if the country's political situation doesn't get further out of hand.... While domestic flights have suffered cutbacks, there are some real bargains on international fares....Although the volatile political scene has put a cloud over diving Indonesia, so far it's had little effect on Bali, Manado, Wakatobi, and Sangalaki. Check with the State Department before travel, and inquire about specific destinations rather than asking about the country as a whole. Before you leave, get a copy of Kal Muller's Underwater Indonesia....

For full reviews of the following Indonesian destinations and live-aboards, see:

Sea Contacts I- Komodo and Rinca Islands, Indonesia, Undercurrent - September 1999

Wakatobi Sulawesi, Undercurrent - October 1997

Pindito,In Depth - May 1997

Gilis Islands Lombok, In Depth - March 1997

Kungkungan Bay Sulawesi, In Depth - June 1996

Derawan Resort, In Depth - June 1996

Serenade,In Depth - April 1995

Baruna Adventurer, September 1998, Leanne Wells, Mineral Wells, TX. Vis: 80-100 ft. Water: 76-82 degrees. Sunny, dry. Currents. Predive briefing plans were followed, and they asked divers to surface with 500 psi. All divers were experienced and using computers, and allowed to dive their own profiles. Divemaster present, but never intrusive; helpful if asked. Camera table on deck was small for the photographers present. Plenty of fresh water for rinsing. Baruna has rectified many deficiencies outlined in your 1996 report, but that is not to say that the operation is flawless. . . .Flew from Bali to join the Baruna on Flores and dove the island chain of Alor, Pura, Pantar, Komodo down to where the Timor and Banda Seas meet in a flush of mid-ocean white water! Diving spectacular, but lot of dynamited reefs. Usually you could drift past and find yourself in macro-heaven. Marine and coral life is magnificent. Anemone bed stretched farther than I could swim, and housed the most amazing variety of life. One dive was on a sea mount with scores of white tips circling and moving in midday! Current can be unpredictable and wicked. Anton, the DM, was good at reading the seas so that we never got into anything we could not handle. Dove 3x/day and one night dive except the first and last days. Had to curtail diving one day to refuel and take on water, but I welcomed the shore excursion. Took excursion on Komodo Island that provided a close up of the famous dragons. Logged 29 dives. Food superb, both Indonesian and Western fare. Cabins spacious, plenty of storage space, but a noxious odor anytime the bathroom door was opened. My air conditioner worked well, requiring a blanket every night. Dive deck and staging area is small for the divers the boat accommodates; not all can suit up at the same time. Diving is from dinghies; drivers very attentive and no one had to wait for a pick up. No hot water for showers, but fresh water is adequately tepid. Adequate boat, with superb food and a crew that tries to meet all needs. But it remains an Indonesian boat trying to accommodate Western expectations. If you are fussy, look for a Western charter. (Ph: 011-62-361-753820, Fax: 011-62-361-753809, e-mail: baruna@denpasar.wasantara.net.id)

Baruna Adventurer, November 1998, Chuck Lane, San Diego, CA. Vis: 15-150 ft. Water: 76-78 degrees. Conditions always a mixed bag in this part of the world, but we had flat seas and great weather. Vis only fair, but plenty to see (fantastic nudibranchs) Diving very good with plenty of sharks and full day of manta action. The high points were Nusa Kode, Batumonco & Banta. Low points were latana and complete coral decimation at Moyo Half day trip ashore on Komodo Island is worth the effort. Not a Dancer type operation, but all aspects were adequate and the price was right.

Baruna Adventurer, September 1999, Leanne Wells (mwells42@wf.net), Mineral Wells, TX. Vis: 40-80 ft. Water: 71-84 degrees. Sites scouted by DM before every dive and temperature, currents were part of briefing. Currents often changed during a dive, quickly reversing or becoming up or down drafts. Briefings covered how to respond. All 17 divers used computers and were allowed to dive own profiles without supervision. Dinghies cramped. Photo gear tables inadequate, so they had to use the dining area. Trip was good enough in 1998 to warrant a return. Plan was to sail out of Bali, down the chain of Moyo, Banta, Komodo, and Rinca Islands; then turn north for the Sulawesi. We would then return to Kupang, W. Timor and fly to Bali. Fighting on Timor necessitated a change and as we could not safely fly out of Kupang; returned to Bali aboard the Adventurer, diving all the way. Diving spectacular and I do not regret change in plans. Boat remains adequate, but warm water for showers was undependable. Rooms are roomy enough but AC not functioning adequately and rooms uncomfortable many nights. Dive deck is crowded and required half the divers to suit up upstairs. Entry to the platform is via steep stairs that must be negotiated fully suited. Those who could not descend with tank and BC donned could request the crew to bring it to them once on the dinghy. DM, Anton, is a freelance who was hired at our request by Baruna. Ever thoughtful, vigilant concerning conditions and safety, wise in sea ways, never intrusive. DMs dove without computers I am disappointed Baruna did not furnish them. Superb meals, no one was ever hungry; hot coffee and tea always available with cookies or crackers. Dinghy drivers very competent; even in 3 knot currents when we were coming up all over the compass, they were within minutes. White tip sharks on every dive and at GPS point, they were in schools. Grey and reef sharks. Current 1-3 knots. Blue spot rays everywhere, occasional eagle ray. Green turtles. Nudibranchs. TG Gedong, Flores: two white nudibranchs, 18 inches long, performed the Spanish dancer routine when placed in the water column. Frog fish, leaf fish, miniature sea horses, bat fish! Cannibal Rock, off Rinca Island ranks in top 10 dive sites of the world. Night dive is magic, with every inch of the rock writhing with life. By vote, we dove this site 7 times and never got bored. Pygmy seahorses, frog fish, nudibranchs, flat worms, pipefish, several banded sea snakes, a monster eel, marbled ray, turtles, grouper, white tip sharks, mantas. On trip to the nearby beach on Rinca, encountered a Komodo Dragon. Water here 71-74 degrees F. Current can be quick and unpredictable. Not for the faint of heart.

Bianca, April 1999, Peggy

& Jose Miguel Duran (DuranJM@worldnet.att.net), Corpus Christi, TX. Vis: 40-100 ft. Water: 78-84 degrees. Sunny. Water: calm, no currents. Frontier diving. No developing facilities nor spare photo equipment except what you bring. Dived north and central Sulawesi; Bianca a 125 ft traditional Pinisi wooden sailing ship built in 1997 to Dutch specs (Pt. Sumakai Travel: sumakai@wxs.nl). LA to Taipei and to Jakarta at incredibly low price with China Airlines. Overnighted in Jakarta, Garuda flight to Manado. Dove Bunaken Marine Park off Manado, Bangka Island, Lembeh Strait, the Gorontalo coast, Togian Islands and the Poso Coast. We were only 2 passengers with owner Jan Kuipers and a crew of 11. Boat picturesque, spacious and quiet. Cabins air-conditioned, large, with individual bathrooms and showers and porthole. Shelving being installed. Single bunks. Comfortable dining room, huge deck space with lounge chairs and tables. Beds made and towels changed daily. Food by cook Danny excellent and plentiful (Indonesian food); French fries excellent snack with Bintang beer. Fruits, snacks, drinks available. Diving from dinghy. Yamaha outboard's idiosyncratic (Jan assured us it would be replaced0. Crew helpful, loading gear to dinghy). 25 sets of 1998 Mares wetsuits, BCs, and complete regulators and some computers. Scenery spectacular; volcanoes, rainforests, coconut plantations and mountain ranges. Sea calm and skies sunny with a sprinkle of rain in the evenings. Water 78-83 degrees, visibility 40 to 100 ft. Divemasters helpful and unobtrusive, never complaining if we stayed 75 minutes. Bunaken (Bunaken, Manado Tua and Siladen Islands) with deep walls and large pelagics, tremendous variety of Pacific tropicals and corals, change after devastation we saw in Palau. Bangka interesting but choppy seas and virus prevented us from as many dives as we would have liked. Lembeh Strait beautiful, though replacement divemaster unfamiliar could not show us rare critters that make it famous. Many sites we dove along the Gorontalo Coast had never been dived. Found interesting profiles on the sonar and went down to investigate them, ranging from good to exceptional: schools of pajama cardinalfishes, pipefishes, sailfin gobies, huge variety of nudibranchs. The Togian Islands are described in Kal Muller's "Diving Indonesia" as displaying all major reef formations (fringing, barrier, and atoll) in a small area. Dived among bubbles of volcanic vents. Poso coast h better than expected, being near a large port. Nico Kuipers, Jan's son, arranged a week land trip. 4-wheel drive

vehicle with driver and English-speaking guide from the central Sulawesi coast to Lake Poso in the mountains, and then through rain and cloud forests to the southern coast and Tana Toraja where we were able to attend a traditional funeral. We were the only Western tourists in most places and hotels. A ride down the coast to Ujung Pandang where we caught our plane to Bali completed a memorable trip.

Choksomboon, Dive Asia, April 1998, Georgina Wiersma, Monster, ZH, Netherlands. Vis: 10-40 ft. Water: 25-28 degrees Celsius. Sunny, currents. Max dive depth 40 meters. No rinsing tanks, no room in cabin. Great dives: large rays, whale sharks, leopard sharks, grey reef sharks, many morays. Strong currents. Visibility round "whale shark magnet" Richelieu rock about 10 ft. Richelieu Rock crowded with dive boats. Beautiful soft corals at Hin Daeng and Hin Musang. Boat very basic, cramped cabins, only 2 showers and toilets for 16 divers. Mostly German divers. Divemasters speak basic English. Nice hard-working staff, good captain.

Sea Contacts I, March 1999, Alex Stuart, Marin County, CA. Riots in Ambon forced a change in itinerary. 115 foot Pinisi with a 27-foot beam, a hardwood replica of an Indonesian trading schooner. Six double staterooms, each with a full bathrooms. Bunks long enough for me (I'm 6' 6"). Every stateroom has air conditioner and thermostat. Cold breakfast at 6:00 A.M. before first dive, then waffles, banana pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage, fresh fruit, fresh bread. Diving from two Zodiacs that accommodate five divers. Bottom times 70-90 minutes. Two morning dives and two afternoon dives every day. Night dives half the days. Water 80F to 85F. Vis a poor 30 feet on the USS Liberty in Bali to 90 feet, average 70 feet. . . .220 to 110 voltage converters for charging batteries. After two 8.5 to 9.0 dives (1-10 scale) at Treweng, we sailed to Pura. Clown Valley: at the insistence of many divers, we did this site six times. Reef is wall to wall anemones and clownfish down to 80 feet. False clowns, Clarke's, pinks, skunks, blacks, tomatoes, oranges and spine-cheeks. Many other 9.0 sites. Kal's Dream: rich life on pinnacle, one of the most beautiful sites in Indonesia. David Espinosa, Larry Smith's assistant, lent me a reef hook for the current up to seven knots. Rare for there to be any current on dives. After four days in the Pantar and Alor area, we motored to Flores Island for two days. Many sites in the 6.0 to 8.5 range, with only one bad site. Since we were veterans of muck dives even the worst site yielded some wonderful photo. Flying gurnard (oriental searobin) and many types of periclimenes shrimps. Komodo Island: dragons seven and nine feet. Valerie's Rock (named after Valerie Taylor): beautiful soft corals, leaffish, anglerfish, crinoids, schools of glassy and pygmy sweepers. Rinja Island: pygmy seahorses. Larry and his assistant repeatedly located rare animals. When we ran out of film, there was no difficulty returning to the SC1, getting a hot fill and a fresh roll of film and being motored back to the dive site. Sangeang Island and Mentjeng (Crooked) Wall may be the richest exotic animal site in Indonesia. Odd mixture of black mud made from volcanic ash and outcroppings of hard corals. Exotic nudibranchs, harlequin ghost pipefish in the crinoids. Dived USS Liberty; because people have fed the fish it's easy to get close. Larry's enthusiasm and knowledge invaluable. Great dive boat, rather slow motorer but stable, though it makes strange creaking sounds at night. Lunch always included a large plate of beef, pork, chicken or tuna satay. Everything else was highly spiced with unlimited fresh sambal (an incredibly hot Indonesian chile sauce). Main dining room table is a very large round table with seating for ten and a huge lazy Susan in the middle. The combination of exotic dishes and excellent preparation made this the best food that I have had on a dive boat. Indonesian beer, Bintang Bir, is a Dutch Pilsener. Among the best diving I have done. (Sea Contacts: phone 62 361 725 430; fax 62 361 725 431; e-mail: sales@seacontacts.com; website: www.seacontacts.com)

Sea Contacts I, September 1999. Allan & Barbara Jones (abjones@pacbell.net), Anaheim, CA. Vis: 40-80 ft. Water: 75-82 degrees. Sunny, dry. Water: calm, choppy, currents. Time limited to 60/70 minutes. No E-6 processing. Camera storage cupboards in two different heights with rubber coated work tops. High intensity spot lights at each work area. Two separate camera rinse tanks. Water changed regularly. Crew was highly trained in camera care and handling. 110' wood motor sailor, large and roomy. Below: six, 2 person bunk rooms, each with individually controlled a/c. Main level: kitchen, dining room, lounge and dive staging area. Above is bridge, crew quarters, and a nice outside lounge area. Topside is a large open lounge area for sunning and evening dinners. Crew of 13, plus the two divemasters. 7 passengers. 12 days trip, starting in Kupang, Timor and ending in Bali. Need to maintain daily travel distances, so only able to do 2 dives at top rated locations such as Alor or Cannibal Rock. Most of 700 miles of travel was done at night, so night dives started at 5:00 PM. Typical dive day: a light breakfast at 7:00am, dive, full order-from -menu breakfast, second dive, lunch, two afternoon dives, then, depending on travel plans a "night dive." Extra dives not encouraged. They offered 35 dives. Diving done from two 16' Zodiacs. Larry Smith and divemaster, Mick usually went on all dives and spotted critters. You could go with the group or alone. Safety sausages and power screamers were issued free to all. Most diving was macro or midrange; no open water, pelagic type diving. Over all, we were disappointed with the photographic subjects and rate our trip below KBR, PNG, and the Solomon's. Though biodiversity potential is high, it was just one of those "you should have been here last week!" trips. Saw the usual scorpion fish, frog fish, blue ribbon eels, several sea horses and above average number of nudibranchs. A new find was the Ambon scorpion fish, a 3" cross between a rhinopias and an inimicus. Missing were large schools of reef fish, tuna, sharks, ghost pipefish, pigmy sea horses, and pelagics. Evidence of fish bombing was scattered. Several nights, exhaust and engine fumes were strong in the rooms. My new prescription mask was severely chewed by cockroaches as were several other masks. Roaches were also noted in the Under Current article that appeared in April. When not diving, keep your mask submerged in the mask rinse tank. Larry Smith is working very hard to make this ship a success, but it still has rough edges. Spent four pleasurable days in Ubud, Bali. Arrangements made by Cyndi at Dive Discovery, 800-886-7321. She did a good job.