PLAYFUL DOLPHINS!

Liveaboard trip 16 – 25/7/09

Bali - Komodo Safari
INDONESIA

Mermaid I

Seeing a Dolphin underwater is a dream for any diver. Mostly, that’s how it stays - a dream, since these encounters are quite rare. However, diving in the Komodo National Park, your chances increase dramatically. We had great Dolphin action during three of our dives this trip! Best part beeing a feeding frenzy together with a pack of Giant Trevallies and eight Grey Reef Sharks!

We were also unusually lucky with the Frogfish – four absolutely huge ones were hanging out around Cannibal Rock, and we had the smaller Clown variety on several occasions, including a fishing one at Sangeang Volcano.

Nightdives in Komodo are not to be missed! While in other parts of the world, these can be a bit on the quite side, here there’s always a lot of activity at night. A rare Coconut Octopus hunting, a Brown-banded Bamboo Shark looking for an easy meal, a bizarre Upside-down Jellyfish beeing carried around on the back of a crab; the list goes on and on…

Loads of special critters this safari. We found elusive Sawblade Shrimps, a selection of Ghost Pipefish, tiny Mushroom Coral Pipefish, even smaller Xeno Crabs and a juvenile Batfish.

One of the hightlights was our day in South Komodo, at Manta Alley. Beeing surrounded by big Mantas for a full hour at a time, is something not easily forgotten. Big smiles on everybody’s faces, and lots of photo comparing after dinner.

After a last go with the Pygmy Seahorses at Moyo Island, it was time for us to steam back to Bali.

PJ Widestrand

Tourleader and Video-Pro
Mermaid I

Liveaboard trips to Thailand, Burma, Bali - Komodo and Andaman Islands.