Not a proper trip report, sorry. Just a few random comments since -- some might be interested. I travelled with my daughter to Indonesia in early September to dive, shoot and film in the Alor Strait (and celebrate our birthdays who fall just two days from each other). I've just moved from aps-c DSLR:s (Nikon DX) to a mirrorless Nikon z6iii. I previously housed my cameras in Hugyfot housings but they [Hugyfot] doesn't make housings anymore. Not sure exactly what happened to them. A fellow Swede, Magnus Lundgren*, convinced me that wet optics is the way to go and that steered me to Nauticam and since I do fly, compact and travel friendly was a high priority. Being used to Nikon and that they also had the z24-50 that allowed for the compacter WWL-1C instead of the slightly (not much) bigger WWL-1B for 28-70 optics, nudged me to stay with Nikon. With that said, I probably would have been happy to go with any other brand. *also happens to be the Nauticam rep in Sweden :)

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So, I managed to make the move from a cropped sensor system to FF and actually loose some bulk/weight. Yey.

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I found the Nauticam housing intuitive and easy to use. Easier to set up. Just a little time to get familiar with buttons placements etc. The z6iii is very much a Nikon so if one is used to Nikon it is quick and easy. The biggest wow is the EVF for me. Really awesome to see subtle (and big) changes on the spot in real time.

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The compact wet optics also is a fantastic little piece of equipment paired with the "simple" 24-50 kit zoom. Now to be fair to the zoom it has proved itself to be very sharp in tests. It's just the plastic package that feels a bit cheap. So all in all the question is not if this little kit is capable of capturing a world class image that ends up on covers and win all the competitions. The question is: are YOU? :)

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What I did notice as others have also noticed, is that the WWL-C is prone to flares when you shoot against the sun. Its biggest flaw inmo.

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We went to Alor from Stockholm via Doha and Jakarta, Then the red eye Batik Air (02:00) to Kupang and arrived in time to catch the morning Lion Air flight to Alor. We spent 10 days with Alor Divers on Pantar Island in the north part of the strait. The diving is extremely tide dependent and intimate local knowledge is absolutely crucial to hit the various sites at the right time. Many sites can be seriously dangerous if dived wrong. There were a few liveaboards that placed their guests at the wrong reef at the wrong time and they had to abort/cancel dives.

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There was not a single bad dive site inmo. Big variety. Little like if Raja Ampat and Lembeh had a child and it grew up. Only thing missing is a manta cleaning station or a dependable shark spot. Neither any huge barracuda schools. But coral growth is insanely rich and healthy. Lots of fish. Schooling fish of many varieties in big quantities. Generally very good visibility in September (dry season--now, we actually had rain for a day or so and they had floods in Bali which is also in its dry season, so a bit weird) Some blacktip reef sharks were always seen on one of the reefs. XXL bumphead parrotfish. Actually six hammerhead sharks as well, but a quick and dirty encounter. Don't even have lousy proof shots. A school/group of eagle rays 8-9. Then all the small weird creatures, frogfishes, crabs and shrimps, seahorses, octos and cuttlefish, rhinopias, snakes, eels... For ME personally, not really that fascinated in that for the shooting tbh, but they're seriously cool animals.

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Alor Divers was perfect for my needs as a photographer. The owner is a keen photographer himself and bungalows are built with photographers in mind. Lots of electrical plugs on the big desk/table, a strong lamp that can be moved around so that old eyes can see. On arrival one of the managers came to see "what size you were" and a rinse bucket / tank was brought to your bungalow for you to use. They have 8 bungalows so 16 guests is max. Only a couple of bungalows with AC, which inmo opinion and in dry season is not necessary. Nights weren't so hot. Fans in the roof did the job and neither me or my daughter were bothered (and we're Scandies from the cold North). Food was served buffet style and it was very good inmo, ok in my 23 y/o daughters. Always 3-4 dishes. Lots of fish, rice, vegetables. Sometimes chicken. Seldom meat. Healthy touch to it.

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They arrange two boat dives per day and then you can make extra dives on their excellent house reef. When the tide is right it is a dive that would be the best dive site of many destinations. You get help to carry equipment if you wish. I think the have a 1:4 guide guest ratio maximum on dives. We were never more than 6 divers with 2 or three guides. Once you have done the house reef with a guide, you can dive on your own. I even made a few solo dives there. Local guides Johnny and Rio excellent and knew where to find what. Very low key and friendly. Pleasant to dive with and to be around. Seemed to be genuinely enthusiastic and engaged about the reefs and the unique array of marine life in the Alor Strait, even though they have made thousands and thousands of dives there over the last 15-20 years.

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Can't come up with more atm. Feel free to ask questions.

Edited Thursday at 04:16 PM2 days by Christian K
grammar

Thanks for the great trip report and excellent photos!

Nice report. Too bad you didn't get better encounters with hammerheads -- that was one big reason I was thinking to make the arduous journey there sometime. That and (supposedly) the large numbers of snakes.. did you see those?

Ajay

Did see snakes yes. Not a large number. For hammerheads on tropical reefs, maybe Banda Sea. It’s chance encounters in Alor. Not super reliable and only around full moon it seems like. Sudanese Red Sea also used to be good, but no boats there due to unrest. There’s Galapagos and Socorro and Cocos—but that is very a different type of backdrop.

Dived Alor two times on approx. 40 dives.. Diving is great. Hammerheads no. Seasnakes sometimes but not much. Did the Batfish disappeared on the pier? We had also a lot also giant frogfish on the pillars. No rhinopias? We had both times many....

Indonesia is not really the place for Hammerheads. I dived several times Banda. You can occasionally see them but it`s no really for photographers. If you wanna have seasnakes go to Manuk. But really busy these days with more divers than snakes.

Br

Markus

No batfish under the jetty (Bakalan).

Don’t know if it was just now or if they’re gone? Frogfish yes.

Multiple Rhinopias in the bay, but not at the Jetty.

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by Christian K

That reads like a proper trip report! Well done. Nice photos, too!