OneYellowTang

Lots of good info being shared here... I would just add - we've done the PG-Anilao combination several times, and new prefer "just" Anilao. It's target rich, easy to get to, and diving is very good (another big fan of Crystal Blue here). In addition, PG can be crowded, the harbor is a mess (but you can avoid this area), and Sabang at night is a bit of a dump. I am headed back to Anilao in about 3 weeks... Re:mandarinfish - there are a couple of spots were they are consistently (like nightly) found, however I (now) much prefer blackwater diving in Anilao (vs. any other night dives or dusk dives). If you are interested in blackwater dives, Anilao is easily one of the best in the world for these dives (and it's very easy here). We were back in Lembeh this summer, and the guides showed us a spot where the mandarinfish can now occasionally be found out swimming in the coral during the day. They were both less skittish, and easier to shoot (although no mating behahavior during the day).

Anilao is also a decent location to see rhinopias... they are not common, but they are definitely found more frequenly than in many other locations.

Actually the White Valley (La Vallée Blanche) dive site off the main island of Tahiti historically was very good for diving with tiger sharks. They no longer allow the fishermen to dump their fish bycatch here on the way back in to port, so the tigers are a little more elusive these days, but can still be found fairly regularly.

@canislupus As many others have said, Changi is a very efficient airport (potentially the most efficient in the world). I have made connections that tight before, however I've missed a connection at least once when I got caught up going through immigration behind a mass of tourists that got to immigration before I did (A330 from Delhi landed ~10 min before we did). We almost always spend the night in Singapore. It helps with the timezone change, and food is excellent (as an aside: others have said it's expensive - it doesn't have to be - you can find lodging from 2-5 stars, depending on what you are looking for, public transportation is good, and food (at the hawker centers) can be quite cheap). It's also worh noting that LH also has baggage transfer agreements with Garuda (via Singapore) and Cathay Pacific (via HK) so if you booked the flights on one ticket they would have handled the bags for you. Last - I'm guessing you were trying to connect to the 19:00 Garuda flight (SIN-CGK), then potentially connecting to a late night/early morning flight to Sorong (or elsewhere). This is a very common itinerary. Although I've made that connection (->Sin->CGK->SOQ), it's much less stressful with a stop.

For clarity, Sorido Bay's "house reef" is not Cape Kri. The house reef is the bowl that you can enter right off the dock. It's worth 1-2 dives (convenient for the day the staff takes off, Saturdays) - turtles, large cuttlfish, the occasional reef shark, octopi, schools of fish, etc. After having done this dive a couple of times I enjoyed snorkeling with the reef sharks instead (good way to spend an afternoon). Cape Kri is only about 5-8 min away by boat (so very close), but you do need a boat, and a guide, and feel comfortable diving in moderate to heavy current (potentially with reef hooks, etc.). Incredibly fishy dive, well worth it, but you can't do it on your own (as a shore dive - although there are stories - that would a hell of surface swim).

I just checked a few of my Nauticam arms (with balls) and my ULCS arms (with balls). I did find one Nauticam O-ring (on a ball) with a signifiant gouge in it - that one will likely eventually break. The ULCS O-rings feel a little more "robust" (defintiely less soft). A gouge could easily turn into a snapped )-ring given enough friction and movement.

Basically, Weefine quality is exactly as the picture shows... lacking. Having said this, ULCS clamps work fine for me connecting Retra strobes with ULS arms. Been using this combination for the last several years (previousy using Inon Z330s with no issues, and before that Z240s with no issues). Your post did get me a bit curious - I used a ULCS clamp to connect a Retra strobe to an Inon Z330 - no issues, clamps down easily. I then dug up a Nauticam arm, a ULCS clamp, and connected the arm to a Retra strobe. Based on my (imperfect) measurements, the Retra ball mount and the Nauticam ball are slightly different sizes, but by only 1-2mm - the ULCS clamp had no issues holding the arm and the strobe at what ever position I set them (hand tightened, and not overtightened). The issue might not be the ball head(s), it might be the clamp. As others have said, ULCS is rock solid stuff - I've been using their arms & clamps for over 15 years, and I still have many of the orginal clamps (and they work). I only upgraded some of mine to the newer ones because I didn't want to experience FOMO 😉 (and they now sell colored bits, so how can you say "no" to that). They feel a bit more robust compared to the Nauticam ones as well.

Wondering if anyone is in the region at the moment. Concerned about the local population in the region. Many of the DMs and guides for the resorts live and have family in this area. Also, I'm supposed to be in Lembeh in the middle of May, looking to hear what the impact of the eruption on diving operations may be like for the next couple of months.

Late to the game, but finally created an account here. Glad to see many old names (and a few new ones). In the process of moving from a Nikon D850 to a Nikon Z8. Camera & z 105 lens already in hand, waiting on the Nauticam housing to arrive.