Wakatobi Q's

Hi,

Visiting Wakatobi next month. Any thoughts on what to look for (I'm guessing tiny stuff). Any thoughts/tips would be appreciated. Checked out Bali customs stories, very nice.

Thanks!

Joe K

D200 in S&S

Hi,

 

Visiting Wakatobi next month. Any thoughts on what to look for (I'm guessing tiny stuff). Any thoughts/tips would be appreciated. Checked out Bali customs stories, very nice.

 

Thanks!

 

Joe K

 

D200 in S&S

Pygmy seahorses (saw 3 varieties)

The pipehorse is really cool of you can get the right angle.

Really had a nice time there.

I was just at Wakatobi last month (June 2008).

You'll see plenty of banded sea snakes, blue ribbon eels, cuttlefish, pygmy seahorses, frogfish, juvenile pinnatus batfish, eight (or more) varieties of anemonefish, map puffers, dogface puffers, crocodilefish, scorpionfish, ghost pipefish, green and hawksbill turtles, anthias galore, and all the other usual suspects of the Indo-Pacific. Don't expect to see pelagics or anything larger than a bumphead parrotfish.

Visibility is generally good. If you like soft corals, I highly recommend you dive MAGNIFICA which is a pinnacle completely covered by lush soft corals of every color...

I was very pleased with the service at Wakatobi. The managers Marcus and Eman were very accomodating. The staff are very helpful. The food is quite good considering how remote Wakatobi is. This is definitely a dive location that I would return to.

I was there a few years ago and saw all of the above, plus I saw a comet fish. This is the only time I've ever seen and photographed one. If I went back I would ask the guides to find me a blue-ringed octopus. Other guests saw them several times, and got some amazing shots, but I never did. Lots of colorful nudis too.

All of the above and some of the more common fishes; butterfly, anemonfish, porcupinfish, lionfish (tons!), sweetlips, cardinal fish, lizard fish, scorpion fish, frog fish, trumpetfish, spadefish, pygmy goby, sand perch, clown triggerfish, cuttlefish, tons of crabs and such. Have a blast! Say hi to doris if she is still there!

I was there a few years ago and saw all of the above, plus I saw a comet fish. This is the only time I've ever seen and photographed one. If I went back I would ask the guides to find me a blue-ringed octopus. Other guests saw them several times, and got some amazing shots, but I never did. Lots of colorful nudis too.

I, too, photographed a comet fish. Never seen one before or since. Supposedly not that uncommon, but I wonder if I will ever see one again.

We spent two dives searching for a blue ring with no luck while we were there. Someone needs to feed them so they get bigger.

Don't pass on a shore dive. It's easy to just do the boat dives, but you find a ton of little things under the jetty and the 2nd cut.

Don't worry about customs. A Wakatobi staff member will walk you through customs.

My web site galleries are whacked at the moment due to software upgrade, but I've got the images Here

Comet fish are actually fairly common, but they are quite shy, mostly hiding in recesses. Also, they tend to dwell on the deeper side, eg, below 25-30 meters.

Thanks, everyone, I'll try to do you proud!

Joe K