Komodo on the Arenui

Hi everyone. Haven't posted pictures here in forever - feeling the need for a dive trip, so was looking over my pictures to overcome withdrawal and decided to post a few. Here are some of my favorites from the trip (last August)

Emporor Shrimp on the "bullseye"

Decorator crab

Mantis Shrimp

pygmy seahorse

xeno crab

Hi Bruce!

Ok let me take them in order; my thoughts as I saw your images.

1. No way! That is an unbelievable alignment. How cool is that!

2. Looks 3 dimensional

3. Nice color on the red

4. You have got to be kidding me! (Stunned silence) Dream shot. Utterly awesome, I would kill for that. Beautiful, Maybe the damn things do exist after all!

5. Scary good, so clean.

And my last thought was, I should probably tell Bruce he should do this more often.

Thanks partner!

Cheers,

Steve

Thanks Steve. I really, really, need to get back in the water. Haven't been wet since this trip. We're going back to Indonesia in June, not sure I can wait that long. A few more:

Mr Dragon complete with drool : )

I can't resist clown fish. I love the purple tip on the anenome

This banded Sea Krait was incredible. literally wrapped himself around my leg before this shot - he is basically touching my port. Will never forget this dive.

Who can resist a frogfish? he even posed for me in the coral.

Not my best shot - but first time I had ever seen a Mola. My dome part was leaking - so had to take the wife's S90 down on this dive. Also saw multiple Manta's - Another dive of a lifetime. I LOVE Indonesia

One word, WOW.

thanks for sharing

Bill

Beautiful shots! Where in Komodo were you? Any dive operations/live aborad opperations you would suggest? I will be there in about a month and a half

I can't wait to get in the water!

fantastic shots, thanks for sharing!

Beautiful shots! Where in Komodo were you? Any dive operations/live aborad opperations you would suggest? I will be there in about a month and a half

 

I can't wait to get in the water!

We were on the Arenui Liveaboard. They are in Raja Ampat for a few more weeks - I think they move to Komodo in April. Well run operation; but not necessarily lots of photographers. The owner is Italian, clientele is usually European. When we were there, group included Americans (my wife and I), Brits, French, and Italians. Was a great group - but I was the only serious shooter. Was my wife's first liveaboard - so went a little more upscale than when traveling by myself. Here's a picture of the boat:

Komodo is a great location - there is a great variety of diving. North Komodo has some great blue water dives (Crystal Rock and Castle Rock) - lots of current, but beautiful coral and good chance at pelagics (sharks, tuna, dolphins, ocassionally even orcas). Great vis. There are muck dives (black sand and white sand both) with tons of macro critters, manta alley in the south (mantas and mola), and probably the premier area - horseshoe bay in Rinca (South Komodo). Cannibal Rock and yellow wall of texas are both world class dives (but water can be cold - low 70's); some of the lushest reefs I have ever seen. You can get some current, especially when tides are changing. But I love the diversity - we are going back this summer. Lembeh is still a little better for critter diving; but North Sulawesi can't offer the diversity of diving in a small area you get in Komodo.

Great shots! Love the emperor shrimp and xeno crab.

What fabulous shots! Thanks for posting them.

I'm glad to hear your good report on the Areuni. I'll be on that boat on their Komodo itinerary this June/July, so it's reassuring to know you had a good experience. Any tips/info particular to that boat/location that you can pass along?

-Gina

What fabulous shots! Thanks for posting them.

 

I'm glad to hear your good report on the Areuni. I'll be on that boat on their Komodo itinerary this June/July, so it's reassuring to know you had a good experience. Any tips/info particular to that boat/location that you can pass along?

 

-Gina

Which cruise are you on? We are going back on the cruise leaving June 30. We can only get away during the summer - the kids have too many activities going on during school to get away - or we would have done the Raja Ampat cruise. But Komodo is awesome, and we really did enjoy the boat - excellent crew, and the cruise director and his girl friend (Jerry and Debbie) are very good - will do everything possible to make your cruise enjoyable. So we looked around at some other cruises/locations available in the summer - but decided to go back on the Arenui because it really is a well run boat in an awesome location. Plus Bali is a great gateway - much easier to get to than Manado (Bunaken/Lembeh) or especially Sorong (Raja Ampat gateway). Typically get in 4 dives/day - 730, 1030, 1500, night dive. Food/snacks 24/7 - cook to order breakfast, buffet lunch, and dinner is more formal sit down. Snacks/appetizers available between dives. Upper deck has both shade and sun lounging areas - and they have an on-board massage service. Dive guides know the area well - and they will let you dive your computer and air; we had several 75 minute dives. All diving is from Panga's - wooden boats with nice ladders that are easy to get in/out of. PM me if you would like to know more.

This will be my seventh trip to Indonesia - I have been to North Sulawesi (Bunaken/Lembeh/Bangka) 3 times, Raja Ampat twice, and Komodo/Bali once. I think Indonesia is one of the top 2 or 3 places in the world to dive, and Komodo is one of the best in Indonesia.

Wonderful stuff Bruce!

Which cruise are you on? We are going back on the cruise leaving June 30.

We are on that cruise as well! My husband and I are going, and while this won't be our first liveaboard, it will be our first time to Indonesia. Three friends are coming along and this will be their first liveaboard, so I have a feeling they're going to be spoiled

I am definitely looking forward to the trip, and to seeing the dragons! I assume the boat stops for a hike through Komodo National Park, right?

-Gina

We are on that cruise as well! My husband and I are going, and while this won't be our first liveaboard, it will be our first time to Indonesia. Three friends are coming along and this will be their first liveaboard, so I have a feeling they're going to be spoiled

 

I am definitely looking forward to the trip, and to seeing the dragons! I assume the boat stops for a hike through Komodo National Park, right?

 

-Gina

Yes - you tour Komodo Park, and some beach hikes (if you want) on a couple other islands. Actually the best place to see the dragons is down on Rinca island - where we will spend a couple days (and the diving is spectacular). They come down and cruise the beach looking for food. There are wild pigs and monkeys on that beach as well - it is pretty neat. And they always tour a native village as well. Your friends will be spoiled - the Arenui is my fourth different brand of liveaboard, and by far the nicest.

The one thing you should consider bringing (if you get cold at all) is a hooded vest to wear under your wetsuit when you are in southern Komodo. We hit some 70 degree water on the manta dive (when the tide was changing, think it brought some colder water in from the Indian Ocean) - Diane had one and stayed warm when some of the other divers were getting cold. Other than the 2 days you spend in the southern area - water temps will be 78 to 82. I just wore a 5 mil the whole time and was fine - a 3 mil is plenty in the north but not enough in Rinca.

Are you and your friends photographers? The other thing that is nice to have is a muck stick (basically a stainless steel rod about 15" long) - useful in the black sand area to steady yourself for taking pictures - without stirring up the bottom (which is silty). You should also have a safety sausage and surface signalling device - we will be diving in current a few dives. Looking forward to meeting up with you - I'm already starting the count down for the trip

The one thing you should consider bringing (if you get cold at all) is a hooded vest to wear under your wetsuit when you are in southern Komodo. We hit some 70 degree water on the manta dive (when the tide was changing, think it brought some colder water in from the Indian Ocean) - Diane had one and stayed warm when some of the other divers were getting cold. Other than the 2 days you spend in the southern area - water temps will be 78 to 82. I just wore a 5 mil the whole time and was fine - a 3 mil is plenty in the north but not enough in Rinca.

Ah, great to know, thank you. A vest is easy enough to bring along.

Are you and your friends photographers? The other thing that is nice to have is a muck stick (basically a stainless steel rod about 15" long) - useful in the black sand area to steady yourself for taking pictures - without stirring up the bottom (which is silty). You should also have a safety sausage and surface signalling device - we will be diving in current a few dives. Looking forward to meeting up with you - I'm already starting the count down for the trip

I do still photography and my husband does video, but our friends are not photographers. The muck stick is another great idea. We do have the DAN safety sausages which are huge and especially good for when you surface a ways from the boat.

Thanks again for all the tips, and we'll see you in June!

-Gina

beautiful images...another place that I need to visit....