Lembeh galleries now up

I've finished the galleries except for topside. I could do a few more, but I'm sick of working on them. Trip report to follow.

http://allenhost.com/gallery/album346

For all those that care; Nikon D100, Aquatica housing, most dives were 105mm with 3T close-up, Pygmy dives with 105mm + 4T, a couple of dives with just 105mm, two night dives with 60mm, but the camera only worked on one of them Two Ikelite DS125's. Half of the shots full power (its a bit murky) and about half at half power.

Interesting mandarinfish. Which divesite?

George,

Good stuff - I like how you organized your gallery. Did you go on the same trip as Barry and Ken K?

Cheers

James

The Mandarinfish are on the house reef about 50 yards off shore. I had some good shots from Palau, so I wasn't all that interested, but I finally broke down and did the dive. I'm glad I did.

We got a good briefing from Bruce, who runs the dive op, on their behavior. This helped a lot. Plus, my buddy was smart enough to help with her light. If you shine the light directly on them, they duck for cover. She would shine her light close by, giving me just enough light to help me get a focus.

James, I was not with Ken and Barry's group. They were on a wild and wooly FAM trip. I actually had a chance to do a similar trip, but decided it wasn't worth it. Sure, the price is right, but you change resorts every other day. I think the deal I was looking at stayed at six places. I have no desire to pack and unpack that much and I would have gotten 14 dives in and sat through lots of presentations and taken lots of land tours. My problem isn't affording the trip, its getting the time off.

Danny, who runs the Murex resort told me Ken was going to be arriving the next day after we got there. It was kind of funny. We had been diving with this young Brit. When the group arrived, some of them joined us on a night dive, including Ken. We starting chatting.

The guy then asked, "You two know each other?"

"Yup"

"You've actually been diving together?"

"Yup"

Small world. Got to chat a little with Barry and Ruth. They were at Lembeh for one full day of diving. Then off by boat to Bangka, then Murex in Manado. They had already departed Murex by the time we arrived three days later. That's just crazy.

It was fun diving with Ken and some of their group. Good photography etiquette was greatly appreciated on that dive. The rest of time at Lembeh was somewhat painful as we were stuck with two couples that were driving us nuts. We need to publish an etiquette guide, but that's another story.

If I follow correctly, you stayed at the Lembeh Resort? I sure liked the look of it from the tour we took.

Cool, thanks for the mini-report George. Ken is indeed a great guy.

If you'd like to write an etiquette article, we'd love to publish it.

Sincerely,

James Wiseman

If I follow correctly, you stayed at the Lembeh Resort? I sure liked the look of it from the tour we took.

Yes, one of the best places I've ever stayed, other than those 84 steps from the dive shop area to our room.

They could use a better cook. Other than that, it was pretty awesome. Leaving was quite sad. We spent the last four nights at Murex in Manado, diving Bunaken. It was a real let down. This was my backup plan in case my SO didn't like muck diving. How was I to know she would love the muck?

If you'd like to write an etiquette article, we'd love to publish it

You'd have to edit out all the expletives.

"When you are done, DON'T F'ING FLUTTER KICK, DON'T KICK, DON'T KICK!!! Signal me when you are done and I'll come over and push your power inflator button."

"Hey, #%&^%&, please don't tug on my shoulder while I'm shooting so you can butt in!!!"

"Hey butthead, I wanted a photo of the fish, not YOU and the fish together. Back off!!!!"

"If you are going to being a $@%%^@% and knock me out of the way so you can get there first, please don't spend 10 minutes fumbling with your add on lenses for your MX10!!!!"

Sorry, maybe I'm not the right person for the job.

What's not to love? Muck's the best!

I got a half day at that resort and loved it. I dove with four older Japanese and they really great. Courteous, helpful, and with excellent dive skills. One had a very cool Inon film housing which I eyed carefully between dives.

Sorry to hear about the food. I thought the food at KBR was so-so as well but it did the trick. The format is very much the same. The steps are a bit of work but KBR takes the same effort just more horizontal. I think Murex (Lembeh) is a beautiful resort, too, and glad you got to stay there.

I think Murex a beautiful resort, too, and glad you got to stay there.

Man, Murex was quite a let down after Lembeh Resort. While we were at Murex, there was a Japanese diver there that had left the Lembeh the day we arrived. The guy dived with three cameras; a housed F4 (Nexus of course), a Nikonos RS and another camera, all with their own strobes. He clipped one off on each hip and held the other. Man, thats a lot of work. He was always out of air first, but I was still impressed. I would have been done after 30 minutes hauling all that gear.

Hmmm, maybe I can try that. Three cameras. But I'll need more air, so I'll use my doubles. Since I have three cameras, I'll want to do lots of shooting on each dive, so I'll do some deco, I'll sling a deco bottle, too. Nevermind.

Departed Lembeh 12 April after 8 days of excellent diving; having been on the Pindito in Raja Ampat the previous 12 days. It's great that you have go thru Manado to get to Raja; Anyway, I've "processed" the digital images from Raja and am in the process of doing the same for Lembeh. All of your images look very familiar!!!

Lembeh Resort is great if can convince the girls in the restaurant to get special orders in for food, which can be done.

Hugh

Ooops. I meant Murex Lembeh. Murex Manado is a real letdown by comparison. More of a backpacker's place.

I knew a guy who dived with two RS's. The weight alone would make me cry. I think he had to hit the gym to prepare.

Scorpio, I dived the Jap guy ( the 5 weights man) who is a pro photographer. I dove with him for a few days. Very nice guy, dont speak a word of English ( well, maybe 5 ), very helpful, and actually........ he was extremely good on air condsidering the amount of camera's he lugged around. Yes, he had tons of camera's, but typically only took 2 of the 4 down. I only saw him once or twice going down with 3. He had the RS with him when we found a Hairy Frog fish, and flashed it with the wide angle....I am sure it will be an awsome shot with the Blue Background.

I am not a pro and would not appreciate 3 camera's hanging around, but I recognize its his bread and butter.

www.carlgoodier.com