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Arrived safely in Denpasar, Bali. Had okay hotel just a block off the beach in Kuta. Quite the culture shock, going from the seclusion & peace of Komodo to the party hearty, noisy beach walk area. Won't make that mistake again.
Took several trips with a local dive operator who did a great job. Unfortunately, all the best diving snorkeling is in north Bali, which involved a 3 hour trip (one way) each day to the best beaches.
Worse, we had to pass Mount Agung each time. Agung is an active volcano who has a nasty habit of erupting & disrupting air traffic. Erupted right before my Raja Ampat trip a year ago & kept airplanes on the ground for 3 days. I hated to give it an opportunity for me being that close.
The first place was Ahmed, Indonesia. Not much to look at from the shore, but we found a decent amount of interesting creatures. Fell in the water & promptly looked down to see a seahorse. Then we found all kinds of nudibranchs, several eels & some nicely colored fishies.
Tript to Ahmed. Yes, that's Mount Agung just to the right.
Another view of Mount Agung & the rice paddies which were numerous along the trip up the coast.
He popped out just as we swam over. Good size eel.
Panda Butterflyfish. Only place I've seen them, so far.
Some of the most colorful surgeonfish I've seen. Move areas, the colors are completely different. Round spot surgeonfish.
Spot Banded Butterflyfish
Lagoon triggerfish, also called Picasso triggerfish. Fortunately, it wasn't triggerfish mating season because these will come right at you, have nasty teeth & will bite if they feel you are invading their nesting area.
The first thing I saw when I went face down in the water, this cute little seahorse just hanging out in the shallow. Rare to see them in the shallow areas.
Pair of nudibranchs, making more nudibranchs. Finding one is a prize, finding 2, mating is a treat.
I was supposed to go to manta point the next day. Hated to miss it, heard the mantas were in abundance but my ear was bothering me so I found the nearest private hospital in Denpasar & had it checked out. Another set of antibiotics & out the door. Nice hospital, mainly used by tourists or expats.
The last day, headed back up the coast to snorkel a wreck. I'll have pictures of it in another thread.
Took several trips with a local dive operator who did a great job. Unfortunately, all the best diving snorkeling is in north Bali, which involved a 3 hour trip (one way) each day to the best beaches.
Worse, we had to pass Mount Agung each time. Agung is an active volcano who has a nasty habit of erupting & disrupting air traffic. Erupted right before my Raja Ampat trip a year ago & kept airplanes on the ground for 3 days. I hated to give it an opportunity for me being that close.
The first place was Ahmed, Indonesia. Not much to look at from the shore, but we found a decent amount of interesting creatures. Fell in the water & promptly looked down to see a seahorse. Then we found all kinds of nudibranchs, several eels & some nicely colored fishies.
Tript to Ahmed. Yes, that's Mount Agung just to the right.
Another view of Mount Agung & the rice paddies which were numerous along the trip up the coast.
He popped out just as we swam over. Good size eel.
Panda Butterflyfish. Only place I've seen them, so far.
Some of the most colorful surgeonfish I've seen. Move areas, the colors are completely different. Round spot surgeonfish.
Spot Banded Butterflyfish
Lagoon triggerfish, also called Picasso triggerfish. Fortunately, it wasn't triggerfish mating season because these will come right at you, have nasty teeth & will bite if they feel you are invading their nesting area.
The first thing I saw when I went face down in the water, this cute little seahorse just hanging out in the shallow. Rare to see them in the shallow areas.
Pair of nudibranchs, making more nudibranchs. Finding one is a prize, finding 2, mating is a treat.
I was supposed to go to manta point the next day. Hated to miss it, heard the mantas were in abundance but my ear was bothering me so I found the nearest private hospital in Denpasar & had it checked out. Another set of antibiotics & out the door. Nice hospital, mainly used by tourists or expats.
The last day, headed back up the coast to snorkel a wreck. I'll have pictures of it in another thread.
