Spectacular Visibility

While checking out the boat and engine for season opening in Gorontalo, we went to the Shadowlands dive site. Schools of Shipjack tuna (Katsuwonis pelamis) were surface feeding. Visibility and sunlight were incredible. The needle?s eye, a submerged point at a depth of 35 meters, was clearly visible from the surface. Visibility during the dive was a spectacular 40 meters. Several lionfish were out hunting under the overhang at the wall?s corner, where we usually start diving. I counted seven lionfish during the dive. Swirls of minnows filled the first cave. A couple of anemones hosted clownfish and numerous purple commensal shrimps, one clearing carrying eggs. Tropicals swam up and down the sun-streaked walls. A school of trevally wiggled past, far below. I was suddenly startled by a large green mantis shrimp (Gonodactylus sp.) sitting in full view on a small knob on the vertical wall at 20 meters. He quickly backed into a hole but kept his eyes on the hovering human. During the dive, I added three new fish species to the list for this dive site: the White-lined combtooth blenny (Escenius pictus), the large and uncommon Scribbled snapper (Lutjanus rivulatus), and Talbot?s demoiselle (Chrysiptera talboti). This wonderful hour-long dive only covered half the dive site. On the way back we recovered the shell of a Chambered nautilus (Nautilus pompilius). Diving in Sulawesi is never better than this!