An Undescribed Specie of Commensal Shrimp

Miguel?s Diving staff has collected two samples of an undescribed specie of shrimp for scientific analysis that is only found on bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa). The usual specie (Vir philippinensis) is transparent and easily identified by the purple lines down each leg and claw arm (cheliped), its purple antennae, and the purple bodyline. This Philippine bubble coral shrimp was only described in 1984.

Perhaps early next year, a new specie discovered in Papua New Guinea will be described officially. This specie does not have the lines but instead has purple joints. A shrimp very similar to the PNG one is the most common commensal shrimp found on bubble coral in Gorontalo. It measures only about one centimeter long and only a few millimeters wide. Is the Gorontalo specie the same? We will post the results as soon as we hear back from Australia. In the mean time, come diving in Gorontalo to see this pretty little creature.

Dutch Television Crew Films in Gorontalo

Lonny Gerungan and his crew from TROS TV-Holland?s ?De Reistafel? program just finished six weeks of shooting in Indonesia with several tightly scheduled days in Gorontalo. Filming included subjects from traditional dancing to net fishing in the ocean. In addition to his great cooking, the program will feature Lonny?s discovery of his family roots here in Gorontalo. This series shot in Indonesia, entitled ?De Koninklyte Reistafel,? will feature various old kingdoms across the archipelago and begin airing sometime in February on Channel 2 for Dutch viewers. Next time the guys would like to schedule a day off to check out the diving in Gorontalo.

Schools Galore

We headed out to the far point to see how the Chimneys dive site has fared over the last six months. This is the first site to become unreachable when the east winds bring dry season to Sulawesi. In Gorontalo diving is opposite that of most Sulawesi diving locations. That means diving is only viable in Gorontalo during wet season. This is similar to the Bira/Selayar diving season in southern Sulawesi.

Diving at Chimneys was superb with 30-meter visibility. A Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) lay fully exposed at the 3-meter reef crest for his morning cleaning courtesy of several Cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). A school of Rainbow runners (Elegatis bipunnulata) dashed in for a close look. Then came the school of Mackerel tuna (Euthynnus affinis). Then a school of Double-spotted queenfish ( Scomberoides lysan) flashed by. Near the wall bottom far below, hundreds and hundreds of Blue-fin trevally (Caranx melampygus) kept hurrying past. The double tunnel sparkled with sunlight; a nearby cave sparkled with Golden sweepers (Paraprianthus ransonneti). Countless schools of minnows wiggled by the wall while schools of tropicals went up and down it. Swimming in tight formation, a school of Redtooth triggerfish (Odonus niger) feasted on plankton at the safety stop.

The hour-long dive covered only 250 meters, less than half the length of this dive site. I added ten species of fish to the list of marine life sited here, including those tuna and the uncommon and solitary Ovalspot butterflyfish (Chaetodon speculum). I also found a lovely damsel with honey-orange highlights and a strange school of tiny reddish fish swimming head up tail down in a small depression in the vertical wall. Both of these are not described in the fish books.

Attractions in Gorontalo

The beautiful travel site Indonesia Photo now features an article on Gorontalo. Attractions mentioned include the 16th century Portuguese fort overlooking Lake Limboto and the waterfall near Lombongo hot springs in Nani Wartabone National Park. This article looks at how outsiders throughout Gorontalo history still influence the daily life of people here.

Miguel?s Diving supplied the text and seven photos from Gorontalo,
including two of its marine life. What can travelers to Indonesia experience? This site is an excellent source of first hand information. Good job, Bjorn!

A Really Big One

It wasn?t the Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) sighted three times. It wasn?t the huge Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) herding their youngsters around the reef. It wasn?t the belligerent Titon trigger (Balistoides viridescens)guarding her nest. And it wasn?t even the Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) that shocked me while diving Gorontalo?s City Limits dive site. In fact, if the visibility had not been 30 meters, I would never have seen it. Upon initial descent, I easily found the metal beams, heavily encrusted with coral, that we have long known were there. But that fine morning for diving in Sulawesi, I could see down the long beams hanging off the wall. And there in deeper water away from the wall was a white line: the bottom of a sunken ship! Those Bumphead parrotfish were swimming cartwheels around its highest point in 26 meters of water. Is this the rumored tanker that sank 15 years ago? It is certainly big enough to be. Will you be among the first to dive Gorontalo?s newest wreck and explore its mysteries?

So Close, So Enjoyable

Within a ten-minute boat ride from Gorontalo City, divers can enjoy the beautiful shallow reef, sand basin, and deep wall called Hole-in-the-Rock. Well over half a kilometer long, this dive site is known for its amazing variety of coral and fish. Those diving here can see many species of parrotfish and angelfish, as well as many Scaly thorny oysters (Spondylus squamosus) with coral growing on their shells. A careful observer will also see Fluted giant clams (Tridacna squamosus).

While diving there this morning, I added eleven species to the list of observed marine life. This included the distinctive Black garden eel (Heteroconger perissodon) found only in Indonesia and the Philippines. This site also has the usual spotted variety of garden eel. Visibility was about 20 meters. Upon descent, the vistas over the shallow reef washed in sunlight were wonderful. Even the sand bay with its patches of eels had good visibility. Also I counted several different kinds of sea cucumbers there, including a meter-long Thelenota anax. Several beautiful Leopard cucumbers (Bohadschia argus) ploughed the sand. The site hosts numerous colonies of the local new species Orang-back wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis). While looking among the coral for cardinalfish, I was enveloped by streams of Banana fusilier (Pterocaesio pisang) and Little unicornfish (Naso minor). It is hard to image more relaxing diving anywhere on Sulawesi.

Wall of Blinking Yellow Dots

Southeast winds have made Sulawesi?s Tomini Bay rather choppy lately and clouded its waters. We noticed this especially at the far point where the Silvertip Grounds dive site is located. Visibility for diving was a respectable 20 meters. While several other dive sites here in Gorontalo had ripping currents, this dramatic wall did not. As I inspected the first cave that is tucked back into the wall, I clearly startled a large Blue-spotted puffer (Arothron caerulopuncatus). He gulped down then spit out the cleaner wrasse attending to him. I had to laugh through my regulator. While diving along the wall, I was buzzed several times by a school of Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus). A pair of Rainbow runners (Elegatis bipunnulata) swam in for several close inspections. A school of large Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) came by to see who was diving
their waters. The most amazing thing about diving that morning was the large schools of juvenile fusiliers of several species. This bodes well for later in the dive season when they will have grown to maturity. At one point I felt as if I was diving between two walls: on the left a wall covered in coral and on the right a wall of blinking yellow dots as hundreds of Yellow-dash fusiliers (Pterocaesio randalli) wiggled past. With my computer indicating only a few minutes left of non-decompression time, I began ascending near several huge sponges only to discover a Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus).

Three Dozen Lionfish

The Alleyways dive site here in Gorontalo is known for its lionfish dens.
But while diving there the other day, I counted 36 lionfish! Also, countless Durban hinge-beak shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis) overran one coral head. This spur-and-groove dive site had visibility of at least 25 meters. The giant toes of the coral slope were clearly visible far down in the sand channel below. At one point I noticed a line of murky water below me and swam down to see what creature of the deep had disturbed the sand. Not so! It was a very cold upwelling, so I returned to the 30-degree C (86 F) water of the reef above. Fish were out in abundance, especially the parrotfish. A herd of huge Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) included six juveniles. During the dive, I added three fish species new to the list for this dive site. I also saw what possibly is a new species of wrasse (Pseudocoris sp.). This large wrasse is distinctive with smurf-blue lips and nose patch. This is the third dive site where it occurs in Gorontalo. It does not appear in the comprehensive Fish Base listing.

Are you interested in coming to Sulawesi and diving Gorontalo to photograph new species like this? Or just see the dozens of lionfish?

New Wreck Dive!

Because of its coral walls and deep oceans, North Sulawesi and the Togian (Togean) Islands are not known for wreck diving. This is even truer of Gorontalo?s southern coastline where depths fall almost immediately to several hundred meters. However, we found an excellent wreck while diving this morning.

On December 26, 1993 a dredging barge was towed to the entrance of the ferry port, so the small harbor area could be cleared of silt. However, rains and massive night waves sunk the barge. Workers tried to use 3,000 barrels to re-float it, to no avail. It currently rests firmly on the steep slope at the ferry port entrance almost up side down, still trailing cables and numerous barrels now enveloped in marine life. The wreck peaks at 4 meters and bottoms out at 25 meters. The barge?s bottom is only sparsely encrusted. But everything that hangs below is a maze of sponges and encrusting corals. Some large soft corals grow on the ends of hanging cable. As expected, the wreck has attracted much fish life in its ten years below, including lionfish, large sweetlips, various angelfishes, and batfish. The barge also hosts an unusually large number of Raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula), a pair of large Mappa puffer (Arpthoron mappa), and mature Painted lobsters (Panulirus versicolor). Various thorny and cock?s comb oysters grown on its surface. There is even a Giant giant clam (Tridnacna gigas)! The uncommon Twinspot chromis (Chromis elerae) thrives in its underbelly, as do many cardinalfish species.

Miguel?s Diving can now offer this wreck dive an alternative to the spectacular wall diving typical of Gorontalo.