Feeding Frenzy

This morning the waters of Tomini Bay were calm. At certain dive sites, however, the currents were churning. The usually predictable Traffic Jam dive site had down currents, then an up current, then another down current followed by a westbound current that soon reversed to the east. This meant that the fish were in a feeding frenzy as plankton rushed by. I was surprised to see a trio of goatfish gulping in mid water. A lionfish with fins unfurled cruised the myriad of anthias waiting to inhale one or two. I watched a Yellow-spot slingjaw wrasse (as yet an undescribed Epibulus specie) unlock its jaw and sling it forward to swallow some unsuspecting critter. Then from deep water lumbering against the down current to climb the coral rich slope came a pair of female Humpback unicornfish (Naso brachycentron) swishing their tail filaments. This fish is considered uncommon to rare.

Pinkeye Gobies Discovered!

Diving in Sulawesi jumped another notch with the discovery of Pinkeye gobies (Bryaninops natans) at one of our dive sites. Guests this week said that these tiny fish could only be found at one place in North Sulawesi’s Bunaken Marine Park, a location unknown to most dive operators. Since this type of goby stays in the same place, future divers with Miguel’s Diving can request a look at this unusually colored creature. Sometimes this fish is called Redeye goby or Purple eye goby.

The boxer crab (Lybia tessellata), Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta), and Teddy bear crab (Polydectus cupulifer) are also residents of Gorontalo but are often difficult to find. Those diving Gorontalo this week found them at two different dive sites that are several kilometers apart.

In addition to these unusual and sought-after critters, Gorontalo diving offers new and undescribed species yet to be photographed. Again this morning we found a type of flasher wrasse that does not appear on Fish Base.

Sulawesi diving offers wonderful opportunities for discovery. Are you ready to experience what diving in Gorontalo has to offer?

More Harlequin Shrimps

Guests at Miguel’s Diving were delighted that we found additional Harlequin shrimps (Hymenocera picta) at another dive sight. We also found another Painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus) and another Boxer crab (Lybia tessellata ). But the Teddy bear crab complete with anemones in hand sent our group of photographers into stunned ecstasy. Here is a photo of the shrimp from the other day. Xie-xie, Jolly!

Diving from the Gigantic to the Macro

The rough weather that has caused property damage in North Sulawesi has also affected Gorontalo with rough seas. Miguel’s Diving has been safely able to provide guests with two dives every day because of the various alternatives here.

This morning in blue water we were diving the City Limits dive site. We started at the tanker wreck. Since this is the first group ever to have dived this huge wreck, we were able to determine that it rests in 50 meters (165 feet) of water. The propeller is at 26 meters. Gorgonian sea fans and purple gorgonian whips decorate the deepest end. The wreck lies up side down and has buckled in the middle, providing access for large snappers, sweetlips, and the intrepid diver.

After the deep portion of the dive, we explored the shallow reef crest to purge our nitrogen build-up. There we discovered a baby Painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus) and a tiny Boxer crab (Lybia tessellata) and a spectacular Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta). One guest was clearly audible underwater as she screamed with delight.

Miguel’s Diving is currently fully booked until December 27th.

We Stop for Dolphins and Whales

Miguel?s Diving has been drafted into the Indonesia Oceanic Cetacean Program. Program Director and cetacean expert Benjamin Kahn notes that Indonesia is located uniquely in the Indian/Pacific Ocean access for migratory whales. The program is run by APEX Environmental with its main goal to fill in the gaps in knowledge of Indonesia's whales and assist with marine mammal conservation. APEX is especially active in eastern Indonesia with projects from Komodo to Alor to Sangihe-Talaud. Benjamin is particularly interested in baleen, sperm, beaked and killer whales (Orcas), since very little is known about them from Indonesian waters.

The Sulawesi diving locations that Miguel?s Diving offers in the equatorial waters of Tomini Bay provide opportunities for cetacean sightings. We see whales annually and dolphins regularly, often during surface interval or on the trip back to town. Miguel?s Diving intends to follow the responsible code of conduct that APEX promotes, so that wild whales and dolphins are watched with minimal disturbance.

Our first report on the standard data sheet provided by APEX is about the sighting of two pods of Risso?s Dolphin (Grampus griseus) just a few meters from the wall where we dive. Over 25 dolphins in all were playing on the surface of the water one morning a few days ago. Some were even doing the ?head-stand? characteristic of this species.

It?s no wonder that Gorontalo is a prime location for Sulawesi diving.

Gorontalo Diving for TV Broadcast

When Gorontalo?s scuba diving governor Fadel made reservations to dive this morning, we at Miguel?s Diving didn?t realize he was bringing a television crew with him! They shot footage of our boat leaving the port, the governor suiting up and doing the backward roll into blue water, and the stunning cliffs edged in shallow coral. The governor opted to go to his favorite dive sites. At Traffic Jam a Hawksbill turtle ( Eremochelys imbricata) appeared. At the Sentinels dive site we counted five lionfish at the top of the third pinnacle. The RCTI TV crew took advantage of our surface interval to interview both the governor and Miguel?s dive staff. Broadcast on the local station should be tonight with national broadcast to follow.

Miguel’s Diving on Display

Visitor’s arriving at Gorontalo’s Jalaluddin Airport can now view promotional material for diving in Gorontalo. Earlier today with drill in hand we hung a glass frame with six beautiful glossy prints of marine life here. These are on display in the place where visitors arrange for transport to Gorontalo City. The provincial tourism department plans to make that area of baggage claim into an information center. This would be similar to airports at some Sulawesi diving destinations.

A Third Wreck

Miguel’s Diving staff accidentally heard about another shipwreck long known to locals in one seaside neighborhood in Gorontalo. The wreck has been lying on its side for over 60 years in three to thirteen meters of water near the mouth of the river. Locals have fished the wreck with hand line and spear guns for decades, so large fish are rare. Most of the wreck itself is buried in mud. In fact, it rests atop a steep mud bank. Various sea pens protrude from its slope and very large Steinitz’s shrimpgobies (Amblyeleotris steinitzi) and their crustacean pals live there. A weirdly coiffured juvenile Peacock razorfish (Iniistius pavo) darted along the mud bottom. A sea horse drifted down into the cold upwelling. The wreck itself hosted numerous lionfish, a couple of wicked looking scorpionfish, several nudibranch species, and wary batfish. In the mud underneath a section of heavily encrusted hull, a black juvenile Ribbon eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita) flexed its yellow dorsal fin. Suddenly a school of perhaps a thousand Purse-eyed scad (Selar crumenthalmops) enveloped the wreck. In Sulawesi diving in mud can be an adventure of discovery.