Cool Diving in Sulawesi – Really!

During the diving season in Gorontalo, the waters of Tomini Bay formed by Sulawesi’s central arms are quite warm. Temperatures at safe diving depths are between 29 and 30 degrees Celsius. This is indeed warm when compared with other Sulawesi diving locations. However, Miguel’s Diving staff slipped into a sheltered bay to do some muck diving on Saturday and found that temperatures had plunged to 26 degrees. But in the mud at 20 meters we found a waving colony of Dusky garden eels (Heteroconger enigmaticus). Endemic to eastern Indonesian waters and Papua New Guinea, these dark, speckled eels are a relatively new scientific discovery, having only been named in 1999. Not far away among scattered pebbles a Snake blenny (Xiphasia setifer) peered from its burrow. With a body length reaching over half a meter, this strange fish has distinctive, large opaque eyes.

A black ball wobbled in a sudden rush of cold down current from the disturbed surface. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a juvenile puffer with its tail carefully curled around its body. At shallower depths, isolated stands of bushy green coral were crowded with white-striped shrimps with long claws. Among the rocks in a meter of water, a Flying gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis) spread its wings. Cool Sulawesi diving indeed.

Coral Preservation Campaign in Gorontalo

This past week Miguel’s Diving staff has been busy with the Coral Preservation Campaign that we conduct in cooperation with Gorontalo Provincial Fisheries Department and the police. This is the third year of our continuing effort to inform local fishing communities about the need to protect their own reefs against destructive fishing practices. Our staff was wildly received at three high schools with over 1,100 students in attendance. We also spoke with 115 fishermen in three villages and have collected suggestions from them to relay to the governor, who is an avid diver and supporter of sustainable fishing practices.

Granddaddy Moray

With a morning of suddenly calm seas, Miguel’s Diving staff jumped in car yesterday and went diving in a protected bay by a beached shipwreck. Since we had never been diving at this spot, we didn’t know what to expect. The rocky beach quickly becomes a shallow sand shelf that leads to a steep slope. The slope alternates between rocky outcrops and sand. Although coral cover is very sparse, we did find a couple of corals rare in other Gorontalo diving locations, as well as several colonial anemones that look like giant green scrub brushes when everyone’s tentacles are extended. We have not seen these before.

The area’s rocks prove highly attractive to dense congregations of fish, especially juvenile angelfish and cardinalfish. Pink anthias (Pseudanthias hypselosoma), known to be quite common in Indonesia, provide prey aplenty for prowling lionfish. Colorful shrimps are also quite abundant and use various holes in the substrate as shelter. One area was swarming with Reticulated hinge-beak shrimp (Rhynchocinetes brucei, 1994), a relatively new specie.

The really really big surprise was the Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) that made all others we have seen look like mere scrawny offspring. Although this specie is quite common here, this granddaddy was about three times the size of others. Or should we say, the Mother of All Morays?

On the return pass at shallower depths, we were suddenly enveloped in a school of hundreds of Purse-eyed scad (Selar crummenthalmops). They are an important food source for local people. Passing by the shallow edge of the wreck, Blacktail sergeants (Abudefduf lorenzi) darted out. Seen for the first time in Gorontalo, this uncommon specie ranges only from Sulawesi and the Moluccas in Indonesia to the Solomon Islands.

SilkAir Hot Deal: Fly to Manado for S$100!

Actually the deal is hotter than that. If you place a 45-day advance booking for a round trip Singapore – Manado – Singapore flight, your fare is only S$180 per person. Even with only 15-day advance booking, you pay only S$220 for the round trip fare.

Is there fine print? Of course. These special fares exclude service fees, airport taxes, and insurance charges. Travel period is 7 July to 30 November 2004. For exact details, please click this SilkAir link.

Miguel’s Diving staff thinks this is a great deal for those of you able to leave out of Singapore. Gorontalo is about an hour flight from Manado. Let us know when you are coming, so we can build a custom diving package for you!

Diving in Gorontalo reopens 1 November. In respect for our local staff, we are closed on Idhul Fitri, which should be about 15 November.

Thanks so much to Grace for letting us know about this hot deal!

Acoel Flatworms

On a day without a single photographer, our dive master found dozens of acoel flatworms (Waminoa sp.) covering a colony of bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)at the ever popular City Limits dive site. Less than a centimeter in diameter, these brownish worms are basically flat discs, giving the white vesicles of the bubble coral a spotted appearance.

A number of acoel flatworm species reproduce asexually by fragmentation. They are believed to feed on microscopic flora and fauna trapped in the mucous of their host. We tend to find these strange creatures a couple times each dive season. Paola photographed acoel flatworms on soft coral in this shot taken in Gorontalo last year. John’s photo is from our Shadowlands dive site taken in March.

Hydrostatic Testing: Your Safety is Our Concern

About two-thirds of Miguel’s Diving scuba tanks passed hydrostatic testing this week in Manado. The remaining third of our scuba tanks are due for hydrostatic testing next year. We use the standard aluminun cylinders. Not only do our tanks undergo this once-every-five-year testing, but they are also visually inspected annually. In addition to that, our tanks are immersed in fresh water after each use, so that corrosive salt water will dissolve. Guests comment on how new our tanks look. Indeed, our tanks are new. But they also receive good care. See for yourself when diving season resumes in November.

Muck and Mayhem

For training and exploration Miguel’s Diving staff ventured out last weekend during a break in the weather. However, night winds that forced fishermen back to land also brought billions of jellyfish larvae right into shore. We had chosen to do some muck diving on a steep sand slope in a sheltered bay where the backwash of the current prevented the jellyfish from being carried back out to the open ocean. Fortunately, only one of the staff was allergic and enjoyed showing off the welts on his lips. This is another reason we don’t offer diving at this time of year!

Since local fishermen frequently rake this section of sand with dragnets, the muck was not as spectacular as that of Lembeh in North Sulawesi. But we did enjoy poking around. The invading humans did not intimidate a patch of usually shy Elegant sand divers (Trichonotus elegans). The males have the long, elegant dorsal fin rays and flashing, round ventral fin. A nearby Curious wormfish (Gunnelichthys curiosus) with stripe ablaze was not as sure. A flounder watched warily, its two eyes poking about the sand.

Numerous anemones and sea pens dot the sand slope. One large, strange sand anemone was entirely translucent, except for black rings. The anemones hosted Saddleback anemonefish, large porcelain crabs, large banded cleaning shrimps, and numerous commensal shrimp species. Discarded wood attracted evil-looking lionfish. Udotea leaf algae endured many sap-sucking slugs, a kind of nudibranch with wing flaps and peculiar eating habits. A dappled Bonaparte snake eel (Ophichthus bonaparti) peered out of the sand. A pale Short-tailed pipefish (Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus) almost 40 cm long drifted along the slope. All in all the muck dive was worth a few stings.

Sulawesi Diving on Both Sides of the Equator

In cooperation with Black Marlin Dive of the Togian (Togean) Islands, Miguel’s Diving is pleased to offer diving on both sides of the equator in Sulawesi’s huge Tomini Bay. Those diving the Togian (Togean) Islands can dive fringing reefs, a barrier reef, and atolls south of equator. On its north side Gorontalo offers some of everything: dramatic walls, shallow coral gardens, multiple pinnacles, muck diving, and a couple of wrecks as well. This special promotional price is valid from November 2004 to April 2005. Ready to kiss King Neptune’s belly?

Diver’s Dream Package*
Saturday:
Airport pickup in Gorontalo & check into Hotel Melati
Sunday – Wednesday:
8 boat dives with Miguel’s Diving, including tanks, weights, bottled water, and transport
4 nights & 1 extended day @ Hotel Melati (air-conditioned room & breakfast only)
Wednesday:
Evening boat to Kadidiri Island, including transport to port, boat ticket, and small cabin
Thursday – Sunday :
7 boat dives & 2 night dives with Black Marlin Dive Resort, including tanks, weights, and dive equipment
4 nights in a beach bungalow with western bathroom and three meals a day
Monday:
1 morning dive, breakfast & lunch
Afternoon boat back to Gorontalo, including transport to port, boat ticket, and small cabin
Tuesday:
Morning arrival in Gorontalo
Transport from port to town and/or airport
Promotional rate: USD$787 twin share including tax
Single supplement: USD$55

*Although this diving package is built around existing flight & boat schedules, Miguel’s Diving is not responsible for changes in these schedules.