Gorontalo Wide-Angle

It seems that Gorontalo is not only the domain of the macro photographer any more. Miguel's Diving has hosted a flurry of wide-angle enthusiasts in the last several weeks. Their comments and great photos are available on this WetPixel thread.

Schools of Dolphin & Barracuda

Guests this week enjoyed the thrills of exploring the varied marine environment of Gorontalo. Nowhere else can divers experience dramatic coral walls, multiple pinnacles and muck all in the same day. Wrecks, caverns and shallow coral gardens are also available. In addition to the wide variety of diving, guests had the thrill of snorkeling with a school of about 30 Risso's dolphins. With their white bodies, they look like pale ghosts underwater. One even dove right under them! Later the same day in the new Olele village marine park, a curious school of Yellowtail barracuda surrounded them. This made for a great circular shot for the videographer.

Count Them!

Count on diving in Gorontalo to have some wonderful surprises. Not only are guests enjoying typically flat seas and sunny mornings, but also visibility has been an incredible 25 meters. Even one surreal Salvador Dali Sponge in a corner of a wall was visible from the surface. But today after busily photographing six Bumblebee shrimps, we sighted a pair of marlin also swimming along the surface on the way to the dive boat.

Quite a Special Place

That's the comment from veteran divers Steve & Shirley from the UK about diving in Gorontalo. Unjaded by over 30 years of scuba diving exerience, they enjoyed what Gorontalo and Miguel's Diving provided during opening week of the diving season. Highlights included a dense school of hundreds of trevally, a tuna weighing 50 – 60 kilos, a very pregnant Thorny seahorse, acres of hard corals and of course Gorontalo's many new, undescribed or endemic species of various marine life.

PreSeason Diving

Intrepid divers from the USA and Canada braved the dying east winds to get a jump-start on Gorontalo's dive season, which traditionally begins in November. Highlights this week included a large school of barracuda, a family of Napol.ean wrasse, a Hairy frogfish and a live Murex shell. We found several Mimic octopi but they couldn't be coaxed out of their holes. However, one very friendly Sargassum frogfish (Histrio histrio) kept jumping onto divers, perhaps mistaking us for big floating debris.

ADEX 2006 Lucky Draw Winners Dive in Gorontalo

Last April two Malaysian divers won the Lucky Draw at Asian Dive Exhibition for a diving adventure in Gorontalo. Bok and Bee just wrapped up five days of diving here. This is what they say:

We had a wonderful time. The underwater haven in Gorontalo is almost untouched. Everything is in its original state (you know what I mean?). We saw so many stuffs, some of which we saw for the first time. The cute Orangutan crabs, the pretty Coleman's coral shrimps, Salvador Dali's sponges, the many species of fishes, etc etc... Gorontalo has it all. We enjoyed the Muck diving at Olele Village too. Missing the speedboat rides to the sites already... simply love being accompanied by the pods and pods of dolphins. Marine life is in abundance. We felt so welcome by the friendly Gorontalo people. Last but not least, the professional services rendered by Rantje and his staff at Miguel's Diving. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much, Rantje. We hope to return to Gorontalo soon.

Brilliant Day

Repeat divers to Gorontalo picked a brilliant day to return here to dive. Visibility has been running around 25 meters lately. But today it jumped a notch to 30 meters at Chimneys dive site where we found a rare polyclad flatworm (Acanthozoon sp.) spiraling down the wall like an undulating ribbon. Miguel's Diving actually has a picture of this beautiful creature taken by Massimo Boyer on display in our picture frame at Gorontalo's airport. Its black surface is edged in white and dotted with cream and yellow spots.

Overwhelming

Yesterday's diving had so many fish as to make divers dizzy! Visibility hovered around 25 meters and seas were extremely flat. Seeing a pair of huge Napolea.n wrasses swimming together was a special highlight of the day. Denis from the USA says, "Now I know what you mean by biodiversity!"

Gorontalo Diving on Scubaboard

One of our November guests, Jovin of Singapore, has posted a new thread about her dive trip to Gorontalo. Some of her great pictures taken in this hidden paradise are also available to view. You don't have to be a Scubaboard member to access these links, just click the highlighted words in the text above.

Ribbons of Blue and Yellow

The coral wall at Honeycomb was streaming with ribbons of blue and yellow in the morning light. Thousands of Blue and Yellow fusiliers (Caesio teres) enveloped divers in Gorontalo this morning. Sometimes mixed with other fusilier species, these brightly colored fish poured down the wall then circled around for another sweep mid-wall. Evidently in search of food, these fish never left the reef during the course of the dive. Their size and numbers confirms that local fish stocks are high and healthy.

Breeding Grounds

Divers enjoying pre-season diving in Gorontalo today got a glimpse of the result of months of bad weather that prevents people from fishing. We saw a pair of large Coronation lyre-tail grouper (Variola louti) swimming together. Usually seen only singly, we hope they are a breeding pair. Not far away was a juvenile Napol.ean wrasse. Both species were in places that Miguel's Diving staff had not seen them previously. We hope this indicates that these large fish are expanding their ranges. The dive sites today are part of an area soon to be set aside for conservation, which will provide a secure nursery for future generations of these spectacular fishes.

Stress Break

Miguel's Diving staff took a much-needed break today. Even though dive season doesn't start again until November, diving is still possible in a couple of protected bays. With stiff winds already blowing from early morning, we decided to try the opposite side of one bay that provided a bit more shelter. Actually, we have never surveyed this location. Almost immediately upon descent we found an enormous sea fan next to one of Gorontalo's famous Salvador Dali sponges. Although fish schools were numerous, churning waters and plankton rendered the visibility to only three meters. This is off-season! However, numerous sponge species plus the odd nudibranch or worm kept the camera low on memory.

Really Off Season

This past weekend Gorontalo's governor insisted on going diving. So we braved waves and stiff winds to take him where he wanted to go. Swells were breaking up to six meters up the cliff face. Because of all that turbulent water, visibility was about two meters. But he seemed more relaxed after his time underwater. Weather will begin to improve in October.

Serene & Exciting

So far this week, guests diving in Gorontalo have had some exciting opportunities. On the serene side was the graceful Spotted eagle ray slowly winging by the first cave at Shadowlands and the elegant Lemon sea pen protruding from the sand at Swirling Steps. On the exciting end was the twenty large Smallscale scorpionfish lounging on the fantastic coral of Traffic Jam. Then the school of large Yellowfin tuna,, weighing in the 30 to 40 kilo range, in a feeding frenzy. What will the rest of the week bring?

Happy Lawyers

We at Miguel's Diving just took a group of scuba diving lawyers back to the airport. Not impressed by the countless schools of fish available, they were asking for big fish and pelagics. Although Napol.ean wrasse appeared on several dives, a big one swam close for clear glimpses in the sparkling sunlight. On another dive a school of several dozen large Longnose emperors foraged along the top edge of the second wall at 40 meters. One pinnacle attracted large Midnight snapper.

But diving was delayed considerably on the final day when silky smooth seas offered up multiple schools of dolphins, playing within a few meters of the dive boat. They rested on the surface, soaking up the sun. Others performed acrobatics by rising tail-first slowly from the water and back down again. The schools were both Bottlenose and Risso's dolphins, but they did not mix. The Risso's were noticeably larger. The only camera available was on a cell phone.

Squadron of Mantas

Guests diving in Gorontalo on Christmas Eve day enjoyed quite a show. On the first dive we watched a squadron of eight pygmy mantas, probably Shortfin devil rays (Mobula kuhlii), which are common here. On the same dive a Black-tip reef shark and large Nap.olean wrasse made appearances. Two other Napo.lean wrasse came up from the deep to check out divers on the second dive. But the main attraction was the cuttlefish. A large and very pregnant female was inserting eggs into coral while a large male waited. However, he had to keep chasing off a small male that seemed determined to get in on the action.

Surface at Sunset

Gorontalo's diving Governor Fadel couldn't wait any longer. After months of bad weather (off season) and toward the end of the fasting month, he insisted on filling an empty late afternoon spot on his busy agenda with a quick dive. Swirling Steps dive site is only about 15 minutes from the governor’s official residence. This underwater point hits the long shore current in a couple of places. This is where schools of fish feed in the current. Today was no exception, even at slack tide. Twice we were buzzed by schools of dogtooth tuna. The governor spotted a turtle swimming above us. On the drive along the shoreline, our dive master saw another one when it surfaced to breathe. In the waning light, various species of huge sea cucumbers lumbered across the sand flats. After our dive, we surfaced right before sunset.

Fine Time

We said farewell to two new friends from Vienna who were diving with us last week. Their first dive at Gorontalo’s unique Shadowlands dive site provided a close encounter with a school of Dogfish tuna (Gymnosarda unicolor), each over a meter long. Besides numerous nudibranchs and a spectacular yellow and black flatworm, they were able to photograph three different species of pufferfish.

While diving at seven of the dive sites we offer, they made numerous portraits with the giant sponges common in Gorontalo. Twice we stopped by one particular dive site to photograph the large seahor.ses that are common there. In addition to diving, they enjoyed soaking up the sun between dives to store up warmth before returning to the snows of Austria.

Thanks Alex and Susan for lending Miguel’s Diving some of your great underwater photographs!

Guest Comments

16 Nov 2004

Dear Miguel's Diving,

I just wanted to write and tell you what a wonderful time I had diving with you in Gorontalo. I have been diving off 3 continents/7 different countries and I have never had as much fun as I did diving in Gorontalo with your crew. The 6 sites I had a chance to dive were spectacular. You guys have it all - beautiful corals, anemones, sponges, rays, eels, shrimps, nudibranchs, and to top it off, "tons" of fish. Even the boat rides out to the sites were fun, since you have calm water and dolphins and flying fish to entertain you on the way.

Your crew was great! The local staff was helpful and polite and your American dive master, Rantje, was the best dive master I've been diving with in my 10 years of diving. Diving with Rantje is like having your own private marine biologist along on the trip.

Earlier this year I had contemplated giving up diving after being terribly seasick on yet another dive trip that required long boat rides on choppy seas. I'm glad I didn't quit. You should advertise your calm seas and target divers who are sick of being seasick!

I enjoyed Gorontalo itself. It was easy to get around and I loved the little horse carriages.

Sincerely,
Anna from the USA

Attached are some photos I took on the trip.

Around the Rock

Miguel?s Diving staff took a quick break for a beach dive at a location we consider too ugly to offer to guests. But what a great dive! Off a sand slope one huge rock pile forms a wall beginning at 18 meters down to a sand shelf at 30 meters. In an otherwise barren area, these rocks shelter an amazing collection of creatures. As we approached to check out the swirls of golden sweepers, cardinalfish, and Pink fusiliers, a white-tipped ray darted from the sand right as a Spanish mackerel made a pass to check us out. Around the corner darted a school of Silver pompano (Trachinotus blochii). Despite choppy surface conditions, visibility below was quite good. That?s why we saw them.

Rising from the sand below the rocks in deep water, a colony of strange, dark, eel-like fish nibbled at morsels passing in the light current before returning tail first to their individual burrows. They measured about 20 cm long. We suspect they are bannerfish (Acanthocepola sp.), an uncommon fish, one specie of which is only found in Indonesia. The ones we saw had distinct golden blotches on their tails, a feature not visible in photos of other bannerfish. Other rocks in the area hosted three species of morays. One rock was infested with Durban hinge-break prawns. Another rock clump was home for a family of lyre-tailed, undulating dottybacks, also not found in our fish books.

Whale Shark Sighting

Miguel?s Diving staff missed the whale shark this morning by one hour. Winds from the open sea are still quite stiff, but we ventured out anyway, diving twice in the confines of a bay that is mostly protected. Friends in the fishing village there told us of the five-meter long Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) that entered the bay earlier on its way along the coastline. Since ocean depths immediately off the beach measure hundreds of meters deep, whales and other large cetaceans swim very close to land. We also found another denizen of the deep, a nautilus shell being tossed by the waves. After our dives, we selected and bought one of the Mahimahi (also known as Dolphinfish or Dorado; Coryphaena hippurus) that our fishermen friends had just caught. It is filleted and waiting right now. Would you like to join us for dinner?

Predators 3

During off-season Miguel’s Diving staff are mostly confined to muck diving. This past weekend one muck dive along a mud and sand slope provided several first time sightings. This included encounters with muck predators. One surprise was finding three Ceylonese nudibranchs (Gymnodoris ceylonica). Don’t let their pallid, translucent skin and neatly ordered orange spots fool you. They are voracious predators that like to eat other nudibranchs. They are known to move to shallows en masse for mating. Since we found them among tuffs of algae at three meters, perhaps they have more than food on their minds.

At 20 meters we saw a beautiful Napoleon snake eel (Ophichthus bonaparti) swimming along the mud bottom. This eel’s white and dark banded body is only seen occasionally, since it likes to stay buried in the sand to wait for passing prey. Almost a meter long, this eel quickly decided the best way to elude divers was to enter the sand tail first, leaving only its spotted nose sticking out. Even though swimming fish seem to be its prime food source, we are not sure that the numerous thumb-sized, baby flounders we found are safe from this predator.

Not to be out done in conjuring terror was a giant mantis shrimp. It was still in its perfectly cylindrical, lined burrow. It watched us with strange eyes. The hole of its burrow was about 10 cm in diameter, which it filled. Even ordinary, small mantis shrimp species can split open shells with their pincers – or lay open a human finger to the bone with one snap. We can only imagine what damage a huge one like this could inflict. Could this creature battle alien predators in the next movie sequel? No need to wait at the box office. Search for it yourself in the equatorial waters of Gorontalo.

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.

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.

Sand Dive

During off season Miguel?s Diving staff get a little stir crazy and try to find ways to get a dive in. However, ocean conditions are capricious, often worsening dramatically in the course of only an hour or two. Such was the case last week when seas were clear and calm early in the morning. However, when we arrived at a site with our dive gear, surf pounding the reef and rocks had stirred up the sand. Thinking that we would swim underneath the murky water, we tried to approach from below. However, at 18 meters visibility was still less than one meter and much worse at shallower depths. So, we opted to dive a sheltered sand bank where visibility approached a stunning three meters. Underwater we could hear the surge churning the rocks.

Despite these horrible conditions, we had a great time searching the sand. We found various snails eating away at a fish head. A couple of seahorses were drifting swiftly with the swell. In addition to a damsel and a sand goby that we had never seen before, we saw the nostrils, nose, and eyes of two different snake eels. One was definitely a Napolean snake eel (Ophichthys bonaparti). These spectacularly patterned eels bury themselves in the sand, waiting for prey. Gorontalo is gaining a much-deserved reputation as the place to go for rare marine life.

Emperors Reign

Unexpected rain and shifting winds has made diving possible this past week along Gorontalo’s southern coastline. This has come just in time for special guests from Thailand. Even though visibility has been degraded by the bad weather of the last week (15 meters), the fish were out in force. At our Honeycomb dive site meter-long Lose-nose Emperors (Lethrinus olivaceus) came up from the deep to feed with schools of other fish. Stuck onto the wall, a cushion starfish hosted a number of dark, hump-backed shrimp that turned out not to be Emperor shrimp but possibly Periclimenes solor. We also dived the Traffic Jam and Alleyways dive sites today.

Last Day at Sponge Wall

The winds have shifted to the east, bringing rough seas to the Gorontalo side of Tomini Bay. Miguel’s Diving staff has been out to sea these last few days mapping and measuring a dive site. We rode meter-and-a-half swells heading out but had to go slowly on the way back. A couple of times huge waves doused the boat crew, allowing us to dive without leaving the boat! ;-) This is only the beginning of east wind weather, which closes diving in Gorontalo until the winds shift back to the west. Dive season in Gorontalo runs November to April.

Our last day of diving (in the ocean) today was great. Visibility was 30 meters and water temperatures remain 30 degrees Celsius. We finished mapping and measuring Sponge Wall, an alternate dive site we use depending on the weather. It is covered with sponges and gorgonian fans. The huge trumpet-shaped sponge in this photo is our distinctive Salvador Dali sponge (Petrosia lignosa), photographed at this dive site in March.

Haunted

Because of calm seas, Miguel’s Diving has been able to take Gorontalo’s Governor Fadel diving a couple of days. Today we introduced him to a new dive site, Jinn Caves. Visibility was a very nice 25 meters. Appropriately enough, a large juvenile batfish appeared out of the gloom. The governor described the site as shadowy and unnerving, telling his wife who was relaxing on board that he saw the two large eyes of a jinn. This remains an unconfirmed sighting.

However, on the ride to the second dive site, we all saw a cetacean gently breaking the smooth surface of the water several times. Noticeably more robust than our usual dolphin and with a small, deformed-looking dorsal fin, it may have been a pilot whale or a hump-backed dolphin. Its color was more bronze than black. We are checking with the experts.

Marine Manicures Available

Diving slowly has more benefits than just conserving air. Divers see more marine life and have a chance to interact. On a lazy dive recently, our dive master found several Pyjama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematopera). Many divers this season have hurried past that particular stand of Acropora without noticing this wacky-patterned and highly photogenic fish. It hovers practically motionless among coral branches. It has only been found at two dive sites in Gorontalo. For attentive eyes, two Urchin clingfish (Diademichthys lineatus) in the same stand of coral swam in their distinctive, lurching manner. Nearby a small nudibranch, Chromodoris reticulata, crawled over some rubble.

The other treat was a marine manicure courtesy of a mob of Sarasvati commensal shrimp (Periclimenes sarasvati), one of our new species. Easing next to an anemone crowded with these transparent, lavender-spotted beauties, our dive master offered his hand for inspection. Bobbing and weaving, these mini manicurists jumped on top to see what needed cleaning. Only a few meters away, a large Six-banded angelfish (Pomacentrus sexstriatus) parked on the sand, while other Sarasvati shrimps provided head-to-gill treatment. The fish was oblivious to the motionless, slow breathing human.

Okay, now it’s your turn.

Extendible

No, Indonesia’s new visa on arrival is not extendible. But the mouth of an undescribed specie of wrasse is. Guests diving yesterday with Miguel’s Diving got a direct look at this remarkable fish. Until it is officially named, we are calling it Yellow-spot slingjaw wrasse (Epibulus sp.), a specie distinct from the usual one (Epibulus insidiator) that is not found in Gorontalo waters. While approaching one of the huge coral pinnacles of the Sentinels dive site, we saw one of these fish being groomed by a cleaner wrasse. It detached its jaw several times during the cleaning process, once even extending it fully to form a tube about half its body length. No picture of this fish is available.

Guests also enjoyed the masses of schooling fish during a current dive at our Honeycomb dive site. Visibility was 25 meters and water temperature remains at 30 degrees Celsius.

New Sightings at Favorite Sites

In this morning’s 20-meter visibility, a lone Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) patrolled the large Japanese cargo wreck, a favorite dive site in Gorontalo. Towards the bow, a purple vase sponge one meter in diameter sat in 30 meters of water near the wall. At 20 meters atop the second wall, a bright Bluefin trevally (Caranx melampygus) circled encrusted metal beams. The real surprise was seeing a new specie of dottyback just below the encrusted anchor. With its orange dorsal fin and grey checked body, it most closely resembles an undescribed specie found in Raja Ampat and New Guinea. Nearby a school of beautiful Redspot cardinalfish (Apogon parvulus) hovered near branching Acropora. This is the first time this fish, found from eastern Indonesia to Japan, has been sighted in Gorontalo. During the safety stop, the dive master found a freckle-sized yellow nudibranch with black lateral line. A dozen meter-long Crocodile longtoms (Tylosurus crocodilus) came to look, too.

The ever-popular Traffic Jam dive site certainly lived up to its name for the second dive. With currents running - countless mackerel, fusilier, anthias, and unicornfish flashed silver, blue, yellow, and purple as schools swam below, above, and around. With so many fish, looking for macro subjects became pointless. All those fish even distracted the eye from the huge sponges characteristic of the Gorontalo walls. Visibility was 25 meters and water temperature 30-degrees Celsius.

Ethereal Blue

Diving the Japanese cargo wreck yesterday turned up more than the usual pair of Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) and Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) that frequent the spot. Large Spanish mackerel or wahoo were also hanging about. Below 20 meters the visibility was fantastic. The wreck’s immense profile looked clean, resting in deep ethereal blue water. Also, blue was a nudibranch with yellow gills and rhinophores that we had assumed to be a typical Bullock’s nudibranch. But the blue variation has not been documented. Guests last week photographed three of these on the wreck. We hope the photo turns out! While traveling to farther dive sites, we watched a lone frigate bird (Fregata sp.) approach a school of large fish that were jumping and thrashing the deep blue water. Because these birds quickly becoming water logged, they rarely try to snatch fish directly from the ocean. This one, too, decided not to try.

Dory & the Devil

This week one of the stars of Finding Nemo made her appearance. Yes, we saw Dory! Although quite common in western Gorontalo, only a single Palette surgeonfish (Paracanthurus hepatus) has been found on all the dive sites that Miguel’s offers. Dory turned up about a month ago as a baby hiding among an Acropora coral at the reef crest and about the size of a coin. We found her again still hiding, but having grown to about five centimeters.

Also making its come back was a devil ray (Mobula sp.). Last month these manta-like rays made some spectacular appearances here in Gorontalo. During our surface interval after encountering Dory, a meter-long devil ray splashed out of the water near the dive boat in full view of the guests. It jumped out of the water three times on its way out of a small bay.

Starry Night

Upon request, Miguel’s Diving can organize night diving, such as last night’s dive at Alleyways. Upon entering the water along the shallow sand shelf, our dive lights were swarmed by countless white worms. We discovered that anemones like to eat these, but that anemonefish just want to sleep. Marine encounters included an octopus, a squid, a slipper lobster, a ray, a moray eel, a scorpionfish, numerous lionfish, a Banded pipefish (Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus), several Bearded rocklings (Brotula multibarbata), and a Basket star (Astroba sp.), perched high on a coral head. Deep sleepers included numerous goatfish scattered on the sand and a large parrotfish tucked under some coral. The reef was crawling with crabs and shrimps, including many Barred saron shrimp (Saron marmoratus) and a spectacular Decorator crab (Camposcia retusa). The five nudibranchs sited included Asteronotus cespitosus, whose name means "latrine hole!" We surfaced under a moonless sky blazing with stars.

Chasing Vagabonds under a Rainbow

For a second afternoon in a row, Miguel’s Diving took guests to the City Limits dive site, only a five-minute boat ride. Today after looking at the tanker wreck, we were doing a long safety stop along the diverse coral wall. Our dive master located yet another colony of Pinkeye gobies (Bryaniops natans). Most amusing were two pairs of Vagabond butterflyfish (Chaetodon vagabundus) playing tag. A pair would slowly chase each other in a tight circle, then one would dash away with its partner in hot pursuit. Then they would resume their circle dance. Both pairs endlessly repeated this same behavior. With safety stop completed, we broke the surface of the calm ocean to see the entire arc of a rainbow.

Waiting at the Deep Point

Gorontalo?s Honeycomb dive site can make for rather athletic diving, given that it follows a deep, submerged point that juts into an often-ripping long shore current. The plan for the first dive was to approach the point from the west and merely hang out in the 20-meter range, watching what passed. It was quite a show. Blue-head filefish (Hoplolatilus starcki), usually seen in pairs above their sand burrows, were hovering by the dozens high above the substrate to feed in the current. Another resident of deep waters, Gilded triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus) swam in groups close to the scattered coral below.

A very dense school of amazingly blue Redtooth triggers (Odonus niger) swarmed in the plankton-rich current. A pair of intrepid Napol.ean wrasse rose from below the second wall for a closer look at the source of those strange bubbles. A quick glance up at the five-meter reef crest revealed a Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) casually viewing its realm. A Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) shot by. Dense schools of Single-spined unicornfish (Naso thynnoides) ambled back and forth along the wall. Just as the current quickened, a White-spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) complete with remora sailed by. How much comes to those who wait!

Descend. Relax. Marvel. Surface.

A single Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) glides over the coral wall towards the tanker resting in the darkness below. This wreck has been up side down for over 60 years. In the 15-meter visibility both ends disappear in the gloom. A goatfish scours the hull for food, stirring up puffs of silt. Damsels dance around the propellers. Above on the top of the wall a mantis shrimp digs furiously in the sand. A large Yellow-mask angelfish (Pomacanthus xanthometopon) plays hide-and-seek among encrusted pylons hanging off the wall. There, too, a Yellow-spot slingjaw wrasse (Epibulus sp.), an undescribed specie, flexes its extendable jaw. Above some rubble, a male Flasher wrasse, also an undescribed specie, pulsates his ornate fins to impress his harem. Endemic Orangeback wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis) swim frantically in mid water, gobbling plankton. That was part of this morning?s relaxing, marvelous first dive.

Barrelful of Lions

The Tjenderawashi barge wreck could be clearly seen from the surface. We could see the cables traversing the wreck?s up side down bottom. These cables were once used to tie thousands of barrels to the hull in a fruitless attempt to refloat it. Visible too was one of the many resident lionfish, patrolling for careless fusiliers. Visibility underwater was 15 to 16 meters. Miguel?s Diving staff has measured the wreck for mapping, so exact distances are known. As a result of this dive, the fish species for this dive site now total 115. Additions include the Banded pipefish (Doryrhamphus dactyliophorus), discovered hiding in two separate pylons.

While exploring the shallows, the dive master came upon a previously unknown barrel with half of its side torn away. Hiding inside were numerous, large lionfish, evidently having a private meeting in their own clubhouse. Poking its head out and blocking the entrance with its fins, one big one seemed to say, ?Do not disturb! Humans not allowed!?

Enter the Kaleidoscope

Descending into the tranquil waters of Gorontalo’s Silvertip Grounds dive site was like entering a kaleidoscope. Schools of fish feasted in clear water. Schooling pyramid butterflyfish were fluttering white and yellow. Blue fusiliers (Caesio lunaris) poured down the wall from one direction while countless Yellow-dash fusiliers (Pterocaesio randalli) swam from the other direction. Troops of large Elongate unicornfish (Naso lopezi) passed in formation far from the wall. These two-tone fish are considered uncommon – except in Gorontalo! Midnight and Black snappers (Macolor macularis & Macolor niger) in the deeper waters below still sported their juvenile white spotting despite their large size. That was only the descent!

And for the ascent to the safety stop: inside a 2-meter long vase sponge a Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus) was getting its morning picking-over courtesy of a Banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus). Visibility this morning was 20-meters and water temperature was a warm 30 degrees Celsius.

Sand Bottom: Full of Life

Alleyways is the only dive site that Miguel’s Diving offers with a relatively shallow sand bottom. The near end has a sand shelf at 3 meters before a steep sand bank. The first section of the dive site has a relatively flat sand bottom at around 16 meters. The last section of the dive site is an abrupt coral wall topped by a lovely coral garden. But what is there to see on the sand flat? Plenty!

Large Yellowmargin triggerfish (Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus) cruise this area and presumably are the culprits that have dug numerous large pits in the sand. Today, not only were the Spotted garden eels (Heteroconger hassi) weaving and bobbing but so too was a small, black juvenile Ribbon eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita) with a blue and yellow adult not far away on a coral rubble bank. One of a pair of Gold-spec jawfish (Opistognathus sp.) was completely out of its hole, waving its spec-tacular yellow barred tail as it carried a mouthful of sand away from its home and spit it out. A lovely spotted Chromodoris kuniei nudibranch lumbered over the sand while a large Coronation lyretail cod (Variola louti) patrolled overhead.

Flashes of Silver in Sulawesi

Today?s diving confirmed that Sulawesi diving produces memorable experiences. Gorontalo?s Traffic Jam dive site is popular both with visiting divers and resident fish. This morning in flat seas and 25-meter visibility more than just the usual schools of fish were streaming back and forth, up and down the wall. So were schools of Bigmouth mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta). Flashing silver in the morning sun, these delicious fish were swimming in tight schools below in the 30-meter range as well as above at the reef crest. Some schools seemed to steer away from the bubbles, but one school came within a few meters. These fish thrive in the plankton-rich waters of Sulawesi?s Tomini Bay. Those diving here usually see them swimming frantically just under the surface, mouths agape, so as to strain plankton through their gills. One recent guest thought this quite funny to watch.

When Wind and Wave Collide

Those familiar with Sulawesi diving know that currents bring out the fish. This was certainly true of diving this morning in Sulawesi’s Tomini Bay. The initial descent into calm waters soon required some upward finning in a couple of slight down currents. A couple of Napo.leon wrasse, a large adult and a juvenile, ascended for a closer look to see who was diving. On the surface of the ocean, lines of fast breaking waves could be seen, as the current began to pick up at the point. For diving, the current made for a wonderful ride. Schools of fish were everywhere. Schools of fusiliers blue and gold poured through others colored rust and yellow. Lighting fast Blue-fin trevally (Caranx melampygus) hunted aggressively. Various triggers fluttered in the current with Schooling pyramid butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis). A single White-spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) glided slowly past only a few meters away. Upon ascent, the ocean surface was boiling with white-capped, fast breaking waves because the wind and the current were heading in opposite directions. For the second dive we opted for a tranquil shallow reef closer to Gorontalo City.

Sulawesi's Rare Ones Were Out Today

Sulawesi diving is famous for its incredible marine biodiversity. While diving this morning at Gorontalo?s Shadowlands dive site, rare to uncommon marine life kept appearing. In addition to countless other nudibranchs, a large Halgerda sp. that is only known from northern Sulawesi clung to the deep wall. It looks like yellow-topped white tents splattered with large black spots. It is not yet described scientifically. The uncommon Leopard puffer (Canthigaster leoparda) hurried out of the third cave. Its limited range is Christmas Island, the Philippines and Indonesia (Moluccas). In front of the cut in the wall, a male Vlaming?s unicornfish (Naso vlamingii) displayed its spectacular blue tail filaments for all to see. This is the only location among various Gorontalo dive sites where it stays. Then, in the slanted cave inside the cut, a pair of rare Lantern puffers (Canthigaster epilampra) hid from the dive light behind a net fan. Why so shy? Sulawesi diving satisfies again!

In the Twilight

Miguel’s Diving can often customize diving to the desire of our guests. That was the case yesterday. Upon request, we did a late afternoon dive at the ever-popular Traffic Jam dive site. At this time of the year, it often rains in the afternoons. We arrived at the dive site in a driving rain. We descended into the warm ocean. Light conditions were very dim. The sheer coral wall took on an eerie glow. At 30 meters and below, huge gorgonian sea fans with polyps extended, shimmered in the remaining light. Visibility was an ethereal 30 meters. When we surfaced, the rain had stopped, leaving silky smooth seas. On the way back to Gorontalo City, the setting sun turned the ocean a light lavender.

Surface Intervals are Great, too!

You know it’s going to be an interesting dive when your backward roll lands you in the middle of a school of feeding fusiliers. The Honeycomb dive site is known for the holes in its vertical wall with sand inside, harboring the beautiful Sailfin shrimp goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) and its crustacean pal. Today I found several before being buzzed by a Giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis). A Hawksbill turtle glided down the wall. A large squadron of Humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) literally dive-bombed me. More than a few spewed me with the residue from yesterday’s meal, leaving streams of falling “particulate matter” in their wake.

During the surface interval, we pulled into a fishing village and watched the locals land their tiny canoes, which are just big enough to hold one fish. That fish is the Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), now running in deep Gorontalo waters. Residents hauled the meter-long tuna by stretcher to the shaded area where it was quickly filleted and its valuable meat put on ice, ready for export. The cleaned meat was weighing 70 – 80 kilos per fish. A lone fisherman with his hand line and no reel landed it. They brought in about six while we were there.

One of the highlights of the second dive was seeing a Redface dwarf goby (Trimma benjamini), a beautiful new species. It is solid orange with a large white ring around each eye. It is sometimes called Ring-eye pygmy goby. As I was watching this tiny fish, something cast a shadow around me. I carefully looked up and saw a school of Yellowtail barracuda (Sphyraena sp.) undulating as one overhead.

Jinn Caves Opens its Secrets

This morning’s early dive started in a swirl of fishes along the vertical wall heading toward the entrance to Jinn Caves. A mild current tempted massive numbers of fish to feed. Countless prickly Dendronephthya soft corals, pumped up to full size, swayed back and forth. With the return of seasonally calm weather, visibility was again the typical 20 meters.

As I headed inside the wall at “The Bypass,” a wide area cut back into and behind the sheer wall, I spotted an unusual butterflyfish with three black diagonal bands, fluttering along the inside wall. This marks the first time that a Burgess’ butterflyfish (Chaetodon burgessi) has been seen here. This butterflyfish is found adjacent to steep drop offs, sometimes in large caves, and usually in water between 40 and 80 meters deep. The fish today was only at 20 meters. It is only known from eastern Indonesia to Palau and the Caroline Islands.

Heading into the cut of Jinn Caves is always spooky, and this morning was no exception. But after only a few seconds of swimming into the deep gloom, the eastern wall appeared, plastered with huge sponges and black coral. A Pinnate batfish (Platax pinnatus) too large for one skillet hurried out, followed by a pair of wary juveniles. Inside the cut the visibility was unusually good, so that both western and eastern walls were visible simultaneously. On the mud bottom below a thumb-size Bullock’s nudibranch (Chromodoris bullocki) waved its wildly purple body back and forth. A Zebra lionfish (Dendrochirus zebra) rested up side down under a sponge. A pair of Black-saddled tobies (Canthigaster valentini) eyed me nervously.

In less than a meter of water, groups of sparkling blue demoiselles gave startled looks at the dive mask that rose from the depths to the edge of their narrow, shallow home. This fish resembles the Blue devil (Chrysiptera cyanea) but the orange-tailed males all have a dark tail spot. This Gorontalo variation is not listed on Fish Base. What could it be? In the rubble at the surface one of the guys found the green coil of a spaghetti worm out of its burrow and a little crab that looks like a tuft of algae. What could it be? Jinn Caves dive site still holds many secrets.

Gorontalo Diving in Mandarin

Jolly Huang’s account of her December dive trip to Gorontalo is available for Mandarin speakers. Her article for Diving Taiwan web site includes her impressions of the pristine conditions of Gorontalo reefs and her ecstatic encounter with her dream photo subject, the illusive Teddy bear crab. There are one or two comments in English posted below her article. A selection of her photos is available for viewing, some of which also appear in various places on Miguel’s Diving web site.

She also has a write-up on the ProMOS Diving Club web site as well as a message board string on Gorontalo diving.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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!

The Governor's Day Off

On October 26th Gorontalo Governor Fadel Muhammad took the morning off to go diving. Miguel’s Diving showed him two dive sites new to him, Honeycomb and Sentinels. He was extremely pleased with the vibrant coral, gigantic sponges, and myriad of fishes. He particularly liked the herd of Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) at the first dive site and the up-side-down swimming Coral shrimpfish (Aeoliscus strigatus) at the top of one coral pillar sentinel. Visibility along the Honeycomb wall was 30 meters. Currents were variable and conflicting, as is typical at this submerged point. Sudden, cool upwellings at both sites are typical of the new moon. Water temperatures were 28 C and 29 C respectively. I was pleased to add the Squarespot anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia) to the species list for the Sentinels dive site. Visibility was about 25 meters for the second dive. The local new species, the Orange-back wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis), showed up in two schools. Also, a couple juvenile Yellow-spot slingjaw wrasse were around, a species soon to be named.

When are you planning to come diving in Gorontalo?

So Many Fish!

We were out diving this week to collect sponge samples to send to The Netherlands for identification. It is possible by land to arrive near the Traffic Jam dive site. We borrowed a 2-meter long fishing canoe to travel only a few hundred meters around the point. Sea conditions are quite bad this time of year. Although we went in early in the morning before the winds started, the sea already had a heavy chop.

But below the surface, wow! This site is known for its sheer abundance of fish and it certainly lived up to its reputation. Schools of fish swirled around me. A large school of mature Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) flashed silver below. In the 30-meter visibility, I had just spotted a single juvenile Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) in the distance when a school of Yellow-and-blueback fusiliers (Caesio teres) enveloped me. Countless Redtooth triggers (Odonus niger) plunged down the wall.

Schooling pyramid butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis) fluttered like banners in the current. A Blue-spotted puffer (Arothron caeruleopunctactus) nearly one-meter long waited cautiously on a sand ledge for me to pass. During the dive I found two Giant moray eels (Gymnothorax janvanicus) and a species of commensal anemone shrimp (Periclimenes brevicarpalis) that I had never before seen, clearly a female from the number of parallel spots on her abdomen. I can?t wait for dive season to begin in November.

When are you coming here to dive?