Batavia Air Arrives in Gorontalo - September 22, 2008
Indonesian carrier Batavia Air has just opened a red-eye non-stop flight from Jakarta to Gorontalo. The flight departs from Jakarta at 0100 hrs and arrives in Gorontalo at 0500 hrs, then leaves Gorontalo at 0600 hrs, arriving back in Jakarta at 0730 hrs. There is a one-hour time difference between Jakarta and Gorontalo. The actual jet used arrives in Jakarta from an international flight from China. This schedule is anticipated until Gorontalo's tarmack expansion is completed late in 2008 when night flights can resume.
Posted by Miguel at 08:29 PM
Searching for food - September 16, 2008
Although this is not diving season in Gorontalo, Miguel's Diving staff and several guests braved the swells and did a couple of dives in a protected area about 15 mintues travel time by speed boat. Visibility was between 5 and 12 meters, way down from what is typical during regular diving season, which begins in November. However, Gorontalo's marine environment provided some exciting encounters, including sighting a large Hawksbill turtle and Nap.olean wrasse and swimming among all the various schools of fish. As the group was surveying a deeper flat before the lower wall, the divemaster heard dolphins. Then suddenly a school of Yellow-dash fusiliers blasted right through the group, obviously fleeing something. A bit later a school of about 20 Dogtooth tuna came in and circled the divers several times. On the second dive the divers watched in fascination as pairs of Green chromis laid eggs and spawned in a section of rubble. Meanwhile overhead, a baby four-meter long Whale shark played on the surface, the fourth whale shark sighting this year.
Posted by Miguel at 07:49 AM
Web Site Update - August 28, 2008
Miguel's Diving web site has just been updated with changes in information on travel options. For example, Air Asia now connects Kuala Lumpur with Makassar (Ujung Pandang) and beginning in September with Manado. Gorontalo is located in between these two Sulawesi cities.
Also, we have dedicated one page for Gorontalo Oasis Hotel. Current package information in available on a separate page.
Posted by Miguel at 08:29 AM
Bouncing Baby Barnacles! - June 03, 2008
After a couple days of rain that provided a break in the stiff winds, Miguel's Diving crew were able to venture out to do some reef cleanup yesterday. To our amazement billions of freckle-sized dots were in the water column. These turned out to be baby barnacles whose early life is pelagic. Some were visibly moving; others pumping water. After floating free in the open ocean, a baby barnacle will find something to which to attach and begin to form a hard protective shell. Many yesterday were being gobbled up my schools of fusiliers. Translucent blue jellyfish with long stingers were capturing some, pulling them slowly into the mouthpart. But according to our count, there remain far too many for the available space for barnacles in Gorontalo.
Posted by Miguel at 05:32 PM
End of Season - May 24, 2008
The dry stiff winds from the east that now dominate the waters of Tomini Bay mark the end of diving season in Gorontalo. Happy and intrepid guests from Ody Dive in Jakarta managed to get in three days of diving over the May 1st long weekend. This past weekend gal pals Mira and Lita from the same dive school took advantage of another holiday and helped us end a great season. Miguel's Diving staff managed to work around the weather issues to provide satisfying dives. Their final day found them swimming with a family of Napo.lean wrasse and a spectacular encounter with mating cuttlefish. Winds will begin shifting back in October. The next diving season officially begins in November. See you then!
Posted by Miguel at 02:55 PM