Indonesia, here we come ...
- Grateful Diver
- I've Got Gills
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Indonesia, here we come ...
Cheng and I are joining another couple we often do dive trips with for a 3-week tour of Indonesia.
We'll be flying from Seattle to Taipei to Denpasar, Bali ... where we'll stay for three days and dive at Tulamben, in the northeast part of the island. Cheng and I have been to Tulamben before ... but we were very new divers back then ... we're looking forward to returning now that we actually know how to dive.
Tulamben is a great place to dive. There are three distinctly different sites there, all accessible (easily) from the beach. To the south is a wall, dropping down to depths well below anything I'd want to do. To the north is a WWII shipwreck ... the USS Liberty ... which ranges in depth from about 25 feet to about 120 feet. It's completely covered in the most beautiful corals I've ever seen. And directly out in front of the beach is a slope they refer to as the "Coral Gardens" ... aptly named.
After Tulamben, we fly out to a tiny island called Bimi, where we're boarding a liveaboard ... http://pelagian.wakatobi.com/pel_homepage.htm ... for a week of touring and diving the Komodo area. Then we fly back to Bali and on to Sulawesi for eight days.
Our first four days in Sulawesi will be in the Bunaken area ... on the northwest side of the island. Our second four days will be in the Lembeh Straits area ... on the northeast side of the island.
Finally, we'll head back to Bali for a couple days of sightseeing and offgassing before flying home.
We're leaving on March 8th, and returning on March 30th ... hope to have some stories and pictures to add here when we return ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
We'll be flying from Seattle to Taipei to Denpasar, Bali ... where we'll stay for three days and dive at Tulamben, in the northeast part of the island. Cheng and I have been to Tulamben before ... but we were very new divers back then ... we're looking forward to returning now that we actually know how to dive.
Tulamben is a great place to dive. There are three distinctly different sites there, all accessible (easily) from the beach. To the south is a wall, dropping down to depths well below anything I'd want to do. To the north is a WWII shipwreck ... the USS Liberty ... which ranges in depth from about 25 feet to about 120 feet. It's completely covered in the most beautiful corals I've ever seen. And directly out in front of the beach is a slope they refer to as the "Coral Gardens" ... aptly named.
After Tulamben, we fly out to a tiny island called Bimi, where we're boarding a liveaboard ... http://pelagian.wakatobi.com/pel_homepage.htm ... for a week of touring and diving the Komodo area. Then we fly back to Bali and on to Sulawesi for eight days.
Our first four days in Sulawesi will be in the Bunaken area ... on the northwest side of the island. Our second four days will be in the Lembeh Straits area ... on the northeast side of the island.
Finally, we'll head back to Bali for a couple days of sightseeing and offgassing before flying home.
We're leaving on March 8th, and returning on March 30th ... hope to have some stories and pictures to add here when we return ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
"Hope to have" some stories and pictures? Hah! I hope you're taking a laptop with an empty hard drive . . .
As you know, Peter and I had a ball in Bunaken and Lembeh. Although Bunaken is clearer water and more color, I enjoyed Lembeh even more. It's the kind of "go slow and spot the camouflaged critters" diving that Cove 2 prepares well for. And the critters are so outlandish and improbable (as well as sometimes quite beautiful). Be sure to do night dives -- LOTS of stuff comes out and cruises at night!
As you know, Peter and I had a ball in Bunaken and Lembeh. Although Bunaken is clearer water and more color, I enjoyed Lembeh even more. It's the kind of "go slow and spot the camouflaged critters" diving that Cove 2 prepares well for. And the critters are so outlandish and improbable (as well as sometimes quite beautiful). Be sure to do night dives -- LOTS of stuff comes out and cruises at night!
"Sometimes, when your world is going sideways, the second best thing to everything working out right, is knowing you are loved..." ljjames
Have a great time Bob. I know you've been looking forward to this for a long time.
Brian
Brian
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"It's a lot easier when you're not doing it" - CaseyB449
"There needs to be more strawberry condoms. Just not on my regulator" - DSteding
"It's a lot easier when you're not doing it" - CaseyB449
"There needs to be more strawberry condoms. Just not on my regulator" - DSteding
- Grateful Diver
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we outta here ...
Making one last swing thru cyber-space before heading out. The shuttle picks us up in a couple hours, and at 1:30 AM our plane leaves for Indonesia (via Taipei). I don't expect to be on the Internet for the next three weeks or so.
Y'all play safe ... catch ya on the flip side ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Y'all play safe ... catch ya on the flip side ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Have a great time, Bob! Be safe and post lots of pics when you get home.
-Ron T.
"When I'm 80 I'll take up real diving, which is done in a pub..." Ray Ives.
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My Dive Pics...
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"When I'm 80 I'll take up real diving, which is done in a pub..." Ray Ives.
253-227-0856
My Dive Pics...
https://www.facebook.com/RETOPPPHOTOGRAPHY
- Penopolypants
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Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Have a great time, and please wish Cheng a happy birthday!!
Come to the nerd side, we have pi!
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Be safe and have FUN! Happy Birthday Cheng! :occasion5:
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Safe journey and diving.
Looking forward to the pics and report on your return.
[Ah, another dive trip I hope to make someday...]
Looking forward to the pics and report on your return.
[Ah, another dive trip I hope to make someday...]
More Pics Than You Have Time To Look AT
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
- Grateful Diver
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Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Got back in last evening, after a grueling 40-hour final day ... those time zone shifts are killer.
Anyway, had a great time ... 54 dives, nearly 59 hours of bottom time.
I'll write up a trip report and do a photo show when I get a chance. In the meantime, a couple "teasers" ...
From Bali ...
From Komodo ...
From Sulawesi ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Anyway, had a great time ... 54 dives, nearly 59 hours of bottom time.
I'll write up a trip report and do a photo show when I get a chance. In the meantime, a couple "teasers" ...
From Bali ...
From Komodo ...
From Sulawesi ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
- Penopolypants
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Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Welcome back! I can't wait to see the rest of the photos and report!
Come to the nerd side, we have pi!
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Welcome home! Can't wait to hear all about it . . . You're going to need to schedule a night for a dinner and slideshow, I think!
"Sometimes, when your world is going sideways, the second best thing to everything working out right, is knowing you are loved..." ljjames
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Welcome back Bob!! Can't wait to hear all about it!!
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Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Welcome back Bob. While you were gone we all went diving in the snow and I don't think any of us managed 59 hours of bottom time. You definitely win this round. Pictures look great. Glad you're back safe and sound. Rest up. We'll be here waiting for the full report and pictures when you're ready.
-Ben
-Ben
"The place looked like a washing machine full of Josh's carharts. I was not into it." --Sockmonkey
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Welcome home!
-Valerie
-Valerie
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
GratefulDiver wrote:In the meantime, a couple "teasers" ...
WOW! Holy Moly! I can't wait to see more! Welcome home Bob and Cheng.
- Grateful Diver
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Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Got the photo show done ... the trip report's gonna take some more work.
It's kind've long ... had trouble paring it down to about 125 pictures. And for the first time, I really felt the limitations of a point-n-shoot camera. Some of the subjects are so small you'd have trouble seeing them with the naked eye, and others were big enough or distant enough that a strobe would've been more appropriate. But here ya go ... enjoy ...
http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/UX2xw6in
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
It's kind've long ... had trouble paring it down to about 125 pictures. And for the first time, I really felt the limitations of a point-n-shoot camera. Some of the subjects are so small you'd have trouble seeing them with the naked eye, and others were big enough or distant enough that a strobe would've been more appropriate. But here ya go ... enjoy ...
http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/UX2xw6in
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
So, it appears that the only underwater species you didn't see was the Elusive, Trilam Clad PNW Diver! Fantastic photoshow Bob.
- Penopolypants
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Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Beautiful! All those nudis and cuttlefish. And frogfish. And mantas. And seahorses. And...well, all of it, really.
Come to the nerd side, we have pi!
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Awesome, Bob! I can't wait to hear what you have to say about it!
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading - Lao Tzu
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Grateful Diver wrote:...But here ya go ... enjoy ...
http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/UX2xw6in
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Bob, thank you for sharing. Amazing subjects, but the photography is equally pleasing. You've really outdone yourself. I bet a lot of those shots took a great deal of patience. For example, I love the Mandarin fish, and aren't they extremely difficult to observe? (Rarely expose themselves) Bravo!
-Ben
"The place looked like a washing machine full of Josh's carharts. I was not into it." --Sockmonkey
- Grateful Diver
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Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Yes, the mandarin dive involves long periods of time searching among the corals to find them ... then patiently waiting for them to rise out of the corals for their "mating dance". They apparently only do this at dusk, and you have to keep your light well shielded. The thing is this makes it difficult for your camera to focus on the subject, and the time lag between when you push the shutter button and when it takes the picture is longer than normal.airsix wrote: Bob, thank you for sharing. Amazing subjects, but the photography is equally pleasing. You've really outdone yourself. I bet a lot of those shots took a great deal of patience. For example, I love the Mandarin fish, and aren't they extremely difficult to observe? (Rarely expose themselves) Bravo!
-Ben
I used the "blind squirrel" approach ... took maybe 60 pictures and got a few that were in focus and with the subject still in the frame ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: Indonesia, here we come ...
Welcome back, Bob. What a show. From Manta to Pygmy and everything in between. And with P&S camera. My compliments master Bob.
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I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown
I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. by Unknown