Archive for March 20th, 2007

Sangalaki Beach: Hard and Soft Corals here are Amazingly Prolific with over 500 Species

Sangalaki is the world Capital of Mantas. At Sangalaki the familiar set of Manta Rays emerges from all directions. Their wing tips breaking the surfaces at regular interval. Snorkelling is the way to interact with this gentle plankton feeders. Totally unperturbed by your presence, they swim in eurythymy and sometimes glide right up to you before making a sharp nose-dive into the blue. It is not unusual to find them encircling you.

Though most of them are about 3,5 meters (12 ft) wide with a white belly, there a few black giant with a 6 meters (20 ft) wing span - we refer to them fondly as the Darth Vaders.
The sensation of looking through their giant mouths cannot be described, it must be experienced. it is totally out of this world, so much so that one published writer reported that he was whacked by his own adrenaline.

Sangalaki is surrounded by a shallow langoon and the reefs start a distance out from the Island. SInce there is so much shallow reef here, threre is a vast diversity of marine life, and since the area is a protected marine park, the reefs are quite pristine.Most Dive sites are shallower than 65 feet (20 m). The reef slope gently and all dive sites have excellent shallow areas for the end of your dive. The hard and soft corals here are amazingly prolific with over 500 species present around the island. It is a good place to see both large and small marine creatures. When you look up after watching a colorful Nudibranch, don’t be surprised to see a Turtle or Manta Ray swimming by.

Sangalaki can be reached via Balikpapan, Indonesia or via Tawau, Sabah by an hour flight to Berau and two hour boat ride down the scenic Berau River. The Island of Sangalaki is lcoated off the East coast of Indonesian Borneo. The Sangalaki Dive Lodge Resort is uncrowded, the diving is spectacular, and exotic marine life. You’ll see Cuttlefish, Blue Ribbon Eels, Turtles,Manta Rays, Sharks, dozens of species of Nudibranchs, hundreds of species of hard and soft corals, shools of brightly colored Fusailers and zillions of colorful reef fishes.

Source : www.indonesiadiving.com

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Maratua Island, Indonesia: Incridible Drift Dive and The Surrounding Walls

Maratua, about an hour from Sangalaki by boat is a large island with a massive lagoon. The island only rims part of the lagoon, the rest is fringed by reef and wall. A channel into the lagoon is an incridible drift dive and the surrounding walls are loaded with hard and soft corals
Imagine you are sitting on a ringside seat, the arena an underwater colosseum at 100 feet, beneath you and abyssal plunge beyond the depth of mortal endurance.

The arrival of a lone 7 foot great barracuda heralds for the show to begin. A dark cloud emerges from the distance, like an uprising tornado, as it twirls toward you, the dark mass metamorphosizes into silvery screen of barracudas, thousand… uncountable.

Eight spotted eagle rays pear from the liquid information whilst heavy bodied gray sharks arrive at an electrifiying velocity to break up a school of big tooth trevalley.
I saw this performance thrice, and after having over 8000 sojourns is tropical water, this site is among the very best in my experience. The location was discovered by Mr. Nawawi - he graciously shared this secret domain of deep with us. The water boils, your adrenalin reachers a record high as a huge giant black spotted Bull raylooms over you to cross th terrain of golden and red coral trees.

Large Dog-tooth tunas and mackerels make up the chorus line to fleeting appearence of hammerheads and mantas, this show is the greatest show on earth beneath the sea, the performance limited to twice daily everyday of the year.

Source : www.indonesiadiving.com

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