Back to Bali Big Blue Pt 3

Super excited that I will be back to the dive site that is so interesting. Ever since I first dive at this site last month, I been waiting to dive here again whenever I can. This is the site for those who loves much diving and looking for all the tiny creatures.

What an interesting find. So good to see this weird looking Ambon Scorpion Fish! Another fish that able to 'walk' with their fins.

There are lots of nudis too. Such as this Phyllidia ocellata nudibranch.

Another amazing looking nudibranch - Goniobranchus Coi

I will never get tired of taking nudibranch photos. Another beautiful nudi - Mexichromis mariei

An Nembrotha kubaryana hanging on to the hydroid in strong current.

Another interesting find! This skeleton shrimp almost invisible taking shelter on hydroid. Not to mention the tiny size of just few millimeters.

When diving in this part of the world, very high chance that you will find something that not in any guide book. Such as this un-describe Eubranchus sp. nudibranch.

Familiar? Does it looks like a Pikachu? Another interesting nudibranch that undescribe - Thecacera sp.

Yet another un-describe species of Eubranchus

I really don't know what I am looking when see them underwater. About 3-4mm with strong current, really not sure what I am taking and only can see the details when I view it on my pc. Yet another Costesiella sp. that you won't find it in any guide book.

This pair is probably Costasiella kuroshima?

This Costasiella usagi really looks like a sheep. I am sure will go back to Bali for more! Just can't get enough of all this cute little, tiny creatures!

Back to Bali Big Blue Pt 2

2nd time in a month do have advantage. Knowing what to expect and I have more target in mind after my last dive few weeks ago. I'm so looking forward to tomorrow dives as I have special request to dive at a place I like it very much during my last visit here. 

Even though I really look forward to tomorrow dive, that doesn't mean today diving will be boring. Turtle sighting for my first dive. What a good start of this diving trip.

This creature is almost invisible when first saw it underwater. Is a benthic ctenophore or more commonly known as Comb Jellies or Sea Gooseberries.

A very colourful giant clamp

A huge Emperor Angelfish

Saw this fish that 'walk' at the bottom of the sea.

No surprises why this crab is called Orang Utang crab.

Egg ribbon of Spanish Dancer nudibranch.

Another well camouflage Short-fin Lionfish

Possibly a Triviidae (sea snail)

An octopus is out to hunt for food. I will say this is a good dive and not boring at all.

Back to Bali Big Blue

Merely after  month coming back from Bali after my last dive, I am at Bali again joining my friends for another dive trip. However, the visibility is much worse than my last trip here.

It happens to be on a full moon and we see the highest wave on the shore and that make our entry to the water even more challenging. Is the worst visibility that I ever had for Bali. The visibility is only about 3m at max. This was due to the strong current that brought up the silts from the bottom.

As usual, Liberty wreck is one site we will go whenever we dive here.

The Liberty wreck become even more mysterious under the low visibility.

Is always exciting to see sea turtle  up-close.

Liberty wreck became our playground for a day.

Strong current also means that is easier to see garden eel up-close too without worry that they will burrow in as they are feeding most actively during strong current.

This is how bad the visibility today, anything after the fish about 3m away is almost disappear.

One last look at the nemo (clown fish) before we surface.

Bali Diving Day 2-2

A total of 3 dives planned for Day 2 of our dive trip. We start with Liberty Wreck follow by Coral Garden and last at Melasti.

Saw this lone Moorish Idol while on our way down to Liberty Wreck.

A cleaner shrimp was waiting for their customer to pay them a visit for the quick cleaning service.

Mantis shrimp may looks harmless and beautiful, they can easily smash divers camera lens or mask easily with their very powerful punch.

A very familiar anemone or clown fish aka Nemo taking shelter on the anemone.

Clark's anemone fish using carpet anemone as their protection.

Another shrimp that depend on bubble coral for their protection.

A crab is well camouflage in this soft corals. Lots of animals in the coral reef rely on other stinging animals such as anemone and corals as their protection. What and privilege to be able to see them in their original habitats.

Bali Diving Day 2-1

For Day 2, the dive site is further away from our resort. We are not really hardcore divers, instead of starting at 7am we started our first dive at 8am.

Today dive sites will be Tulamben a short drive from our resort at Kubu. There was a huge school of fish waiting for us when we enter the water.

Diving in this part of the region is rather "challenging". The challenge to identify all the fishes that we encountered!

Even eel, there are so many different species that we saw.

From Moray eel

to Ribbon eel. Dive here really spoil for choices...

Bali Diving Day 1-3

In order to survive in this huge community underwater world, other than camouflage, hide & seek, commensalism seem one of the most commonly adaptation.

This goby is working hand in hand with snapping shrimp. Snapping shrimp good in burrow but with poor eyesight. By having goby take on the duty of watch tower, is a win-win for both the goby and the shrimp. The shrimp has poor eyesight, but is good at constructing and maintaining a burrow. The goby on the other hand has good vision, but not good at creating burrows. By pairing up, both offer valuable protection on the reef.

A Nardoa novaecaledoniae sea star sitting at the bottom of the coral reef.

One of the most photographed critters by divers non other than sea slugs that come in all colour and shape known as nudibranch such as this Goniobranchus geminus

Goniobranchus leopardus

Hypselodoris tryoni in trailing position.

Hypselodoris apolegma that with very bright colour.