Jez Tryner — Bali
FiNS Magazine contributor Jez Tryner is currently diving around Bali. Here are some brief updates from Jez:
8 August: Last week found me in Bali diving with the guys at Tauch Terminal in Tulamben.
It had been 10-years since my last visit to Bali, so I was eager to see how different the sites were from what I remembered, particularly the wreck of the USAT Liberty.
I was greeted at Tauch Terminal by the General Manager William, who offered us a welcome drink and then gave us a guided tour of the resort’s gardens and facilities, including the new spa. At the dive centre, William explained that I was in for some great diving, as conditions were extremely good.
The following morning we met up with our dive guide for breakfast and headed for the shore. An Indonesian woman half my size carried our tanks and dive gear (two at the same time!) to the entry point — amazing, and quite humbling. We geared up and entered the gentle swell at the edge of the beach.
The wreck of the Liberty has, if anything, improved with age. The coral growth on many parts was so dense, that you can no longer see the super structure that I clearly remember investigating on my last dive here many years ago. Coupled with a swirling school of jacks and excellent macro life, the wreck surpassed my expectations.
The quality of light coming over the wreck through the clear water highlighted the colours and shadows formed by the collage of corals and wreck, creating a beautiful, surreal effect. To put it mildly, I’m glad I had returned to this spectacular dive.
Next stop on my trip is the new resort just down the road, Scuba Seraya explore the waters around Amed and try our hand at muck diving Bali style.
12 August: After a great time with the guys at Tauch Terminal we have moved a little bit down the coast to the luxurious Scuba Seraya resort. Hosting only 10 villas, 4 with your own personal enclosed garden and out door bath tub this is the way to dive. Using their custom zodiacs you are to and from the sites before you can get your fins on.
I have been wanting to dive here for a long time after hearing everyone I know wax lyrical about the amazing critters to be discovered in the black volcanic sand just off the beach, getting quite good at these beach entries! (It’s the exits I have to work on)
We were not disappointed, after another faultless beach entry, we were cruising along the black sand slope spotting harlequin shrimps, frogfish, harlequin morays, 2 in one hole, boxer crabs, huge seahorses and loads of different unusual nudibranchs.
This type of site is not for everyone but if you think you have good eyes come on over here and do the Seraya eye test.
18 August: Having forcibly removed myself (it was the only way I was leaving) from the luxuries of the Scuba Seraya, I find myself back onboard the luxurious liveaboard M/Y Mermaid 1 for the next few trips bound for Komodo.
This 5-star floating hotel runs from Bali to Komodo all through the summer months in Indonesia starting every Saturday from Bali’s Benoa harbour.
There is no finer way to do this trip, diving world-class sites during the day and cruising to Komodo during the night.
In clear waters, Mantas, mola molas, dugongs, turtles, grey reef and white-tip sharks, and all the macro life you can shake a stick at have been spotted during the trips so far this year; nearly all are weekly occurrences. It truly is world class diving at it’s best, so why not join us for a trip of a life time.
29 September: This week we have been staying at the beautiful Bali Hai Tide Huts on Nusa Lembongan and diving with the friendly and professional guys at Bali Hai Diving Adventures. We were kindly invited over by Michael Cortenbach of Bali Hai Divers to see the yearly aggregation of Ocean sunfish or Mola mola that occurs here between the months of July and October.
The reason for this gathering is not known for sure but most authorities on the matter agree they are here to spawn.
Drifting along the wall looking for Mola mola’s I was acutely aware of the clock ticking away, especially as these creatures are known for staying in the depths. But I needn’t have worried — our guide excitedly pointed out the surreal-looking creatures within 5 minutes. Slowly we swam toward the dark shape as it materialised into the un-mistakable form of the sunfish. And what an animal! It was 3 metres high from fin-tip to fin-tip, and simply hung in mid-water whilst being cleaned by masses of longfin bannerfish. We watched as the cleaning continued and hastily grabbed some shots. When it was finished with its personal grooming, the elusive creature slowly drifted off into the blue leaving us with the memories of another of the deep’s mysterious giants.
