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Photo credits to Jim Watt, Chip Scarlet & Kararu Dive Voyages.

Fantastic diving in Komodo

Warm greetings to all readers of the Kararu Dive Voyages Newsletter.

In this edition we bring you some very good reasons why we love diving Komodo.

To sum it all up in a few words, our summer months in the Komodo National Park are nothing short of exceptional. The KLM Aurora is currently in the annual dry-dock, making sure she is in absolutely great shape for this summer's Komodo cruises. So read on for some great tips on how to dive Komodo and specific information on fantastic Komodo dive-sites. We will feature the much loved dive-sites Horseshoe Bay  & Cannibal Rock from Rinca Island in Komodo.

Read on to find out why your next cruise should be to Komodo!contact info@kararu.com to book a trip in 2011 with us to one of the very best destinations in the Indonesian archipelago.

You can also check out some special deals on selected 2011 Komodo.

6 Tips on How To Dive Komodo

How to get the most out of your Komodo experience,

In general, I begin our trip report with a run down of what we've seen and things we've experienced...a laundry list of critters, creatures, and corals. Today I would like to do something a little different. In addition to making you extremely jealous with mentions of the cool things we've been doing, I'm also going to give those of you who haven't been here (or have, and are coming back) some tips on how to get the most out of your Komodo experience. So grab a fresh cup of coffee and settle in for a little story...

Tip One: Get Local Knowledge. Let's say you were planning on learning to skydive; what would be your selection criteria for the outfit you plan to undertake this semi-risky activity? The color of the plane? Or maybe the one that gives you a free cocktail after your jump? If you answered yes to any of these questions, stop reading, I will most likely end up offending you. If questions like, “How long have they been in business?” and “What sort of local experience do they have?” didn't come up, you might want to stay away from anything that involves leaving your sofa.

There is no substitute for local knowledge. With the influx of boats into the area, the focus seems to have shifted from the quality of the diving experience, to the style of the bathroom tile. Kararu has been operating in the Komodo area for a decade and we know it intimately. In addition, the vessel KLM Aurora offers the most spacious and comfortably appointed camera room in the region.

Tip Two: Attitude is Everything. We love to dive Komodo. It just so happens that it is also our job. The diversity of the Komodo region allows you to have vastly different experiences all on the same trip. From Sangean's world class muck diving to Gili Lawa Laut's shy pinnacles, there is no end to the excitement. Let yourself be taken on a wild ride at Banta's Highway to Heaven. Pick one of the ten Ghost Pipe fish we found on one dive at Sangean and take the best picture of your trip. Watch one of the twelve different species of nudis we found at Torpedo Alley mate.

Tip Three: Open yourself to a unique experience. A lot of divers want the “signature experience”, they come with a checklist of things to be seen and done. If the list is not complete, the trip was not a success. With the unbelievable amount of both new and well-documented subject matter to be found, the right attitude will get you what you want, a truly unique experience.

Another great photographer who have been with us several times before, Cathy Church, said “The best picture of any subject has not been taken yet...”. Well we've got subjects to spare. I spent yesterday with four dolphins swimming within a arm's reach through schools of fusiliers that you could hear moving underwater. And that happens just about every time we dive that site. We found ten Frog fish on a night dive in Sangean.

The next night it was Harlequin Shrimp and Starry Night Octopus. Then we went to see Stargazers and Torpedo Rays.

We have found at least one un-described species of nudibranch on every trip this season. See what's right in front of you, not what someone told you should be there.

Tip Four: Have it Your Way. Bottom time is king. On 98.9% of dives in Komodo (yes I actually calculated that) we do not limit bottom time. You paid for the whole tank, why not use it. With our three twin-engine tender boats (each with two crew members on board) will pick you up whenever and wherever you decide to end your dive. Constant radio communication between the tenders and the main vessel insure that you can feel safe doing long dives.

Your camera, tank, fins and any other equipment you don't feel like carrying will be brought to and from the tenders each and every dive. With a complement of 16 Indonesian crew there is no shortage of helping hands.

Tip Five: You Can Take Pictures Out of the Water Too! The topside scenery in Komodo is nothing short of spectacular. Land tours on either Komodo or Rinca will get you up close and personal with a few Komodo Dragons.

Beautiful white sand beaches, sheer ocean carved cliffs, and a 2000 meter high active volcano also make for some pretty cool backdrops.

The Aurora has three outside seating areas complete with plush couches, flexible sun chairs, and incredible views. I admit, it's hard to get up from the ultra-comfy and ultra-spacious air conditioned salon with it's almost 270 degree panoramic views, but sunset on the top deck is not to be missed.

Tip Six: Book now. There is no better time to be here. Contact the office and we'll take care of everything. It only takes a phone call or an email and you're on your way. With it's robust mix of un-believable macro, stunning reefs and fish life, and exciting topside activities, Komodo deserves the fantastic reputation it has acquired. Every season here is better than the last, so that means the one you're on will be the best we've had so far!

Thanks for reading and we hope to see everyone soon! Cheers.

Kararu Dive Voyages & Captain Hergen Spalink

Great dive-sites in Komodo

Horseshoe Bay  -  Rinca Island

Horseshoe Bay is shaped like its namesake - with Rinca Island forming the outer Arc & Nusa Kode forming the inner one. The colder plankton-rich waters of the Indian Ocean make this area slightly colder than the northern regions of the Park. Despite the temperature drop, the incredible amount and bizarre array of sea-life still gets everyone in the water at least four times each day. With everything from turtles, mantas, and whale sharks coming by Horseshoe Bay is well worth the extra neoprene!! 5mm wetsuit is recommended for this area, especially on night dives.

Home to some of the most written about dive sites in Indonesia, Horseshoe Bay is a literal treasure trove of things large and small. The Indian Ocean waters causes the dive sites here to be overflowing with life, from huge amounts of yellow and orange soft corals to schools of fish so thick they block out the sun. Horseshoe Bay is located in the south of the island of Rinca. World class  dive sites of Rinca and Kode are : the “Yellow Wall of Texas” (or  sometimes  called  “Larry’s Yellow Wall of Texas- after famous and beloved dive guide LARRY SMITH) , “Cannibal rock”  ”the  Overhang” and  “Crynoid point” at Nusa Kode.
                     

Underwater it is a divers and a photographers paradise - encounter everything from purple gorgonian fans (some can be more than 2 m tall)  - which host pigmy seahorses, colorful corals, clown triggerfish, giant groupers, sweetlips, longnose hawkfish and green turtles. Especially Cannibal Rock has sites something to please everyone! Encounter white tip reef sharks, zebra crabs, giant pink frogfish, crocodile fish, sea horses, .enormous green and blue magnificent anemones swaying back and forth. Sea apples (Pseudocolchirus Violaceus) are found in abundance!

Depth is  5 – 35 meter
Visibility approximate  5 – 20 meter
Currents can be sometimes very strong
Water temperature ranges from 20 (Southern Rinca) - 25°C

Cannibal Rock

Cannibal Rock lies in a channel just to the south of Rinca Island.
It is a small seamount in the well protected Loh Dasami Bay, between Rinca and Nusa Kode, which allows for easy diving with little current.

Night dives are excellent, especially on the sandy slope of the northern side of the island. This site is famous for its varied and colorful invertebrate life.

Rich soft corals and other sea cucumber species are among  many surprises, as well as flamboyant colored nudibranchs , fire urchins with Coleman shrimp and Sea apples.. The fish life is spectacular with an array of scorpion fish, schools of red snappers and surgeon fish.

As we approach the divesite, Divers can make out the top of the pinnacle, marked by breaking waves.  Descending deep down in the south, you will find enormous green and blue anemones swaying back and forth,  Sea apples (Pseudocolchirus Violaceus) in  abundance with bright yellow or cream tentacles, which they use to filter feed on plankton.

Coming out  of the depths, you may be visited by black-blotched stingrays and  making our  way east or north, you'll be astonished by the sizes of the purple gorgonian fans, some over 2 meters tall. These fans are home to the pygmy seahorse . Encounter dense lime green whip coral ferns and yellow & white spiral corals, look out for yellow-ribbon sweetlips  and  gold-striped fusiliers.  Even green turtles can be seen, which feed on soft corals
The shallows are loaded with featherstars of all colors and blue tunicates add ultraviolet shades to the already colorful diving.

Special Komodo Deals in 2011

There are also a few spots left on some upcoming trips to great diving destinations so if you can travel on a whim, book fast and receive attractive discounts! We have selected a few trips below where we still have limited availability.

12-11 Labuan Bajo-Alor (JUNE 02-09, 2011)

Dive the best of Komodo, Flores and Alor. Join Kararu Dive Voyages’ team of experts on one of her most famous routes. Embarking from Labuan Bajo, Flores and disembarking in Alor, guests can enjoy great diving from 3 different areas: Komodo, Flores and Alor.

June has always been our favorite time of year for Komodo as it marks some of the best diving & weather conditions year round! There are only a few spaces left, act fast! Contact us directly for great deals on this trip.

15-11 Bima -Labuan Bajo(JULY 06- 14, 2011)

Join Kararu Dive Voyages for the best of Komodo National park. Departing from Bima, Sumbawa, this trip will take you straight to the many incredible dive sites around Komodo. This trip ends in Labuan Bajo, which gives us even more time to dive in excellent conditions which July normally brings. There is only a limited amount of space left on this trip, place your booking now!

Please contact us for more information about these special deals

Next Issue

We will be featuring David W.Behrens & Christiane Waldrich on their 2 trips to Komodo in the next issue. Christiane is the owner of the beautiful Villa Markisa (www.villa-markisa.com)located in Bali and Dave Behrens is an internationally recognized marine biologist. In 2010 Dave gave 3 highly successful workshops at Villa Markisa Dive Resort in Bali with 280 different species of nudibranchs listed within 3 weeks of diving.

The Kararu team and management looks forward to welcoming you on board our vessels for the liveaboard scuba diving expedition of a lifetime. Please feel free to contact any of us at any time or see the 2011 and 2012 cruise schedules at our web site. www.kararu.com/schedules