My plan was to stay here for only 1 week, then go to the Philippines. But for several reasons, I stayed for 2 weeks. One reason is because you get an automatic 30day visa when you arrive in the Philippines. By leaving here on schedule, i was putting myself in the Philippines for 35 days. A visa can be extended, but it's a pain and costly. I have always extended, but wasn't worth it for 5 days! It made more sense to stay longer in Indonesia, and i love it here.
After being out of the water for 2 days, I told Delon i was ready to get back to it. Unfortunately he had some headache issues and went to the Clinic himself. I decided it was probably a sign that i needed one more day out of the water.
The next day we were ready to go. This was my last day of diving since you cannot dive and then get on an airplane within 24hrs, depending upon how many dives you’ve done, for how long, etc. They have ‘tables’ for all of that, to be safe.
He was anxious to get back in the water too. He said he would find some special things for me. This is a special one that Delon was specifically looking for, a Yellow-Capped Stiliger 8mm
A
very interesting Nudi ... the Psychedelic Batwing - Sagaminopteron
psychedelicum - 5mm. I love the name! They can actually unfold those
wings that are folded up on the sides, and 'fly'
A different angle, with different lighting
This is a cousin .. a White BatWing
This is a creepy Crab,.... i think it is a Xena Crab. I don't know why it's nostrum is so long ... ?
This has got to be one of my favorite critters. It is a crab. It is called a 'Boxing Crab' ... but ... I would call it a Pom Pom Crab .. or a Cheerleader Crab :)
I found some music to use with this, and put it on YouTube. Their 'pom poms' are anemones. Anemone's have a sting which the Crab uses as defense. You can also watch this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q531p033G8
These little guys are so cute. They are Costasiella kuroshimae
This
particular day seemed to be a 'hairy' day. I saw my first Hairy
FrogFish. He looks like i feel some days ... just too damn tired ...
maybe it's a 'bad hair' day
A Hairy Octopus ... which i never knew existed. It was a juvenile, and only as small as the first joint of my little finger.
And then ... a Hairy Shrimp .... again just a little fuzz ball, 1/4"
And this Hairy Shrimp had lots of eggs.
This Yellow Hairy-er Shrimp is carrying her eggs
Speaking of eggs. I've seen Nudi's mating, and I've seen Nudi eggs; but until now, I had never seen a Nudi actually laying eggs. When finished, the eggs will look like a rose. West Wind Hypselodoris or Hypselodoris zephyra
Ok, Back to Shrimps. There is no doubt that shrimps come in many different forms. This is called a Skeleton Shrimp, well-named i think !
and they are not always yellow ... i think the are so comical
This is a shrimp too ... a SeaStar Shrimp, ...of course, it lives on a SeaStar
I think some shrimp look like a crab; like this Whip Coral Shrimp.
A little Goby .. and i found this one MYSELF !
I love these Eubranchus, and i'm always so proud when i can get a photo of it. It's very small, and usually on something that is moving.
They call this a Donut Doto Nudi .. i like Pancake Nudi better
This is a Cyerca Elegans ... or ButterFly Nudi ... i LOVE these ! And, that is my finger so you can see how small these critters are !
These skinny white Nudi's are frustrating to photograph; but i got a couple this time.
This one is an Okenia
i LOVE Sea Hares ... i think they are just so cute. They actually have faces that i can relate to ... a deer? ... a rhinoceros? The eyes are the black dots, not the blues ones. This is a Lined Sea Hare.
This one has all kinds of 'hairy' stuff ... as i said, it was a hairy day :)
And this is a Freckled Sea Hare .. i think ... It was happily running through the 'field'; but he was watching me ... and not interested in having a photo shoot :(
I did get a quick video before he escaped
This is a Moray Eel,,, usually much larger; but this is a Blue Ribbon Eel. It can get 3', but isn't much thicker than a finger. Very intersting to watch. Blue is a Male, Yellow is a Female, and Black is a Juvenile.
Here is a short video of it ..
This was the last 'special' nudi that Delon found for me ... Purple Eubranchus ... rather rare and hard to find.
I didn't get to do as much diving as i would have liked because of my ear; but what i saw was amazing to me. And i am so grateful to Delon.
At 9am Pena took me to the Palm Beach Hotel, my go-to place to stay before catching a flight. It is close to the airport, and an easy walk to shop around, and to walk the beach.
Off on a 1:35 AM flight to the Philippines.
See you there.
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