Diving with Ketut
The day I started diving with Ketut as my Guide and Eyes, the weather turned less favorable. This is a video of the shoreline when I arrived. Not beautiful white sandy beaches, but large and small black rocks, from the volcano Mount Agung. The tiny critters I like to photograph love this rich volcanic soil.
We do not enter the water from a boat, instead we walk in the water. Which means navigating those rocks with a 40# oxygen tank, 13# weight belt, plus another 8# for the rest of the equipment. It's difficult enough when you can see the rocks to walk on, more difficult when you get in the water and CANNOT see the rocks and where to step. Delon and I did alright, although it still wasn't easy.
It is difficult and, as much I have hated it, I've abandon the idea that I do not need some help. An arm to steady myself with,... and catch me if I start to fall, ....and to help me up when I do, (I did fall once, in the water, so no injury).
Now add to that challenge some nice big Lake Michigan waves, by the time Ketut was ready to take me into the water. We did 1 dive, and although we survived the entry and exit, the diving was difficult because of visibility. And the surge from the waves made it difficult to hold the camera steady. I cancelled the 2nd dive. However, I was surprised that I did get some photos.
Can't decide the name of this one
This is a Goniobranchus leopardus 50mm
This is a new Nudi for me. I did some research and I think it is a Cerberilla about 10mm
This is a Sea Moth, a pretty color and about 2", and very mobile. Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/saaNkLRJUcc
Another beautiful Nudi, Redline Flaballina, I think...
I watched this YellowMargin TriggerFish for awhile. I've always loved TriggerFish. You can see why it is called 'Yellow Margin' ... check out the yellow color on it's fins. This is a rather big fish, up to 2 feet. This one was about 18" and looking for something to eat.
The next day the waves were bigger and the wind picked up. I told Ketut that I wasn't going to dive. But I needed something to do. I called Pena and asked him if he was working, and maybe he could come and get me and take me to his home. We had talked about this previously. This seemed like a good day to do it. He asked me if I could ride a motorcycle, with him driving. Yes, of course. He lives the other side of Amed, about 1/2hr drive. He said we couldn't get a car up to his driveway, so needed the bike. I had no idea of how 'rugged' it was going to be. A tiny 2' path, with rocks, all up hill, and many many switchbacks. I wasn't sure how we were going to make it, me holding on tight and he maneuvering around those turns. It took about 15min, whew! It is impossible for me to think of living up there, and having to go up and down on that path, with a wife and 2 kids. He said it's only bad when it rains, because then it's very slippery ! He is way up there. You can see how high we are. This is the view from his home, overlooking the sea.
This is new info to me ..... in the dry season ... all the leaves fall off the trees and it's totally bare and brown; like our Winter! He said their view of the ocean is much nicer then. The 2 kids on the left are his, the other a cousin, who lives next door. It is a 'family' property, and they all work together to survive.
Look at all the beautiful and colorful heavy stone work in the entry. And, remember what I said about how to get up here. So, they had to haul it all, up that hill. It's mind boggling, such hard work. He has chickens that he raises, selling the roosters and the hens. He wants to start a Pig Farm... again. He had 8 pigs a few years ago, but lost them all in 2019 to the African Swine virus. It killed 3.5 million pigs and devastated the farmers/families.
You might know I would notice a Milkweed Plant growing :)
They grilled an amazing fresh White Snapper (I've never heard of White Snapper) for me. Prepared with turmeric. It was delicious ! A very eye-opening day.
The next day I quickly checked the water... the waves just kept getting bigger. But I was determined to dive. Ketut got me in and out of the water and we had 2 good dives, even though the conditions were terrible. He is always able to find things for me to photograph. Some very special, hard to find ones. Like this Cyerce kikutarobabai (10 mm). Cute little eyes !
I think this one is an Okenia, it was really small and sparkly.
A larger Nudi, Goniobranchus kuniei 30mm
Tiny again ... also a new one for me ... check out this name possibly... Plocamopherus tilesii 5mm
Mexichromis trilineata With Eggs
Also a new Nudi for me.... I REALLY love these colors, maybe Tenellia sp 3/4"
Another new one that I couldn't see until i got it on the computer... Trinchesia sp. 10 mm ??
Another pretty one I can't find the name of ... maybe Unidentia ?
The next day the waves were still troubling. We went to a dive site that they thought would be more protected.... it was worse... there was no one there. So we went to Sidem. I looked suspiciously at the waves, but we tried it and Ketut got me in.
This was a pretty Nudi, that I could see....Starry Carminodoris ..estrelyado 1/2"
And .... a really cool Hairy FrogFish that I've never seen before... the colors ! He (how could this be a female...with a beard?), was very tiny, maybe 1/2"
And finally a large Nudi ... Lumpy Dendrodoris carbunculosa ... a very descriptive name
Look at the size. Ketut is not a small guy.
Also this Halgerda terramtuentis with speckled rhinophores. Also new to me
I said we got 'in' ok ... but getting 'out' was another matter. The waves had gotten even bigger. The guys that work at the Dive Site, were standing in the water trying to grab on to divers and drag them to the shore. Including me. I would almost get my feet down when another big wave would push me back. I have a 'metal stick' that I carry with me when I dive, sometimes to anchor me. I held it out to him and he grabbed it and pulled me in. It looked something like this.
I know most of us Michiganders grew up playing with waves like this, as I am. But, when you are in full scuba gear, it's more difficult
The sun was shining and we hung around. This is actually mandatory, and called a 'Surface Interval', designed for your body to expel excess nitrogen that builds up during diving, which can be deadly. But I walked up to Ketut and said, 'you know I'm not doing a 2nd dive today'. He seemed a bit surprised, but said 'ok'. I was not going back in there... i was exhausted!
The next day was even worse. No diving for me. But I told Ketut that tomorrow, my last day of diving, that we were diving 'no matter the weather'. That afternoon I asked Ketut if we could dive early in the morning, since the waves seem to be less vicious then. This is my last day of diving before I leave, and I really wanted to dive! We agreed to meet at 6am. And, it was better, and the weather forecast said it would get better each day now .... Of course, since I'm leaving :(
We got in the water ok, and Ketut showed me this very tiny yellow Nudi. I think I found the name, Phestilla melanobrachia ... at only 5mm. I honestly had no idea what I was seeing. Look at the pretty tiny flower-like things inside the cerata.
I found this one myself !! Can you see the little black spot of an eye ?
Meawhile Ketut found this one, I took 25 photos of it and none perfect. I think I've idenitfied as Phyllodesmium poindimiei ?
Not so bright colors .. maybe a Trapania euryela 7mm ?
From what I can find, this would be a "Cow Nudi" - Trapania sp 7mm ?
As far as cows go ... I think i'm better at this one ... what a beautiful clean shiny baby calf living by the Dive Site.
About this time, I started having trouble with the light for my camera. And within a few minutes it was gone gone gone. It had a total charge, but it was done. I panicked, of course. And it took me awhile to remember how to set the camera to work without the light. I was not very successful. I'm not sure what this is, but the lighting does not look natural.
This one either :(
Thankfully, I got it better adjusted just in time for this darling tiny FrogFish.
Look how pretty the tail is.
How tiny was it ????? This is Ketut's little finger, still gigantic compared to it.
So that was the end of the dive, and the end of my diving at Matahari Tulamben, and unfortunately the end of my light. Not sure what I will do from now on ... I'm pretty bummed about that.
This is Ketut and me before I left the next morning. I promised I would return, but never in January again, I'll wait until March next year, and hope for better weather.
Indonesia covers a vast amount of space. I realized that it actually
encompasses THREE time zones.... color appropriately; and I was in all 3
of them on this visit.
Pena took me back to the airport the day before my flight.
I checked into the Palm Beach Hotel. The same place I've stayed 5 times, before departing Bali. My flight left at 1:35 AM; so I checked in, took a nap, had some dinner, another nap, and then a taxi to the airport around 11pm for a 4.5hr flight to Manila, in The Philippines. Bali and Manila are in the same time zone.
I'll be back with another Blog after I get setttled in The Philippines. I've made no plans/reservations ... for the rest of my trip. So stay tuned.
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