October 2009 Archives

NEW FOR 2010 - Book a fantastic value-for-money 6-night All-Inclusive Dive Package and enjoy five nights in Kima Bajo (3 days diving) and one night in our Lembeh Cottages (2 days diving) and up to six Lembeh day-dives plus a FREE night dive!  All for just US$1060 per person, based on twin share.

Each of our two boutique cottages accommodates just six guests in comfort and is the best value available anywhere in Lembeh. Elegantly furnished and air-conditioned throughout, each double bedroom has an ensuite bathroom with western-style toilet, shower and hot and cold running water. The cottage has a cosy living room with large TV and DVD player, a separate dining room and an indoor camera room for photographers.

We know how important food is on your holiday. That's why we've spared no expense in ensuring that our cooks provide you with a delicious and varied menu of western and Indonesian specialities.

When it comes to your diving, it gets even better! Our highly experienced Lembeh guides know every inch of the Strait and will show you where the best critter action can be found. You'll dive off the most comfortable dive boat anywhere in North Sulawesi - Eco Divers own purpose-built vessel fitted with seated dive deck, dive tender/skiff, two toilets, showers, charging racks, sundeck and full safety features. We even serve a hot buffet lunch on your dive boat! Although the boat is able to carry many more divers, the limit will be just twelve guests with a guaranteed maximum guest-to-guide ratio of 4:1. Nitrox is available and we also offer full photo & video support services.

Lembeh Combo Dive Package includes:

• 5 nights' accommodation at Kima Bajo Resort & Spa in a Longhouse Room
• 1 night's accommodation at Eco Divers Lembeh Cottages
• 3 days' boat day-diving in Bunaken National Park (max. 3 dives/day)
• 2 days' boat day-diving in Lembeh Strait (max. 3 dives/day)
• 1 FREE night dive in Lembeh Strait
• Airport transfers and round trip Lembeh road transfer Breakfast, lunch & dinner
• Tax & service

Start the ball rolling and book today. Email info@eco-divers.com

 

  That's right, I have not seen yet an hary frog fish! I have been working and diving in Manado for almost 5 years and yet the little hary remains a quest for me.............it might have been due to circumstances or luck, I do not really know.

Honestly I have not been diving in Lembeh that much and unfortunately it happened to me few times to go back to the same spot without this critter.........but then............Big news...............along  the Coast of Manado has been "discovered" a divesite very good for critters such as: Hary frog fish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus, harlequin shrimps......wow you name it!!!

 The high season has kicked in, therefore I was very busy running the operation here and did not have the time to go and have a look at this divesite, anyway,...................................

Finally, I have got the time, I wake up in the morning with that sense of adventure and that taste of last minute organization and decided to go for it .

 Melky and Hany joined me, I prepared my camera very quickly and we have loaded the equipment in the car and there we go..........

We arrive at the spot, we park the car on the side of the road (very much Manado Style), we suit up and go in from the shore. Beside the 1.5m breaking wave at the edge of the reef everything looks good. We overcome the waves and we descent for the dive. Sandy button dive but I would not call it muck dive. The visibility is pretty good . Right at the beggining three robust ghost pipefish, after that more and more ghost pipefish. We stay shallow, 6m max, because it is the "Hary" that we want to see........40 min into the dive still no sign of the Frog fish, by then I lost contact with Melky........Bang, bang, bang, bang, ding ding ding. I hear a stick hitting on a tank.......It must be Melky I tell myself, I start to swim harder and look for him.......there he is, he defenetly looks like he found it, yeah he did but............................

You cannot believe!!!......................... He could find a BOLD "hary" frogfish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Afterwards when we have come back to Kima Bajo, we could verify that this is an Hary Frogfish, while diving Melky was taking a video of it and we could notice the tiger stripes on its side.

As conclusion Melky and I we have deiced to discribe this as a new behaviour:

"The Low Season Shaving Time Behaviour" ;-)

Look at the picture

Congratulations to Pascal and Ralf Cabos (son and father)  as they have successfully completed  their PADI Openwater Diver Course with us here at Kima Bajo under  the direct supervision of our Master Scuba Diver Trainer  Melky Runtulalo.

All Eco Divers Team gives you a big  welcome into this new  extraordinary World.

 

 

The Bunaken Marine Park is home of quite few families of Dolphins. As a matter of fact the species living here are Bottlenose , Spinners and common dolphins. Sometimes even pilot whales appear within the boundaries of the marine park. It is quite difficult but not impossible to see them while diving or snorkeling but very easy to spot them while boat riding to the diving sites. In the video you can watch by clicking on it, I was lucky to see this group of bottlenose dolphins passing by while diving underwater. Great Experience :-).

On October 10, Barb Jones from California completed her 2,000 logged dive while diving with Eco Divers's dive guide Adi at dive site Fukui in Bunaken Marine Park.  Barb together with her husband Dr. Alan  are our very good friends helping us with dive shows, PR and visiting us every year.

"All team is always very happy to meet you, and once again Jim, Cary, Kim, Miho and I would like to thank you both for the fantastic job and help you are giving us". 

Barb is a PADI Divemaster with dive experience in the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean's.

We were very happy to have , here at Eco Divers Kima Bajo, the first ever group from India diving with us. We had an excellent week with all of them and their leader and Instructor Neet Shah who could certify new divers. Congratulations to all new divers and also to the new Advanced divers. A special thanks goes to Flying Mantas dive club in Mumbay to have organized the trip and to the little Ana that with her sweetnes made all of us very happy every day!!

All Eco Divers Team wish you all the best and we look forward to see you back here soon .