Having arrived in Bitung,
we filled Bianca's water tanks at Air Perang, which is located approximately
2 miles north of Bitung at the foot of the inactive Dua Saudara volcanoes.
The very pure water here derives from the depths of volcanic rock,
high in mineral content. However, we used the freshly refilled spring
water on the boat for showering and washing ourselves. The spring
at Air Perang is surrounded by dense tropical forests making it tempting
to make a short stroll up a path into the jungle. Here, on the outskirts
of the Tangkoko National Reserve, one can encounter endemic animals
such as the Tarsius Spectrum, cuscus bears and anoas. Red hornbills
and sea eagles are among the local bird species.
Lembeh Strait - Lembeh
Island
We tied our boat securely
to rocks and trees close to shore only a stone's throw away from the
jungle. No need for stereophonic sound here. We were permanently surrounded
by serenades of exotic chirping tunes emanating from the densely vivacious
ecosystem in the vicinity. It was always time to dive again in the
Lembeh Strait, to get carried away by the infinite beauty above water,
is equally the case below water. All divers describe feeling overwhelmed
by the abundance of reef and muck critters and biodiversity here.
Among the fish and critter species we could identify were unique samples
of frogfish, devilfish, leaf fish, ornate ghost pipefish and Ambon
scorpionfish. There are crocodile eels, flamboyant cuttlefish, mandarin
fish, yellow mantis shrimps, Pegasus sea-moths, stargazers, and fingered
dragonets. There is a fantastic variety of nudibranch and flatworm
species, as well as red and yellow pygmy sea horses, a very minute
inconspicuous and highly rare sea horse species generally found clinging
onto sea fans. The pygmy sea horses found in the Lembeh Strait are
about 1.5cm in size and have adapted a skin structure and colour similar
to that of the gorgonian fan surface they inhabit. They are completely
camouflaged so you need sharp sight to discover them.Other fishes
sighted here are schools of mouth mackerel, jacks, barracudas, fusiliers,
(usually sighted north of Lembeh), batfish, cockatoo waspfish, decorator
crabs. The list continues with red waspfish, crocodile eels, crocodilefish,
yellow lionfish, ribbon eels, pearl-eyed moray eels, jawfish, the
bizarre black coral crabs, crab-eyed gobis, fuzzy squat lobsters,
the elusive mimic octopus, besides countless other critters and reef
fishes, plenty of which can be found in the shallows.
Lembeh also offers excellent
wreck diving. Some of which sank during World War II. The Mawali and
Bimoli wrecks are among the favourites. The dives on the wrecks are
great and there's plenty of soft corals and good numbers of fish,
nudibranch and critters to see. The visibility is sometimes decreased
due to the plancton, thus heavy rain showers in the vicinity bring
silt down the mountain slopes surrounding Bitung and sediment content
in the water increases. However, the visibility is always good enough
to indulge and experience some phenomenal diving! The Lembeh Strait
offers over 30 good dive sites spread out mainly to the north of Bitung
and around Lembeh Island.
