Welcome to Bali currents

Yesterday I had a DSD (Intro dive) to conduct. Nice lady, American, curently living in Bali, volunteer working in a childrens home. We watched the safety videos, completed all paperwork, finished the classroom session and headed to the pool. The usual fun and games trying to get a 5mm full wetsuit on when your hot and sticky, always good for a laugh, its like having a complete workout in 36 degrees C. We jumped into the pool, completed the 4 skill circuit without any problems, bimbled around the deep end practicing buoyancy before being let out into the ocean.

Quick jukung ride out to Blue Lagoon where the conditions seemed perfect, and the dive went perfectly for 20 minutes until the current changed. Suddenly we were in a massive down current with our bubbles coming up from underneath us! With full contact and control of the DSD student, we ascended, popped the safety sausage and hung on for the 3 minute safety stop. When we finally surfaced, we had been swept a good 500 metres around the corner into the next bay and along Tanjung Jepun.
As usual the boat crew had been following bubbles (and the sausage) and were just above us at the surface, so back onto the boat after 33 minutes of pure exhilaration, being swept along, watching sealife rush past.
Not sure what the student really thought, she seemed to enjoy the experience, and will certainly have a story to tell when she gets home.
Just show you how quickly the currents can change in the beautiful, powerful ocean we call home.

First dive of the 'New Year'

Yesterday was Balinese New Year, Nyepi, Day of Silence. A very sleepy day at Padang Bai, with no guests and, of course, no diving!
Today, we're back in business! 2 x dives Blue Lagoon, an old favorite with divers. First dive was to Tanjung Jepun, where there is a small fishing boat wreck and an artificial reef developing. The wreck is at 17 metres, been there for approx 2 years now, and the corals and sealife are getting a hold on the boat. It seems to have a resident Frogfish, who lives on the bow. Came across massive cuttlefish just beyond the wreck, who sat and sparkled at us for a few minutes, before being spooked away. Sometimes we come across the Odyssey submarine at this dive site; its a weird sensation, hearing and feeling the subs vibrations through your whole body. Then, suddenly, out of the blue, come a huge white submarine, with little guest faces at the porthole windows! Surreal :D
So, selamat hari raya Nyepi (1932) tahun baru to everyone for yesterday, hope you too had a peaceful day in the quiet of Bali.

Manta and Nusa Penida

Dull start to the morning, after a night of heavy rain, but the sun managed to burn through the clouds by the time we were loading the boat.
Calm sail through the strait and onto Manta Point, where we were the first boat there. Plenty of Manta swimming at the cleaning station, visibility was as usual. Lots of photographs taken, happy guests then back to the boat.
Second dive to Nusa Penida, Ped drift site. Hopefully looking out into the blue to spot Mola Mola swimming by, but no luck in spotting anything exciting.
Chilly too, with 22 degrees C!

Nusa Penida

Yesterday gave a beatuiful warm day at Nusa Penida. Sental first, very little drift, cool at depth (22 degrees C), then S.D. stronger current this time, thresher shark in the blue, lastly after lunch, Ped, where we ended the dive hanging on the safety stop directly over a feeding turtle. 3 lovely dives, and very happy dive guests.

Oh, and the new small boat is ready, and made its first maiden voyage to Tepekong this morning.

Tepekong

Diving at Tepekong and Mimpang was planned for this morning. However, the full moon had other ideas; as we approached Mimpang we could see the current was strong, so we decided to try Tepekong first.
Wonderful, calm dive at Tepekong, 3 small reef sharks in the cave, so happy divers, and plenty for the photographers in the group.
When we had finished the surface interval, we took another look at Mimpang conditions, and decided against a dive there today, the current is too unpredictable for the 3 novice divers we had in the group.
So, on to Blue Lagoon, Drop-off, where we managed to find the leaf scorpionfish on his rock, squid, blue spot ray, Lionfish, stonefish plus many more.
Manta point again soon..........!