mini-NEDfest in Bali -- and a Mola Mola Dive

It was a 4-day diving mini-NEDfest in Bali, after the ADEX 2004 (Asian
Diving Exposition) in Singapore, consisting of NEDs from 4 continents,
including several whose names have appeared in rec.scuba.* for one reason
or another <G>, Bjorn and Soyong from Singapore, Strike and Sylvia from
Australia, Mika (Michael Doelle) from Germany, Sue and Bob (da Feeesh)
from the USA, and several friends of Bjorn from Singapore. We were
also joined by Viv (who never missed any NEDfest) from Perth, Australia,
who flew over for the weekend just to do two days of diving with us, and
she was the only one among us who had seen a Mola Mola UW before!

We were head-quartered at the Sanur Grand Hyatt Regency, and did 10
dives with BIDP (Bali International Diving Professional) in 10 different
sites, all in the SE of Bali, around the small island of Nussa Penada,
about 1 - 1.5 hour boat ride from the dive shop near the hotel, in two
nearly identical boats each with twin 200-hp outboard motors.

BIDP is an exceptionally well-run, excellently equipped shop with very
competent and friendly DMs (at least three of whom were PADI instructors
and one PADI instructor trainer). Each boat had comfortable tank and BC
set up for 10 divers, and on the last day of our diving, we had FOUR DMs
with our group of 6 divers (all experienced divers).

One reason for the 2-divers for each DM arrangement during the 4-days
of diving was the characteristically unpredictable and extremely fast
currents that can suddenly start with no warning signs (and can change
directions) during the course of a dive. In fact, in 9 of the 10 dives
there had sudden swift currents during the dives, several of which were
the grab-the-rocks-for-dear-life type! In that respect, the diving was
SIMILAR to Coco's Island (cold water, swift currents) EXCEPT the swift
currents in Bali were usually in 20-30 foot visibility at the fastest
drifts (compared to the 100-150 ft vis in Cocos) that made the fast
drifts all the more treacherous -- and there were no sharks to watch
during those hand-ripping-from-rocks currents.

So much for the generalities.

We dived these sites:

Day 1: 1. PED (Nusa Penida). 2. Toyapakah. 3. Gammat.
Day 2: 1. Karang Sari. 2. Batu Nunggul. 3. Tugu.
Day 3. 1. Batu Aba (Elephant Rock). 2. Manta Point.
Day 4. 1. Timbang. 2. Blue Lagoon.

The most memorable (and by far the best) of the dives was the Batu Aba
dive in which we hoped to see a Mola Mola, and we were not disappointed.

Except for the first dive, when I rented a 3-mil shorty from the shop
because they said the water temp was around 21 deg C (which is about
70 deg F), and I was prepared (with my lycra and 1.5 mil suit for 80F
diving! As it turned out, on the very first dive, there were thermoclines
down to 76F, but at least half of the dive was in 84-86F water!! So,
I dived with my 1.5 mil suit the rest of the trip.

All of the above was relevant to the Batu Aba dive. BEFORE the dive, the
briefing was that the water would be COLDER than the previous two days,
and the current was stronger (in the region we should avoid getting
drifted into). So, I was mentally picturing I'll be diving in 70F with
my 1.5 mil suit, in ripping current. And before I could say "Oh sh*t",
Bjorn was already in the water making a shivering gesture! )

THAT did it! I decided that dive was going to be SHORT for me, and since
we already have two expert and expertly-equipped photogs (Bjorn and Viv),
with their fancy Nikonis and monsterous sized strobes, I decided to leave
my MX-10 camera (which I found at 150 fsw in Cozumel a month ago) on the
boat.

In THIS case, I told the real photogs that they can thank ME for leaving
my camera on the boat, because the Mola Mola (the first all of us
except Viv had ever seen; and probably the last I'll ever see) showed
up within about 5 minutes we entered the water. It was as majestic and
quiet and seemlingly motionless as a submarine -- slowly gliding through
us. At the closest, I was within about 8 feet from its nose as Viv and
Bjorn were at nearly that distance, but a bit farther so as to catch the
SIZE of the animal with their wide-angle lense -- on different sides of
the Mola, snapping pictures away.

The best I can describe a Mola Mola is a HUGE finless dolphin BODY, with
two large fins attached to the TOP and BOTTOM. The one we saw was easily
12-14 feet in length, and about as much in fin-span. It was an awesome
sight. Mr. Mola was in no hurry to get sway, but it did make one
circular turn, and was gone for the day! The divers at the other boat
said they saw two Molas -- or perhaps they saw the same one, twice.

The rest of the dive was anti-climatic though this dive had by far the
best visibility (nearly 120 feet) almost without any current, and the
water wasn't nearly as cold as I had dreaded, only down to 76F at spots,
so I was comfortably warm throughout the rest of the 50-minute dive.

We dived only a small portion of the possible dive sites in Bali, all in
one small Nusa Penida Island area, so I am not even sure if the diving
is representative of all diving in Bali.

But since I am a Warm Water Wimp, and the kind of sudden-death currents
are a bit too strenous for senile citizens like myself, and it's so far
to get here, it's unlikely that I'll ever dive Bali again. But for those
who are don't have cold-water-phobia, or low-vis dives, all the sites we
dived had very rich varieties of hard and soft corals, as well as tons
and tons of reef fishes and nudibranchs. I must have seen EIGHT different
species of anemonie (Clown) fishes, half a dozen colorful star fish,
some very colorful nudibranchs and slugs, among a rich assortment of other
"small" to "medium" Pacific fish much of which I can't even identify!

We're now waiting for your flight from Bali back to Singapore, and about
28 hours in the air later (DPS - SIN - NRI - SFO - IAH - ATL) we'll
almost be home, for a few days rest before our next trip.

-- Bob.