Indonesia: Swirling Steps
From the October, 2008 issue of Scuba Diving Magazine. Dive Log: Secret spots & must-see dive classics.
Even before I leap into the water at this site, I'm briefed about the strange current here. At 90 feet, I feel the strength of the downward drag. My dive guide, Rantje, points to a grayish gorgonian fan jutting out from a rocky ledge at 120 feet.
As the current pulls me deeper, I reach the fan. It's about five feet wide and appears faded, so I shine my light on it. Voilà! Its stems are golden white, and its intricate, hexagonal flower-shaped polyps are a stunning powdery blue. I'm told there are only four places in Tomini Bay with this exotic species of blue sea fan. It's worth every bit of effort enduring the strong current to encounter such exquisite natural art.
"I have come across this rare species of blue gorgonian only a few times. This one, looking so velvety and plush, is definitely the largest, most pristine and prettiest of all."
| Here, along the northern edge of Tomini Bay on the island of Sulawesi, is where wall diving is at its best. Years of erosion of the area's limestone walls have created some of the funkiest coral formations anywhere. Whales and dolphins can be seen, but on these walls, it's all about the sponges, from vases and barrels to trumpets and one with a pattern of intricate grooves and swirls local operators call the Salvador Dali sponge, after the work of the surrealist painter. The dive season is from November to April, and you can choose either a land-based operator or live-aboard. Jakarta (CGK) is the nearest international gateway to Gorontalo (GTO), and two domestic airlines, Sriwijaya Air and Lion Air, link the two cities. A Los Angeles-Jakarta round-trip is cheapest on China Airlines, via Taipei, for $1,073. The Jakarta-Gorontalo leg on the Indonesian domestic carriers takes about four hours. Learn more at miguelsdiving.com. |
