Courtyard of the Kings: Diving in Ambon
Mike BartickThe undisputed king of the macro world is the Rhinopias, a genus of scorpionfish, often regarded as the holy grail of critters. Rhinos are an ambush predator that mimics an injured fish as it moves across the substrate with a clumsy, yet effective, gait. Unsuspecting prey that move in to investigate are overwhelmed by the speed and powerful strike of the Rhinopias, seemingly without warning. This yellow-green version matches the Halimeda algae perfectly as it lies in wait for its next meal.
Mike BartickCommensal shrimp (Periclimenes imperator), such as the emperor shrimp, can be found on many of the larger nudibranchs making for photogenic subjects.
Mike BartickA filamented flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus filamentosus) is shown as it slows down enough to be cleaned. The cleaning stations become very active in the late afternoons with many of the exotic fish that are otherwise tough to photograph.
Mike BartickLook closely and you’ll see a decorator crab hidden inside this bunch of hydroids. Many of these crabs use other living organisms such as algae or, in this case, hydroids to disguise themselves, hiding during the day but becoming active at night. The attached hydroids will continue to grow and live as normal.
Mike BartickSoft coral shrubs sprout from the sand and support a variety of finds. The soft coral ghost goby (Pleurosicya blodinghi) makes for a dramatic image as the branching arms of the Dendronephthya corals surround and dwarf it.
Mike BartickA shorthaired hairy frogfish is shown fishing for a snack. These elusive and active frogfish are always an exciting find and can put on an impressive show for photographers.
Mike BartickHarlequin shrimp (Hymenocera elegans) aren’t often seen in the open, but these two were dragging this blue star to their hideaway where they will flip it over and feed on it, keeping it alive for weeks or until it is completely consumed.
Mike BartickNudibranch lovers love Ambon as it offers a wide variety of unusual finds. The Phyllodesmium in this image was so large that I almost needed a wide-angle lens. These nudibranchs are also known as solar-powered nudis, as the algae that they farm within themselves photosynthesizes with sunlight, creating a simple sugar and source of energy.
Mike BartickAn intensely purple Rhinopias eschmeyeri was one of the three we found while on this trip. Its impressive bucket-sized mouth can strike as fast as lightning when it is so inclined, allowing the Rhinopias to consume fish as large or larger than themselves.
Ambon is often discovered quite by accident, as the nearby Raja Ampat Marine Park tends to heavily overshadow the area. Guests often book a few days prior to their liveaboard trip to relax, acclimatize and to do a few checkout dives before their big trip.
If the name “Raja Ampat” translates into “The Four Kings,” then Ambon must surely be regarded as “The Courtyard of the Kings,” since so many of the high-impact critters of the Indo-Pacific come together here to create a memorable visit, however long your stay.
Located in Eastern Indonesia in the Maluku (Mah-loo-koo) Island chain, Ambon was once regarded as one of the Spice Islands and shares a long history with the Dutch trading companies stretching back hundreds of years. Nowadays, Ambon is best known in circles of macro photographer for reliable critter encounters, and tops the list for best-kept secret among divers in this group. It’s normal to hear guests ticking off their critter list after each dive — ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp, frogfish — but the main draw here are the real kings, the Rhinopias that divers find on a regular basis, and which keep guests looking for more on each dive. Ambon truly is the courtyard of the kings, and the toughest part about diving here is leaving.
