Wicked’s eighteenth trip of the Komodo season got off to a sun drenched start, as the Jaya headed towards Sebayor for an exploratory sunset snorkel. With nine return guests, Jason, Lee, Kim, Choi, Inyoung, Willhelm, Ellen, Jay, Louise and Paulina joined by three new guests, Lee, Sarah and Phil, spirits were high. After some debate, and lost bets, about the water temperature around the island (it was 27 C by the way), guests were treated to a snorkel in a new spot which proved to be an excellent location. Those who decided not to snorkel enjoyed a sundowner as they watched the sun set behind always stunning Sangeang.
After a refreshing night’s sleep, the dive day started early with a drift dive in the Passage. For those already in the know about Komodo’s secrets, the Passage did not disappoint. For the newcomers, this was a fabulous introduction. Barracudas schooled, white tips prowled and huge bumphead parrotfish dissected the incredible school of fusilier that gathered in huge numbers at the end of the channel. If this wasn’t enough for one dive, one lucky group had the chance to see a group of twenty ray mobula (devil rays) pass over them, blocking out the sunlight. Castle and Crystal Rock were added to that days itinerary and a night dive at Karang Bulan Penuh (Full Moon Reef) presented spanish dancers for everyone which was a first for many divers on board.
The next day on the Komodo Liveaboard started with dives at Karang Makassar and along with black tip and white tip sharks and eagle rays, Karang Makassar also gave up its prize of manta rays for all the divers. The next dive site, Tengah, showed another, craggier and rawer side of Komodo with eagle rays and a huge school of barracuda tornadoing off the reef.
This day was topped off by a sunset mandarin fish dive at Wainilu. The shy mandarin fish, highly prized by divers worldwide, came out at sunset displaying their marvelous colours and were also joined by their cousins, the slightly bolder but equally beautiful, picturesque dragonets.
Wainilu was explored in more depth the following morning. With so many reefs, pinnacles and channels in Komodo, guests were pleased to find that you can even muck dive here. In amongst the algae and coral heads, weird and wonderful creatures such as frogfish, spider crabs, fingered dragonets, papuan cuttlefish, nudis in all shapes and colours, including Pikachu nudi were spotted. The final stop on the trips itinerary was Rinca to see the famed Komodo dragons.
Whilst not diving, guests found time to invent a new game, well, a variant on the well known game of Uno. First of all speed rules were introduced, then more rules, such as lay a 4 and make an animal noise, were added with a hilarious outcome. Dubbed Spuno (speed uno) and Confuno (confusing uno), it was agreed that if you weren’t fast and confused then you weren’t playing the game right.
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