Mega Adventurer

Room with a view

9/10/11th June 2025

Flew from Gatwick Monday 9th June at 14:30 and arrived at Bali Denpasar @ 16:35 Tuesday 10th June. Novotel Bali Airport was just 5 minutes walk away as promised and turned out to be a reasonable place to stay. I'd booked breakfast for the folloing morning but as breakfast didn't start until 6am and my flight was at 07:10 I didn't have time for much, just grabbed a quick juice and croissant before dashing for domestic check-in.

Flew Air Asia to Komodo and was met at the airport by Opo, one of the dive guides, and taken to the boat, first by car to the harbour and then by rhib out to Solitude Adventurer (or Mega Adventurer).

Mega Adventurer is a very spacious, comfortable catamaran that accommodates 18 divers and around 14 crew. On this trip there were just 14 divers so plenty of room on the dive deck for kitting up - even with 18 there would have been plenty of room. With two rhibs for taking divers to the dive entry points no-one had to wait long to get in the water.

The cabin accommodation was very nice, mine was up on the 1st deck above the dive deck and main salon, right next to the well appointed charging station with room for all guests to charge their cameras and torches. The cabin had large windows with a view to die for, two single beds, en-suite bathroom, wardrobe with a combination safe and ample universal plug sockets that take just about any type of plug you care to mention, so no messing about with adapters.

Around 1600 on the 11th we had our first dive - Dive#1 briefing for a check dive at Sebayur Kecil to make sure everyting was OK equipment wise and that weights were good. A nice dive site with some interesting things to see such as a Yellow Scoption Leaf Fish, Stingrays and Black Lionfish, to mention but a few.

12th June 2025

A total of 4 dives today, starting at 0630 with the Dive#2 dive briefing for a location called Siaba Besar. Not a particularly deep dive at around 14m but lots of current, a long swim over white sand with bommies dotted around. Water temperature a pleasant 28deg so I was diving in rash vest and swim trunks, as I did for the remainder of the trip. All the usual suspects on this dive including large and small Pufferfish, large Hawksbill Turtle, Sweetlips, Parrotfish and Indonesian Ocellated Flounder.

Dive#3 was at Siaba Kecil, a little bit cooler at 26deg and a very rapid drift for the first 15mins. Life of note were a large Hawksbill Turtle, Whitemargin Unicornfish, Parrotfish and other common reef life, but right at the end a Manta turned up (awesome) and during the safety stop a Tawny Nurse Shark.

Dive#4 found us at a dive site called Pink Beach, a reference to the slightly pinkish colour of the sand on the nearby beach. Again, strong currents and thermoclines for most of the dive, temp 26deg and vis around 20m. Nothing of real note to report, all the usual reef suspects.

Before the night dive you could take a trip to stand on the Pink Beach if you wished. I didn't go but reports said it wasn't all that pink and was just a beach.

Dive#5 was a night dive at Pulau Lassa with lots of interesting critters to see that come out at night. Sleeping Stingray and large Pufferfish, 6 foot long sea slug, Shrimp, a green Moray buried in the sandy bottom with just its head showing, Anemonefish, tiny red and white striped Raspberry Crab, Porcelain Crab, Hermit Crab, Nudibranch. No strong current and water temp at 26deg.

Manta

Bumphead Parrotfish

Broardclub Cuttlefish

13th June 2025

Four dives with a 0630 start again today. Dive#6 was at a site called Manta Alley where there was lots of surge and current and vis was around 10m too. I did see two Mantas in the distance but could not get a decent photo. Apart from the Mantas, things of note were a very large Bumphead Parrotfish, some Nudibranch at the other end of the scale, and a school of Spanishflag Snapper.

Dive#7 was again at Manta Alley complete with surge and current, low vis and 27deg water. Did see Mantas a couple of times and got some snaps but the vis was so poor they didn't come out very well. Napoleon Wrasse, Nudibranch and the school of Spanishflag Snapper were also seen.

For Dive#8 we went to a dive site called Secret Garden. A lovely site with lots to see including Grey Frogfish, Black Frogfish, Estuary Stingray, Broardclub Cuttlefish, Thornback Cowfish, Trumpetfish, Occillated Phillidia Nudibranch, Solarpowered Nudibranch, a magnificant Ceratosoma Nudibranch, Glossodoris Nudibranch, Pufferfish and Mantis Shrimp..

Between Dive#8 and the Night dive was the opportunity to get onto Padar Island for a "trek". The "trek" turned out to be a climb up rough, uneven and sometimes missing steps to over 500metres for scenic views over the island and surrounding area. Extremely hot day and I thnk I lost at least 3 kilo in sweat. I would not have made it if not for Opo giving me a hand up in places. Probably wouldn't do it again but I'm glad I did it this time; views were spectacular.

The Padar Kecil night dive Dive#9, as with the previous days, was very interesting regarding the critters to be seen. An old wooden wreck, probably a fishing boat, was home to a Scopionfish. also seen amongst the usual reef life were Juvenile Sweetlips, Fimbrlated Moray, some sort of Flounder/Flatfish, Dwarf Cuttlefish, Conga Eel, small Porcupinefish and Banded Coral Shrimp.

14th June 2025

Only 3 dives today with the first dive briefing at 0630. Kicking off with Dive#10 at a site called Shotgun, an interesting dive starting out with a slow drift towards a gap between two islands, getting faster and faster as the gap narrowed where a sink hole between the islands provided a respite from the current..
Then back out into the rush again, slowing as the channel broardened, whilst the water temp ranged from 29deg to 27deg and then back to 29deg. Oceanic Whitetip and Mobular Manta seen at the end of the dive but they were too far away for a decent photograph, but a nice dive anyway.

Dive#11 found us at a site called Castle Rock. For this dive it was necessary to use a reef hook to maintain position against a strong current at the edge of an underwater ridge where two Oceanic Whitetips patrolled back and forth, seemingly immune from the current and gliding effortlessly at 90 degees to it. Some Three Stripe Butterflyfish, Vagabond Butterflyfish and Longfin Bannerfish were also to be seen.

For Dive#12 we were at a site called Crystal Rock. Again, lots of current on this dive but water temp a comfortable 29deg. Reef life of note were; large Pufferfish, Skunk Anemonefish, Trumpetfish, Crocodilefish, Ribbon Sweetlips, Titan Triggerfish.

There was no night dive this day, pre-dinner there was an opportunity to go trekking on Gil Lawa but I didn't go on that one. For dinner tonight we had a BBQ on the upper decking area with 'live' music and singing provided by Opo, Rindy and the crew. An 'entertaining' evening.

Oceanic Whitetip

Crocodilefish

Tasseled Scorpionfish

Hawksbill Turtle

15th June 2025

Four dives today starting with the usual 0630 first dive briefing. Dive#13 was at a site called Batu Bolong. This wasn't a comfortable dive: lots of current pulling in all directions around a pinnacle and a cool 27deg. There was also a lot of other divers there from other boats making the site rather crowded and busy. Nevertheless, plenty of life icluding; 3 or 4 Turtles, both Greenback and Hawksbill, Oceanic Whitetip in the distance, Giant Sweetlips, Moray, school of Giant Trevally, Scorpionfish and Mantis Shrimp.

Dive#14 was at Tatawa Kecil and back to a lovely 29deg. Things to see; Fusileer, Lobster, Damsel, Clown Triggerfish, Diagonal Banded Sweetlips, Semicircle Angelfish, Hawksbill Turtle, Pyramid Butterflyfish, and a school of Red Anthias.

After lunch we arrived at Tatawa Besar for Dive#15 of the trip. Wildlife of note were; Hawksbill Turtle, large Pufferfish, Damsel, small Red Anthias, False Clown Anenomefish, Grouper, Flatworm, Bluefin Trevally, Nudibranch, White Spotted Grouper.

Last dive of the day Dive#16 before dinner was at a place called Wainilu. This started out as a lovely night dive; a small Moray, Flying Gunnard, Hermit Crab, Spiny Devil Scorpionfish, 2x Spear Mantis Shrimp, Pikachew Nudibranch. I say 'started out a nice dive' because toward the end we were beset by a swarm, literally millions, of tiny marine insect like creature that were attracted to the torch lights. Tried turning the torch off but all that did was prompt them to either bite or sting me, not sure which, on exposed flesh. I switched the torch back on!

That night I came down with the D&V bug that had affected several of the divers this trip, resulting in me missing the last two dives the following day. I felt pretty bad, I can tell you. It was actually my birthday and the kitchen crew made me a lovely birthday cake (many thanks). I did manage to eat a slice. Well it would have been rude not to, but definately off my food for the next few days, including during the trip to see the Komodo Dragons, but I didn't want to miss that.