Putul and Maris Rock, Puerto Princesa

Today I had two dives here in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. First was Putul and second Maris Rock.

Dive #: 201
Date: 23.3.2011
Place: Philippines, Puerto Princesa, Putul
Depth: 27m
Visibility: 20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5Kg

Dive Center: Moana Dive Center
Price: 3300PHP/55€ (2 dives)

Immediately when we descended to the bottom we saw a big stonefish. Not so easy to see.

Here are quite many different spieces of nudibranches.

Another.

---

Dive #: 202
Date: 23.3.2011
Place: Philippines, Puerto Princesa, Maris Rock
Depth: 24,4m Average depth: 15,8m
Visibility: 10m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5Kg

Visibility was not so good today at Maris Rock, but we saw there few interesting things. Jawfish with eggs in the mouth.

Pygmi seahorse.

Nudibranch.

Leaf scorpionfish.

First I didn't see well what DM Dani is trying to catch on the bottom. It was big horseshoe crab!

Then he put it back to sandy bottom. Strange creature. Living fossil.I have seen horseshoe crab only ones before and it was also here in Puerto Princesa. Now it was first time when I saw it under water.

Batu Bolong and Manta Point, Komodo

Third diving day at Komodo area. First one was Batu Bolong and second Manta Point again.

Dive #: 199
Date: 16.3.2011
Place: Indonesia, Komodo, Batu Bolong
Depth: 26,8m Average depth: 14,9m
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: long 3mm Weight: 6Kg

Dive Center: Dive Komodo
Price: 30€/dive

Here is very rich marine life like seems to be everywhere in Komodo area. Scorpionfish.
Whitetip in the bottom. I went very cafefully closer, closer, closer and finally I was next to "her". I have never seen before whitetips have "holes" in the skin.
Napoleon.
In the end of the dive there was lot of anthies.
We saw there also turtle, fusiliers, moray eels, giant trevallies, nudibranch, etc. etc.
---
Dive #: 200
Date: 16.3.2011
Place: Indonesia, Komodo, Manta Point
Depth: 15,2m Average depth: 10,3m
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +29C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: long 3mm Weight: 6Kg

If Manta Point was amazing on the first time it was also on this time. Manta Point is very near of Batu Bolong. After first dive we came immidiately to Manta Point area. What we saw there was something out of this world. About ten mantas swimming in the surface in the line in the same time. In one place there was a very tight group of four mantas swimming like in the diamond formation. There was still about 30min before next dive so everybody went snorkeling. This photo I took when snorkeling.
Breafing for the dive.
First 20min was quite boring and we just drifting with the strong current. Then the funny part started again.
This manta was totally black. Stealth.
Two mantas together.
I'm near manta and just taking photo. Big thanks to Petri Kolmonen about this photo!
Great dive again! There are several Manta Points in the world, but this one is The Real Thing!!! Last dive was my 200th dive.

Regards,
Mika

Crystal Rock and Castle Rock, Komodo

Today I had a two divesin Komodo, Indonesia. First one was Crystal Rock and second Castle Rock.

Dive #: 197
Date: 15.3.2011
Place: Indonesia, Komodo, Crystal Rock
Depth: 28,3m Average depth: 15,2m
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: long 3mm Weight: 6Kg

Dive Center: Dive Komodo
Price: 30€/dive

Crystal Rock has very rich marina life. Turtle on the reef.
Big school of fusiliers.
Lobster on the top of the reef. Usually lobsters escape, but this one was just in one place.
There are big school of fish, whitetips, blacktips.
---
Dive #: 198
Date: 15.3.2011
Place: Indonesia, Komodo, Castle Rock
Depth: 25,9m Average depth: 14,6m
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +27C

Equipment
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: long 3mm Weight: 6Kg

Here was also very much different kind of fishes like on the Crystal Rock. Also big one.
Nudibranches.
Whitetip reefsharks patroling.
Both dives were very good one. There was so much fishes everywhere.

Amazing Manta Point, Komodo

Today I had a first dives here in Komodo, Indonesia. First one was Manta Point and second Siaba Kecil.

Dive #: 195
Place: Indonesia, Komodo, Manta Point
Visibility: 15-20m
Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment 
Bottle: 12L/200bar (air)
Wetsuit: long 3mm
Weight: 6Kg

Dive Center: Dive Komodo

Price: 30€

I heard amazing stories about Manta Point before I came here. Diving at Manta Point was even better than the stories. On the dive we saw more than 10 mantas. Ones we saw three mantas on the same time together. There it comes...

Closer.

Up.

On the same dive we saw also few turtle.

I really recommend Manta Point. One of the best dive ever. We saw there even before the dive few mantas just on the surface. It was good start for the dive.

Regards,
Mika

Gili Islands

We did five dives with my friend Petri in two days at Gili. Dive spots were Secret, Shark Point, Shalow Turbo and Bounty.

Update: More pictures added on 23.11.2015

Dive #: 190-194

Date: 8-9.3.2011
Place: Indonesia, Gili Islands
Visibility: 15-30+m

Sea Temperature: +28C

Equipment

Bottle: 12L/200bar (air) Wetsuit: short 3mm Weight: 5Kg

Dive Center: Blue Marlin Dive Price: 38USD/dive including equipment rental

Blue-Spotted Stingray.

I'm just taking photo of turtle.

Turtle, Shark Point. Turtles are very common here and you see them almost on every dive.

Same guy.

Shark Point is good place to see white tips.

Banded sea snake.

Boxer shrimp, Shalow Turbo.

Mantis shrimp.

Moray eel and boxer shrimp.

Boxer shrimp.

Pygmy seahorse, Shark Point.

Scorpion leaf fish.

Diver and rocks.

Scorpionfish.

That´s me.

Divers on the Bounty.

Lionfish.

Petri taking photos.

Bounty is old jetty which has collapsed. It's very much like wreck. There you can see a lot of fishes.

More.

And more.

And even more. 

Petri taking photos on the Bounty.

Visibility was good or very good on every dive. Something between 15-30m. Shark Point is one of the best dive spot in Gili area. Turtles, rays and sharks usually on every dive. We saw on the dives also seasnake, nudibranches and a lot of all kind of reef fishes.

Regards,
Mika