Komodo Trip Report, 23 Oct - 5 Nov 2012

By Lionel Delisle

We all were very lucky to be on board the Seven Seas for the last Komodo cruise of the 2012 season. Our nice group of 10 was 50/50 of new comers and returners. For my brother Thierry and I, it was the third Seven Seas cruise in Komodo. Each time it was as great as different.

We started as usual from Labuan Bajo, but for once, we finished at Maumere (East Flores). Mark Heighes was there, managing perfectly this trip throughout Komodo archipelago, depending of others boats, wind, currents and visibility. Day 1, Tuesday the 23rd, was about making ourselves at home and we had a check dive at Sebayor Kecil.

Wednesday morning we dove at Tatawa Besar and Penga. In the afternoon we went to Wainilu for 2 outstanding muck dives, one by day and one by nigh. Impossible to list everything we saw, but a few well known such as scorpion fish, flying gurnard, frogfish, nudibranch, cuttlefish and the cute Bobtail squid, Harlequin Shrimp and her baby (!!) and... a juvenile Blue Ring Octopus. Night dive in here is like in night club. Lots of people moving and turning around the beauties....lights flashing here and there, every minute an unexpected physical contact..., music all along (yes, you know, the metallic tank tapping!?), and bottles are always empty before the end! This night dive was the best ever for my brother and I, and we were not the only ones to shout and laugh going back to the Seven Seas.

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PS: There are four cabins left for our Komodo trip from 5th to 17th May 2013, the only Komodo availability remaining in the first half of 2013!
Click here for all our scheduled trips & availabilities.

Dive East of Flores with Valerie Taylor and Mark Heighes

Dates: 20th April to 2nd May 2013

Valerie Taylor will be joining the Seven Seas for a voyage East of Flores in April 2013. We are inviting friends onboard to join this trip. Departing from Maumere we will travel east of Flores to the islands of Lembata, Pantar, and Alor. This is a great time of the year to be in this part of Indonesia. Highlights will include cultural events, erupting volcanoes and encounters with marine mammals. Underwater we will visit fantastic critter sites, in a new and very productive world class area we have recently discovered and are still exploring. I will be leading the trip and can assure you it is going to be blast. The cost of the trip is US$ 5,400 per person. Dates are April 20 to May 2.

If you are interested in joining this voyage or need more information, please contact [email protected].

Mark Heighes