Combination Cruises East of Flores, Komodo and Sumbawa

If you are into underwater photography or videography (or maybe both) and you are thinking of joining on a liveaboard, how does it sound if I tell you that in Komodo National Park you will have the chance to film or shoot some of the best reefs in the world, see Komodo dragons, dive with mantas and have the chance to see rare critters. Sounds good, right? And that is what a bunch of liveaboards usually offer.

But if I add some dives in East Sumbawa where you can witness even more incredible critters and colourful reefs full of crinoids, similar to those in South Rinca, but with better visibility and warmer water. And if on top of that I add as well stunning pink beaches all to yourself and fly your drone with no one else ruining your footage? How about that?

But wait, and if I finally add the cherry on top, telling you that you will have the chance to see dolphins and whales, capture rare species like the decorated dartfish, greater hammerheads, the elusive wobbegong, yes, on this trip! And film or shoot some stunning hidden reefs on steroids, with myriads of colourful anthias and table corals in shallow waters that are way up there with Batu Bolong and Tatawa Kecil, but without any other divers around, neither day boats nor liveaboards. And of course dive some stunning atoll walls that look like the ones in Manado, but this time East of Flores...

Testimonials

"This was a trip of a lifetime. I hope to come back to Indonesia someday and dive again. Seven Seas was amazing!"

Katsie Hirsh (Komodo and East of Flores, August 2019)

"As this 'trip of a lifetime' comes to an end, my only thought is now to do it all over again! Such a special two weeks with extraordinary vistas both above and below the water, stunning reef life, amazing diving and life aboard made all the richer by the wonderful and welcoming crew. It is an immense privilege to witness such extraordinary off-the-beaten track places, and to be immerse in such beauty. Gratitude to all!"

Philip and Jenny Bigio (Komodo and East of Flores, August 2019)

» Click here for more testimonials.

Aquaculture in Indonesia

Some of you may like to learn a bit more about what happens around Indonesia's vast marine areas. Lida will share some short info stories every now and then, we hope you like them. This one is about Indonesian aquaculture.

Last time I shared how the fisheries sector plays an important role in contributing to national food security and employment in Indonesia. This time I like to explore some of the other ways that Indonesia tries to achieve a target of providing approximately 54 kg of fish protein for its people to eat.

The Government of Indonesia has an aquaculture production target of 37 million tonnes per year by 2030 (Directorate General of Aquaculture Fisheries, 2017). This target was calculated following ambitions for protein- and livelihood generation. It does, however, not take into account input requirements for feed, land, labor, finance, infrastructure, nor the potential environmental impact caused by output variables such as nitrate and other chemical components that come with aquaculture.

Multiple studies and reports warn of the significant environmental impacts of aquaculture, most people are aware of the challenges for coastal protection and sedimentation in SE Asia's coastal areas related to mass clearing of mangrove forests for shrimp farming. Many people have heard from diseases spreading from fish farms into natural fish stocks and from the burden on wild-capture fisheries related to the fact that many farmed fish eat fish.

Big John to the Rescue!

Manta Alley revisited. The large black pregnant manta we saw in May was gone or had pupped. Certainly, we saw smaller mantas while snorkeling than we had in May and none that was pregnant. But it was very different for the divers who watched and waited as between 12 and 14 mantas glided feeding, mouths wide open, past the cleaning station down at 24 m deep.

Us few snorkelers had our own reward in a bittersweet way. Seeing a small manta (1.5-2 m) with a strange series of white lines marking its back, I free dived down and noticed deep cuts in the left wing. The second dive down, as the manta returned along the reef, I found a long monofilament fishing line trailing behind it, held onto it briefly to see if might pull free, but found it caught fast. The manta possibly had got caught in the side line of a tuna long line, perhaps when crossing open water.

Big John, a seasoned Seven Seas Indonesian crew member and consummate snorkeler, came to the rescue...