Bali is a land famous for its lush green landscapes, endless sunny days and a bustling tourism industry in the south with many activities including surfing, cycling, trekking and rafting. Often overlooked though is the variety and quality of diving. From deep drift dives in search of pelagics to muck diving in the volcanic black sand looking for critters; Bali has it all!
The voyage from Port Lincoln to North Neptune Island will take approximately 5 hours as we make our way in very mild conditions with slight seas and wind speeds no greater than 15 knots......
After two weeks of diving around Ambon and the Banda islands, northern Bali offered the perfect place to chill out. A peaceful stretch where you can experience the real Balinese lifestyle
Visiting Banda is interesting for two reasons: excellent diving and its amazing history. Banda islands, part of a volcanic group of islands covered with lush vegetation, have been a destination for traders for more than two thousand years.
My ultimate diving dream is to meet orcas underwater. While I am waiting for this divine meeting with sea giants, I am fascinated with tiny graceful creatures called Hippocampus. Their name derives from Greek for seahorse and literally translates as horse sea monster.
My first opportunity to use the Seadoo Supercharged Seascooter was recently on a dive in the Tweed River, northern NSW. Visibility was quite good (15m) and water temperature was warm (24 degrees).
The island of Ambon, part of Maluku Province located in the Eastern parts of Indonesia between Papua and Sulawesi, is not on the travel schedule of many people, however for serious divers this is a destination offering diving away from the crowds as well as some amazing history and culture.
It was around midday, when Andrew Fox suggested that conditions were perfect for a brief stop over at Hopkins Island and take a dive with Australian Sea Lions.