Indonesia

Sulawesi december 2001

   In the Christmas holydays from dec. 16th to dec. 29th I was in Indonesia, on a little island called Bunaken, half an hour boatride north of Manado. On the map you can see it is situated on the northern tip of the big island Sulawesi south of the Philippines.
   The flight was Billund => Frankfurt => Singapore => Manado, quite straight forward. The divecenter was Froggies Divers, a cosy and competent - well, allmost a village. With 40 employees of all kinds, it looked as a happy and busy selfcontained society - laughter, music and friendlyness. All freshwater had to be carryed by boat, but with thoughtful use, we felt no shortage. Electricity was generated by their own generator.
   The divesites I visited were all beautiful and deep walls, less than half an hour boatride from the divecenter. After 2 days of diving, we went on a 3 day safari to Lembeh Strait, around the northern tip to the eastern side of Sulawesi. It's a very special place, black vulcanic sandbottom with few oasis of life, such as a tiny block of coral or an anemone. Around these spots we found these very special creatures.
   Now I must admit, that my luck ran out. I couldn't photograph it all, because of a double stroke of bad luck. On the second day my camera leaked and flooded irreparably, and on top of that, I caught a stomach infection that sent me to bed for 5 days. After treatment with antibiotic, I managed to dive the last 2 days of my holydays though, but in all I had only 7 films taken :-(

Pygmy Seahorse
The first fish I want to present, is a very special Pygmy Seahorse. If you look at the picture, and I tell you that length of the tiny creature is merely 1 cm, then it can't surprise anybody, that it was first discovered in 1970. It sits on a Gorgonia, and if it wasn't for the divemaster, who knew where to find it, I would never have seen it. Frankly I didn't even see it down there, I just fired the camera were the divemaster pointed, and this is the result. Anyway, on 30 m depth everything is dark blue.

Eurypegasus draconis.

Antennarius commersonii.
Valenciennea wardii.
   The pair on the top left picture are Pegasus fish, also called Dragon fish or Sea moth. They are relatives of Seahorses and Pipefishes, about 8 cm long they walk slowly along at the bottom, searching for small invertebrates in the sand.
   Underneath we have the Anglerfish or Frogfish waiting for a pray to come by, attracted by the waving lure above the mouth - hence the name Anglerfish. If it ever moves, it will waddle about on it pectral fins that looks like - well, frogs feet :-)
   The two Gobies are called Broad-barred Sleepergobies, and acording to my books a very rare species, known only from very few specimens.

Inimicus didactylus.
Ablabys macracantus.

Astropyga radiata.

These are members of the big family of Scorpionfishes. Upper left is the Spiny devilfish, underneath the Shortfin dwarf lionfish and on the top right the Spiny leaffish or waspfish. We saw many of these rare species of the family in The Lembeh Strait.
On the last picture the more common Lionfish, but in company with the most beautiful Purpleheart seaurchin.

Laticauda colubrina.

Myrichtus sp.
Echidna nebulosa.

   Well here are some long fellows. On the top left is the common Banded seasnake, it really doesn't pay any attension to you, I followed it in arms length, watching it searching every nook and cranny for pray. Allthough it is highly venomous, you can take it gently in your hands and let it slide through your fingers, and as long as you treat it friendly, it will not bite you.
   The portrait below is a Snake eel photographed at night, because in daylight it has buried itself in the sand.
   The Moray eel is also hunting at night, this one is a Clouded moray.

Neopetrolisthes ochimai.

Achaeus japonicus.

Portunus pelagicus.
Cinetorhynchus striatus.

Vir philippinensis.

Here I will show you some crustacians. In the left column are the crabs, first the beautiful Porcelain crab 3-4 cm wide, living in a sea anemone.
Next is the funny and woolly Spider crab 2-3 cm wide living in a Bubble coral.
The last one is a giant who can embrace half a meter, it's a swimming crab, note the paddle shaped hindlegs.
In the right column are 2 shrimps. The uppermost is the Striped hinge-back shrimp, and underneath the Bubblecoral shrimp.

Special Pages:
Anemonefishes.
Butterflyfishes (Sommerfuglefisk).
Flatworms & Nudibranchs (Fladorme & Nøgensnegle).

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Inimicus didactylus.	Ablabys macracantus. Astropyga radiata.
These are members of the big family of Scorpionfishes. Upper left is the Spiny devilfish, underneath the Shortfin dwarf lionfish and on the top right the Spiny leaffish or waspfish. We saw many of these rare species of the family in The Lembeh Strait. On the last picture the more common Lionfish, but in company with the most beautiful Purpleheart seaurchin.