In Underwater Macro Photography black subjects are usually not as popular as coloured subjects. First because they tend to be less striking and second because they often cause the background to overexpose. So a lot of photos get deleted from harddrives because either the subject is too dark or the Read more about UW Photo Tips: High Key with black subjects on black sand
Tanjung Kubur is situated on the island side of the Lembeh Strait and is the southern side of a little Cape coming out north of the Kareeko Village. It shares that headland with Tanjung Tebal (out on the tip of the headland) and Aer Bajo 1 (on the opposite side). Tanjung Read more about Lembeh Divesites: Tanjung Kubur
The TK 1 is one of three Divesites on the northern Mainland Side of the Lembeh Strait. TK stands for Teluk Kembahu– Teluk is indonesian for “bay” and Kembahu is the name of the fishing village situated in this bay. The bay has a extremely black sandy beach and offers Read more about Lembeh Divesites: TK1
Aer Bajo is something like the Prototype of a Black Sand Muck Dive: No Corals, no Reef, no Topography …just a Black Sand slope with some Debris and Garbage. A Muckdiving Lover would say: A Perfect place. Aer Bajo is situated on the Island side and faces north from a Read more about Lembeh Divesites: Aer Bajo
Rojos is a Black Sand Muck Dive on the northern Island Side of the Strait. It is located in Between Batu Sandar and Angels Window – just next or half under a Pearl Farm. Besides some Coral Patches in the Shallows it is basicly just very fine (but not muddy) black Read more about Lembeh Dive Sites: Rojos
Communication in order to share information between conspecifics is very common in nature. Just think about male birds singing very loudly early in the morning with the dual purpose of telling conspecific males that this spot is taken as well as getting information through to the females what a hunk Read more about Communication between species
On one of yesterdays dives i witnessed one of these special moments i love the Lembeh Strait for. During a dive at Are Prang – a black sand muck dive on the mainland side – i found a long armed octopus peeking out of its whole in the sand. After Read more about David the Jawfish vs. Goliath the Octopus
Yesterday`s blog on Batesian mimicry got me started thinking (thus the big tank of air, brain activity requires oxygen!). Batesian mimicry was about “parasitizing” on the true signal of something sending out an honest warning. This is a very special type of mimicry. Camouflage, where animals try to look like Read more about Camouflage
Cephalopods belong to the large group of animals known as molluscs. Generally molluscs do not move well, and when they do, it is by either gliding over a slime track or by using their external shells. But not the cephalopods. Cephalopods move very quickly and with very precise movements when Read more about How can a blob of jelly, such as an octopus, move?
Thoughts for the blog following a recent stay.
by Alex Mustard
I’m a Lembeh Addict. I am happy to admit it. Although I’ve been on a diet recently, foregoing regular visits to Lembeh and South East Asia in general, over the last three or four years to feed in less photographed, and often colder waters. But, boy, is it good to back.
Visiting Lembeh wasn’t actually in my original travel plans for this trip. I’m in Indonesia to run a Photography Workshop on the Indo Siren in Raja Ampat. But once Lembeh was whispered in the planning, I knew I had to squeeze it in. Even though I only had time for 3 diving days.
Is there any point in making such a short visit? Absolutely. First, if you’ve never tried muck diving, a short stay can be safer, because not everyone falls in love with it. This was the first time I have taken Eleonora to Lembeh and I am fortunate and very pleased that she totally adored the diving: her “best ever”.
I’d loved to have been here for longer, but shorts trips can still be hugely productive here. I never arrive in Lembeh with a wish list. Instead, I like to find out what is particularly or unusually abundant at the moment and concentrate on those subjects. Knowing I’ll see plenty more subjects on those dives anyway.
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