Nudibranch. Heron Ardeadoris (Ardeadoris egretta). Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Diving in the Togian Islands

  Indonesia: Sulawesi - July 2007

Dear English-speaking readers, this page is an automatic translation of an article originally written in French. I apologise for any strange sentences and funny mistakes that may have resulted. If you read French, click on the French flag below to access the original, correct text: 


On the eve of my departure for Bali, I take you back to Indonesia, but under the surface, in the Togian Islands (Sulawesi, July 2007). The dives in Togian seemed to me at first less spectacular than those in Bunaken or Lembeh, during this trip: more damaged coral, less abundant life. And yet, if you take your time, you will discover a lot of treasures.

nudibranchs

Against all odds, it is here, in Togian, that I came across species of nudibranchs that were new to me. Some of them I had never, or rarely, seen elsewhere.

Nudibranch. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Nudibranch. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Nudibranch. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

I was happy to flash them, over our underwater expeditions ...

Small animals

Bathing in snorkeling (palmes-masque-tuba or PMT in French), near theIsland Retreat (Bomba), or in the vicinity of the sandy mangrove of the neighboring islet of Poyalisa, are rich in surprises: curious platax, shy clownfish, unusual nudibranchs, cute anemone shrimps, spiroform worms with a graceful feather.

All this in less than two meters of water, under a bright sun. With so much light, this little underwater world takes on beautiful colors. Sometimes, I don't even need to use my flash.

Clownfish

Clownfish. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Shrimp. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Shrimp. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

The children of my Dutch friends, who are happily splashing around a few meters away from me, are at the party and chase the platax, which run away directly, frightened to be the object of so much attention...

Tubular sponges

During our first real underwater explorations, I was first surprised by the quantity of tubular sponges attached to the reef we were diving on, near Bomba (Taupan I).

Tubular sponges. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

There are really many of them, of good size. They have a ghostly look in the bluish fog of the water, they look like organ pipes emerging from the depths.

Tortoise

During the dive at Pasir Tengah Atoll (lighthouse), while I was raving about a beautiful nudibranch, I woke up a big turtle hidden in a crack, a few centimeters away.

Tortoise. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

She almost pushes me to pass, terrified. And I'm a little ashamed to send another flash right back into her eye. Poor turtle.

Karang Bandera

Among the dives made here, the wall of Karang Bandera seems to me more abundant, more teeming with life than the other sites. I met the usual tropical fauna, a lot of angelfish and butterfly fish, and a beautiful blue spotted stingray.

We lurked near a sandy passage to watch for "garden eels", which are called "hétérocongres tachetés" in French.

As soon as we stop moving, they come out, one by one, their little heads of sand, like so many tiny living periscopes. A truly magical show

Fields of garden-eels or spotted heterocongres.

We never go to remote sites, because of the capricious weather. And I regret not being able to go to Una-Una, the volcano located a few hours by boat, just in front of Bomba, one of the few places where there is still "big", it seems.

But I will come back to speak to you in another article of this land of volcanoes, of this archipelago located on a belt of fire, which roars, which trembles and lives ... even underwater.

Nudibranch. Heron Ardeadoris (Ardeadoris egretta). Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

The more we dive, the more my eyes sharpen. I noticed that, in spite of some areas full of dead corals, life seems to start again, in some places. And I am not less proud to spot lots of bugs without the help of Uwe, our guide, a very experienced German instructor.

Nudibranch. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Polyps of soft coral. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Scorpion fish or lion-fish. Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2007.

Finally, they are not so bad, the Togian funds. Here, one learns to be slow. It's a good thing, it's the rhythm that suits me, under water. To really appreciate the dives, you have to look more carefully at the crevices.

Changing weather

But I will only be able to do six dives in the week. Weather too changeable.

We always rely on the advice of the boat captain, who knows the sea and its moods so much better than we do. Even when the sun is shining and the sea is smooth, he often refuses to leave in the afternoon.

And every time, he is right. The wind gets up, the swell with it, and it is not rare that a big shower suddenly darkens the horizon!

Another lesson from the Togians: always listen to the captain, especially if he is local.

😉

  Indonesia: Sulawesi - July 2007

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