Highlights of Sulawesi

Highlights of Sulawesi

I’m not going to say highlights of Indonesia because I would have to go back twenty some years when I had an opportunity and the honor of biking with a dear friend through Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, and Flores Islands with a quick stop on Komodo Island to see the Komodo Dragons. I was in the process of biking the east coast of Australia and he was biking New Zealand and eventually met up in Brisbane, Australia. A few years before the bike ride I had wandered for six months through the South Pacific with some college mates touching down in Tahiti, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. Both are different stories that I’ll probably write out one day but not without council from them. Sulawesi was this time around and I didn’t have time to do it properly so it looks like I’ll have to go back. J

When leaving Borneo there are two choices, ferry or plane. When I returned from Mobul to Samporna I spoke with some scuba diving instructors that suggested I fly to save time. They explained that the ferry can be slow and I could get stuck for a night half way verses fly and be there quickly. I took a taxi straight to the airport to fly but when I tried to buy a ticket the nice woman behind the counter told me to go Tawau city and get a tourist visa for three months no matter how long I planned to stay. That meant another taxi into town and I would probably miss the flight and have to stay the night. Off I went for Indonesia Immigration.

Every scuba diver I spoke with told me different great places to go but none of the traveling was easy for example, after you get your tourist visa fly from Tawau to Tarakan, ferry boat to Tenjund Salor, taxi to Tawgun Batu and then take a speed boat to Derawan and you’re there kind of directions. That’s all good and the directions are correct but I felt short on travel time and wanted in the water. I met a Russian guy, Alec, hurrying out of the Immigration Office with a new visa in his hand and he with excitement gave me a direct line to a dive sight that sounded a little more within my time restraints. Take two flights and a boat and you’re there with some of the best diving Sulawesi has to offer. Sold. Fly to Tarakan, fly to Manado and take one of numerous boats that take passengers to Bunaken Island.

I know of the more expensive places to stay that are mostly listed on the islands but there always a few that are cheaper. Again, word of mouth is particularly useful in out of the way places like northern Sulawesi. I stayed at Daniel’s Homestay and dove with the connecting dive company, Immanuel Divers. My bungalow was perfect and all I needed. The beach was within 50 meters at high tide and all meals were included in the price of the bungalow. There was a professional underwater photographer staying there and had been for quite some time. His pictures are all around the dining room and many have won contests or placed high.

I dove twice a day, one in the morning and one dive after lunch. These dives were more of a drift dive where you dive down 30 meters in the morning and drift along a coral cliff loaded with eels, fish, turtles, and colors you can only imagine until you are down there. Even the snorkelers near the surface were having some of the best they’d seen. Packs of dolphin swim a bit further out and can be viewed from a boat and if you’re lucky, you can swim with them.

After the first day of diving I wandered into a small fishing village on the island and noticed how peaceful everything was. And with the company of like minded people who were there for the diving we all told bits and pieces of our lives and enjoyed a few beers in the evening looking over pictures and getting to know each other which is always fascinating.

The dive crew on the boat was all local men and women and had a long history of diving and knowing the territory. It adds to the mental comfort ability and ease of the day. There was never a hurry and the sun shone brightly over head until you got into the night dives.

I should have gotten more money out of the ATM in Manado because in the end I had to either go get more or just keep going. I flew to Bali to meet a surf-crazed friend who had recently gotten married and lived in Sanur, Bali. My time was literally running out to get back to Thailand and catch my parting flight for South Korea so it was a short visit. I also wanted to dive there but the weather and storms continued to hit the beach and so I decided to get on with it. Tomorrow is another day and I know I’ll be back.

www.davidcdagley.com

Dive Sulawesi

Dive Sulawesi

It was my second day of diving on the island of Bunaken off the coast of Manado, Sulawesi. Seriously, the diving has been just getting better and better and I haven’t been disappointed. When I was warned that prices could get a little high around these dive areas I thought it was still going to be worth diving there even if only once. It turns out that the bigger resort sites on the islands have a tendency to block many of the cheaper homestay websites. Just get close to the islands and suddenly the cheaper ones appear mostly by word of mouth, the best travel guide on the planet. And I’m talking ALL islands over here.

Our first dive was around 0830. The boys loaded up the boat with tanks, tea, coffee, water and bananas and we headed for a cliff where the current was cruising and we jumped in and drifted at 30 meters at approximately 1- 2 knots watching fish above, turtles besides us, and the flash of shark and fish below. I didn’t take an underwater camera this day because I just wanted to see and stay under water as long as I could with no distractions. For some reasons namely buoyancy and current, I made the right choice. My Slovenian acquaintance, Urška Kljun, took her camera and I barrowed a few under water photos from her so you could see what we drifted past. Most of my photos are above the water line this day.

Turtles were everywhere sleeping on the rock cliff that ran down into the dark blue. At 30 meters we basically crossed our legs and went for an hour drift in one direction. At the end of the wall the current changed and appeared to be coming from the other direction and we had to lay low to a sandy bottom area for about 5 minutes and then that current took us back the way we came but we ascended 10 meters and saw an assortment of other fish and coral, the most I’ve ever seen in my short diving hobby. Tap on the picture cause there's a critter in there.

I have to give a shout out to Daniel’s and Immanuel Divers. (Tel. 0431- 813143.) 3 nights accommodation and 4 dives cost 2,360,000. (Divide by 12,000 to equal USD, approximately $200.00 USD). One of the divers has dove something like 17,000 dives in the area, that’s like 20 years of diving with lots of dives per week. The bungalows are great with big bathrooms and balconies for chilling. Prices were totally reasonable at 200,000 Rupiah/ 18 USD night including 3 meals and tea, coffee and water 24/7. Dives including all gear cost 480,000 Rupiah/50 USD. And there is a public ferry that goes both ways for 50,000 Rupiah, so don’t get suckered into the 200,000 Rupiah boat taxi service one-way.

The second dive of the day was even better than the first and was basically right in front of Daniel’s Homestay. There were a lot of excited snorkelers in the area when we jumped in and they watched us as we descended off the wall.

Everybody has different breathing habits under water and so our group of four had a tendency to change and those with more air would continue on with a guide while those that chewed through their air would go up and take their safety stop and surface a little earlier than the rest. The boat would come over and get them out of the water and then begin their drift after us still under water. Some incredible diving had by all.

The night divers came back jazzed at the recognition of what was active during the day and what was active at night were totally different, another universe. More fish, more fans, more colors, etc.

Off to Bali before the European/ Aussie rush and find a friend who just got married, Mr. Anderson. I don’t know what pill he took, so this could be a reality sequel to Matrix and the diving and surfing should be awesome.

www.davidcdagley.com

Semporna, Borneo,Malaysia To Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Semporna, Malaysia, Borneo To Manado, Indonesia, Sulawesi.

I woke to a storm in Mabul and decided if I dove I’d miss my free ride off the island but I also knew I’d dive again. So I regretfully passed on the late morning dive and got my way back to Semporna and I made light arrangements to get to the airport in Tawau. There was a kidnapping in Semporna that very night. Of course I heard it from my taxi driver who took me to Tawau Airport. He said Semporna is a dangerous place. I found out at the airport that I needed an Indonesian visa before hand because this is basically the back door into Indonesia. So off I went to Indonesian Consulate and had to change in a bathroom into pants to get in. There were signs everywhere and the security guard at the door pointed down the side of the building to the bathrooms. I then signed in and got a temporary guest card and sat in front of window 4. Through a series of forms and money they gave me my visa but it was too late to catch the plane to Tarakan.

 I changed my plans at the Indonesian Consulate in Tawau after I spoke with a guy named Alec from Mother Russia. He didn’t know that there are still Russian Orthodox villages in Alaska that never left when the U.S. bought Alaska for 3 cents an acre way back when. ‘Little did they know what lay just there on the surface and below.’ Anyway we were having a chat and he was saying that going to Derawan entailed a flight to Tarakan, a ferryboat to Tanjund Selor, a taxi to Tangun Batu and a speed boat out to Derawan that could cost 200,000 to 300,000 Rupiah for the whole boat but if no one else is going, it’s a bit over the top. Alec suggested Manado on Sulawesi and GREAT diving. The fact that I’m wandering around means I can change plans and wander where ever I want; I chose two flights and a short drive to the harbor and islands surrounded by dive sights near a town called Manado.

As I was getting my Indonesian Visa two Germans came into the Consulate wearing shorts, totally disregarding the signs posted everywhere. They were trying to get to Tarakan in an hour. They rushed the window, filled out the forms but didn’t have enough money for the two visas. I volunteered the money to get them out of the way. We ended up leaving at the same time and shared a taxi to an ATM. They had missed there flight and were heading for town to jump a ferry to Tarakan but they didn’t get there, they only got half way and spent the night on an island waiting for another ferry and arriving same time as I did. They paid me back before they ran off. They were racing past the best of the best diving in this area of the planet to go to Lombok and Gili Trawngan, a party island; to each his own.

I booked a flight for the next day and stayed in Tawau for the night and had some great curried chicken, roti and sweet tea. I went back to the Grace @ Chester Hotel that is moderately priced, clean, and central. (Ph. # 089 751115). From my window I watched the port activity with a cup of tea in hand. By 7 pm the streets were empty and shops locked up. Lightening strikes flashed in the distant East, precluding rain in town.

My taxi driver from the day before picked me up at 10 am and off to the airport we went for a 1210 to Tarakan. At the Tarakan Airport, 40 minutes later, Garuda quoted a ticket to Manado at 2,600,000 Rupiah. I could only get 1,500,000 out of the ATM. I asked what time the flight left and Garuda said 1245 in the afternoon. I did have a stack of Ringgit and the taxi drivers in front of the airport were more than willing to exchange money but of course at a lower rate. I grabbed a taxi in to town because I needed a room anyway. The taxi driver was more than willing to stop anywhere I wanted but I told him to go to a cheap hotel. He got me there and I asked how much and the receptionist said, 200,000 Rupiah. I smirked and stood up to leave and they panicked and asked me to sit back down and he quoted me 80,000 Rupiah. I said okay to $7.50/night. It’s funny how bargaining works really well around here. P.S. Always bargain unless the rates are written down because they will try and tare money out of your wallet at any chance. 1USD = 12,000 Rupiah. Even the money exchangers are trying to get a cut out of you. There it was 4,000 Rupiah to 1 Ringgit and it’s three Ringgit to 1 USD and 30 Baht to the USD. In 2012 I was in Java and Sumatra having fun with some university mates out on the Mentawi Islands surfing, fishing and checking out the Tsunami damage. The Rupiah was 9,000 Rupiah to the USD. I’m living large now.

I continued down the street and picked up my forth SIM card and went and bought a ticket through Lion Air for 1,530,000, 1,000,000 Rupiah cheaper, approximately 80.00 USD lower than Garuda.

My hotel I stayed in had a screaming child that rode a four wheeler up and down my hall until 2300 screaming for it’s mother who was sitting in reception at the end of the hall. I watched the World Cup replays until the child stopped screaming.

Tarakan to Balikpapan, Balikpapan to Manado, I’m now traveling on pure faith that Alec knows what he’s talking about. In Manado I receive a text saying that someone is waiting to take me to a hotel and to a boat the next morning. He says, you’ll be easy to spot being the only foreigner in the airport. We meet and he drove me to Hotel Wisata. (Jl. Sam Ratulangi No 7. Ph # 62-0431-860908. Manado, North Sulawesi). It was 200,000 Rupiah/ $18 USD with breakfast included and the room was massive, air-con, big bathroom, OH and HOT water, kind of a special touch, not that you need it but it’s nice. Mario and I made plans to meet at 8 am the next day and dump me at the harbor where I would catch a boat to Bunaken Island off the coast of Manado township and Daniel’s Homestay and Immanuel Divers. It’s the cheapest and most fun on the island. I floated in a little late and the divers were all out doing their thing. It was all right with me, I had been watching the World Cup all night again in the hotel so chill and write was all right with me. There was a major break threw in the manuscript of my third novel and I’m trying to catch up to my mind and that ladies and gentlemen is no small undertaking; turtle!

The night was classic. After a short walk through the village to see the Christian Church and get a water bottle, because water, tea and coffee are free at Daniel’s Homestay but you need a water bottle. I had none and should have bought at least two big bottles in Manado and anything else you will want, just to get it in Manado to get it started. Like this bridge, it's been like this for 15 years, hanging over the harbor. I think it's because there have been two presidents since it the project began.

 We all joined up for dinner and a professional photographer, Hans Gert Broeder, who has been living here for six months taking the most incredible underwater shots I’ve ever seen. The time he takes with his shots is pure pleasure for him and all the viewers. He’s an inspiration to an amateur like me. Besides the pictures on the walls, he’s in more contests than I have fingers and he’s making money with his art.

I woke up at some ungodly hour and started writing before the roasters started crowing and the light was just kicking in. Manuscript is fine and the blog needs to be addressed for you and me. I did two dives, one at 0830 and another around noon. Both dives were around 20 meters and oh my, now I know why Hans Gert Broeder hangs out here.

I took a walk with a Slovenian woman through town and on down past where we’re staying. There’s no one at Daniels and we saw more people walking than anywhere else. It’s not a big island and it’s not over run. No one bothers you; no one is selling you anything. I haven’t been so chilled out since I can remember. All I want to do now is dive and drift and shoot amateur photos until I understand what I’m doing, OH an Orangutan Crab!

I saw no sharks but heard stories of pods of dolphins 200 strong passing through the islands. Tomorrow is another day in the same place. See you then

www.davidcdagley.com