First Dive on Sunday

Sunday morning, we set out with Bali International Diving Professionals, to scuba dive at Nusa Penida. Our guide Kaddi (Catty?) briefly laughed when we said we brought shorties only. So he gave us 3mm long suits instead. Little did we know how we were going ot freeze.

The first dive took us to Manta Point. The boat ride took about an hour, and I generously donated my half digested breakfast to the sea gods. Manta point, as the name indicates was full of Mantas. We saw the first two directly from the point. Until I jumped in the water, I was really positive (despite my stomach). The water however quickly changed my optimism. The surface was about 22 degrees, the lower areas around 17. With a 3mm suit, no gloves and no hood, this was clearly way to cold.

Visibility was low; we nearly missed to see the family of about 20 bluespotted stingrays below us.

However, when we finally did find the mantas, it soon became clear that all the pain was worth it. Even though, we actually got to touch the mantas, they were too fast to take close-ups, and visibility did not permit any shots over more than 2 meters. Still, very impressing.

the first manta

more of it (see the low viz)
Stingrays. There were a total of about 20 - 30, literally on top of each other.
and another manta