Belongas, South Lombok is known for its big waves, deep waters, strong surge and strong currents in season. Now most of us divers have always believed that strong currents equal big fish! Usually this is the case. This week however we have had calm surfaces, light surge, next to nothing with currents and a water temperature of 27ºC. Yet it has been a week of everything we could possibly want and far from what was expected at this time of year.
All week on our trips out to Belongas “The Magnet” we have had sightings of 8 Great Hammerhead Sharks, schools of Mobula rays averaging 25 in each, eagle rays 18-20, Barracuda’s, 7 white tip sharks and just today we have spotted 4 manta rays! Wow what a pleasure it has been. The divers accompanying us was Seonka a regular from Germany, he has done 110 dives worldwide and his comment on Belongas this week was “Go big or go home, best dives he has ever had”. Accompanying him was Sara an instructor from Italy, Ashley from U.K and our very own Dive master’s Pi’I the “King of magnet” and Kiko from the Philippines also known as “The Shark Man”. He is believed to bring good luck.
Among all our big wonders this week we have also spotted a Tasselled Wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus Dasypogon), the first of this coming season. This wobbegong is part of the shark family that can grow up to 4 ft. They are solitary and rest on the bottom of sheltered coastal reefs. Their head is flattened with a continuous fringe of branched tentacles around the mouth and there colour varies depending on the type. Such a wonderful week out here in Belongas, may it continue.