We are starting a new series of regular blogs from our DM Interns. The first is from Lewis, he is taking our 6-week Eco-Dm Internship in Bunaken & Lembeh.
Well, where to begin??
Arrived on Lembeh to be welcomed by the friendly dogs that roam the resort, keeping guard and always looking for food.
Followed by one of the many good meals that they have here…really enjoyed the dinners, especially KFC night haha!
Had my first few days of fun diving with Matt to show me around and get acquainted with the totally different type of diving that Lembeh is known for, muck diving. It took me a while to get used to the difference but it is really fun, swimming around looking for the weird and wonderful critters that roam the Lembeh strait! On my first 2 dives, I saw most of the things that people come here to see, Ambon scorpion fish, Lembeh sea dragon, pygmy sea horse, ornate ghost pipefish, robust ghost pipefish and many many others!
Then it was time for the course to begin! With some search and recovery, organising dive cleans and surveying the coral on the house reef.
The most enjoyable thing that I have done with my time in Lembeh is building the artificial reef on the house reef! It came with a few problems and challenges but nothing that me and a pumpkin couldn’t work out and move past. A little mapping of the area then planning where the structures were to go, or building new structures. Moved things about and had fun playing with the massive liftbags that we got brought over from Bunaken to get the job done!
One word of advice for anyone who needs a visa extension though, is to take on of the two fish staff with you to help with translation and to stop you getting very angry at the immigration staff!! Was not the most enjoyable trip to manado that I had but pizza hut worked wonders
