This week in Lembeh has certainly been an eventful one. The resort has been full this week with both our dedicated dive boats running daily to show everyone the wonders of the Lembeh Strait.
The week started off in style with staff and guests welcoming in the Chinese New Year! Chinese lanterns hanging around the resort and some of the guests offering to lend their culinary skills, we had a very authentic experience. A special mention must go to our fantastic Chinese guests who, after enjoying a special themed menu from our cooks on new years eve, returned the favour. We had planned to make noodle soups, spring rolls, and dumplings. Fortunately, our guests (and resort manager) were master dumpling makers and those who weren’t diving lent their hands to knead dough and mold the dumplings. A mixture of vegetarian only and pork dumplings meant everyone was very satisfied to come dinner time and those who weren’t Chinese got to sample some proper Chinese style food. With ample amounts of food and a lot of flowing drink it was a resounding success and everyone was in high spirits!
No content with only one celebration this week we also embarked on a day trip to the nearby Bangka islands. A full day out on the boat meant an early rise and late return but in the meantime, we enjoyed 3 lovely dives. Away from the usual muck of Lembeh, Bangka greeted us with huge coral walls, big schools of colourful reef fish, giant reef octopus, large cuttlefish and darting trevallys chasing after the smaller fish. Our surface interval was spent lounging around on the white sandy beaches, enjoying some lunch and a full-scale photo-shoot via drone! (Stay tuned for those pictures coming). All staff and guests were charging in and out of the water and the smiles didn’t fade away until after we were all back home in Lembeh.
Despite the excitement above water, under the water is still stealing the spotlight with the usual selection of amazing animals to see. Where else can you come to complete your Advanced Open Water Course and also manage to see 2 flamboyant cuttlefish on one dive and then 3 blue ring octopus on the next! Our student Octavian has been over the moon with what he’s got to see. After all, many people with only 15 dives to their name wouldn’t even dream of such creatures!
We have also had our 2 returning Divemaster Trainees returning to Lembeh to finish their courses. Thibaud and Dom are into their final week of the course and are in the process of finishing the final bits and pieces, all while enjoying the diverse marine life we have to offer!
A very successful week. Here’s to the next one!