This week in Lembongan, we decided to plan a sunrise dive with our guests. Sounds like a great idea until the alarm goes off at 4:45 am and the sky is still dark. However, that feeling fades quickly as the dives ahead come to mind and an excitement takes away the doziness. Heading to the dive shop, the roads are quiet, the roosters are just beginning their morning calls, and incense touches the air as the Balinese women are making their Hindu offerings.
Upon arrival, there is a hush over the resort as our guests are waking up and coffee is being sipped to help our sleepy travellers prepare for the day. We begin our walk to the boat as the sky is beginning to show signs of light. Here comes the best part: the boat begins it’s journey on the quiet beautiful turquoise water before any other boats have started their engines and the sun is starting to kiss the horizon. This was worth the early wake up call.
We arrive at our site Blue Corner and observe that the water movement is quick and surface whirlpools are many meaning that the drift could be quite intense. We ask the group what they would like to do and decide to move to a quieter site, Mangrove. It was a great choice. As we quietly don our equipment and each dive team slips into the water, the sun has just made it’s full appearance reflecting a stunning backdrop. Everyone takes a moment to drink in the view before starting our initial descent.
The current is moving at a perfect gentle pace. The colours of Mangrove are vivid with various sponges, plate and fire corals, and a massive garden of soft corals. The water is so clear that even at 25 meters, you wonder how you are still able to see such vibrant pinks, oranges and reds. Massive schools of batfish, vibrantly coloured wrasse, slender schoolers, and dart fish fill the water. Giant trevally move quickly past us as multiple barracuda dart out of the way.
We begin our ascent and everyone is hovering motionless as the drift does the moving for us. A marble ray decides to grace us with its presence as a final goodbye during the last minutes of our safety stop. The group makes their way to the boat and everyone has finally woken up. Discussions of what a wonderful way to start the day begin as we head back to the resort for breakfast.
If you have the chance to join us for a sunrise or dawn dive, you will not be disappointed. Not only do you get a different contrast of light but the lack of other divers and the activity of sea life is well worth the early rise.
