419 Dive Log Australasia AUGUST 2026

Old palm fronds, clothing and other man-made debris litter the sloping reef. There is treasure here. Sharp-eyed guides will spot animals such as Donald Duck shrimp, thorny seahorses, Ceratasoma nudibranchs, zebra crabs, Colemani shrimp, cri noid cuttlefish, squid and even lacey scorpionfish. It is also a good idea to look in the Halimeda algae in the shallows for cryptic nudibranchs and crabs. Night dives at this site often begin just as the muezzin begins his call to prayer. Cruise northwest from Kalabahi Bay, and you will find a long golden sand beach near the top of the strait. A long morning drift along their east-facing house reef, as the sun rises and il luminates the glorious carpet of soft corals that cover the slope, is the perfect way to wake up. The sun will already be high in the sky by the time you reach the lush, fishy top of the reef. The dappling effect of the rays of light passing through the rippling surface will mesmerise you and keep you dawdling longer, breathing your cylinder down to the fumes. The rest of the day can be spent diving along the south and east of Reta Island in the middle of the strait. Look out for local children swimming in the shallows, duck diving down to peer at you inquisitively through home-made wood and glass goggles, arms and legs kicking in all directions like dancing frogs. For you, the children are the entertainment, and, for them, you are the entertainment. Their mothers and grandmothers will have spotted you too, and will bring a boat out and dock next to the liveaboard with samples of their woven ikat cloth. If you choose to buy, you know you are dealing directly with the people who created these beautiful works of art, as well as contributing to the econ omy of one of Indonesia’s poorest regions. Not many visitors pass this way. In these waters, you are not just travelling, you are exploring.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #419 August ‘ 26

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