DIVE LOG AUSTRALASIA FEB 2025 ISSUE 410

You soon discover that Manado has a lot to offer. Restaurants don’t have fancy facades, but seafood is to die for, and it costs less than half the price of Bali. Where can you go for dinner or under $25-30 for two people and walk out fully satisfied? The only downside is many places do not serve alcohol, and English is quite limited. However, the people are exceptionally welcoming of tourists, and someone will usually come to help you out. Taxis (For the best experience, download the Grab App, Indonesia’s “Uber”; you won’t regret it). Grab is cheap and reliable, a 6 km ride from the resort into town, approximately $3 to $6 Australian, depending on time and traffic. North Sulawesi is predominantly Christian, about 75%, so many of the Muslim dress and other rules do not strictly apply here. I have found the people, on the whole, to be very helpful and extremely friendly; be mindful that English is not commonly spoken but is slowly becoming more popular. I suggest you download Google “Voice” Translator or any other translator app you are comfortable with; it will be extremely helpful. If all this sounds boring, it’s only because getting to this fabulous dive destination from Australia is ridiculously easy, quick, and relatively cheap. From Cairns Via Bali with Jetstar or Air Asia and then on to Manado direct with TransNusa (or many other airlines). Flights from other capitals to Jakarta and on to Manado. All very quick and easy. THE SHIPWRECKS THE MOLAS SHIPWRECK MANADO The Molas Shipwreck (named after the village opposite) is a bit of a mystery. It is believed to be a Dutch freighter, which is thought to have sunk sometime during the close of World War II; however, the date is unclear. She is approximately 50 metres long and powered by two small three-stage reciprocating steam engines. And driven by twin screws still intact…(why you ask? Well, probably because they’re cast iron, worthless… I checked!).

The wreck lies on an even keel on a sandy slope, 35 meters to the base of the bow and 40 metres at the propellers. Most of the wreck is easily accessible to open water divers. The structure is still in excellent condition, and great penetrating dives in anything but the engine room, with normal precautions, is relatively safe. Regarding the engine room, it’s small and crammed full of machinery AND heavily silted. I recommend only one diver at a time; removing your fins is best for photography. Otherwise, you will risk losing visibility very quickly, and you don’t want to get lost down there! For photographers, its incredible structures are now home to various marine life, including snappers, batfish schools, occasional reef sharks, barracuda, nudibranchs and groupers. The wreck is covered with colourful soft corals and a perfect hiding place for numerous schools of fish. Also, watch out for the Scorpionfish. A great way to extend your bottom time is to head up the gentle slope from the wreck to the reef top. At about 10 metres, you’ll find many coral heads scattered in the black sand full of fascinating small critters such as ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, etc., which are not found anywhere else.

Dive Log Australasia issue 410 Feb 2025 59

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