In August 2012 I will be co-hosting an extraordinary trip with Luca Vaime to the Komodo National Park, onboard the Komodo Dancer – a traditional 'pinisi' schooner built specifically for divers. The trip will give guests the opportunity to thoroughly explore one of Indonesia's finest dive destinations and will feature everything from mantas and beautiful reefs, to dragons and incredible critters.
Dates: 8 – 18th August, 2012 – 10 nights / 11 days
Cost: 3655 USD
Book now to reserve your place! Email me matt@matthew-oldfield-photography.com
The Komodo Dancer will depart from Bali on the 8th August and sail first to the reefs and critter sites of Satonda, Bima and Sangeang in Sumbawa before arriving at Komodo National Park. Once there, guests will dive both the dynamic reefs of northern Komodo as well as the extraordinarily rich sites in the south. This 10 day trip will feature the finest the Komodo National Park has to offer – action-packed reefs, incredible critters, big fish, stunning scenery and of course, the Komodo dragon.
What's included in the price:
What's not included:
Places onboard are limited to 16 guests only. Bookings can be secured with a non-refundable desposit of 30%.
Komodo National Park
Established in 1980 as a World Heritage Site, the Komodo National Park is located some 250 nautical miles east of Bali and 8 degrees below the equator, deep in the Indonesian archipelago between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores.
Encompassing 1,817 square kilometers and comprising the three main islands – Komodo, Rinca and Padar as well as many other smaller islets and rocky sea mountains – the park is considered to be one of the most exciting natural adventure destinations on the planet. Intrepid travelers here can experience one of the richest marine environments in the world and get up close and personal with the extraordinary Komodo Dragon.
Marine Komodo
The huge island nation of Indonesia is home to the world's most prolific marine ecosystem and the Komodo National Park is right at the epicenter. The spectacular seascape is comprised mainly of volcanic seamounts, pinnacles, walls and canyons as well as fringing reefs, coral gardens, mangrove bays and sandy slopes, creating an unmatched variety of very different and distinctive dive environments.
Between the sea mounts, the vast coral reefs teem with unusual tropical reef animals. In fact, this area plays host to more than 1,100 different species of fish. With a careful eye, even the most jaded observer can discover hundreds of new species of brilliantly coloured marine life, plus an astounding array of invertebrates. The list of critter species is huge and new and unusual creatures are being discovered here on a regular basis. For fans of bigger animals the dive sites with stronger currents play host to majestic mantas, sharks and many other larger pelagic species. Whales, dolphins and turtles are also seen and even the rare dugong can sometimes be spotted in the mangrove areas.
North & South
The range of dive sites and conditions in Komodo are legendary and the northern and southern sides of the park offer two very distinct underwater environments. The park separates two distinct bodies of water – the Flores Sea to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south. Between the months of March and November, clear warm water flowing from the Banda and Flores Seas washes over the pristine hard coral gardens and seamounts in the north, whilst in the south, deep cold water from the Indian Ocean pushes up onto the continental shelf producing a vast plankton banquet for the marine life here. Between the months of December and February these water conditions are reversed with warm blue water flooding the south and colder, greener conditions on the northern sites. Because of these strong current lows, water temperatures can vary wildly between 30 to 18 degrees Celsius.
Fierce Currents
Komodo is justly famous for its high energy, adrenaline pumping dives and the gusting currents that surge and swirl through the deep channels around the seamounts between Komodo, Padar and Rinca islands and are the key to the parks wonderful marine life. These immense water movements produce such a wild variety of conditions that there is something here for everybody. Great visibility, massive cliffs of black basalt, sheer walls and dazzling coral gardens all combine to house one of the most prolific and diverse undersea ecosystem on earth.
Topside Komodo
Above the surface, the landscape of the park is dotted with islands and islets of every description. And while most of Indonesia is green and tropically lush, Komodo is much dryer with lofty rocky peaks, patches of green forest and grassy slopes and meadows much like a savannah. The beaches of Komodo are beautiful sandy arcs, with a backdrop of rocks and hills and often completely deserted. Many are also a beautiful shade of pink, best observed during a walk at sunset. Komodo's different landscapes are home to a rich variety of bird life, deer and wild pigs, macaques on Rinca and herds of large water buffalo. However, these other residents are often overshadowed by Komodo's most famous resident – the dragon.
Enter the Dragons
Imagine a 150kg, three metre long, armour clad lizard with serrated, ripping teeth set in immensely powerful jaws and four sets of razor sharp claws. Add to this a whipping tail capable of knocking a full grown man to the ground and the ability to inject toxic saliva into its victims with each bite. The Komodo dragon – the world's largest lizard – has all this and more. Living on the islands of Komodo and Rinca, and nowhere else in the world, this mythical creature inspired legends of fire-breathing dragons across the globe. Guests onboard the komodo Dancer will be given opportunties to see these incredible lizards at different locations during the trip. Just don't forget your long lens!
Learn more about the boat – www.komododancer.com.
Tel: +62 82145959068
