This week here in Belongas, south lombok we have been experiencing big waves, moderate currents and superb yes superb visibility! The schools of Barracudas have stayed with us again all this week ranging from 150-200 in each. They have been spotted circulating the reefs at 3 dives sites. Having the visibility so clear this week has meant that throughout the whole dives the barracudas have been clear and part of the group. Among the barracudas the main attractions this week has been the sea snakes and harlequin shrimps. There are 30-50 different types of sea snakes that belong to the cobra family. The average sea snake grows to about 2 meters in length and has a small head compared to its body size. Their tails are flattened to make swimming as fast as possible and they have flaps over nostrils whilst underwater. We have two main dive sites which are common to see them but we very rarely only see one, at minimum two. They are friendly, curious and love to play in the bubbles made by us divers. It has been on most occasions that our guests have been nervous when encountering them for the first time, a few seconds is all it takes before they can relax and realise just how beautiful, elegant and placid they really are.
We have also been visiting our regulars down at 25m, the outstanding harlequin shrimps. Our divers from Malaysia have been having fun playing with their cameras to get a spectacular shot which indeed they succeeded in. The colourful blue and white is so distinctive that it is hard the miss these beauties and we have been lucky enough that the currents have been on our side to visit them 3 times this week already.
