This week in Bunaken… The divers got themselves a good laugh this week when they got to witness a big green turtle give herself a belly rub! The big girl came cruising through the group during a dive on Lekuan II and repeatedly used her front flippers to give herself a good rub on the tummy.

Later she was seen sitting on a ledge and had found herself some nice pointy coral which she used to rub her chin on. With her eyes almost closed it looked like she was truly enjoying it! It is well known that turtles frequently wedge themselves under ledges to rub barnacles and other growths off their carapace, but not as common that they do it to their bellies and chin. Either way, this lady seemed to have found just the right spot!

We have been over to the mainland a couple of times this week and found great things like ornate ghost pipe fish, frog fish, sea moths and ribbon eels. On the reefs around Bunaken the currents continues to bring in large game fish, eagle rays, and sharks and of course we have the usual resident critters like pontohi pygmy seahorses, candy crabs, nudis and orangutang crabs.

And to round it off we are very happy to congratulate yet another brand spanking new PADI Divemaster! Lyn from New Zealand has spent the last four weeks in Lembeh and Bunaken to learn the tricks of the trade and is now chomping on the bit to use her new skills back home. However, she is seriously contemplating a dry suit first…