Dolphin Escorts

I woke up really early and worked on identifying my nudis.  I only had a couple for Pirjo to review.

I got a little out of breath on the first dive with some current.  I even showed Nikko my PSI at 1000 since we were still down kinda deep. He showed me exactly where the boat was though and I felt pretty comfortable.

During our surface interval, there were two kinds of dolphin swimming in a huge pod together.  Spinner and melon head.  There were sooo many of them.

The second dive was so warm, no current… and I forgot about the beautiful wall here.  Holy cow, it was gorgeous.  We found many nudis and we stayed down a long time.  THIS is what I came here for.  At the end all of the kids were free diving off the dock.

At lunch, I jumped up after the meal and grabbed a piece of cake.  I totally forgot that they serve you lunch dessert.  I hadn’t made it to lunch on my arrival day or the first day of diving, so I forgot how it works!

Yesterday Rhome and Max told a story about these awful guests from Bulgaria.  So today they started teasing me that I may need to get a “Bulgarian rating”.  That my transgressions here at the resort are getting as bad as the Bulgarians.  Oh man, I better shape up!

I jumped the house reef today.  It was a little slow at first but then it picked up toward the end.  

Dinner was another fabulous meal and I was so tired, I just crashed.

Here are the new nudis today:

28. Phyllidiella nigra

29. Doriprismatica balut

30. Nembrotha chamberlaini

31. Glossodoris rufomarginata

32. Phyllidiella pustulosa

33. Dendrodoris carbunculosa

We posted this one to Facebook.  I was sure that it was a Paradoris of some kind.

http://seaslugs.free.fr/nudibranche/a_dendrodoris_carbunculosa_juvenile.htm

34. "Taringa" halgerda

35. Phyllodesmium poindimiei

36. Marionia sp. 8.  

37. Roboastra gracilis

38. Discodoris boholensis

39. Berthella martensi

40. Sagaminopteron psychedelicum

41. Flabellina flamma

42. Samla riwo

43. Philinopsis gardineri

44. Glossodoris acosti

45. Trapania vitta

46. Sclerodoris tuberculata

47. Dermatobranchus sp. 3

48. Flabellina sp. 3

49. Melibe virdis

50. Flabellina sp. 1

51. Atagema intecta

52. Hexabranchus sanguineus

53. Facelind sp. 5

54. Melibe papillosa

Originally we thought was Melibe pilosa, but Marli Wakeling said " No, wrong locale for that species."

55. Pleurobranchus forskali

56. Pleurobranchus peronii

This one is the juvenile

57. Dolabella auricularia

This is the sea hare with its butt chopped off!

Baby, I'm Back

The resort has a new boat, it is very nice and we each have a little cabinet under our seat so now if we want to bring a towel it will stay dry.

This coming year will be the last one for Max and Rhome.  She just bought a flat in Paris.  So cool.  They have tickets to go see many Olympic events in the summer of 2024.  Awesome.

I had headaches on the first two dives and skipped lunch to sleep.  I took advil, drank a coke and drank water.  The third dive of the afternoon felt much better, but I still felt a bit of a headache when I came up.  I skipped jumping the house reef so I could get feeling better.

There are two girls here named Lisa.  One from Colorado and one from Vancouver.  The one from Colorado told me this story about a liveaboard in Palau with a hydraulic lift for their skiff and if someone forgot something, they had to have a rubber chicken.  I was very interested and heard her tell the whole story and then I told her that I started that tradition a long time ago.  It is so cool that the tradition is still there.  Long Live Chicken Stu!!!

Before dinner, one of the guides Timo gave a talk about Coral Reefs.  I remember when I used to give talks on the Aggressor Boats.  Technology has come a long way since then!

I worked hard on my nudi count and I got 27 for my first day.  Not bad.  Six were new to me in Alor. 

1. Chelidonura varians

2. Tambja morosa

3. Dermatobranchus kokonas

4. Dermatobranchus albus

5. Hypselodoris whitei

                     

6. Phyllidia ocellata

7. Bulbaeolidia alba

8. Chelidonura amoena

9. Jorunna rubescens

10. Plakobranchus ocellatus

11. Verconia varians

12. Chromodoris annae

13. Pteraeolidia semperi

14. Phyllodesmium longicirrum

15. Goniodoris sp. 6

16. Aegires exeches

17. Aegires sp. 7

18. Hypselodoris infucata

19. Coryphellinia sp.

20. Sakuraeolis nungunoides

21. Sakuraeolis sp. 2

22. Phyllodesmium opalescens

23. Ceratosoma tenue

24. Favorinus mirabilis

25. Thecacera sp. 8

26. Costasiella kuroshimae

27. Lomanotus vermiformis

On My Way

Monday 11/27/23

I was weirdly calm traveling to the airport.  I feel like I have been through so much this year that I can pretty much handle anything now that is thrown at me.

This is the 10th time I’ve been to Indonesia:

January 2006 Tulamben (Scuba Seraya)

February 2011 Wakatobi, Tulamben (Scuba Seraya), Ambon (Maluku Dive Resort)

Sept/Oct 2012 Sangaeng/Bima (Cheng Ho), Tulamben (Villa Markisa)

Feb 2014 South Rinca (Cheng Ho)

Sept 2015 Beyond Komodo (Cheng Ho), Tulamben (Villa Markisa)

Nov/Dec 2015 Raja Ampat (Arenui)

Nov 2017 Lembeh (NAD)

Nov 2018 Alor, Indonesia (Alami Alor), Komodo, Indonesia (Aggressor), Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia (Villa Markisa)

Nov/Dec 2022 Indonesia (Alami Alor)

Nov/Dec 2023 Indonesia (Alami Alor)

Pirjo messaged me on the way to the airport and said that she needed a battery for her computer.  It took me a minute to realize that she meant the dive computer.  We have the same one.  I realized that this the battery I just ordered recently.  It was hard to find, expensive and still hadn’t shown up yet.  I need to follow up on that.

She also mentioned that something is malfunctioning on her camera.  Bummer.

My first flight was 13 hours to Tokyo.  It wasn’t too bad.  I didn’t have anyone in the seat next to me and I watched a lot of movies.

Tuesday 11/28/23

I actually went to find the United Club so I could use one of my passes.  It was far from my gate but I did it and I have to say it wasn’t really worth it.  Free Coke Zero maybe but that’s really it.  The food is terrible.

I also had this realization that on my first flight there were more people in first class and business than coach.  Back in coach there was plenty of room to stretch out and sleep.  I found the same thing at the United Club.  It was packed in there and I could barely find a seat.

But at the gate and in the restaurants it was pretty empty.  I feel like flying coach is the new luxury.  I am so glad I never pay for any upgrades or club memberships.

However, I am glad that I paid for an escort to do my transfer in Jakarta.  The flight is getting in late and I really want to make the connection to Kupang.  I am not sure what I am going to do if I don’t make the connection.

It is amazing how many things have to go right to make a successful dive trip.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that this one will be great!

Wednesday 11/29/23

OMG.  I cannot believe that I made the flight from Jakarta to Kupang.  The flight was late getting in.  Then I went to immigration and looked for the agent who was supposed to fast track me.  I swear last time they did everything for me… but they were nowhere to be found.

So I stood in line at immigration… it wasn’t that long.  When I got to the front, the guy asked me for my Visa.  Ugh.  So then I had to double back and buy the Visa and come back to stand in the immigration line again.  No big deal.  I had the exact change of $35 and the line wasn’t long again.

I finally met up with the agent after immigration.  I thought, well, what do I need you for now?  Ugh.  But it all worked out because it took forever to get my bags.  Luckily both of them showed up.  He got the cart and loaded them up… got me checked into my domestic flights online and thru customs then we hustled out to the private car they had waiting for me.  It was 1:04am.  The flight leaves at 2:00am.  

We got over to the Domestic Terminal in no time, but then nobody was checking in Kupang anymore.  Argh!  But this guy knew exactly what to do and who to talk to.  And they didn’t charge me any additional excess baggage fee.  And the bags are checked all the way thru to Alor.  Yay!

What I forgot though, after I said thank you to the agent… was how long of a walk it was to the actual gate: D2.  Literally, there was a sign that said 15-20 minutes to get there.  What!?!?!?  I was now cutting it really close.  I was hustling.  

Then after getting through security, I made it to D2 and NOBODY was there.  Ugh.  I thought I heard over the loudspeaker something about Kupang now being at D4 and I saw activity over there and sure enough, that was the gate.  I wasn’t even the last one boarding.

I collapsed in my middle seat.  The plane was packed.  But luckily I got an overhead spot for my camera rollerbag.  By this time I was sweaty and wide awake.  I read my book and only slept a little bit of this three hour flight.

Once I arrived in Kupang, I hit my favorite place for coffee called Bread Bakers.  For some reason the WiFi here isn’t really working.  So annoying.  Oh, and in Japan I went to download some of my books on the Kindle and it didn’t work.  I sure hope it works at the resort.  I’m so pissed at myself that I didn’t download all the way to my kindle when I was at home.

One more flight and I’ll be in Alor.  It is a short one… a little less than an hour.

I finished my second book of the trip on the plane.  I grabbed my bags and then it was another 50 minute van ride to the resort.

By the time I arrived and said hello to Rhome and Max, I was so tired.  I couldn’t remember the name of Jakarta and I called a “dive” a “flight”.  So, when Rhome asked if I was going to dive today, I said definitely not.  I felt like I would make a stupid mistake.

I took a shower and realized that my calves had swollen up like Dad’s used to.  Ugh.  

I got the room right next to the camera room.  Woot!  I always wanted to stay there.  I took a shower and crawled into bed.  I knew I needed to drink water, so I did that... but proceeded to break a glass in the process.  Doh.

That was somewhere in the 11am hour… I didn’t really wake up again until 6pm.  I am a little worried I won’t be able to sleep well tonight, but I’ll try.

I worked on setting up my camera.  Then we had a really nice dinner with the corn fritters and spinach curry.

I showed everyone my new nudi swatch.  It sounds like Max and Francis are going to buy one too.  

I talked about how out of it I was when I arrived and that my legs were swollen.  Everyone (even young people like Max and Rhome) said that they wear compression socks when they travel.  I guess I need to look into it.

I also found out that they have Coke Zero at the resort this year!  Woo Hoo!

 

Alor Three-peat

2023 has been a tough year.  My Dad passed away on April 7th.  He was a SCUBA Diver in California.  He dove alone and on a tank without a pressure gage.  When no more air came out, your dive was over.  He hunted for abalone and had a couple of Hawaiian slings.

                             

I guess diving in cutoff jean shorts was the style!  (or at least Dad's style)

I inherited his 1960s SCUBA gear which is now proudly displayed on my shelves at home.

He got officially certified in the 1990s with my sister Megan, but never really dove again after retiring back to the farm he grew up on in Kansas.

As his COPD progressed, one of his favorite things to do was to watch Ocean and Underwater Documentaries on National Geographic.  He saved every single issue of National Geographic and kept them on the shelves in the garage.  He made a point of telling me when there was an article about Nudibranchs with photos by David Doubilet.

I miss you Dad, but I hope this means you can now join me on all of my dive trips.

I had to delay my trip to the Philippines for Slugfest... again.  I paid for this trip in 2019.  It got bumped for COVID in March 2020 and the festival was rescheduled for May 2023.  I just couldn't step away yet to dive, so I rescheduled it to Feb/March 2024.  

I was able to sneak in a couple of dives when I was in Greece for a wedding in September.  We found some funky fireworms, but no nudibranchs.

I have not been on a dive trip in 2023.  So I cannot wait to head to Alor, Indonesia right after Thanksgiving.  This will be my third time there.  I am super-excited!

Ted Talk - Kleptos!

 https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_middlebrooks_the_fantastically_weird_world_of_photosynthetic_sea_slugs

A Wow Website

 I'll just leave this right here: 

https://nudibranchdomain.org/

This is a superexciting site!  I love what he's doing here.  If I had all the time in the world, this is the kind of thing that would bring me joy.