Alor Exploration

[scorpiofish]

So according to your friends, hammerheads are macro?
(You should never listen peole who "think they know". Like one of your president said "It's not cool to know not what you're talking about".
Personally I've been 3 times in Alor, and would go more if you ask me... just sayin')

Macro-centric is not the same as macro exclusive. The presence of hammerheads does not counter it as a macro-centric destination. My "friends" aren't people who "think they know", they know. They have more time in the area than anyone you or I know.

 

[Cali_diver]

I am glad you have such knowledgeable friends it can really come in handy. I am just a bit wary of people who give advice about places off of other's input. I met someone recently who was telling a whole boat of people that she didn't like Raja Ampat because it was dirty. I had to really snicker under my breath when she announced she was headed to Ambon next year.

I have only been to Alor 4 times so I can only go off my visits. You are right @scorpiofish , definitely a macro destination but quite a few Wide Angle opportunities as well with a really unique opportunity to dive and photograph the kids of Alor. I also really enjoy seeing Komba erupt every 10-15 minutes while sipping a cold Bintang!! If you ever get a chance to do a combo Komodo/Alor trip you should think about it, you might really enjoy it. Just bring a warmer wetsuit...

 

[dirtfarmer]

I also really enjoy seeing Komba erupt every 10-15 minutes while sipping a cold Bintang!! /QUOTE]

An active volcano is on my bucket list!
Is Komba only accessed by LOB?

 

[Dan]

In 2014 on the way back to Bali from Komodo, Mermaid 1 passed Sangeang active volcano. We saw the red lava glowing at night. The nearby dive site, called Hot Rocks, has some gas bubbles coming out from the bottom of the sea. Pretty interesting underwater scenery. I feel like a fish swimming in aquarium with all those bubbles in the water.

 

[dirtfarmer]

In 2014 on the way back to Bali from Komodo, Mermaid 1 passed Sangeang active volcano. We saw the red lava glowing at night. The nearby dive site, called Hot Rocks, has some gas bubbles coming out from the bottom of the sea. Pretty interesting underwater scenery. I feel like a fish swimming in aquarium with all those bubbles in the water.

I need lava flying in the air!
I don't live to far from mount Lassen an semi active volcano, it has mud pots steam vents and such but I needs me some flying molten lava.
Sangegang has some awesome diving though.

 

[Cali_diver]

In 2014 on the way back to Bali from Komodo, Mermaid 1 passed Sangeang active volcano. We saw the red lava glowing at night. The nearby dive site, called Hot Rocks, has some gas bubbles coming out from the bottom of the sea. Pretty interesting underwater scenery. I feel like a fish swimming in aquarium with all those bubbles in the water.

I love Sangeang!! Some of the best critter diving in Indo!

@dirtfarmer Yes I believe it is only accessible by LOB. You can dive there but it is pretty meh.... It is very interesting being under the water when it erupts though. Usually the boats will dive in the morning then cross over in time for sunset and cocktails at the volcano.

 

[Dan]

There are several active volcanoes around Indonesia to see flying molten lava. Just need to be at the right place at the right time.

My experience seeing one was Mount Slamet in Central Java. The last eruption was in March-September 2014. It's 2 day hike to the crater. You can actually listen to the whistle & rumbling before the lava shooting out from the active site from the caldera edge. The orange lava may shoot up to about 30' high, then turn its color to brown as it cools down and falls to the crater side as rock.

 

[Luko]

Macro-centric is not the same as macro exclusive. The presence of hammerheads does not counter it as a macro-centric destination. My "friends" aren't people who "think they know", they know. They have more time in the area than anyone you or I know.

Yeah sure... they have more time in the area than the Alor resort owner who's one of my friends, probably they invented Alor, or taught Indonesians how to speak bahasa or cook a nasi goreng.... and they also throw it futher and have a bigger one...

Ok, in a nutshell pretending that Alor is macro centric is just like saying Bali is macro centric, it really depends on where you are diving and who you are diving with : you can get as much muck OR blue water as you like.
If you dive with a live aboard or an operation based nearby/into Kalabahi bay you will get macro.
If you dive with an operation located in the Pantar strait or in the north you will have blue water and sometimes macro.

But in general in my poor 3 stays in Alor (how many dives did you say you had in Alor?), I will not say that Alor is a macro centric destination, if you miss dive sites like Cathedral, Bama wall, Ruma Biru, Current alley or Anemone city all of these blue water dives, then you will have completely missed Alor.

.

 

[frogfish]

Ok, in a nutshell pretending that Alor is macro centric is just like saying Bali is macro centric, it really depends on where you are diving and who you are diving with : you can get as much muck OR blue water as you like.
If you dive with a live aboard or an operation based nearby/into Kalabahi bay you will get macro.
If you dive with an operation located in the Pantar strait or in the north you will have blue water and sometimes macro.

But in general in my poor 3 stays in Alor (how many dives did you say you had in Alor?), I will not say that Alor is a macro centric destination, if you miss dive sites like Cathedral, Bama wall, Ruma Biru, Current alley or Anemone city all of these blue water dives, then you will have completely missed Alor.

.

Don't forget Kal's dream in the examples of blue water dives !

The macro is brilliant though

 

[scorpiofish]

But in general in my poor 3 stays in Alor (how many dives did you say you had in Alor?)

You have been there three times. I have not. Therefore, my secondhand information is worthless. Check.

My secondhand sources don't share your opinion, therefore bash their credentials and project that they know nothing. Check.

As to the intent of Calico Jack's original post, my opinion is still the same. As a commercial venture, I think he would better off not parking there, but simply diving it as a transit trip. It might better to sit a little longer in Komodo or get there sooner. This might allow him to be there before after all the Raja boats, making it a tad less crowded. I've done Komodo when most Raja boats weren't there and can still get crowded at times depending on the weather.

If I were going to spend more time somewhere in between Raja and Komodo, it would be the Forgotten Islands for now, until the hype dies down. While I have no problem with, "hey, let's try diving over there" and other riskier dive locations (e.g. green water, low vis in Triton Bay), a boat operator has to factor it in. If and when you get to the point of an established customer base, then it gets a little easier to market those trips that aren't the same-old same-old.