Komodo or ??

[Luko]

Except for very specific spots, discussing about currents on a whole location is barely helpful for a particular dive on a particular time :
- I dived Batu Bolong around full moon without any current, Crystal rock at slack tide with no current at all, I could go into the blue and look at the walls of High Voltage on Banta.
- I know the Shotgun can be dived the opposite way while it is supposed to be one of the strongest current in Komodo.
- I had ripping current on a specific day in Batu Niti Tulamben there was like a tornado of black sand we had to hide ot the bottom of a sand dune, Tulamben is very little known for currents. I also had to abort some macro dives in Ambon bay. In fact I don't know any place where there is NO current.

You will always have a time of the day where currents are mild or even unexistant on every site and 2 hours later it will be hell underwater.
Ask your divemaster or guide to schedule the dives and take you where it would best for you : some people like no current at all while having some is good for fish and coral life.
The only thing you have to make sure is that your operation and guide knows the sites intimately and can uderstand the tides (this why on certain locations, resorts are better than liveaboard because the schedule is much more flexible) and explain that you are not comfortable with currents. That will fit.
Fearmongering about currents is useless and often loaded with BS.

 

[matts1w]

Funny how everyone wants to see sharks, mantas, and schools of big pelagics, but no one wants to learn how to dive in current.

 

[rmorgan]

I love a good fly-by and am happy to hook in for the show. Not everyone is. The OP has 50 dives and is gathering information. That seems responsible to me, and I know experienced folks who are wild for Komodo, can’t wait to get back, and others who aren‘t. I‘m surprised by the suggestion that it’s bogus to seek or supply information about those experiences, but to each their own.

 

[Luko]

I‘m surprised by the suggestion that it’s bogus to seek or supply information about those experiences

Yes, because what was experienced at a certain time on a certain spot is not what you will experience another day.
Hence saying that Komodo is wild with current doesn't make any sense to me (disclaimer : 6 trips to Komodo everyone was different, I almost lost my ear on Crystal rock in 2016 while there was zilch current on a near to full moon slack high tide in 2017 on the same spot).

The only thing that doesn't change on the spot is its topography, the rest is just speculations on conditions. Hence what you could say for instance is that when you're approaching either extremity of Batu Bolong, if you feel there is some current, turn back immediately in the sheltered area otherwuse you're in for a not so nice ride, but if you stay in the protected zone you are able to dive it on your first 10 dives (and you will LOVE it).

 

[rmorgan]

Anyone who has dived anywhere knows that conditions vary. I have not dived Komodo, but have paid attention to what one sees when considering it as a destination. I know people who utterly adore it and people who found the game not worth the candle. However, there seems to be considerable unanimity that currents are a serious consideration in Komodo. A few minutes online yields these observations, with all but the first coming from the websites of dive ops:

Crystal Rock: You "almost lost my ear on Crystal rock in 2016." According to Wet Frog Divers, "Due to its very strong currents and the depth, only experienced divers should join for the dives at Crystal Rock." KDS says, "Crystal Rock is often subject to massively strong currents that make it possible to spot Grey Reef sharks, White Tip Reef sharks and Giant trevallies."

Batu Bolong "is exposed to strong currents that help an independent ecosystem to thrive untouched by fishermen."

Castle Rock: "This is not a drift dive site for beginner divers, so it’s highly recommended to have at least 40-50 dive experience and Advanced certification to participate in the thrilling dive Komodo adventure."

Komodo generally: "Komodo National Park offers many dive sites, but diving in Komodo is challenging, and it depends very much on the underwater conditions. Often the dive plan needs to change because the currents are too strong even for the boats."

There are many people for whom these comments are catnip, and others for whom they are a reason to choose, or at least consider, another area. I'm sure you don't mean to encourage people to expose themselves to risks they aren't ready for, and I hope your ear was ok.

 

[also_anon_dc]

2) How best to prepare and what safety precautions?

I think you can prepare by diving more, especially in places with current. It looks like you're in NYC so it should be pretty easy to get to someplace like Cozumel or the Maldives. Why waste time and money traveling to Komodo when you feel like you're not experienced enough to dive there?

 

[Luko]

The difference between you and I is that I have dived Komodo while you've only read about it and try to convince me what Komodo is like

If you prefer to read the glossies, that's up to you ... personnally I'd prefer to ask first hand feedback when not knowing a destination, that's the purpose of boards.
May be mine is not good enough for you, sorry for that, we only understand what we'd like to hear, however that doesn't make you a more knowledgeable specialist of the destination either.

Typically :

Batu Bolong "is exposed to strong currents that help an independent ecosystem to thrive untouched by fishermen."

is a what I call fearmongering because while this is factual as a whole, though it's completely irrelevant for this case because unless you want a shot of adrenaline, you don't dive the exposed side of Batu Bolong.

You see depending on people, you can read what you quoted positively or negatively : you imagine flying divers in ripping currents while I am pointing that the surrounding currents allow more underwater life on specific parts of Batu Bolong that you can dive (read my lips) WITHOUT any current.

Anyone who experienced Batu Bolong (not only READ about, I am talking about having dived multiple times.) knows there is a large protected area from current where lots of people even used to SNORKEL, it's over now since the number of people is restricted on BB. Providing you stay in that zone, It's a dive suited for beginners and there are spots like these in Komodo national park where you can dive without any problems.

I have been on a liveaboard where half of the divers had just finished their OW with 5 dives. Guess what : the 2 instructors leading the dives planned the dives for them, they loved it, they didn't feel any current at all, while our more advanced group could enjoy some current.
Hence this is not a problem of location but rather of operations, timing and dive schedule.

There is a logical bias people who havent' dived Komodo don't understand. The fact is that you can find different types of diving the way you like :
- you can dive Komodo NP with any level of diving, you can find sheltered sides of islands anywhere depending on the current.
- however if you want to dive ALL the sites and get the BEST of Komodo you will need to sometimes dive in the current. (this particularly true for underwater pinnacles such as Crystal or Castle rock).

I'm sure you don't mean to encourage people to expose themselves to risks they aren't ready for, and I hope your ear was ok.

Hahaha... the good ole "making you feel guilty" argument would work if that was true, but once again the reality is that it ain't so, I can turn it back to you as well : you don't want to spread ideas which are not correct and have the OP miss the time of his life, just because you're doing generalizations on something you haven't experienced. Do you?
Life is too short, you never know what can happen, so be factual don't spread unnecessary fear around that would keep anyone away from the best. Curiosity didn't kill the cat, too much care did.

Geographically you have to understand that the Komodo strait is running through lots of islands, so sheltering is possible.
On the other hand, I would not recommend Raja Ampat or Alor to beginners because there are not so many islands in Dampier or Alor Straits that can provide protected areas. (You won't find many dive centers providing OW courses in Alor or Raja Ampat, while there are humpteen in Labuan Bajo/Komodo : do you think the local dive centers are murderers?)

As a conclusion, I will point that in this discussion only two people who dived Komodo shared their opinion. Apart from me, I'll quote the other person.

Additionally, we were able to hit all the big named sites and they timed the sites perfectly for current (meaning no current) and it was fantastic. It was like being in a swimming pool and we still had fish/manta action.

The 2 other people who assessed Komodo was too much of a current hell have in fact NEVER dived the place.

 

[matts1w]

I just took twenty-two 15-year-olds to Komodo for a week where they completed Open Water class and a bunch more fun dives. They saw a ton of mantas, sharks, turtles, in addition to all the other usual suspects. The only problem with training them in the Komodo National Park is that pretty much every other place they dive after won't compare.

 

[Dan]

Considering a trip to Komodo as my next big dive trip. Won’t lie the current situation is making me think twice. Will for sure plan the trip around a quarter moon when current is less. Three questions:

1) Recommendations for liveaboards? Main one I like the look of is Wunderpus. Anyone recommend? Others I should consider? My partner is Indonesian and basically says trust no one…

2) How best to prepare and what safety precautions? Plan to carry a Nautilus and PLB. Will do a drift course beforehand (I’ll have 80 logged dives and have my rescue certification). I feel like most diving doesn’t prepare one for such current so wondering how to prepare better ahead of time

3) Or should I consider somewhere else entirely (no planning constraints)? My dream diving consists of beautiful reefs (like Fiji) and awesome large pelegics (like Rangiroa)

Any tips or recommendations most appreciated. Thank you!!!

I went there with Mermaid Liveaboard from Bali to Komodo back to Bali back in August 2014. Highly recommended. You’ll learn how to dive in current pretty quickly. No big deal. In fact if you like to see pelagic, you’ll see them in current dive.

I did this Bali-Komodo-Bali trip again in July last year on a private yacht. I took my brother along, who just got his open water certification a month before the trip. He has no problem diving in the current, like in Batu Bolong, Shotgun, etc.

One thing nice to go from Bali to Komodo is you’ll pass Saleh Bay in Sumbawa where you can dive with Whaleshark under a Bagan (as shown, below). I’m going to repeat such a trip in this coming August.



I also was on MV Tarata twice just in Komodo (Labuan Bajo - Labuan Bajo) in June 2008 and December 2012. They are good budget liveaboard ~ $250/night.

It’s good idea to carry Nautilus PAB & PLB. I carry the same in my BCD pockets. The most important one is DSMB. And follow your guide.

 

[Centrals]

We human has no control on nature.
You can read all the available comment on line(whatnot) or claimed to be very experience. But there is no ABSOLUTE certainty on everything. Nature is full of surprises to the unexpected especially those with big mouth.
Always expect the unexpected.
Diving has inherent risks and if in doubt, go somewhere else. It is not worth the bother to risk ones life.