Thanks for sharing. One question though, 5 mm for 28c water temps? What am I missing here please?
Trip Report - Lembeh Resort
- Thread starter Searcaigh
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OP
Long dives and exposure, post third dive in the afternoon with cooling temps and rain coupled with windchill from a moving boat can make many people shiver. Plus I don't have much in the way of "bioprene"
---------- Post added August 14th, 2013 at 08:27 AM ----------
Hi Makhno,
For sure the nudibranch count for me did not reach my expectations compared to Anilao, but weird critters well Lembeh has more than it's fair share.
For sure it all depends on the guides too, these guys I swear have a secret pocket in their wetsuits where they hide some critters and place them on the black sand that you just passed over and saw nothing
My theory for nudis though is that March/April is peak season north of the equator, although in Scotland it is May.
Whoa . . .what exposure suit do you have to wear in May in Scotland? Just kidding.
OK totally understand the core cooling as dive days go by . . . But no way am I doing 5mil in Indonesia. I'll bring my full 3mm as always, a hood, my neoprene do-rag , etc, my fleecey undergarments, also etc etc but no way going for a five mm. Doh!
OK totally understand the core cooling as dive days go by . . . But no way am I doing 5mil in Indonesia. I'll bring my full 3mm as always, a hood, my neoprene do-rag , etc, my fleecey undergarments, also etc etc but no way going for a five mm. Doh!
OP
I would agree with you, but the people at Lembeh Resort recommended the 5mm, I also used a hood.
I think that a good 3mm with hooded vest would be fine to be honest, and it would have dried out quicker too prior to my departure, I think I brought back around 2 kg of water. It was difficult to dry things out as we had unseasonably rainy days for the last 5 days I was there.
I think that a good 3mm with hooded vest would be fine to be honest, and it would have dried out quicker too prior to my departure, I think I brought back around 2 kg of water. It was difficult to dry things out as we had unseasonably rainy days for the last 5 days I was there.
thanks really appreciate the explanation. Of course I'm also jealous as can be but nevermind.
Just thought I would post here. I have to admit I would love to post another thread trip report because if any operation deserves two threads this one does! I decided to be good and limit myself to posting here.
It was wonderful getting to meet up with you and dive with you Searcaigh! I am so glad you managed to join us on such short notice.
Now from our perspective.. Thanksforallthefish and I agree with everything Searcaigh has posted. Wonderful setup.
My background in emergency services made me appreciate the safety program at the resort. Miguel had staff out cutting branches and removing anything that could fall from the trees on people below. The program to control insects and therefor the potential of disease was also well thought out and balanced with the health of the environment.
I was also impressed when a fellow guest told me of the extra help Anna and the office staff gave them when they discovered there was a problem with their booking at the location they were heading to next! They apparently really went out of their way to help even tho there was nothing in it for the Resort to do so!
I have been having a problem with an old injury which makes climbing a lot of stairs difficult. I mentioned prior to my arrival that I would appreciate it if I could limit the stress on my ankle to the necessary stuff.. diving. They put me in the perfect location and as a result I found that my ankle was actually better at the end of my trip than at the beginning!
The food was amazing and far above anything I have received at any other dive Resort I have been to. The only place I have received similar service was on a top level cruise ship! Anna and Miguel are absolute treasures. The friendly hospitality and attention to detail they provide is unbelievable. When we were picked up at the airport we were given a bottle of water for the trip to the resort. Another bottle was provided for the trip back to the airport. Anna and Miguel personally see every visitor off giving a special personal touch. Anna even had staff cook up a special soup for me when I was feeling a bit ill.
I had an 0-ring problem in my first stage. When they couldn't resolve the problem on the boat they quickly produced a "spare" set of rental regs so I could get my dive in. These regs were in excellent condition and served me well. While they did suggest 5mil fish and I are used to diving in colder water and decided to bring lighter suits. Fish was comfortable diving in his lycra and I found my dive skin with a sharkskin vest and hood provided enough warmth. This operation has a "no gloves" or "fingerless gloves" policy to discourage inappropriate touching. Since I react badly to stings I need to cover all the skin I can. They accepted my Medical letter and allowed me to wear gloves. I didn't want to risk having water borne stings hitting my hands and effecting my ability to handle the camera. I watch were I put my hands anyway so this didn't turn out to be an issue.
It is primarily muck diving but many of the sites provide lovely coral walls and coral formations. Towards the end of our stay we requested more times on the dives around the coral. The standard was 4 divers per guide but on some occasions we wound up with a guide for the two or three of us which allowed the guide to "cater to" our requests. Hiring the private boat on the last day of diving turned out to be good as you could take your pick of where you wanted to go muck or coral.
The closest I would have to a criticism would be on the House reef. As Searcaigh said there tended to be a lot of rubbish. I noticed the dive shop crew and guides who were not otherwise occupied were sent out to do clean up dives on a regular basis. I think the rubbish was a result of the currents bringing stuff in from other locations in the straight. The reef itself was typical of the area, some rubble, black sand and some very pretty coral formations in spots. I wouldn't snorkel the House Reef because of the rubbish but is certainly provided a good site to dive with lots of stuff to look at.
All the dive sites were within a few minutes of the resort. A boat crew member handed you a glass of water as soon as you settled on the boat heading out. As soon as you got out of your gear after the dive you were given another glass of water and offered fruit to eat. Hot and cold bottled water was provided in your room. Everything was done to ensure you were well hydrated. There were lovely free snacks provided between dives to make sure you had the necessary resources to dive safely. The attention to detail was excellent.
Would I go back? In a heartbeat! Would I change anything? I know people to to this location for the muck diving.. but I think they could focus a bit more on the beauty of their coral sites. This location has something for everyone, muck diving, strange critters, macro but also pretty tropical fish and coral walls and formations.
---------- Post added August 17th, 2013 at 11:22 AM ----------
I would like to add a couple other comments as well.
The dive operations working this area have regular meetings trying to maximize the dive experience and minimize the impact on the sites. This means they have an agreement about how many divers they will put on a site at any given time. We had a couple occassions when we arrived to find another boat at the site. The crews discussed how many divers they had and I assume times they were down. This meant we either relocated or dived but the sites were managed so they were not crowded. The most I had on one of our boats was 3 guides with 9 divers. The guides worked their dives so the groups were taken on different routes at the site so it didn't get congested. This system worked very well.
There were a few times when the guides found something interesting and the groups converged but everyone was given a fair turn to look at/photograph the critter while minimizing the stress on it.
Another thing that impressed me was the gear provided for the guides. They all had individual and mostly new gear. I commented on this to Lauren. Her response was that the guides needed to be comfortable and well equipped to do their jobs well. She said the if the guides were cold from inadequate thermal protection they might have to cut the dives short or rush the dive which would not be good for them or the customers. The guides had slates and would write the name of the creature on the slate to let you know what you wre looking at. I found it helpful to take a picture of the slate before or after I took the shots of the critter. At the end of the dive they had another slate with a list of the critters seen on the dive. Once again you could take a pic of this slate for future reference. Nice system!
I like the way the staff at both the Dive Operation and Resort are provided with uniforms and the seem to be well taken care of. There is also a program in place to provide for the local school and village. The Dive Operation and the Resort have different owners who seem to work well together. Both are committed to the local environment and the local residents welfare. I personally feel better about spending my holiday dollars where they will have the most positive impact during and after my holiday.
It was wonderful getting to meet up with you and dive with you Searcaigh! I am so glad you managed to join us on such short notice.
Now from our perspective.. Thanksforallthefish and I agree with everything Searcaigh has posted. Wonderful setup.
My background in emergency services made me appreciate the safety program at the resort. Miguel had staff out cutting branches and removing anything that could fall from the trees on people below. The program to control insects and therefor the potential of disease was also well thought out and balanced with the health of the environment.
I was also impressed when a fellow guest told me of the extra help Anna and the office staff gave them when they discovered there was a problem with their booking at the location they were heading to next! They apparently really went out of their way to help even tho there was nothing in it for the Resort to do so!
I have been having a problem with an old injury which makes climbing a lot of stairs difficult. I mentioned prior to my arrival that I would appreciate it if I could limit the stress on my ankle to the necessary stuff.. diving. They put me in the perfect location and as a result I found that my ankle was actually better at the end of my trip than at the beginning!
The food was amazing and far above anything I have received at any other dive Resort I have been to. The only place I have received similar service was on a top level cruise ship! Anna and Miguel are absolute treasures. The friendly hospitality and attention to detail they provide is unbelievable. When we were picked up at the airport we were given a bottle of water for the trip to the resort. Another bottle was provided for the trip back to the airport. Anna and Miguel personally see every visitor off giving a special personal touch. Anna even had staff cook up a special soup for me when I was feeling a bit ill.
I had an 0-ring problem in my first stage. When they couldn't resolve the problem on the boat they quickly produced a "spare" set of rental regs so I could get my dive in. These regs were in excellent condition and served me well. While they did suggest 5mil fish and I are used to diving in colder water and decided to bring lighter suits. Fish was comfortable diving in his lycra and I found my dive skin with a sharkskin vest and hood provided enough warmth. This operation has a "no gloves" or "fingerless gloves" policy to discourage inappropriate touching. Since I react badly to stings I need to cover all the skin I can. They accepted my Medical letter and allowed me to wear gloves. I didn't want to risk having water borne stings hitting my hands and effecting my ability to handle the camera. I watch were I put my hands anyway so this didn't turn out to be an issue.
It is primarily muck diving but many of the sites provide lovely coral walls and coral formations. Towards the end of our stay we requested more times on the dives around the coral. The standard was 4 divers per guide but on some occasions we wound up with a guide for the two or three of us which allowed the guide to "cater to" our requests. Hiring the private boat on the last day of diving turned out to be good as you could take your pick of where you wanted to go muck or coral.
The closest I would have to a criticism would be on the House reef. As Searcaigh said there tended to be a lot of rubbish. I noticed the dive shop crew and guides who were not otherwise occupied were sent out to do clean up dives on a regular basis. I think the rubbish was a result of the currents bringing stuff in from other locations in the straight. The reef itself was typical of the area, some rubble, black sand and some very pretty coral formations in spots. I wouldn't snorkel the House Reef because of the rubbish but is certainly provided a good site to dive with lots of stuff to look at.
All the dive sites were within a few minutes of the resort. A boat crew member handed you a glass of water as soon as you settled on the boat heading out. As soon as you got out of your gear after the dive you were given another glass of water and offered fruit to eat. Hot and cold bottled water was provided in your room. Everything was done to ensure you were well hydrated. There were lovely free snacks provided between dives to make sure you had the necessary resources to dive safely. The attention to detail was excellent.
Would I go back? In a heartbeat! Would I change anything? I know people to to this location for the muck diving.. but I think they could focus a bit more on the beauty of their coral sites. This location has something for everyone, muck diving, strange critters, macro but also pretty tropical fish and coral walls and formations.
---------- Post added August 17th, 2013 at 11:22 AM ----------
I would like to add a couple other comments as well.
The dive operations working this area have regular meetings trying to maximize the dive experience and minimize the impact on the sites. This means they have an agreement about how many divers they will put on a site at any given time. We had a couple occassions when we arrived to find another boat at the site. The crews discussed how many divers they had and I assume times they were down. This meant we either relocated or dived but the sites were managed so they were not crowded. The most I had on one of our boats was 3 guides with 9 divers. The guides worked their dives so the groups were taken on different routes at the site so it didn't get congested. This system worked very well.
There were a few times when the guides found something interesting and the groups converged but everyone was given a fair turn to look at/photograph the critter while minimizing the stress on it.
Another thing that impressed me was the gear provided for the guides. They all had individual and mostly new gear. I commented on this to Lauren. Her response was that the guides needed to be comfortable and well equipped to do their jobs well. She said the if the guides were cold from inadequate thermal protection they might have to cut the dives short or rush the dive which would not be good for them or the customers. The guides had slates and would write the name of the creature on the slate to let you know what you wre looking at. I found it helpful to take a picture of the slate before or after I took the shots of the critter. At the end of the dive they had another slate with a list of the critters seen on the dive. Once again you could take a pic of this slate for future reference. Nice system!
I like the way the staff at both the Dive Operation and Resort are provided with uniforms and the seem to be well taken care of. There is also a program in place to provide for the local school and village. The Dive Operation and the Resort have different owners who seem to work well together. Both are committed to the local environment and the local residents welfare. I personally feel better about spending my holiday dollars where they will have the most positive impact during and after my holiday.
Last edited:
LembehR&Critters
Contributor
On behalf of both Lembeh Resort and Critters@Lembeh dive team we would like to thank you very much Searcaigh and Bowlofpetunias for taking the time to write your review and comments. We really appreciate all the lovely things you wrote and it was a pleasure having you both here.
Thank you as well for pointing out that we have beautiful coral sites here as well as muck diving - many people don't know this about Lembeh and it's great to get the word out! Plenty of our nearby sites feature a mix of corals and sand, and some sites just 20-30 minutes away are entirely coral and perfect for great wide-angle shots. In May we hosted a week-long seminar dedicated to wide-angle photography called 'Lembeh Wide Open' and it was a great success. Here you can see some shots taken by participants: Lembeh Wide Open - Huge Success - Lembeh Resort and Critters at Lembeh in North Sulawesi, Indonesia
It can be tough to decide between lenses though - our coral sites are also home to photogenic macro critters like boxer crabs and pygmy seahorses.
About nudibranchs, we've noticed many are seasonal; this is because they feed on a wide variety of organisms, not all of which are around at the same time of year. We had a nudibranch workshop here in the end of June hosted by renowned expert Dave Behrens together with Burt and Maurine Shimlock and over the course of two weeks, two of our participating guests photographed and identified just over 200 species of nudibranchs! :geek:
We're so glad you like our social commitment projects - we are in a unique position to facilitate positive change and encourage access to education and it is our way of giving thanks to the community for being such gracious hosts.
Thank you and we very much hope to see you again!
Thank you as well for pointing out that we have beautiful coral sites here as well as muck diving - many people don't know this about Lembeh and it's great to get the word out! Plenty of our nearby sites feature a mix of corals and sand, and some sites just 20-30 minutes away are entirely coral and perfect for great wide-angle shots. In May we hosted a week-long seminar dedicated to wide-angle photography called 'Lembeh Wide Open' and it was a great success. Here you can see some shots taken by participants: Lembeh Wide Open - Huge Success - Lembeh Resort and Critters at Lembeh in North Sulawesi, Indonesia
It can be tough to decide between lenses though - our coral sites are also home to photogenic macro critters like boxer crabs and pygmy seahorses.
About nudibranchs, we've noticed many are seasonal; this is because they feed on a wide variety of organisms, not all of which are around at the same time of year. We had a nudibranch workshop here in the end of June hosted by renowned expert Dave Behrens together with Burt and Maurine Shimlock and over the course of two weeks, two of our participating guests photographed and identified just over 200 species of nudibranchs! :geek:
We're so glad you like our social commitment projects - we are in a unique position to facilitate positive change and encourage access to education and it is our way of giving thanks to the community for being such gracious hosts.
Thank you and we very much hope to see you again!
gee13
Contributor
What a good report and lovely photos to boot Searcaigh.. well done chap. I cant wait to head back to Lembeh next next year.. and bowlofpetunias the rubbish ..though being unsavoury sightwise..is what attracts the criters to hide in.. its one of the positives that results from a negative in Indo.
You are right of course and I have some lovely shots of critters using the rubbish for homes and protection. I always stress on cleanup dives that fishing line (we didn't see any there) and plastic bags need to be removed but bottles and things that are on the bottom may be homes and removing them should be considered only after a lot of thought. Sometimes the "Cleanup divers" get a bit too enthusiastic:doh: What I saw being removed in Lembeh were things floating, paper wrappers and plastic.
thanksforallthefish
Contributor
I totally agree with Searcaigh & BOP ... the dive operation was extremely well run, and the guides were amazing in what they found. I prefer to set up and look after my own gear but after the first few days left this to the dive staff without any reservations.
The hotel was the best i have stayed in at in a diving resort, you would have to be extremely picky to find fault with the meals or the rooms, and the hotel managers Ana and Miguel were wonderful, nothing was too much trouble. ... they were also great dive buddies
The hotel was the best i have stayed in at in a diving resort, you would have to be extremely picky to find fault with the meals or the rooms, and the hotel managers Ana and Miguel were wonderful, nothing was too much trouble. ... they were also great dive buddies
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