Trip Report - NAD Resort - Lembeh - October 2011

[ocdiver1]

Simon, I also am not going to carry out an argument online but, yes, I do strongly believe in carrying through in making others aware when one has an experience such as mine. Now you and I both know what happened. No one called the Kimia Farma in Manado, as the very pharmacy you said you were contacting (this one, not anywhere in Bitung) upon my visit I found was open 24/7 and, like many Indonesian Kimia Farma's, had a doctor on hand to write a quick prescription for 50000 IDR. All that could have been done in a 2 minute phone call. And again, while an unusual request for a guest to ask a resort to call a pharmacy, not a difficult one...people all work together in remote areas of developing countries...I've even bought and delivered goods for some places I've stayed! And it was far more than 3 days from first contact to arrival. I think I gave an extremely unbiased report of what happened. In fact, I even had another friend stay with you just a month ago who had asked me to describe places I had stayed in Lembeh, my experiences at each being so unbiased! And none of what I wrote had anything to do with a single supplement first time vs last. This is the first negative report I've put on this board and it shouldn't have happened. In any case, of course I have moved on, and don't intent to waste anyone else's time on this board with something between you and I.

FYI World, having spent better than six months in Indonesia the past several years, I was aware of the medication's availability in the country and what was needed for it. Having been gone for three months and having my trip extended at the last minute, I was running low and was not going to be back in Bali where I had last filled it for some time. And yes, of course, the medication is safe to take while diving! None of this really had to do with the nature of my posting

 

[AlMitch]

"The World" yes I use a G11. I was so focussed on the shot that I completely missed the other little hawkfish, my wife told my later that there were more than one! That is the one problem of being a photographer you tend to focus too much on that little screen rather than taking the world in with your eyes.
I would really really encourage you to get a strobe if you want to take photos that have colour in them. If you are happy with greens and blues then OK. The fish really dont seem to mind, as long as you dont machine gun fire the guy with a hundred flashes!

 

[Bali Diver]

Almitch maybe in The World In My Eyes i would of missed it also not being negative about strobes.it is just my feelings for the little creatures who share this world with me and where i am a guest With G11/G12 gives me more options and with internal flash to get some nice shots.

In Bali i knew where a fan was and for 4 years there were 7, most 12 pigmy's on it,with some local friends/guides I kept it secret so we could survey it and told them,take only a few divers now and again but no photos.It was wonderful visiting them every 6 months ect.. In March sadly it was discovered and in September when i went, there was no pigmy.

Yes the machine gun fire,you are right and a totally selfish act.don't get me wrong i'm not anti strobe ect...

Again i can only see i photo in your link.you are right about being proud of your Singapore and that you should feel lucky how close you are to all the wonderful places in Indonesia.I miss Singapore as the last years they only give you 20kg allowance from UK which is a joke and something silly like $50 a kilo excess.

I would like to go back to Lembeh one day and would stay at Nad.It has always been run well and good operation from what i know for a long time and what i'm told and more so as it is a cosy intimate place with a lot of knowledge and great for photograhers and are conservation minded.also the prices are reasonable and of course a FREE house reef is always great.Do love my house reeds.so that all sounds perfect to me.

 

[ocdiver1]

World, well not by ALL accounts...although if I had just stayed somewhere and had a good experience I'm sure I would also be supportive. Aside from the "he said, she said" aspect of my account, what is indisputable is that someone went out of their way to berate and insult someone via email, then cancel a booking, leaving someone without a place to stay the night before arrival. That is the other side that I think others might at lesat be aware of when considering a booking

 

[AlMitch]

Ocdiver1. Please start your own thread if you want to continue your vendeta against Simon. You've said your piece, now just get over it or start your own thread and bash away at your hearts content.

"The World", that sucks about the pygmys dissappearing, but who is to say them dissapearing was a direct result of strobes? The increased traffic of divers could have just as easily scared them. Or a new dver with bad bouyancy could have bashed into the fan and scared them off... The sad thing is where there is lots of human traffic there is almost always far less animal traffic!

NAD has recently sunk a boat near the house "reef" and apparently a Lembeh Dragon (or something along those lines) has made it home which is quite special. There are many resorts in Lembeh now and to be honest I have not heard too many negatives about any of them, but bang for your buck NAD is certainly a great option.






I also wanted to check,

 

[Cajuncru Diver]

ocdiver1. Please start your own thread if you want to continue your vendeta against simon. You've said your piece, now just get over it or start your own thread and bash away at your hearts content.

hear, hear, well said. I think we all agree.

 

[Bali Diver]

[QUOTE=AlMitch;

NAD has recently sunk a boat near the house "reef" and apparently a Lembeh Dragon (or something along those lines) has made it home which is quite special.



Yep know about that.boat will soon have some resident creatures to add to house reef and yes a resident Lembeh dragon which is great.

Yes it was shame about Pigmys and again not anti Strobe.But you said it HUMAN TRAFFIC.

Can only see one picture with your links.On my Papua thread you can find links to some nice pixs from G11/GI2 will have some underwater pixs soon.

 

[AlMitch]

World, try searching flikr for "Lembeh Dive Trip - Oct 2011". Not sure why the link in the original post is not working for you. I tried it from another PC and the link brought up all the pics. Wierd!
I love your whaleshark pics.

 

[Bali Diver]

World, try searching flikr for "Lembeh Dive Trip - Oct 2011". Not sure why the link in the original post is not working for you. I tried it from another PC and the link brought up all the pics. Wierd!
I love your whaleshark pics.

Strange ! your link still not working for me,just see the one picture aaaahhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wisnu]

same with me, only one picture ..