Muck diving?

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I wanted to know more about different types of diving that divers consider “muck diving.” So I posted hereto get opinions. As you read the responses, I believe you’ll find that most (U.S. divers, mainly) seem to take the view that muck diving is diving in bad viz, silty bottom/condition, or dirty/filthy water. From what little I’ve read about muck diving in Lembeh, it seems to describe a different type of diving environment containing a rich and diverse set of marine animals, often small and quite unusual.

I’d be interested in learning what Southeast Asia divers consider “muck diving.” Adding your viewpoint of what muck diving is to that thread would provide a more complete spectrum and complement the predominant view already provided. Thanks.
 
Yup, I read that thread; some seem not serious responses.
My view, if there's plenty great dive site in this region with excelent vis, rich coral - and people go for muck diving; sure must be something very special there.
For definition - I agree w/ LekicInc explanation.
 
I've quickly scanned a few threads in this Asia subforum on muck diving, and they seem quite different from the poor viz or dirty/filthy water diving that many of divers in the U.S. consider as muck diving. It seems that muck diving means different things to the West (North America) and the East (Asia). I was hoping that some muck divers in Asia would go to that thread and share their experience of the wonderful muck diving that can be found in many Asian dive destinations (Lembeh et al). That may spawn interest for some Western divers to come visit and dive in Asian countries to experience this type of diving which seems to be gaining in popularity. Posting a few nice photos should do the trick :wink:. I know I want to dive at Lembeh someday...
 
Well, I'm not an Asian diver, but I've posted wildly enthusiastic things about "muck diving" in Lembeh and Bunaken. From what I read, "muck diving" simply means diving over a sandy or silty bottom, rather than a rocky or coral reef or wall. Diving at Lembeh is very similar to my diving at home, in that the bottom is a grey-brown silt/sand mixture, very easy to disturb. But unlike my silt at home, Lembeh is full of scorpionfish, rhinopia, Pegasus sea moths, flying gurnards, ribbon eels, frogfish, mimic and other octopus, mantis shrimp, Banggai cardinalfish, crocodile fish . . . I could go on and on and on. There are some lovely pictures of our Lembeh trip on our website at tsandm.com.

I'd highly recommend Lembeh to anybody contemplating a trip to Asia. In fact, my good friend NWGratefulDiver is going to spend some days there next year at my recommendation!
 
I have a few hundred dives in Asia, so hopefully I'm qualified to answer. I think--but may very well be wrong--that the phrase "muck diving" originated with Bob Halstead in Papua New Guinea. Whether or not that is so, I think it is generally understood to mean, as Lynne points out, diving in areas with a silty or loamy bottom, as opposed to a coral reef. The diving in the Milne Bay area of PNG, Tulamben and Gilimanuk Bay in Bali, and Lembeh Strait in Sulawesi are great examples of muck diving. These areas can often harbor great biodiversity, but may be less scenic than a typical healthy coral reef.
 
:D

As much as I like diving on big reefs, I feel I much prefer muck diving. It is often on plainer sand/mud/trash bottoms. What makes it special is that there is a real shortage of cover and habitats in a muck environment. As such, the density of critters on whatever cover is there is much higher. One coral head/truck tire/beer bottle or sponge will have tons of critters vying for its use. You will see stuff like;
 

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Nice shots Allison. I like the mimic octopus in particular, which brings up another nice thing about muck diving; the black background is great for photographers.
 
vladimir:
Nice shots Allison. I like the mimic octopus in particular, which brings up another nice thing about muck diving; the black background is great for photographers.


Mimics are one of my favorites too. I had one really try to convince me that he was a flounder.
 

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Allison!

You have the best photos I've ever seen! They reveal such personality in their subject matter, like the cuddling nudis and the octopus pretending to be a clam!!! I was in Lembeh and didn't see stuff as cool as this! Did your DM point many things out to you, or did you spot em on your own?

Anyway, to address the subject of the thread, I think this sort of muck diving should be renamed, as there's really nothing mucky about it at all! Any ideas?
 
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