Ambon in Jul-Aug (rainy season)? Other suggestions for Indo this summer...+

[NatashaS]

I'm trying to decide on an itinerary for Indonesia Jul-Aug 2012 (rainy season in Ambon) and hoping for advice.

Basically I've been itching to get to Ambon for more than 2 yrs and work makes the summer the easiest option for an extended (4 week) Indo trip. However Jun-Aug is rainy season in Ambon. I have found trip reports on Ambon for other months, but nothing on rainy season. I did see Luko's post suggesting May is the end of muck season - the water gets warmer and some wildlife goes deeper...or maybe elsewhere. Luko and other experience Ambon divers?

Some starting questions...but please post any advice you might have!

- Is it 'worth' diving Ambon in Jul/Aug? Is there that much of a difference between Jul and Dec?
- What kinds of animals might be missing with the rain/warmer water? Rhinopias? Nudis?
- Weather stats suggest much less rain in Aug than Jun - would August be better than mid Jul (or is the water warmer in Aug)?
- Any other pros or cons of rainy season - ie more pollution in Ambon harbour (trash I can deal with, ear infections not so much)?

This would be my 5th Indo trip. I absolutely adore Komodo (5 trips in 4 years) but am looking to branch out. If Ambon does not seem smart, I could do Lembeh instead (dove only once in Aug 08), but I thought summer wasn`t the perfect time for Lembeh either.

For context my past Indo experience: Komodo (x5), Tulamben (x2), Raja Ampat (x1), Lembeh/Bunaken (x1), Nusa Lembongan (x1).

Thanks for any advice!
NatashaS

[instructorinasia]

Conditions in Lembeh are good over the summer months. The water temperature drops to approx 25-26 Degrees Celsius but this means some of the critters that live down deeper come shallow. We do get some wind from the south but it does not affect the diving

[FrancescoIT]

Hello,

the problem in Ambon is not really the rain or the water warmer, but the sea becomes really rough because of the predominant wind. You can still dive and having good time, but don't expect to stay still like during the good season. I think that the difference in spotting marine life is mainly due to that instead of temperature change. Even in Lembeh water is warmer during rainy season but this doesn't affect the probability of see some critters.....

hope this helps.

cheers,
F.

[Luko]

Even in Lembeh water is warmer during rainy season but this doesn't affect the probability of see some critters.....

It seems it does in some places.
Like instructorinAsia says, some critters like cooler waters, and apparently this is the case for Rhinopias (from what I've been told from local Ambon divers). Therefore the months of september thourgh december which are cooler give a better Rhinopias spotting record than later in the year.

From my sources, June to August are really not good months to dive in the bay, one guide told be me it could be like milk instead of water. Ambon deserves better diving conditions.

As for plan B, I like Lembeh pretty much but not as much as Bangka in the summer months, because there is a southern wind that blows directly into the strait, between Bitung and Lembeh island, whereas Bangka is mostly sheltered by the mainland.

With your record, haven't you thought about diving Alor? I've read lots of good to outstanding stuff although I haven't dived the place so far.

[ocdiver1]

A big thing to consider is who you would dive with if you did go during that time...the only real operator is Maluku Divers, and they close from @June-August every year. I've been there several times, including on a trip that I just returned from yesterday. Had another great time diving Ambon and saw 7 rhinopias!

[The World In My Eyes]

july/August not a good time for Ambon.If you always wanted to go there and enjoy the best of Ambon,then choose another time.

@ ocdiver 7 rhinopias! GREAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ocdiver1]

thanks here's a pic of two of them

[The World In My Eyes]

Nice picture,2 together and nice colours,what other colour one's did you see,do love them,only seen two in Bali and 3 in komodo,In Ambon a great place to find them,

I had planned ahead to go to Ambon/banda in March.But that's changed now as going to Ahe Island and Whalesharks and Lionair fly to Nabire (ahe island) via Ambon was going to stay for a few days but the flight days did not match up with what i wanted

[Luko]

I had planned ahead to go to Ambon/banda in March.But that's changed now as going to Ahe Island and Whalesharks and Lionair fly to Nabire (ahe island) via Ambon was going to stay for a few days but the flight days did not match up with what i wanted

Are you stalking me? (kidding ..)

That was exactly the plan I had, then I realized it was too short to add up Ahe+Ambon, so I figured out Banda but then I got news from Abba (Mutiara's owner in Bandanaira, not the swedish disco band) advising that the Ambon-Banda flights had stopped in January with no schedule guaranteed in february. So I decided to go to Ambon, Saparua then hop to Lembeh. Not too bad for a plan B... And the best thing is that I am leaving in two weeks.

Gonna have a Rhinopias ball !

[ocdiver1]

Thanks World...of the 7 4 were paddleflap (3 pink, 1 red), other three were lacy (2 purple, 1 yellow). The purple pair in the photo were also there last year when i was in Ambon, although they were never together.