Ambon and Lease islands report dec12-jan13

[AlMitch]

As usual, top report and pics!
That beach on Molana just looks incredible! As for the diving..... man that is just what I'm looking for, gin clear water and colourful coral and fish for as far as the eye can see! B-E-A-Utiful!

How long did it take for you to motor your way from Blue Rose dive centre to Molana?

It's suprising no-one has set up shop in the area yet.

 

[cephalopod2]

Fantastic writing with beautiful images - thanks for another superb report Luko.

Your account of jam karet subscribers made me laugh - so true!!

Sidenote : I’ll skip the many difficulties to arrange something clear going through various Indonesian intermediates… Guys, don’t try this by yourself at home if you’re not ready to cope with the famous Indonesian “jam karet” perception (elastic time). I was even surprised many things would fail after a mail, another confirmation mail, a third mail, a phone call on the day before and a SMS on the morning… but what can you do, the power of “Jam Karet” is strong as the Indonesian Throughflow. It would be a great improvement if Jam Karet afficionados would wear a badge, a distinctive cap, a bumper sticker saying “I believe in Jam Karet”. Will make thing easier. Thanks.

 

[Luko]

How long did it take for you to motor your way from Blue Rose dive centre to Molana?

Can't say exactly because we stopped for diving en route, though I think 1hr speedboat (2*175hp) would be a good estimate.

It's suprising no-one has set up shop in the area yet.

There are : Cape Paperu is not very far, on the island in front of the beach on the far right hand side. Quite pricey too.
The problem is that the diving is even more seasonal than in Ambon, where it's almost closed 3 months a year.

 

[AlMitch]

Can't say exactly because we stopped for diving en route, though I think 1hr speedboat (2*175hp) would be a good estimate.


There are : Cape Paperu is not very far, on the island in front of the beach on the far right hand side. Quite pricey too.
The problem is that the diving is even more seasonal than in Ambon, where it's almost closed 3 months a year.

1hr ... thats not bad at all.... they should offer that as a day trip. I'm sure there are many people that would gladly pay the extra fuel surcharge to get to dive in that "infinite pool". I certainly would.
And so I'm assuming that hiring your own boat and captain and DM and chef and little bungalow from BRD etc was still cheaper than staying a few nights at Paperu?

 

[cephalopod2]

And so I'm assuming that hiring your own boat and captain and DM and chef and little bungalow from BRD etc was still cheaper than staying a few nights at Paperu?

If I may, the other consideration is that you might not get to dive Nusa Laut staying at Cape Paperu, unless you are travelling in a group of 4. I was looking at this in Jan. Paperu requires a minimum of four divers to consider a Nusa Laut trip. They offered no reassurance that a trip would go, regardless of how many nights one stayed. I will let Luko answer your question re. BRD charter costs, but from Paperu's published rates, it looks like a private charter to NL from Paperu would cost €532 ($715 US) +10% to meet their 4 diver minimum (higher costs for >4 divers).

 

[Luko]

1hr ... thats not bad at all.... they should offer that as a day trip. I'm sure there are many people that would gladly pay the extra fuel surcharge to get to dive in that "infinite pool". I certainly would.
And so I'm assuming that hiring your own boat and captain and DM and chef and little bungalow from BRD etc was still cheaper than staying a few nights at Paperu?

1hr boatride is to go to Molana, then 30minutes to reach Nusa Laut. Day trip that will be 3hrs motoring, which can be done, but a bit tiring, especially if you are not staying nearby BRD. They do offer it as a day trip but you'll then have to add 2.5MilIDR to charter the boat and crew, which is more or less 300USD for fuel surcharge, on top of 1.1MilIDR for 3 dives, ie 120USD.
So I prefer to rent a basic bungalow and a room for the crew at Molana island, who also provide the cook, in order to flatten the one off fuel surcharge cost.

 

[AlMitch]

1hr boatride is to go to Molana, then 30minutes to reach Nusa Laut. Day trip that will be 3hrs motoring, which can be done, but a bit tiring, especially if you are not staying nearby BRD. They do offer it as a day trip but you'll then have to add 2.5MilIDR to charter the boat and crew, which is more or less 300USD for fuel surcharge, on top of 1.1MilIDR for 3 dives, ie 120USD.
So I prefer to rent a basic bungalow and a room for the crew at Molana island, who also provide the cook, in order to flatten the one off fuel surcharge cost.

Brilliant idea. I'll try remember that for when I finally get to Ambon. I checked the Paperu prices and they really are expensive. And considering what Natasha said above about them not guaranteeing you a trip out to NL, well then your option definitely wins hands down. AND you get to stay on that beautiful beach on Molana. Its a mini adventure in the middle of your Ambon experience.

 

[gee13]

Almitch lets coordinate our maiden trip to Ambon and Molana. :blinking:

 

[Veronique76]

Unbelieveable!!! You are such an experienced "diver" and you've asked Frangky - a divemaster from Blue Rose Divers in Ambon to catch a lobster for your dinner at Moulana Island...

There is no excuse for such disgraceful action. You gave a bad example to the rest of divers community.
Can't really believe that you are so irresponsible, Luko.

Shame on you...

For that I chartered one of Blue Rose speedboats, DM Frangky as a dive guide and rented a bungalow on charming Molana Island with its beautiful beach, my non diving wife’s favourite place in Maluku. Not inexpensive but I would say 100% worth, I probably had 3 of my top 10 dives ever out of only 6 dives (we missed a few since the chartered boat was beached on the sand for one day... Indonesian flair.).

Plus I can say I spent the end of the year on a private beach with my private boat, private captain, private dive guide who caught for dinner a lobster and a tasty grouper that my private cook accomodated with a rica-rica chili sauce. On top of that I had brought a Pastis bottle from France as an aperitive and bought some peanuts to watch sunset... Well, an ending I can remember for that year 2012...

 

[Luko]

Unbelieveable!!! You are such an experienced "diver" and you've asked Frangky - a divemaster from Blue Rose Divers in Ambon to catch a lobster for your dinner at Moulana Island...

There is no excuse for such disgraceful action. You gave a bad example to the rest of divers community.
Can't really believe that you are so irresponsible, Luko.

Shame on you...

Who are you to tell me what is wrong or right? How I despise such "political correctness" and to be taken as a hostage of the selfcalled eco-warriors. You should get your bum off the couch and have yourself a look at what is underwater rather than repaeating like a parrot some eco concerned BS.

Yes, I eat and appreciate lobsters, yes unlike you I have lived in South Pacific where lobsters abound, yes, I probably may know a lot more about underwater life than you, especially when I notice that in that part of the ocean that are lobsters in every hole and more over I find that is such a stupid reflexion... You should rather be ashamed to post so brainlessly for your first post.

Looking at your uncourteous ways, not even introducing yourself to the boards, since you were so eager to start a dumb post, I suppose you should be french. That's the kind I tend to avoid.