Komodo Currents

[Luko]

I am carrying some serious equipment (Subal housing, 5D, fisheye or 100 macro, 2 strobes). I asked my guides to avoid sites swept with too much current, it was hardly an issue in Komodo. Like above posters mentioned there are periods of the lunar calendar and times of the day where sites are better dived. Moreover most sites have a lee side that is more sheltered, for instance you can dive Batu Bolong (also nicknamed as "current city") without or with very little current, providing you don't swim past the sides.

Usually the small stuff is found in more current sheltered spots, so it won't be an issue. The more difficult part is to find the critters if you don't have the good guides (unfortunately I had gringos who didn't know much, insist on having indonesian guides). Komodo is awesome, you MUST dive there.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I just returned from a 5-day Komodo liveaboard a few weeks ago, and out of 13 dives in total, only one of them featured what I would consider super-difficult current, where we had to struggle against it to the point of many of us becoming exhausted. The boat tried to gauge currents and avoid such spots--and they generally did a good job with that--but they can't determine with absolute certainty just how strong the current will be until we're down there. A couple of other dives had current that was strong enough to be annoying but not enough to cause us to struggle. After that one difficult dive, the majority of divers voiced a preference for less current, and the boat gladly complied.

 

[jake11]

I was almost a brand new diver when we first went to Komodo. I pretty much had my camera on most dives with me. There were some that had some ripping current but not 50% of the dives. One awesome dive with huge current that comes to mind was Batu Balong! Loved that dive!!!!!!! Have a great time!

 

[gee13]

Very Strong currents are the feature of Komodo sites. Theres no ifs and buts about it. The critical factor is how and when the dive is planned, when it is slack tide and what phase of the moon etc. As is with the planning mother nature is the biggest effect as you cannot always plan to perfection with currents. I took my camera on most dives and on some strong current dives like Castle Rock and Manta Alley I got great shots. And thats where the schools of big fish congregate - with the current.

Most times on the surface you can see those ripping swirls at most Komodo sites. Its certainly a sight to see! I remember surfacing at Batu Bolong and just to get onto the boat was a challenge as you got swept into the swirls. Only on Tatawa Kecil I took my camera when I should have left it behind as the speed meter went past the red it was more a case of staying with the group without being blown away. Bubbles were ripping sideways at a rate of knots (literally!) That said we had some fantastic dives that were calm and manageable and conducive to lots of photography. Best advice is to consult with your cruise director Matt215, they will be planning the dives. Some times its better to just leave the camera behind and enjoy the scenery and the ride. You get to see a whole lot more without the camera.

 

[vladimir]

Although a few have mentioned it already, it might be worth repeating that those of us who found the currents easily manageable probably have competent divemasters to thank for properly timing tides and selecting locations. The trip director on my cruise said it was a bit of an art, due to the idiosyncrasies of particular sites and underwater topology.

 

[Napoleon_wrasse]

Very Strong currents are the feature of Komodo sites. Theres no ifs and buts about it. .... I took my camera on most dives and on some strong current dives like Castle Rock and Manta Alley I got great shots.

Not my experience.
From memory: I had zilch current at all sites except Castle Rock, which was manageable by everyone on the Liveaboard. Well, no one complained.
There was a site called D'lagoon which had a current that pushed you past a narrowing in the landscape but that was intentional & fun.
From the logbook: Castle Rock bottom time 49min with 70 bar on surfacing. Water temp 30C. This was the only Komodo site in my logbook for which 'current' rated a mention.

Our dive guide got into the water before every dive to check out the currents. The boat would move on if he did not give the ok to dive.

it was 2007 El Nino year if it that makes any difference.

 

[matt215]

Ok I just checked the lunar calendar just to see what will be going on when I'm there. It lookalike it will be a full moon near the end of my trip. Not only is it full, but it's also a blue moon. Probably doesn't mean anything, but worth mentioning. See here... Indonesia Moon Phase Calendar

 

[Zippsy]

The Blue Moon is just the second full moon in a calendar month. There is no other significance to it. Other than that, I agree with Vladimir. A competent DM/Cruise director can put you in calm waters or good drifts almost every time you want.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Not my experience.
From memory: I had zilch current at all sites except Castle Rock, which was manageable by everyone on the Liveaboard. Well, no one complained.
There was a site called D'lagoon which had a current that pushed you past a narrowing in the landscape but that was intentional & fun.
From the logbook: Castle Rock bottom time 49min with 70 bar on surfacing. Water temp 30C. This was the only Komodo site in my logbook for which 'current' rated a mention.

Our dive guide got into the water before every dive to check out the currents. The boat would move on if he did not give the ok to dive.

it was 2007 El Nino year if it that makes any difference.

Castle Rock was the one dive that prompted us to voice a preference to the cruise director not to take us into anything like that again. (He complied.) I got only 36 mins. of bottom time there and felt exhausted.

On the other hand, when we dove Shotgun (the name giving us a little trepidation) it was totally slack tide, and we were relieved to find almost zero current. Sometimes your boat can pull it off, and sometimes they can't.

 

[highdesert]

... when we dove Shotgun (the name giving us a little trepidation) it was totally slack tide, and we were relieved to find almost zero current.

Aw, shoot .... that's like going to the amusement park and finding out the roller coaster is broken!