Padang Bai or Komodo or something else for 3 nights (Jan 25-28)

[Tippytoes12]

A Balinese guide whose family has lived in Tulamben for generations said that it was definitely fishing that killed them off.

 

[matts1w]

A great white shark shows up in Crystal Bay, and within ten minutes of divers surfacing, the videos find their way to my social media feeds in Jakarta.

...meanwhile...

Fifty or so massive 70kg parrotfish, the (arguably) most famous and economically important school of fish in Bali, were harvested off the (arguably) most famous dive site in all of Indonesia and not one pic from a bragging fisherman or horrified dive or service industry local has ever surfaced. Nor has anyone claimed to be an eyewitness, just that they were told it happened.

I don't know...

 

[Dan]

A great white shark shows up in Crystal Bay, and within ten minutes of divers surfacing, the videos find their way to my social media feeds in Jakarta.

I have that in my video.

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

Great White Shark Washes Ashore in N. Bali | Bali Discovery

I seen in the media on two occasions that CLIMATE CHANGE was to blame for the great white shark turning up in Bali, and for the unfortunate attack resulting in a fatality at a Sydney beach 2 years ago.

So I think it's safe to give the reasons for disappearing bumpheads, as either due to COVID, or CLIMATE CHANGE. This fits in with the modern narrative, and can't be wrong.

 

[Dan]

Great White Shark Washes Ashore in N. Bali | Bali Discovery

I seen in the media on two occasions that CLIMATE CHANGE was to blame for the great white shark turning up in Bali, and for the unfortunate attack resulting in a fatality at a Sydney beach 2 years ago.

So I think it's safe to give the reasons for disappearing bumpheads, as either due to COVID, or CLIMATE CHANGE. This fits in with the modern narrative, and can't be wrong.

From the lateral stripe marking pattern on the body and blunt nose, that shark looks more like a juvenile Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) to me than a Great White Shark. 2.1 m is relatively small Tiger Shark. I have seen a 15’ (4.6m) one in Tiger Beach, Bahama, a big mama called Emma. See my video, below.

Tiger shark - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

From the lateral stripe marking pattern on the body and blunt nose, that shark looks more like a juvenile Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) to me than a Great White Shark.

Tiger shark - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

View attachment 820707

There's also this pic in the article. Not sure if same shark

 

[Dan]

There's also this pic in the article. Not sure if same shark

View attachment 820713

That may be a baby Great White. They should check if its liver is missing. Favorite delicacy of Killer Whale (Orca).

I have seen the big ones in Mexico.

 

[DownUnderwater Dan]

That may be a baby Great White. They should check if its liver is missing. Favorite delicacy of Killer Whale (Orca).

I have seen the big ones in Mexico.

I remember the first time I went to Bali over a decade ago, a local showed me a pic of a killer whale on his old school flip phone. It was pixelated, but could clearly see a big orca, said it was around surfers, on West side of Bali.

Consumption of already deceased beached sea life, occurs in Indonesia sometimes.

Beached dwarf sperm whale cut up, extracted for oil in Bali - National - The Jakarta Post

Local authorities have found that a beached dwarf sperm whale on Lembeng Beach in Ketewel village, Gianyar, Bali, was cut in parts and had its oil extracted by local residents.

www.thejakartapost.com

Beached whales become food for Indonesian islanders

Locals make use of meat from 40 pilot whales that have been stranded on Sabu island

www.theguardian.com

 

[Pidan22]

Well, if you plan to dive in Tulamben or Amed, just stay there. Don’t stay in southern Bali cuz traffic is awful.

 

[CJS]

.As @Centrals says going to Komodo eats up precious dive time. It's world class diving but you don't have enough time.

As you say your looking for corals, fish, and nudis. In your case I would pick Padang Bai which will save you time spent on transferring to Tulamben. Padang Bai gives you some great muck/macro for your nudi fix and the reefs of Nusa Penida will give you your reef/fish action and Manta's at Manta Point. You'll see nudis out off Penida but as Penida has loads of current it may be a bit challenging to get close. You can always arrange for a private guide with your operator. Padang Bai is'nt very busy unless you count the hoards of backpackers heading out on the ferries to the Gillies. There is annoying boat horns in Padang Bai so if your a light sleeper bring some ear plugs.

The Tulamben area is well known for muck/macro, and does have some beutiful reefs. Most operations there you have a private guide and the macro dives are shore dives, but if you tell your operator you want to dive the reefs they will arrange a boat when needed. The Tulamben area is really sleepy as most people there are diving.

I was in both Komodo and Padang Bai late last year (and have dived Tulamben several times). Komodo is awesome, but I would leave it for another 'proper' trip and stay in Padang Bai, so that you maximise the dives you get to do. There are many great sites around Padang Bai, from excellent macro to bigger picture stuff and the Liberty Wreck just up the coast. You are only half an hour boat trip from Nusa Penida also.

Edit - Just saw that you were thinking of staying and fiving with a shop in Tulamben. Just be sure that you want to do most of your diving up there, rather than out of Padang Bai because there is a one hour plus drive between them. Both are good.