Text and Photography by Stephen Frink

Introduction

It is the middle of the afternoon in the Florida Keys, so it's no wonder I'm not all that sleepy. But then, I'm not at home in Key Largo. Instead, I'm in a bed aboard the Komodo Dancer, staring at the ceiling because my body is in the wrong time zone by exactly 12 hours. Perhaps the appropriate time to begin telling the story of my trip to Indonesia to visit the Komodo Marine Park:

To begin with, should you revisit this adventure, be aware you'll come far to dive Komodo. No surprise, for it seems much of the world's best diving is far from our North American shores. But this one involves multiple airports and airtime of 13 hours from LA to Taipei, another 4 hours to Kuala Lumpur, and a final 3 hours to the city of Denpasar on Bali. Counting the time spent in a lovely beachfront hotel before boarding the Komodo Dancer, and then the final 20-hour steam en route to the first dive off the Komodo Islands, I figure about 75 hours from LA liftoff to giant stride. Long admittedly, but from all the word-of-mouth accolades I'd heard from respected shooters, well worth the effort.

Geographic Background

The islands of Indonesia lie in a wide arc more than 5,000 miles long, stretching from the mainland of Southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea. This is the heart of prime exotic diving, and coupled with the topside tropical splendor of scenic volcanic isles, makes for an ideal dive destination. Especially when the hook is UW photography as it is with our groups.

No one really knows exactly how many islands comprise Indonesia, but the range is between 13,677 and 18,585. Some islands are so small that tidal variation at the time of survey may make a difference, but figure 6,000 are named and about 1,000 inhabited. It is the largest archipelagic nation in the world with 80,000 km of coastline and 181 million residents. Most are Muslim, but there is a significant Christian and Hindu minority, especially around Bali.

The Komodo Islands are situated between Subawa and Flores, pretty much in the geographic center of the Indonesian archipelago (about 200 miles east of Bali). These islands are the prime habitat of the gigantic monitor lizard known as the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), and while our focus is more underwater than terrestrial, the fact that there are as few as 3,000 of these lizards on earth encouraged the protection of these islands. In 1977, the Komodo Islands were listed in UNESCO's conservation programs, and Komodo National Park was inaugurated in 1980. With a landmass of 75,000 hectares and 112,500 hectares of surrounding waters and reefs under Park protection, the dynamite fishing and poaching that occurs elsewhere in Indonesia remains largely in control here.

Research suggests that the reefs around Komodo are among the world's most biologically diverse and productive, probably due to upwellings and the high degree of oxygenation from strong tidal currents passing through the Sape Straits. There are over 1,000 species of fish and 250 species of coral here, with new species constantly being discovered now that scientists and knowledgeable sport divers are more frequent visitors to these waters.

Night of Arrival

Our group arrives in Denpasar on the island of Bali around 6:00 p.m., but by the time we make it through customs (as is typical of a Peter Hughes tour, we are met at the airport and transported to the hotel as part of the package) and make the 20-minute ride to the Raddin Sanur Bali hotel, there is only enough time on this first night for a much needed shower, dinner, and leep. It is a shame we have so little time at the hotel, as it is quite nice. Situated on the beach with a lovely freshwater swimming pool, a couple of restaurants, and probably plenty of other amenities we'll never have a chance to try. However, it is a comfortable respite, even if we are on the road again by 8:00 a.m. the next day. It's a long boat ride to Komodo and we intend to get off the dock before 10:00 a.m.

Day 1 (Motoring to the Komodo Islands)

After learning about the 20-hour ride to Komodo, I was dreading it. But as it turned out, it was a calm crossing and a chance for us all to catch up on sleep and prepare our cameras in a VERY leisurely fashion for a change. Most of us were working very hard the week before leaving in order to get away from our respective routines; and then with the long plane ride, a day with a chance to relax was rather nice. I've been on live-aboards where they dive right away, and after a long flight, mistakes can happen. It happened to a few of my guests earlier this year in PNG and several cameras got flooded that first dive. Coincidence? Maybe, but I think jet-lag and fatigue conspired against o-ring maintenance. This time, all gear was properly assembled and performed flawlessly. With a dozen hard-core shooters aboard, that's quite an accomplishment in itself.

So, the 20 hours to Komodo is not a bad thing, but of course it means 20 hours back as well. At least I'll know I won't be bubbling with saturated nitrogen from 22 dives over the previous 6 days as the plane lifts off the tarmac.Having a day on board with nothing much else to do gave us a chance to get the boat and dive briefings out of the way, and get to know the Komodo Dancer as well. Known in her native vernacular as the Ombak Biru (Indonesian for "Blue Wave"), she is a wooden two-masted motor-sailer, about 95 feet long by 30 foot beam. Even though she is a Peter Hughes flagged vessel, those who have been aboard one of Peter's elegant custom dive yachts like the Sun Dancer II should be aware this is entirely different.

Actually, I found the vessel extremely charming, with spacious cabins, efficient dive tenders, a reliable nitrox membrane system, and an extraordinary hospitality and dive staff. Of course, amenities common to all Peter Hughes' dive boats such as E-6 film processing, modern Scubapro rental gear, and qualified dive professionals on staff are to be expected. But beyond that, this vessel is comfortable and seaworthy. Somehow she just looks and feels "right" for this destination. Coming back from the dive site and seeing the Komodo Dancer reflecting the late afternoon light over slick calm seas in some gorgeous cove in the Komodo Islands turned out to be one of the enduring memories of a wonderful week at sea.

Day 2 - Satonda Island (Lake Entrance Bay, Sand Chute, and Lost Boys)

While technically not in the Komodo Island group, the sites off Satonda Island allow us to get in the water early on the second day at sea. The Komodo Dancer calls Lake Entrance Bay their "check-out" dive. While it does offer a gentle sand slope with coral bommies scattered about, ideal for adjusting weights and fine-tuning camera gear in warm, current-free waters; there are still significant photo opportunities. Several of our guests had not dived the Pacific before, so seeing their first clownfish was meaningful. For those of us with more exotic travel beneath our weight belts, there were plenty of anthias, gobies, angelfish, and more "usual suspects" with healthy hard and soft coral backgrounds.

Sand Chute and Lost Boys were similar in that they were for the most part in less than 60 feet of water with minimal current. But both dives proved the value of having a crew member with familiarity of the site and excellent spotter eyes. On this boat an Indonesian named Yan proved to be our eagle-eye, pointing out leaf scorpionfish, harlequin ghost pipefish, and black-ribbon eels. The water clarity was only about 40 to 50 feet this day, so wide-angle was a challenge. But for those of us shooting 105mm macro lenses in our housed cameras, these reefs were marvelous. Because our group is experienced in both photography and photo etiquette, there was plenty of sharing when a good set-up was discovered, and everyone came back to the boat with nice representations of the significantly photogenic critters along these reefs.

Day 3 - Gili Banta Island (GPS, K2, GPS, and night dive at Circus)

GPS is one of those fabled "marquee" sites that everyone who dives Komodo must visit at least once, and hopefully more than once. A submerged seamount located about a mile offshore of Gili Banta, GPS is about the size of a football field and rises to within 20 feet of the surface. The top of the reef is solid with antler corals, especially perfectly intact staghorns, while along the reef slope are colorful soft corals and LOTS of crinoids. Anthias dart about in greater profusion and variety than I have ever seen anywhere, and the sheer mass of life along the top of the reef is both inspiring and reassuring. While coral reefs may be in decline many places worldwide, no one told the fish at GPS yet.

This is the place for sharks as well. White-tip reef sharks and gray reef sharks are most common, but this is prime pelagic cruising grounds and no doubt anything is possible here. There seems to be a resident great hammerhead as well, but while many of us saw it in the distance, no one got close enough for even a bad souvenir photo. This first dive of the morning offered pretty good visibility, maybe 60 feet or so, but it was the sheer electric quantity of life that overwhelms at GPS. It is likewise notable that several live-aboards keep GPS on their weekly itineraries, and while that may be minimal dive pressure compared to some areas, this is not an unknown site by any means. It is a tribute to the collective quality of the dive briefings, buoyancy control and educated concern of the visiting guests, and water quality that these fragile corals remain pristine.

K2 was certainly calm in comparison with GPS earlier in the morning, but with little current and lots of sand to safely nestle in close to the macro critters without fear of damaging coral, this was another nice spot for working the reef minutie. There are plenty of clownfish of course, and it is only with discipline that I move away from these more common subjects and concentrate on the tiny, bizarre subjects that define Indonesia diving. It certainly helps that the crew dives these sites each week and know where the more sedentary camouflaged creatures like hawkfish, leaffish, and pipefish reside.

GPS can only be dived on a light-to-slack current, which means even if we would have liked to have done every dive there this day, only 2 were practical. And even those were quite different. In the morning, we had a waning incoming tide and good visibility. In the afternoon, we had slack following the outgoing tide and the water clarity was far worse. Of course, one only has to look among all the filter feeders that dominate the reef slope to realize that both current and high nutrients wash this reef. But even in 30-foot visibility this is an impressive dive. Our guests saw gray sharks at cleaning stations, the hammerhead, schools of trevally jack and bonito, and of course lots of small critters as well.

There was a night dive, as there is most nights on Komodo Dancer, but this was very tame and minimally productive for all. "Circus" hardly lived up to the advanced billing this night.

** A note on the currents in Komodo** - There are perceptions that color any dive destination, and most have some basis in fact. I had heard that the currents in Komodo rip, and from that little nugget I envisioned having a hard time staying in one place long enough to get a photo and then being swept out to sea on my safety stops. Well, the reality is that in some places the currents can get pretty rowdy, but these are tidal currents. That means a good dive operator with local knowledge and a tide chart can choose the optimal time to dive a site. A little current is good as it brings the pelagics closer to the reef and enhances the soft corals. A lot of current can make it uncomfortable or even dangerous. The Komodo Dancer crew played the currents perfectly all week, and the tender drivers were so attentive and skilled, no one ever waited more than 5 minutes for a pick-up. Current was never really an issue, either in terms of personal safety or photo acquisition. But having said that, I can see where current could be a huge issue here without the benefit of considerable local knowledge and experience.

A note on water temperatures in Komodo - I had also heard Komodo was cold-water diving, and in fact some of the dive sites in the south do drop down into the low-70s. The coldest we ever experienced was 72 degrees, and the warmest was 80 degrees F. Yet, the cold-water dives like Cannibal Rock were so incredibly rich and productive it is important to be prepared to dive them comfortably. To me, that means at least a 5mm wetsuit and hooded vest, booties, and light gloves. In the north, a 5/3mm suit was perfect for the 4 dives a day we do from the Komodo Dancer. To properly enjoy the dives in Komodo, one must bring sufficient thermal protection.

Day 4 - Komodo Island, Yellow Wall, Cannibal Rock and night dive at Cannibal Rock

By 7:00 a.m., we were aboard the tenders for our land expedition to view the Komodo dragons for which these islands were named.

Komodo Island is a huge island, and there are plenty of places for Komodo dragons to be wild. But there is the domestic variety as well, and around the ranger station on the island there is an opportunity to view and photograph a few fairly docile specimens of Komodo dragon and wild pig. There are also numerous vendors offering carved dragons and strings of pearls (expect to bargain with them, and figure to pay about half the asking price). All of this is within a few hundred yards of the dock, so there is an opportunity for an easy and minimally physical introduction to the Komodo dragon. There is also a 4 km round-trip hike through the countryside that I highly recommend. Aside from the lovely scenery, you will see deer, more wild pigs, and the high probability of seeing one or two more Komodo dragons in a more natural setting. Park guides will attend the group, and they will carry stout forked poles to fend off a dragon in the unlikely event one should choose to eat a tourist. Aside from the photo opportunities, the exercise of a vigorous walk after a couple of days at sea is a nice change of pace. This morning diversion will cost a dive or two, but then these are very interesting animals, seen no where else on earth except in zoos. And if you begin thinking this is a zoo, there was the story this week of tourists visiting another island in the Komodos who saw a water buffalo kill a Komodo dragon, and then 13 Komodo dragons ganged up to kill and eat the water buffalo. Marlin Perkins would feel right at home here.

Following the shore excursion we had a short ride to our first dive site, Yellow Wall. The crew prepared us for the fact that the dives this day would be cold. Actually 72 degrees isn't all that cold if you dress for it, but without adequate thermal protection these dives can be miserable. Which would be a shame, because both Yellow Wall and Cannibal Rock are extremely rich with marine life, and in fact some on this cruise would recollect these as their favorites of the week.

Yellow Wall, as the name implies, drops vertically along the face of an island and is thick with yellow soft corals in 40 to 80 feet of water. Coral grouper, hawkfish, clownfish, and other tropicals seem almost out of place here with the green water and cool temperatures. Once again, the water clarity makes wide-angle tough, but the small fish and macro life is diverse and abundant. And really quite stunning.

Cannibal Rock likewise has marginal visibility, but more than makes up for it in terms of density of life. This small seamount rises to within a few feet of the surface, and it is easy to circumnavigate in a single dive. But in reality, there is so much to see in just a very small area, any area you choose, that you probably will never make it all the way around. Sea apples and other varieties of the sea cucumber family are especially abundant here, as are nudibranchs, pufferfish, octopus, and all weird and wonderful manner of blennies. We did this dive in the late afternoon and as a night dive, and both times it was inspirational. Our guests tend to be quite experienced in exotic dive travel, and it was interesting to note that everyone rated Cannibal Rock as world-class.

Day 5 - Manta Alley, Tatawa Besar, and night dive at Gili Lawaw Darat (aka "Flamenco Reef")

The highlight of this day was the morning dive at a spot appropriately named Manta Alley. Again, water clarity was only about 40 feet, but the plankton that steps on visibility also consistently attracts manta rays to this site. We saw two manta rays cruising the shallows along the sloping face of the reef, and with a bit of luck and a careful approach we could get fairly close. While the mantas were the stars, there was a rich supporting cast as well, including a turtle totally indifferent to our presence and masses of anthias over the intact hard corals. Interestingly, during our surface interval we saw mantas breaking the surface near the boat, relatively far from the dive site. Which maybe should have told us that the current had changed and whatever brought the mantas to the dive site had now taken them elsewhere. But we missed that clue and even though our first dive of the day was great, we had a very average second dive on Manta Alley, with reduced visibility and no mantas.

In the early afternoon, we dived an area known locally as Tatawa Besar, but could have also been called "Yellow Wall" for the rich concentrations of yellow soft coral in 60 to 100 feet of water. Some of the group stayed shallow and enjoyed a lovely hard coral garden, but those who went deep were rewarded with outstanding soft corals and crinoid draped along large barrel sponges. The current was swift this day, but predictable. There was no drama in being dropped at one end of the island and picked up at the other, but it was at times difficult to stabilize for a photo.

The night dive was to Gili Lawaw Darat, but we succumbed to the North American vanity of giving dive sites names that relate to what we saw, and since we each saw several Spanish dancer nudibranchs, we called this site "Flamenco Reef".

Day 6 - Gili Lawaw Darat (aka "Pygmy Paradise"), Crystal Rock, Batu Moncho Bay

In the morning, we were back to the same site, but instead of Spanish dancers the target species was the elusive pygmy seahorse, so the crew called the site "Pygmy Paradise". Because there seems to be just one known seafan hosting the pygmy seahorses, and it is at 90 feet, we staggered the tender departures by 15 minutes, thereby giving the photographers time at depth to work these creatures to maximum advantage. And time is indeed needed, for the pygmy seahorse is no larger than a peanut, is perfectly camouflaged against the gorgonian polyps, and seems to make its living by turning away from photographers. Finding them at all is tough (and largely dependent on the high visual acuity of our divemasters), and then getting the shot is even more difficult. As the deco clock ticks and the seahorses vex us by rotating around and away, it is most satisfying when one finally pops into focus on the groundglass. I was working a 105mm Micro-Nikkor with a +4 diopter mounted on a Nikon D1X digital camera in a Seacam housing, so I had the tools at my advantage, but even so, it was still a difficult subject. I think the degree of difficulty made it all the more satisfying when we nailed a good one.

Crystal Rock is a large seamount that barely breaks the surface, but below is very rich in marine life, particularly lionfish, anthias, coral grouper, and butterflyfish. This was a strange one to dive though, for the currents and upwellings around the pinnacle were bizarre. A few of the group got caught in a down-current, while a couple more got swept off the rock and had to get back on the tender to try it again. But then my experience with the same dive was benign. I got in the water in the lee of the rock and came back to the surface in the same lee. Some of the current underwater was swift, but nothing we couldn't swim against and the rich wide-angle potential of the colorful filter feeders made it worthwhile. But even 20 yards one way or another made a pretty big difference in terms of current-management. This is another one of those dives that should be experienced at slack tide, but also given the wealth of marine life should not be missed.

At Batu Moncho Bay the hard corals in only 5 to 20 feet of water were outstanding. During the surface interval I went out to shoot some over/unders near the beach, and during the dive was torn between the appeal of the pristine table corals and staghorns and the large seafans found along the reef slope a bit deeper. Fortunately, I carry multiple cameras on each dive so I could do both.

The night dive was to the same reef, but here the target species was stargazers and flatheads. I saw both, as well as a very unusual murex shell. I had never before seen such a shell, except on the cover of shell-collector books, so I figured it was rare. Back of the tender on the way back to the boat I showed the image on my camera's LCD to my friend who confirmed it was not only rare, but also quite valuable to shell enthusiasts. Its value to me was having seen it in the wild, and then of course leaving it there.

Day 7 - Lost Boys, over/unders, and back to Bali

All too soon this trip was winding down. We had a long steam after last night's dive and arrived back at Satonda Island and the same sites we began with. Since Lost Boys was most productive for its ribbon eels, ghost pipefish, and leaf scorpionfish, that's the first we dived. Sure enough, each critter was where we had left them five days before. Some of us tried to improve upon that first photo-op and others moved on to different subjects, but I think all had productive encounters with the smaller reef creatures.

There was one final dive offered this last day, but after shooting so much macro over the past week, I wanted to balance it out with a bit more wide-angle. After we dropped the divers, a few of us went close to shore to work some snorkel over/unders. Actually, these and other wide-angle shots turned out quite nice this week, but it takes some discipline to turn away from the wealth of weird and wonderful reef critters along these Indonesian reefs and capture the big picture. In retrospect, the water clarity in areas like Cannibal Rock necessitated macro, but then the nutrients that obscured visibility also caused the amazing concentrations of life along the seamount. Other places like GPS and Crystal Rock were terrific wide-angle vistas.

All things considered, the biodiversity of the Komodo Islands makes this a must-do destination for any diver not put off by the time and expense of getting to this part of the world. The Komodo Dancer shared with us the best of the Komodo Islands in a very safe and gracious manner. Of course, with a Peter Hughes dive operation we expect no less, but still it is a comfort to know we had good value, wonderful service, and quite outstanding diving after traveling so far. {mospagebreak}

The Komodo Dragon

The Peter Hughes web site references a very comprehensive article adapted from a "Scientific American" by Claudio Cioffi as below:

1. Hand up a cameras, video or other peripheral equipment.

2. Take off and hand up your weight belt to the crew.

3. Take off and hand your scuba unit to the crew - please try and make sure there is no dangling equipment.

4. There is a ladder that can be moved to either side of the boat. Hold onto this while taking off your fins. Hand your fins up to the crew.

5. Carefully ascend the ladder into the boat.

1. The extra weight puts unnecessary pressure on the ladder and the boat hull.

2. The extra weight on one side can make the boat unstable for a few seconds.

3. A diver in full equipment can easily injure other guests already in the tender.

4. A diver in full equipment can easily become unbalanced once in the tender.

5. Dive equipment initially retains a lot of water before it can be drained properly. This tends to drain into the tender.

Day 3: After enjoying a 5:30 a.m. light breakfast under the morning stars, the guests will set out on a two-hour hike to encounter the Komodo Dragons. Bring a camera, hat, insect repellent and water. The largest lizard in the world, growing up to 10 feet, this magnificent reptile is one of the few remaining links to the days when dinosaurs roamed the planet. Other wildlife that may be seen includes, deer, wild pigs cockatoos megapode birds and other bird species. Back on board, lunch will be served, while the ship heads south to the south coast of Rinca Island. Horseshoe Bay combines spectacular topside beauty with an unequaled underwater paradise. Rimmed in by immense walls, along which White Breasted Sea Eagles soar, this deep bay is host to a number of remarkable sites. Over the course of this afternoon and the next morning, guests will explore a variety of sites inhabited by unusual fishes and critters. Cannibal Rock, with its hard and soft corals, can be dived over and over again. Guests will explore a site with immense rock formations that attract large tuna and oceanic jacks, a sheer wall more than 75 meters, covered in yellow corals, colorful toxic sea urchins, porcelain crabs and a variety of nudibranchs and crinoids. The ship will anchor off a small beach that is patrolled occasionally by Komodo Dragons and eagles.

WHAT KIND OF DIVING IS FOUND AROUND KOMODO AND WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DIVE?M/V Komodo Dancer visits dive sites between Bali and The Komodo National Park, part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Any time of the year this area of Indonesia offers good diving. Visibility might vary from season to season but in general 10 to 30 meters (35 to 100 ft.) can be expected on most dive sites.

1. You will check your film through the x-ray at the gate, at least in most domestic airports. You can argue, cajole, beg, or be confrontational, but it probably won't help. Don't obsess. A few passes through airport gate x-rays are no big deal. So far. If they bump up to power on these x-ray machines, then we'll have to worry. But so far so good.

2. You will be restricted to one carry-on and a briefcase for your laptop.

3. Checked bags are handled much as they were previously, which includes potential for scanning with bomb detection devices. Don't even think of putting your film in checked baggage.

4. Depending on the airport and time of day, you do need to be there at least 2 hours early, maybe 2 1/2 hours for international.

5. Early flights are easier than later in the day as all the hassles stack up it seems.

6. Traveling lighter is better. We need to streamline our travel systems as much as possible, avoid excessive redundancy, and carefully plan so we can carry a minimum of absolutely necessary gear.

"The Komodo Dragon, as befits any creature evoking a mythological beast, has many names. It is also the Komodo monitor, being a member of the monitor lizard family. Varanidae, which today has but one genus, Varanus. Residents of the island of Komodo may call it ora. Among some on Komodo and the islands of Rinca and Flores, it is buaga darat (land crocodile), a name that is descriptive but inaccurate, monitors are not crocodilians. Others call it biawak raksasa (giant monitor) which is quite correct; it ranks as the largest of the monitor lizards, a necessary logical consequence of its standing as the biggest lizard of any kind now living on earth. Within the scientific community, the dragon is Varanus komodoensis. And most everyone calls it simply the Komodo.

"The first question usually asked about Komodo Dragons is, how big do they get? A robust mature, male Komodo, is about 2.5 meters long and weights 45 kilograms. The largest verified specimen reached a length of 3.13 meters and was purported to weigh 166 kilograms. More typical weights for the largest wild dragons are about 70 kilograms; captives are often overfed and overweight. Although the Komodo can run briefly at speeds up to 20 kmh, its hunting strategy is based on stealth and power. It spends hours lying motionless, waiting to pounce on a deer, board, goat or anything edible passing by."Monitors can see objects as far away as 300 meters, so vision does play a role in hunting, though their eyes are better at picking up movement than at discerning stationary objects. Their retinas possess only cones, so they may be able to distinguish color but have poor vision in dim light.

"Despite a mention in the first scientific paper reporting its existence that dragons appeared to be deaf, later research revealed this belief to be false - the animal does hear, but in a restricted range, probably between about 400 and 2,000 hertz. (Humans hear frequencies between 20 and 20,000 hertz.) This limitation stems from varanids having but a single bond, the stapes, for transferring vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the cochlea, the structure responsible for sound perception in the inner ear. Mammals have two other bones working with the stapes to amplify sound and transmit vibrations accurately. In addition, the varanid cochlea, though the most advanced among lizards, contains far fewer receptor cells than the mammalian version. The result is an animal that is insentient to such sounds as a low-pitched voice or a high-pitched scream.

"Vision and hearing are useful, but the Komodo dragon's sense of smell is it's primarily food detector. Its long, yellow forked tongue samples the air, after which the two tongue tips retreat to the roof of the mouth, where they make contact with the Jacobson's organs. These chemical analyzers "smell" by recognizing airborne molecules. The concentration present on the left tongue tip is higher than that sampled from the right, telling the Komodo that prey is to be found on the left. This system, along with an undulatory walk where the head swings from side to side, helps the dragon sense the direction of odoriferous carrion from as far away as four kilometers, when the wind is right. "The Komodo makes its presence known when it is about one meter from its intended victim. The quick movement of its feet sound like a "muffled machine gun," according to Walter Auffenberg, who has contributed more to our knowledge of Komodo than any other researcher. Auffenberg, a herpetologist at the University of Florida lived in the field for almost a year starting in 1969 and returned for briefer periods in 1971 and 1973. He summed up the bold, bloody and resolute nature of the Komodo assault by saying, "When these animals decide to attack, there's nothing that can stop them." That is, while nothing can stop them from their attempt, most predator attacks are unsuccessful. The difficulties in observing large predators in dense vegetation turn some quantitative records into best estimates. It is informative that one Komodo followed by Auffenberg for 81 days has only two verified kills, with no evidence of the number of unsuccessful attempts.

"When a Komodo ambushes its prey, it attacks the feet first, knocking the animal off balance. When dealing with smaller prey, it may lunge straight for the neck. The basic strategy is simple: try and smash the quarry to the ground and tear it to pieces. Strong muscles driving powerful claws accomplish some of this, but the Komodo dragon's teeth are its most dangerous weapon. They are large, curved and serrated, and tear flesh with the efficiency of a plough parting soil.

"Its tooth serrations harbor bits of meat from the Komodo dragon's last meal, either fresh prey or carrion. This protein-rich residue supports large numbers of bacteria. In the saliva researchers have found some 50 different bacterial strains, at least seven of which are highly septic. If the prey somehow maneuvers away and escapes, chances are that its victory will be short-lived. Infections resulting from the Komodo bite will probably kill it within one week; its attacker, or more likely other Komodo Dragons, will then consume the corpse. The Komodo bite is not deadly to another Komodo, however. Dragons wounded in battle appear to be unaffected by these otherwise deadly bacteria."The muscles of the Komodo Dragon's jaws and throat allow it to swallow huge chunks of meat with astonishing rapidity: Auffenberg once observed a female who weighted no more than 50 kilograms consume a 31 kilogram boar in 17 minutes. Several moveable joints, such as the intramandibular hinge that opens the lower jaw unusually wide, help in the bolting. The stomach expands easily, enabling an adult to consume up to 80 percent of its own body weight in a single meal, which most likely explains some exaggerated claims for immense weights in captured individuals.

"Large mammalian carnivores, such as lions, tend to leave 25 to 30 percent of their kill unconsumed, declining to eat the intestines, hide, skeleton and hooves. Komodo Dragons eat much more efficiently, forsaking only about 12 percent of the prey. They eat bones, hooves and swaths of hide. They also eat intestines, but only after swinging them vigorously to scatter their contents. This behavior removes feces from the meal. Because large Komodo Dragons cannibalize young ones, the latter often roll in fecal material, thereby assuming a scent that their bigger brethren are programmed to avoid consuming.

"Komodo Dragons, as members of the class Reptilia, do have a relationship with dinosaurs, but they are not descended from them as is commonly believed. Rather Komodo Dragons and dinosaurs share a common ancestor. Both monitor lizards and dinosaurs belong to the sub-class Diapsida, or "two-arched reptiles," characterized by the presence of two openings in the temporal region of the skull. The earliest fossils from this group date back to the late Carboniferous period, some 300 million years ago. Whereas some dinosaurs evolved upright stances, the monitor lineage retained a sprawling posture and developed powerful forelimbs for locomotion.

"The West was unaware of the Komodo until 1910, when Lieutenant van Steyn Hensbroek of the Dutch colonial administration heard local stories about a "land crocodile." Members of a Dutch pearling fleet also told him yarns about creatures six or even seven meters long. Van Hensbroek eventually found and killed a Komodo measuring a more realistic 2.1 meters and sent a photograph and the skin to Peter A. Ouwens, director of the Zoological Museum and Botanical Gardens at Bogor, Java. Ouwens recruited a collector, who killed two Komodo Dragons, supposedly measuring 3.1 and 2.35 meters, and captured two young, each just under one meter. One examination of these specimens, Ouwens realized that the Komodo was in fact a monitor lizard. In the 1912 paper in which Ouwens introduced the Komodo to the rest of the world, he wrote simply that van Hensbroek "had received information . . . [that] on the island of Komodo occurred a Varanus species of an unusual size." Ouwens ended the paper by suggesting the creature be given the name V komodoensis. Understanding the Komodo to be both rare and magnificent, local rules and the Dutch colonial government instituted protection plans as early as 1915.

"Recent estimates suggest that fewer than 3,500 dragons live within the boundaries of Komodo National Park."

M/V Komodo Dancer

Our charter boat for this tour is the Komodo Dancer. Here is a bit about the boat and general itinerary, gleaned directly from www.peterhughes.com:

ABOUT THE M/V KOMODO DANCER

The Komodo Dancer is a traditionally crafted, two-masted wooden motor sailor, stretching 30 meters long, 9 meters wide and accommodating 16 divers.

Very nearly all of our dives from the Komodo Dancer are carried out with the use of tenders.

Our twin tenders were made in Bali by Bali Fiberglass close to the port of Benoa to our own design. They are 6 meters long and 2.5 meters wide and are each powered by two 40 hp Yamaha outboards. They have electric starters and are driven from the front leaving most of the interior free for divers. Each craft has its own Oxygen Unit, VHF Radio, Camera Area, Shot Line, Stern Line, Electric Bilge Pumps etc. There will be one Divemaster per tender as well as a driver and an assistant.The tenders have a central seating area with tank racks. Guests will sit down a central line next to each other and back to back facing the water. The scuba cylinders are refilled in position so divers need not move tanks back and forth after each dive and can board/reboard the tenders unencumbered. The cameras are loaded aboard by Dancer crew, so all guests really have to do is carry their own mask and weights aboard.

Due to the nature of diving in the Komodo area, with strong currents at some dive sites, it is often necessary to get all of the guests in a tender into the water quickly staying as little time as possible on the surface. A backward roll entry is the preferred method.

Dive Exit Procedures:

After signaling to a crew member that you are OK, please wait to be picked up. When it is your turn to enter the tender please use the following sequence.

Please do not linger too close to the tender when another guest is exiting. Please do not exit with scuba unit and weight belts on - there are several reasons for this.

Tender Exit Procedures:
Now comes the easy part. With all equipment stowed, when the tender comes alongside the main boat guests closest to the stairway should exit first onto the platform and then proceed up to the main deck. Crew members will be on hand to help. The crew will handle all equipment.

The following sample itinerary is posted on the Peter Hughes web site. Use it as a guideline, but note also the journal entries depicting our personal adventures this week:

SAMPLE ITINERARY
Bali - Komodo - Bali
(7 Nights/ 5.5 Dive Days)
**
Day of Departure:** The guests embark in Benoa Harbour around 9:00 a.m. and the ship departs shortly thereafter. After a brief tour of the ship, the Dive Master will inform about the safety procedures and various amenities and services aboard. Guests spend the rest of the day preparing their equipment or just lounging on the ship's decks, enjoying the hospitality and the spectacular views. Run time to the Komodo region is typically about 20 hours.

Day 1: Arrival early morning in Satonda Island south bay, off the north/west coast of Sumbawa, just underneath the giant volcano Tambora. A check-out dive is conducted on a shallow slope with giant barrel sponges and seafans. There is excellent diving in this mini-nature reserve. The ship repositions during the day, exploring caverns and ravines on a few of the island's sites and guests may get a look at the mysterious Crater Lake that forms the interior of this small island. At sunset, the ship sets sail for the Gili Banta Island, arriving the next morning.

Day 2: Gili Banta, home to GPS Point, is one of the best dive areas in Komodo. Diving the "GPS Point", a pinnacle, nearly one mile off shore is dependent on the currents and waves. We may encounter numbers of reef sharks, rays, and turtles and the occasional patrolling hammerhead. During lunch, we sail eastwards to the northern Komodo islands and drop anchor at Gili Lawa Laut. Guests will now start to experience the diversity, which makes Komodo so spectacular. Two of the dive sites here are wide-angle slopes, with coral formations that host a number of big fish and small critters. We sail southwards during the evening for Soro Lia bay and the night anchorage, near to the Komodo ranger station.

Day 4: This morning the ship remains in the Horse Shoe Bay anchorage, and the guests will continue exploring this magnificent dive location. At noon, the ship heads westwards to Toro Langkoi on the south side of Komodo Island. While previous dives have emphasized fantastic and unusual critters, Toro Langkoi is renowned for imposing underwater formations, magnificent panoramas, and as home to squadrons of Mantas and other pelagics. During the evening the ship heads north and we anchor for the night in the calm waters of Banta, before crossing the channel westwards - to Sangeang in the early morning hours.

Day 5: Off the coast of the majestic island of Sangeang, guests are in store for a day of unique critter diving. Still active, this lush volcanic island recently spewed forth rivers of lava that plunged into the surrounding waters, creating an underwater environment unmatched in the world. We will dive the best nudibranch site in Komodo, which also offers ornate ghost pipefish, mimic octopus, and rare colonial anemone, other sites are equally amazing and will astound even the most experienced divers. As the ship sails westward, glimpse back towards the peak of the volcano, in the hopes that this night, as on other magical evenings, the dark sky will be illuminated briefly by tongues of fire.

Day 6: Back again at Satonda Island, guests will have two morning dives before the boat begins its leg back to Bali. En route, the crew will thoroughly wash your dive gear before hanging wetsuits, BCD's etc. up to dry. Enjoy a drink on the top deck while scanning the horizon for the pods of dolphins that often appear to escort the ship home.

Day of Return: Arriving in Benoa Harbour, Bali, guests disembark the ship by 12:00 noon to be transferred to hotels or to the airport.

Additional information from Peter Hughes Diving:

WHERE IS BALI, INDONESIA?
The name Indonesia has its roots in two Greek words: "Indos" meaning Indian and "Nesos" which means islands. It is an appropriate description of the archipelago as there are estimated to be a total of 17,508 islands, of which only about 6,000 are inhabited, stretching for 5,150 km between the Australian and Asian continental mainland and dividing the Pacific and Indian Oceans at the Equator. The islands and people of Indonesia constitute the fourth most populated nation in the world. As a democratic republic, Indonesia is divided into 27 provinces and special territories and classified geographically into four groups. Bali is part of the Lesser Sundas, a chain of small islands stretching eastward.

After a very long cruise (approx. 20 hours), the first stop on either a 7 night cruise (5.5 dive days) or 11 night cruise (9.5 dive days) is normally the small island of Satonda, just off of the northern coast of Sumbawa, for your check-out dive. You'll enjoy maximum bottom time on virgin reefs that have experienced minimum human impact as you dive the islands east of Bali. A MANDATORY "check-out" dive will be required of EVERY diver on the first day of the charter, regardless of previous diving experience or certification. There are sandy slopes with big coral heads on the southern part of the island and on the northwestern tip a fantastic wall. Currents are moderate. Water temperature is usually around 28ºC (83ºF). Our next stop is at Banta Island. We are now much closer to Komodo so you will be able to experience the diving conditions that characterize this region. A dive at GPS point will show what you're in for once you start diving in Komodo. Shark sightings on this current blown pinnacle are common. The other Banta dive sites closer to the island are extremely rich in soft and hard coral with a wide variety of reef fish. The sites closer to Banta Island are a macro photographers dream.

From here on in it is excitement all the way as we move into the Komodo National Park. Depending on the length of your trip we will now spend the central part of your dive experience here exploring the stunning dive sites the park has to offer.

When we leave the park we will then start to make our way back to Bali. On the return journey (approx. 20 hours total, with a stop over in Sumbawa) we can visit the diving areas of Sangeang, Moyo and Lombok before heading into Benoa.

Please be advised that due to frequently strong currents it is MANDATORY for each diver to carry an emergency SMB (safety sausage), Dive Alert (personal air horn), and mini-strobe light on all dives. A Mini-B (personal locator beacon) is highly recommended. If you do not bring any one of these devices with you they can be provided for your use while on board the M/V Komodo Dancer, however, quantities may be limited. If you do not possess these items, please notify our office prior to departure.**

WHAT WEATHER CONDITIONS CAN I EXPECT IN INDONESIA?
**

Indonesia's climate is definitely tropical. There is no autumn or winter and distinctive "dry" and "wet" seasons share the year. The East Monsoon, from June to September, brings dry weather while the West Monsoon, from December to March is moisture laden, bringing rain, with a temperature range from 22ºC (71ºF) to 29ºC (84ºF). The transitional period between these two seasons is interspersed by the occasional heavy rain shower, but even in the midst of the West Monsoon season, temperatures range from 23ºC (73ºF) to 33ºC (90ºF) except at higher altitudes which can be much cooler. Heaviest rainfalls are usually recorded in December and January and humidity is generally between 75% and 100%. But even in the rainy season it hardly ever rains all day. Komodo is considerably drier than the rest of the Lesser Sunda Islands.

WILL THERE BE ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO GO ASHORE DURING THE CRUISE?
Komodo is famous for its "dragon". Varanus komodoensis is a lizard locally called "ora", the largest monitor lizard in the world. You have the possibility to go on land and do a 2-hour walk on Komodo. Experienced park rangers will show the natural habitat of this fascinating predator. The trek usually starts around 7:30 a.m., the best time to find the dragon.

HOW DO I GET TO BALI?
M/V Komodo Dancer departs from and returns to Benoa Harbor near Denpasar. You will need to fly into Denpasar Airport from which transfers are arranged to the boat. Commercial airlines with service to Bali, Indonesia include Malaysia Air, Continental Airlines, China Air, Singapore Air, Garuda Indonesia, among others.

WHAT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS WILL I NEED?
All visitors traveling to Indonesia must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival and have proof of onward passage. Visas are not required for nationals of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, United Emirate Arab and Venezuela. All others should check with the Indonesian Embassy for visa requirements.

WHAT PAPERWORK WILL I NEED FOR DIVING?
Please bring your certification card and log book(s) for verification of your dive training and experience. You will be required to complete and sign a "Waiver of Claims, Express Assumption of the Risk, Release of Liability, And Indemnity Agreement" form prior to your arrival. Please remember that you alone are responsible for determining your medical and physical fitness to dive or to take part in any other activities during this trip.

HOW MUCH SHALL I PACK?
Please plan to travel light, as on all live-aboards space is limited. We recommend that you pack your gear in soft luggage such as duffel bags for easy stowage and leave those large, rigid suitcases at home to add to your comfort in your cabin. For guests who plan an extended stay on land, it is advised to pack separately the gear you will require on board. M/V Komodo Dancer has storage facilities on shore for items you will not require on board or for large suitcases once you have removed the necessary items for your trip. Clothing should be lightweight, comfortable sportswear and bathing suits are a must. A light sweater or jacket is ideal for evening. Dress aboard M/V Komodo Dancer is always casual, however, it should be noted that in Indonesia, certain customs of dress should be respected, so please bring a sarong or other cover up to wear when on shore or in sight of shore. Additional items you may want to bring are sunscreen, sunglasses, GOOD WALKING SHOES, A HAT OR VISOR AND BUG SPRAY OR LOTION IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR TIME ON SHORE. Hairdryers are provided in each cabin. You may wish to pack your regulator, dive computer, mask, bathing suit, and change of clothes and essential items in your carry-on bag. This will make it easier in the event your luggage is delayed. Please check with your airline as to what weight restrictions will apply to your carry-on and checked luggage. Pony bottles, Spare Air cylinders, etc. should NOT be packed inside your luggage.

WHAT IF I AM PRONE TO SEA SICKNESS?
Strong currents and winds may cause moderate movement of the vessel at times. If you have a tendency toward seasickness we strongly urge you to bring some sort of over-the-counter motion sickness medication or consult your doctor about prescription brands, such as the trans-dermal patch. Chewable ginger tablets or capsules of powdered ginger have also proved to be very effective. The M/V Komodo Dancer carries its own stock of anti motion sickness medication.

WHAT IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY ON BOARD?
The M/V Komodo Dancer crew is trained in first aid and diving accident management. The boat is equipped with a complete first aid kit and a high capacity oxygen system. It should be noted that the closest hyperbaric chamber is located on Bali (34 hours cruise from Komodo Island or a 2 hour flight by helicopter) and there is limited or sometimes no air evacuation equipment available. Since emergency transportation and treatment cost is the responsibility of each guest, we strongly recommend that you obtain special insurance for divers such as DAN Accident Insurance or PADI Dive Accident Insurance.

ARE ANY IMMUNIZATIONS REQUIRED?
The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta instructs that there is no risk of Malaria in the main resorts area of Bali, Indonesia, only in the rural areas of some other Indonesian islands. You should consult your personal physician in reference to inoculations and preventative medication and/or the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. Further information is available at the CDC website (http://www.cdc.gov/travel/seasia.htm).

IN WHAT TIME ZONE IS BALI LOCATED?
The Indonesian archipelago is spread over three time zones. Central Indonesia Standard Time covers East and South Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, and is 8 hours ahead of GMT.**

WHAT LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN ON BOARD?**
There are about 583 languages and dialects spoken in the archipelago. Bahasa Indonesia is the national language which is akin to Malay, written in Roman script and based on European orthography. In all tourist destination areas English is the number one foreign language. Our diving crew will converse in English with the guests, though not all crew members speak English.

WHAT ELECTRICAL CURRENT IS AVAILABLE?
On all of Bali and Indonesia 220 volts is the standard. The electrical current on M/V Komodo Dancer is also 220 volts/50 cycles, however, there is a charging station in the Salon which offers access to 110V power.

ARE NITROX FILLS AVAILABLE?
The M/V Komodo Dancer is equipped with Enriched Air facilities. Nitrox fills of up to 32% are normally available to all CERTIFIED Nitrox divers for an additional charge. Nitrox Dive Profiles must be planned and executed with either Nitrox tables or a Nitrox compatible computer. It is recommended that the planned PO2 level be set within the limits of your certifying agency. All Nitrox fills must be analyzed by the divers using the mix and logged prior to each and every dive. Oxygen analyzers available for use by guests while onboard will be calibrated a minimum of one time per day by a crew member. PADI or TDI Nitrox certifications are usually available on board to all certified open water divers for an additional charge.**

WHAT DIVING EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED TO BRING?**
Equipment provided aboard the M/V Komodo Dancer includes tanks (80 or 63 psi aluminum with yoke style "K" valves), weights and weight belts. The basic diving equipment required is a regulator, depth and pressure gauge, watch or bottom timer, buoyancy compensation device (BCD), mask, fins, snorkel and wetsuit. An SMB (inflatable signaling tube), DIVE ALERT (air horn), and MINI-STROBE ARE MANDATORY EQUIp.m.ENT FOR EACH DIVER. A Mini-B (personal locator beacon) is also highly recommended. We suggest that you bring your own, although the M/V Komodo Dancer does stock a limited supply available for the use of our guests. BE ADVISED THAT WE REQUIRE AT LEAST TWO LIGHT SOURCES FOR ALL NIGHT DIVES. We strongly recommend the use of chemical (Cyalume) light sticks. You may bring your own or purchase them on board. Additional recommended equipment: dive computer, dive light (with extra batteries or charging unit). Water temperatures can range from approx. 22ºC (72ºF) to 28ºC (83ºF), with this in mind a 3 mm or 5 mm wetsuit is recommended. Dive skins will not be sufficient for most divers.

ARE DIVE GEAR AND PHOTO/VIDEO GEAR AVAILABLE?
M/V Komodo Dancer has a limited amount of diving equipment available for rent, so it is critical that you advise our US office staff in advance if you decide you want to rent gear. We offer ScubaPro BCD's with Dive Alerts and ScubaPro regulators. The Photo Shop offers Sea & Sea MX-10 cameras, Nikonos V bodies, SB-105 strobes, and lenses from 15 to 35 mm, macro tube close-up kits, as well as digital video cameras and housings. Photo opportunities are abundant. No matter what system you have, you will probably experience excellent results. Be sure to pack your photo equipment carefully in a durable carrying case and bring any unique spare parts and back-up equipment with you.

CAN THE CREW DEVELOP MY SLIDE FILM ON BOARD?
E-6 processing is available on board M/V Komodo Dancer. On most days, we can process your film the same day you shoot it. We strongly recommend that you have at least your first roll of film processed on board to enable you to make any necessary adjustments in your shooting style. The processing cost is only $10.00 per roll of 24 or 36 exposures (the 6th roll is free!)

WaterHouse Photo Tours Travel Preparation Information

Travel Considerations for Photographers

Entry Requirements - No visa is required and you'll need a passport good for 6 months beyond your date of arrival.

Time - Bali is on Central Indonesian Standard Time, +8 ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Bali is in the same time zone as Singapore and Hong Kong. Figure 12 hours different than EST. Jet lag is assured to be as bad as it can possibly be.

Health - We recommend malaria preventatives, the most popular these days seems to be malarone. See www.malarone.com, and by all means seek the advice of your personal physician.

Climate - In central Indonesia, the wet season is November through April, and the dry season (as chosen for our tour) is May through October. The average air temperature is 23 - 31 C (73 to 86 F) degrees. Bali is 8 degrees south of the equator.

Water Temperature - The water temperatures range from 82 degrees F to a very chilly 68 degrees. Yikes!!! Huge variation. Bring a 2 or 3mm wetsuit for the north, but a 5 - 7mm and hooded vest sounds about right for the south. The significant difference in temperature will be accompanied by variations in bottom decoration and marine life. The colder water will be better for macro life and the more tropical climes better suited to wide-angle scenics.

Power - 240 volts, European style connectors (round pins). There will be a 110-volt charging station on the boat.

What to Bring - Sunblock; hat; sneakers or shoes you don't mind getting wet; knapsack; water bottle; cover-up for night or overcast days when it might be cool; bug repellent; dry bag for cameras for shore excursions. There will be night dives too, so bring a dive light and a few cyalume sticks.

Scopolamine patches, Triptone, or Dramamine are important for anyone prone to seasickness. This boat is very stable, but be prepared should seasickness be a factor.

We recommend a safety sausage (either hand-held or integrated SOS version) and Dive Alert. There will be current on most dives, and even though the dinghy drivers are very good, these help to make you easy to find in a choppy sea.

As far as film/media goes, BRING LOTS! Figure your daily consumption, multiply by the number of shoot days, and multiply by 30%.