18 Jan 2020
Magic Mountain, a site we visited yesterday, is known for mantas, but we got skunked. Assess to the site is controlled by Misool Eco Lodge, which limits the number of boats to help preserve the site, but Nora worked some magic and got us in for a second try!
Dive #13 – Magic Mountain – Warakaraket
Mantas!
Dive #14 – Boo West – Warakaraket
It’s kinda hard to see, but those razor fish are sleeping vertically. Strange…
Phyllidia babai:
Fire Dartfish:
Phyllidiopsis shireenae:
Phyllidia picta:
Pipefish!
Dive #15 – Puri Pinnacle – Warakaraket
First anemonefish!
Jorunna funebris– this guy was a chunker!
Pygmy seahorse!
Saddled puffer:
Goldsaddle goatfish:
Orange-spotted Trevally:
oo, barracuda!
This grouper was getting its mouth cleaned!
Saddle grouper:
Goniobranchus reticulatus:
Nembrotha cristata:
This baramundi really was hanging like this!
A school of panda butterflyfish:
Trumpetfish:
Lamarck’s Angelfish:
Mushroom coral pipefish- now THIS one looks like a snake!
Longfin damselfish:
Golden damselfish:
Dive #16 – Romeo – Warakaraket
Pseudobiceros hancockanus + a tiny Pseudoceros liparus:
Sneaky crab:
Nembrotha kubaryana – this guy had neon orange “ear” tips (technically, they’re called rhinophores):
Banded coral shrimp:
sooooo dramatic!
Hermit crab:
Walking shark, on the run!
Seriously tiny sea-stars. That little one was just over 1/4″
This guy had ferns for antennas (not really, but I totally forgot what he actually is):
He was a little camera-shy
Yes, this crab was climbing upward:
Six-legged sea star:
Crab among the anenome:
Pretty sure this guy is evil:
Cowrie, on the move:
