MUCKALICIOUS: 25 OF THE BEST MUCK DIVES IN ASIA
By various contributors
Wacky, freaky, spooky, ugly, hairy, scary, crazy, comic, cryptic, mystic, weird, wonderful, and wild: Muck diving wins the prize for the best way to meet some of the strangest critters on the planet. Here’s where you need to go to get your strange on
Creepy, crazy critters inhabit the most unlikely of worlds below the waves. Get your strange on by getting down with the muck
Muck. Diving. Two words that most people in the world would never put together. I remember the first time I heard the term “muck diving” I was standing on the stern of a liveaboard in the middle of Indonesian speaking with our expertly-skilled dive guide Gusti. We were very new to Indonesia diving and so far what we had seen had blown minds in terms of colours and sheer diversity of fish life. Having recently arrived from the Caribbean will do that to you.
So when Gusti asked if I had ever been “muck diving” before, I naively replied, “Yes…,” while flashing back to the icky, muddy, debris-filled bottom of the Puget Sound where I got certified, before asking him to clarify what he meant. I’m sure you can imagine my surprise the first time Gusti took us muck diving and it was absolutely nothing like I had imagined. We were immediately hooked. So much so, that a couple of years later we started www.GotMuck.com, dedicated to this watery world of the super strange.
Muck diving covers diving in places that people do not normally associate with colourful, diverse fish life: Areas of mud and silt, coral rubble, seagrass beds and mangroves can all make for some excellent muck dives, provided they are inhabited by critters. For the critters that seek out these seemingly barren, dingy (and mucky!) places are some of the weirdest around.
SO WHERE DID THE TERM “MUCK DIVING” ACTUALLY COME FROM?
It is widely acknowledged that industry pioneer Bob Halstead was the originator of the term, using it decades ago to describe the black sand sites he began diving with his wife Dinah from their boat MV Telita in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. But there is another, less well known, hero of the muck phenomenon...
THE LEGEND OF MUCK
Back in February 1995, Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock were on board the Cehili with their close friend Larry Smith. They were already well on their way out into the Banda Sea when Larry began a story about doing a hull inspection in Ambon Harbour, near a dive site now referred to as Laha. He described spotting a fish that looked like something a cat had coughed up. As his description continued, they brought out a fish ID book and realised that what Larry was describing was otherwise known as a rhinopias! “Turn the boat around”, they yelled, and, eventually, they did.
Nine dives a day over the next few days (this was back when people were diving with film, remember) and Burt, Maurine, Larry, and the others had found and identified numerous strange critters in the sandy slope of Laha.
In the years immediately following the Ambon experience, Larry would spend the majority of his time in Lembeh Strait not only finding and describing dive sites and fabulous critters, but also training and developing a number of dive guides, many of whom still work in Indonesia today, and have trained the next generation of eagle-eyed guides.
Larry was best known for his excitement underwater, often “whoohooing” to get divers’ attention when he found a cool critter. Larry passed away in 2007 and is still dearly missed by all his friends, colleagues, and those of us who never got the pleasure of diving with him.
We dedicate this little feature to Larry Smith – a man who was instrumental in developing the muck diving phenomenon.
LAHA 1
(OR LAHA 1 & 2)
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2–3
WHERE:
Ambon, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
A slope made up of reef, sand and rubble, under the moorings of various fishing boats
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Numerous species of nudibranch, frogfish, rhinopias, cephalopods like common cuttlefish, flamboyant cuttlefish, wonderpus, mototi, and blue-ringed octopus. The famous “Ambon frogfish” has been seen here, and other sites around Ambon. Can find ribbon eels in all three phases, as well as lionfish, scorpionfish, and occasional stonefish
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
October to May
INSIDER INFO:
Difficulty is determined by current. Dive with local operators as strong falling or rising tides can be tricky. The dive ranges between three and 40 metres, so be cautious of bottom time. Spend a long safety up in the shallows for frogfish and seahorses
CITY EXTRA
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Manado mainland, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Black sand slope with coral rubble
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Nudibranchs, jawfish, seahorse, frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus, hairy shrimps, ghost pipefish, maybe even dugong
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
Currents are usually negligible Psychedelic frogfish, Ambon, Indonesia
© Kerri Bingham & Hergen Spalink/GotMuck.com
SERAYA SECRETS
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1–2
WHERE:
Amed - Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Black sand and pebble slope, covered in hydroids and black coral
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Nudibranchs, harlequin shrimp, tiger shrimp, frogfish
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
April to December
INSIDER INFO:
It’s a shore entry, and sometimes waves can make navigating the bigger rocks and pebbles a bit tricky. Take your time!
TK
(1,2,3)
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1
WHERE:
Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Black sand slope
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Hairy frogfish, mimic octopus, wunderpus, Ambon scorpionfish
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
No current, usually dived by boat, a fantastic day dive, but also great at night!
CITY EXTRA
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Manado mainland, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
A sloping sandy bottom of black sand and coral rubble
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Nudibranch, jawfish, seahorse, frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus, hairy shrimps, ghost pipefish, maybe even dugong
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
Currents are usually of minimal concern Lembeh seadragon, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia © Kerri Bingham & Hergen Spalink/GotMuck.com Hairy frogfish, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
© Kerri Bingham & Hergen Spalink/GotMuck.com
Basket star shrimp, Komodo, Indonesia
© Kerri Bingham & Hergen Spalink/GotMuck.com Blue-ringed octopus, Komodo National Park, Indonesia © Kerri Bingham & Hergen Spalink/GotMuck.com Wonderpus photogenicus, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia © Kerri Bingham and Hergen Spalink/GotMuck.com Jorunna rubescens nudibranchs, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
© Kerri Bingham and Hergen Spalink/GotMuck.com
WAENILU
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Komodo, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Coral rubble and soft coral slope
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Mandarinfish, picturesque dragonets, Phyllodesmium nudibranchs (mimicking soft corals), hairy frogfish
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
A great dusk to night dive
NUDI FALLS
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2–3
WHERE:
Lembeh Island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Half the site is a sandy slope to 20 metres with a soft coral garden beyond. The other half is a wall covered in corals, tunicates. Depth ranges from 3 to 25 metres
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Excellent for nudibranchs, especially along the wall. In the sand, blueringed octopus, hairy shrimp, mantis shrimps, occasional wonderpus, robust ghost pipefish, seahorses, pegasus seamoths, and more nudibranchs. Along the wall some of the guides know where to spot the Lembeh seadragon
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
Be sure to dive with a local operator, preferably one located within Lembeh Strait. Best to spend some time in the sand before moving over to the wall, finishing up in the shallows where there’s a bit of reef
BUBBLE REEF
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Sangeang, north Sumbawa, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Sand slope and patch reef with volcanic vents
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Tozuma shrimps, pygmy seahorses, ghost pipefish, frogfish, lots of whip corals with symbiotic crustaceans
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
June to November
INSIDER INFO:
Only reachable by liveaboard, entry is always from a boat, potentially some current
TORPEDO ALLEY
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1
WHERE:
Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Sloping sandy bottom with small blocks of rubble. Shallow area varies from sand to soft and hard coral gardens. This is the go-to night dive for Horseshoe Bay and is often overlooked as a day dive, but it happens to be one of the best black sand muck dives in Komodo National Park
SPECIES TO SPOT:
At night divers can spot the elusive torpedo ray in the shallows (but be sure not to touch it with your muck stick!) along with bobtail and bottletail squids, coconut octopus, ornate ghost pipefish, and crustaceans covering the sandy bottom. During the day divers can also spot various cephalopods such as the wonderpus octopus, mimic octopus, reef squid and broad club cuttlefish, in addition to ghost pipefish, frogfish, and dozens of species of nudibranchs
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round, although most liveaboards don’t operate here from December to February
INSIDER INFO:
Must be dived by liveaboard. Most guides jump to the left of the riverbed, but there is also a small buoy marker which small tender boats can tie up to. Take the reef on your left or right depending on the current
SIDEM
WHERE:
TOPOGRAPHY:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
Flamboyant cuttlefish, Manado, Indonesia © Jonathan Lin
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1–2
Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
Sandy rubble slope from 3 to 25 metres, with some hard and soft coral blocks. In 10 to 15 metres it’s covered in fragile hard corals and algae
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Great spot for finding rhinopias, frogfish (especially at night!), nudibranchs, seahorses, and at night, boxer crabs and sea hares
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Best dived by boat. Great day muck dive and excellent night dive. There are two moorings within the bay. Begin at either one and head towards the other, zig-zagging along the slope. Difficulty depends on current
CRITTERS CIRCUS 1, 2, 3
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Manado mainland, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Slope of black sand with patches of coral rubble and seagrass in the shallows
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Nudibranchs, jawfish, mantis shrimps, cuttlefish, octopus, boxer crabs, pipefish, dugong if you’re lucky
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
These three sites run into one another, so there are always new ways to dive them!
BMJ
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Manado mainland, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Black sand slope, scattered coral rubble
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Nudibranch, jawfish, mantis shrimps, cuttlefish, octopus, boxer crabs
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
Currents are usually minimal
PADANG BAI JETTY
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1–3
WHERE:
Padang Bai, Bali
TOPOGRAPHY:
Jetty struts on a sandy slope with some patchy corals in the deeper part
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Stonefish, frogfish, candy crabs, coconut octopus, mimic octopus, occasionally rhinopias
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Avoid rainy season from December to March
INSIDER INFO:
Occasionally big swells make for a lot of surge. Currents can also be strong and thermoclines can drop the temperature down to just 18 degrees in places. Watch out for fish hooks – a lot of people fish off the jetty above
SEA VENTURES
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Mabul, Sabah, Malaysia
TOPOGRAPHY:
A rocky reef with sand and rubble patches between 13 and 18 metres underneath an old oil rig. Many artificial structures and large pieces of metal trash have been placed on the seabed underneath the rig
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Giant frogfish, giant moray eels, flamboyant cuttlefish, nudibranchs, scorpionfish, waspfish, pygmy seahorses, ghost pipefish, giant grouper
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Diving is all year round, but the best visibility is March to October
INSIDER INFO:
Dive this site in the morning when there is little/no current Sea spider, Mabul, Malaysia
Image by Christian Loader/Scubazoo Crocodile flatheads, Sipadan, Malaysia © Christian Loader/Scubazoo
MATAKING HOUSE REEF
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1
WHERE:
Mataking Island, Sabah, Malaysia
TOPOGRAPHY:
A sloping house reef from 3 to 20 metres with a white sand seabed – one of the best coral house reefs in Malaysia
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Giant barracuda, bigeye trevally, pygmy seahorse, shrimps, crabs, frogfish, leaf scorpionfish
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round, but the best visibility is March to October
INSIDER INFO:
Best conditions are in the morning. Entry and exit from the beach is very easy
PARADISE
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1
WHERE:
Mabul, Sabah, Malaysia
TOPOGRAPHY:
Flat, white sandy seabed from 3 metres off two resort jetties to 20plus metres. A number of artificial structures and sunken dive boats in the shallows (7 to 15 metres), with seagrass beds at the eastern edge of the site
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Huge green turtles, artificial structures are covered in sponges and feather stars are home to ornate ghost pipefish, various species of frogfish, small reef fish, shrimps, crabs, nudibranchs, frogfish, seahorses, octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, pipefish, seamoths, stargazers, spiny devilfish, and many shrimps
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round, but the best visibility is March to October
INSIDER INFO:
Dive this site in the morning when there is little or no current
CAR WRECKS (ALSO KNOWN AS CERES OR HAROLD’S)
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1
WHERE:
Dauin, Dumaguete, Philippines
TOPOGRAPHY:
Black sand slope
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Six different species of frogfsh plus juveniles, seahorses, flamboyant cuttlefish, ghost pipefish, mimic octopus
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
March to June
INSIDER INFO:
Nicest to dive late afternoon or early morning, most action
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 3
WHERE:
Dumagette, Negros, Philippines
TOPOGRAPHY:
Sandy slope with car wrecks at the bottom, scattered with broken coral heads and a lot of algae cover
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Ghost pipefish, Ambon scorpionfish, octopus, nudibranchs
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
October to June
INSIDER INFO:
Can be done as a shore dive, but from a boat is best. Try to hit it in the morning or late afternoon, and watch out for current Cardinalfish with eggs, Dumagette, Philippines © Mike Bartick
ANCHOR BAY
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 3
WHERE:
Romblon, Philippines
TOPOGRAPHY:
A shelved drop-off composed of rock and soft coral, plentiful scrubby algae
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Pontohi/Severensi pygmy seahorse, rare nudibranchs
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
October to June
INSIDER INFO:
CARS
The site is best dived in the morning or at night to avoid surge
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 3
WHERE:
Anilao, Luzon, Philippines
TOPOGRAPHY:
Sandy slope channel with rubble and or small coral heads/sponge and light rubbish
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Nudibranchs galore!
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
October to June
INSIDER INFO:
Current permitting, it’s a good on any dive at any time of the day, but an absolute killer dive at night! Cyerce cristallina nuibranch, Romblon, Philippines © Mike Bartick
BETHLEHEM
Pink eared mantis shrimp, Dauin, Philippines
© Mike Bartick
ATMOSPHERE HOUSE REEF
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1
WHERE:
Dauin, Dumaguete, Philippines
TOPOGRAPHY:
Seagrass and black sand slope with patch coral reefs
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Frogfish, harlequin shrimp, hairy shrimp, pygmy pipehorse, leaf scorpionfish
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
March to June
INSIDER INFO:
Can be dived by boat or from shore, depending where you're staying
SEAWAY
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 3
WHERE:
Gold Coast, Australia
TOPOGRAPHY:
A long break wall extending into the Gold Coast estuary. Sandy seafloor with occasional areas of exposed coffee rock. The rockwall and pipes on the bottom are areas to search for critters. The best diving is along the wall in the shallower sections
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Nudibranchs, spiny devilfish, juvenile tropical fishes, turtles
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
December to April
INSIDER INFO:
Site needs to be dived on the incoming high tide as this increases visibility and the current flow is reduced. Depending on which part of the southern wall you’re going for, entry and exits points will vary, but they are protected and considered easy Pyjama squid, New South Wales, Australia © Dave Harasti
EDITHBURGH JETTY
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Edithburgh, South Australia
TOPOGRAPHY:
A shallow dive site, with a maximum depth of 10 metres. Diving is under the 170-metre-long jetty, with the pylons covered in a huge diversity of sponges, bryozoans and ascidians. The seafloor under the jetty is rubble covered and inhabited by rare, sought-after species
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Leafy seadragons, seahorses, blue-ringed octopus, anglerfish, stargazers
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
January to May
INSIDER INFO:
Entry and exit is relatively straightforward as the jetty has good stair access for divers. Night dives are well worth doing here Leafy seadragons, South Australia © Dave Harasti
PIPELINE
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 2
WHERE:
Nelson Bay, New South Wales, Australia
TOPOGRAPHY:
A slope from 3 to 10 metres. Small sponge outcrops from 5 to 8 metres, and at around 10 metres there are patches of rare cauliflower soft corals full of unusual species. The disused pipeline extends 18 metres to the north. The best diving is to the east of the pipe in 7 to 10 metres towards the marina breakwall
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Seahorses, blue-ringed octopus, striped pyjama squid, hairy anglerfish, cowries, nudibranchs
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
December to April
INSIDER INFO:
This site can only be dived on the slack high tide as at other times the current is too strong. A fantastic night dive for lots of rarely seen species. Take great care on entry and exit in northeasterly or westerly winds
Halimeda ghost pipefish, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea © Brandi Mueller Orange mantis shrimp, Papua New Guinea © Brandi Mueller
DON'T GET MUCKY WITHOUT:
• Having your buoyancy in check!
Muck sites can be silty and stirring up the substrate is a sure way to wreck the dive. Watch your fins and flip to page 88 for more of the “Dos & Don’ts” of diving in muck!
Your muck stick
This metal pointer will help keep you off the bottom and minimise damage when you want to get in close to check out those crazy critters.
A macro setup on your camera
These are not the places to be shooting megafauna or seascapes. These little wonders are small and strangely, mind-blowingly beautiful.
DINAH’S BEACH
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1
WHERE:
Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
TOPOGRAPHY:
A shallow black sand slope, with most of the critters hanging out in 10 metres of water or less
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Frogfish, mantis shrimp, leaffish, emperor shrimp, Coleman’s shrimp, nudibranchs, eels, orangutan crabs, harlequin shrimp
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
Year round
INSIDER INFO:
According to muck mythology, this is where it all began. This is the seemingly unassuming site where Bob Halstead took a party of divers led by a dive industry heavyweight, and had to persuade them that he was not just attempting to save fuel. After one dive they did indeed all jump in for a second, only surfacing for more air and more film. The site is named after Bob’s wife
WIRE BAY
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1
WHERE:
Kimbe Bay, New Britain, PNG
TOPOGRAPHY:
Black sand bordered by seagrass in a horseshoe bay, the remains of a volcanic caldera
SPECIES TO SPOT:
Nudibranchs, false clownfish, pink anemonefish, pygmy seahorses, stargazers, mantis shrimp, pipefish, ghost pipefish, shrimp and crustaceans
BEST TIME TO DIVE:
April to July
INSIDER INFO:
Wire Bay has amazing critter sightings during the day, but it’s even more impressive at night when nocturnal macro subjects come to life