Thursday 15 August Dive Sambu jetty, Wakatobi

Today we were able to begin planning our Dive Wakatobi campaign. A local dive guide who works for the World Wildlife Fund gave a talk with maps and suggestions of where to go in the island. Places where we might not have thought to go like Hoga island 25 miles south of here was highly recommended as was the island of Tomia. Tomia is where the international 5 star dive resort is located and where you are likely to fins all the leaf fish, frog fish, pygmy sea horses you can shake a magnifying glass at.

With no time to lose we fitted in our first dive this afternoon. Two miles north of the anchorage at Wanci Wanci Sambu jetty extends out over the shallow reef to the deep wall. We bounced along in the dinghy with John from Atea following us in his and tied up to the steps in 1m of water. Our first impression as we descended a sand and rubble wall in front of the jetty was not encouraging and then we went around a corner and wow! Beautiful corals in pristine condition, good visibility and myriads of fish. This is the exceptional diving we came for.