Dive Sites: Menjangan Island

Posted on December 13, 2024December 15, 2024 by Annabel Thomas

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Menjangan Island Dive Sites

Menjangan Island became Bali’s first internationally-known diving location, famous for its wall-diving with great visibility (50m at certain times of the year).

Part of West Bali National Park, Menjangan Island is 30 minutes by local boat from mainland Bali and offers warm waters with stunning visibility that can reach 50m+. The island’s white sand beaches provide good, and well-protected, snorkelling opportunities.

The walls at Menjangan go from 10 to 26-60m+ and are full of nooks and crannies, overhangs and crevasses with soft corals, sponges and Bali’s highest concentration of Gorgonian seafans (some with pygmy seahorses). The fishlife is prolific and turtles are regular visitors.

Although Whalesharks may be sighted, pelagics are fairly rare here as the island is protected from the cold ocean currents felt at some other Bali dive sites.

The main three dive sites are Garden Eel Point, Pos Two, and the small wooden Anker Wreck (35-50m) where the calm conditions and good visibility can make it easy to forget that this is a deep dive.

Best Time to Dive

Although the best diving in Menjangan Island is said to be from April to November (during the south east monsoon), the island can be dived year round as it offers some of the most protected diving in Bali.

The clarity of the water can at times be amazing, July to September often yields the best visibility and a current of more than 1 knot is unusual. However, as Menjangan is protected from the cold currents coming in from the open sea, there are only rare sightings of larger fish.

Mount Agung

Posted on December 6, 2024December 6, 2024 by Annabel Thomas

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Mount Agung is Bali’s Most Sacred Mountain

Mount Agung (Gunung Agung) lies in central-eastern Bali and, at 3,148m, is Bali’s highest point by almost 1km – it is even visible in the early mornings from my house in south west Bali. The height of Mt Agung actually affects Bali’s climate: clouds coming from the west drop their rain (unsurprisingly) on the west side of the mountain which is why east Bali is usually dry and barren.

According to Balinese Hindus, the gods created mountains as their thrones meaning Mt Agung, as the highest, is Bali’s most sacred mountain and is therefore the location of Pura Besakih, Bali’s ‘mother’ temple.

Sunrise Rise Trekking on Mount Agung

Sunrise Trekking on Mount Agung is very popular: you leave, with your guide, from a fixed departure point in the early hours so you can be at the top to watch the sunrise.

Mt Agung is an active stratovolcano (built of layered lava), with the most recent major eruption in 1963. Those lava flows missed Besakih Temple by only a few metres in places; that was regarded by the Balinese people as miraculous and a signal from the gods that they wished to demonstrate their power but not destroy the monument the Balinese faithful had erected.

The earth tremors of the 1963 Mt Agung eruption were what caused the 120m USAT Liberty Shipwreck to slide off the beach and into the shallows of Tulamben Bay. For that at least, we can be thankful.

The Burning Ring of Fire

Bali is part of ‘The Ring of Fire’ and we therefore have several other dormant volcanoes, eg: Mount Batur – although we do see occasional puffs of smoke.

Book Mt Agung Sunrise Trekking

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Bali’s Culture

Microplastics Inside the Coral Tissue

Posted on November 15, 2024November 19, 2024 by Annabel Thomas

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Microplastics – How do They End Up in the Ocean

by Fahmi, AMD-B’s 2024 Divemaster Intern

Microplastic are tiny fragments of plastic, usually less than 5 millimeters in size, that originate from textiles, such as microfiber shedding, personal care products or cosmetics, paint, tires, and the fragmentation of larger plastics we use. Like the plastic we are familiar with, microplastics are not biodegradable. The problem now is that they are resilient and ubiquitous. Microplastics have been found in nearly every environment, including animal digestion, and even humans. Due to their tiny size, microplastics spread through things like rainfall, rivers, and direct waste dumping. These particles make their way into our oceans, spreading across marine environments and impacting ecosystems everywhere.

Why are Corals Found with Microplastics

As filter feeders, corals pull in tiny particles from the water, mistaking microplastics for food. Because of their size, microplastics closely resemble natural food sources for coral, making them easy to ingest. Studies have shown that some types of coral might even prefer these plastic particles. Unfortunately, this means microplastics get lodged in coral tissues, often staying there for a long time.

How do Researchers Study Microplastics in Coral

To investigate, scientists collect coral samples and apply special dyes to make any microplastic particles stand out. They also use methods like spectrometry and fluorescence microscopy to locate and identify plastics at the microscopic level, helping to determine how much plastic is really being taken in by coral. In some cases, researchers use a process called acid digestion, where a mild acid dissolves the calcium carbonate skeleton, leaving behind microplastic particles. This method, used by one of our team members, enables a clear analysis of embedded plastics without damaging them.

What Microplastics Mean for Coral and Marine Life

For corals, microplastics are a big concern. These particles can get trapped in coral tissues or on coral surfaces, affecting their health. When corals absorb microplastics, it can lead to physical damage, reduced feeding efficiency, and even increased vulnerability to diseases. Corals rely on tiny algae called zooxanthellae, which help them get energy through photosynthesis. Microplastics can block light, disturbing this process and possibly contributing to coral bleaching.

Marine life that depends on corals for shelter or food can also suffer. Fish, crustaceans, and other creatures might ingest microplastics, which can lead to internal injuries, malnutrition, or chemical contamination, affecting entire marine ecosystems.