|
Like a second Sipadan just about 150 nautical miles south of Tawau, far out in the Indonesian part of the Celebes Sea, there is a group of islands offering similar, just as astonishing marine life. Not only the incredible number and the unbelievable diversity of marine life but also its topography with shallow plateaus, gentle slopes and sheer vertical drop offs make these islands a diver's dream. There are 28 identified dive sites so far and still some new ones to discover. It will take someone at least 10 days to dive all these dive sites only once but sharks, trevally, wrasses, barracuda, jacks, manta and eagle rays, sea turtles and a wide variety of pelagic and reef fish will definitely be seen.
MARATUA....BIG
FISH COUNTRY
Imagine, you are sitting on a ringside seat, the arena an underwater
colosseum at 100 feet, beneath you an abyssal plunge beyond the depth
of mortal endurance. The arrival of a lone 7 foot great barracuda
heralds for the show to begin. A dark cloud emerges from the distance,
like un uprising tornado, as it twirls towards you, the dark mass
metamorphosizes into a slivery screen of barracudas,
Thousands...uncountable. Eight spotted eagle rays soar from the liquid
ceiling in formation whilst heavy bodied Gray sharks arrive at an
electrifying velocity to break up a school of Big-tooth trevalley. The
water boils, your adrenaline reaches a record high as a huge giant
Black spotted bull ray looms over you to cross the terrain of golden
and red coral trees. Large Dog-tooth tunas and mackerels make up the
chorus line to fleeting appearances of hammerheads and mantas. This
show is the greatest show on earth beneath the sea, the performance
limited to twice daily, every day of the year.
KAKABAN
PREHISTORY LAKE
The island lake at Kakaban is
an excepfora marine environment.
An uplifting in the area during the Holocene transgression, about 19000
yrs BC has left 5 sq kilometers of sea water trapped within a 50 meter
(165 ft) ridge, turning the area into a landlocked marine lake. The
only other know lake of such nature found in Palau, Micronesia, is a
desert compared to Kakaban. 4 species of stingless jelly fish
including one of an upside down specie of Cassiopea (possibly Cassiopea
xamachana). as well as tunicates, sponges, tube worms, bihalves,
crustacean, anemones, sea cucumbers, sea snakes and at least five known
species of gobies can be found here. At Kakaban's "Barracuda Point" thousands of
barracudas, blue-fined tunas and big sharks can be found and a massive "Blue-light Cave" waits for the more
experiencd divers.
SANGALAKI....MANTAS
GALORE
Sangalaki is the world Capital of Mantas. At Sangalaki the familiar
shape of Manta Rays emerges
from all directions. Their wing tips breaking the surface at regular
intervals.
Totally unperturbed by your
presence, they swim in eurythmy and sometimes glide right up to you
before making a sharp nose-dive into the blue. It is not unusual to
find ten of them encircling you. Though most of them are about 3,5
meters (12 ft) wide with a white belly, there are a few black giants
with a 6 meters (20 ft) wing span. It is totally out of this world, so
much so that one published writer reported that he was whacked by his
own adrenaline.