Komodo National Park (trip 2) site 33 (my 30th dive and the final of the trip): “Tatawa Besar” (2019-1-27)

Dive site notes: Though a virtual repeat of our previous dive to this site, it was nevertheless lovely. Huge sponges dominated the habitat in many places. High coral cover and very colorful. Saw a turtle. High reef fish biomass. Dogtooth tuna (among few of trip). 23ºC=easily the coldest dive of the trip. Essentially shivered the whole time. Hard coral+sponge-dominated habitat for most of dive. Some coral rubble being colonized by CCA and other algae. Soft corals only dominant in shallows (3-5 m). It is entirely possible that we were diving in the middle of an upwelling event given the poor viz (5-6 m) and cold temperatures (23-24ºC). Water looked nutrient-rich, and fish life was more impressive than at many other sites.