Macro Day @ Hantu Bloggers' Anniversary dive.....
Yesterday, I joined The Hantu Bloggers on their 8th Anniversary dive at Pulau Hantu! Wow! It has been 8 years since Debby and her team of volunteers started to guide and show divers what Pulau Hantu can offer! Thanks for the effort and Happy Anniversary!!! :)
The visibility was comfortable of 3-4m! We did dives at the North and South Jetty. But I only did 3 dives as I decided to abort the night dive due to strong currents. I tried out a new camera setup which I think still need time to get used to it. But I am happy with the new Subsee +10 diopter! It mean that I can finally get better closeup of those tiny creatures!
Anyway, with a magnifier on hands, it all macro photos for the dives! Thanks to my buddy, ML, for finding stuff too!
It was a slugful day! With plenty of Nudibranch around!
The commonly seen Blue Dragon Nudibranch (Pteraeolidia ianthina).
A rather big Red-lined Flabellina nudibranch (Flabellina rubrolineata). It was about 4cm.
Second time seeing this nudibranch at Hantu. The first time was during last year's anniversary night dive! Looks like a Pacific Favorinus nudibanch (Favorinus pacificus).
A Bornella nudibranch (Bornella sp.) trying to get rid of the silt on its head.
Tiny Dermatobranchus nudibranch (Dermatobranchus sp.) can be seen at many parts of the reefs.
Wonder if this is a darker version of the Tambja nudibranch (Tambja sp.) that we have seen months ago?
A tiny Lemon Gymnodoris nudibranch (Gymnodoris critrina).
A Lined Chromodoris nudibranch (Chromodoris lineolata).
Reliable Chromodoris nudibranch (Chromodoris fidelis) are in season!
An unknown nudibranch. Probably a kind of Chromodoris nudibranch (Chromodoris sp.)
An Ornate Cadinella nudibranch (Cadlinella ornatissima).
This is one of the smallest "Godzilla/Slender Ceratosoma nudibranch (Ceratosoma gracillimum) that I have seen at Pulau Hantu! It was about 2cm. Like a "mini me" version of the giant ones that we often seen! So CUTEEEE!
Saw 2 Black-margined nudibranch (Glossodoris atromarginata).
A Bullock nudibranch (Hypselodoris bullocki) hanging onto a Sea Whip. Nudibranch pole dancing! :p
Been some times since we saw this nudibranch at Pulau Hantu. It's probably another colour variation of Spotted Hypselodoris nudibranch (Hypselodoris maculosa).
Looks like a Painted Hypselodoris nudibranch (Hypselodoris infucata).
Probably a Maritime Hypselodoris nudibranch (Hypselodoris maritima).
Probably a Three-line Pectenodoris nudibranch (Pectenodoris trilineata) spotted by ML! It was about 1cm and first time seeing it at Pulau Hantu for me!
And we saw the Nudibranch's cousins too!
A small Cuttlefish!
Octopuses are out and about! Spotted by quite a few divers during the 3rd dive when we jumped into the water just in time before a heavy downpour hit us. Hmmm.....could it be the overcast sky that they thought it was night time already and that why they came out of their hiding holes?
All sorts of Flatworms were seen! Some were as big as our hands and some as tiny as 1cm only!
A Basket Star!
Another kind of Tiger Anemone(Nemanthus sp.) on the Gorgonian?
A small Sea Pen!
Lastly an unknown creature. It was about 5mm. Could it be some kind of worm?
It was another great Anniversary dive! Looking forward to the one next year!
On a side note, it looks like Pulau Hantu has one(or maybe two?) new resident! While having our surface interval at Hantu Kecil, we saw this;
Yes, a Long-tailed macaque! We saw another one (don't know if it is the same one) on Hantu Besar too!
The visibility was comfortable of 3-4m! We did dives at the North and South Jetty. But I only did 3 dives as I decided to abort the night dive due to strong currents. I tried out a new camera setup which I think still need time to get used to it. But I am happy with the new Subsee +10 diopter! It mean that I can finally get better closeup of those tiny creatures!
Anyway, with a magnifier on hands, it all macro photos for the dives! Thanks to my buddy, ML, for finding stuff too!
It was a slugful day! With plenty of Nudibranch around!
The commonly seen Blue Dragon Nudibranch (Pteraeolidia ianthina).
A rather big Red-lined Flabellina nudibranch (Flabellina rubrolineata). It was about 4cm.
Second time seeing this nudibranch at Hantu. The first time was during last year's anniversary night dive! Looks like a Pacific Favorinus nudibanch (Favorinus pacificus).
A Bornella nudibranch (Bornella sp.) trying to get rid of the silt on its head.
Tiny Dermatobranchus nudibranch (Dermatobranchus sp.) can be seen at many parts of the reefs.
Wonder if this is a darker version of the Tambja nudibranch (Tambja sp.) that we have seen months ago?
A tiny Lemon Gymnodoris nudibranch (Gymnodoris critrina).
A Lined Chromodoris nudibranch (Chromodoris lineolata).
Reliable Chromodoris nudibranch (Chromodoris fidelis) are in season!
An unknown nudibranch. Probably a kind of Chromodoris nudibranch (Chromodoris sp.)
An Ornate Cadinella nudibranch (Cadlinella ornatissima).
This is one of the smallest "Godzilla/Slender Ceratosoma nudibranch (Ceratosoma gracillimum) that I have seen at Pulau Hantu! It was about 2cm. Like a "mini me" version of the giant ones that we often seen! So CUTEEEE!
Saw 2 Black-margined nudibranch (Glossodoris atromarginata).
A Bullock nudibranch (Hypselodoris bullocki) hanging onto a Sea Whip. Nudibranch pole dancing! :p
Been some times since we saw this nudibranch at Pulau Hantu. It's probably another colour variation of Spotted Hypselodoris nudibranch (Hypselodoris maculosa).
Looks like a Painted Hypselodoris nudibranch (Hypselodoris infucata).
Probably a Maritime Hypselodoris nudibranch (Hypselodoris maritima).
Probably a Three-line Pectenodoris nudibranch (Pectenodoris trilineata) spotted by ML! It was about 1cm and first time seeing it at Pulau Hantu for me!
And we saw the Nudibranch's cousins too!
A small Cuttlefish!
Octopuses are out and about! Spotted by quite a few divers during the 3rd dive when we jumped into the water just in time before a heavy downpour hit us. Hmmm.....could it be the overcast sky that they thought it was night time already and that why they came out of their hiding holes?
All sorts of Flatworms were seen! Some were as big as our hands and some as tiny as 1cm only!
A Basket Star!
Another kind of Tiger Anemone(Nemanthus sp.) on the Gorgonian?
A small Sea Pen!
Lastly an unknown creature. It was about 5mm. Could it be some kind of worm?
It was another great Anniversary dive! Looking forward to the one next year!
On a side note, it looks like Pulau Hantu has one(or maybe two?) new resident! While having our surface interval at Hantu Kecil, we saw this;
Yes, a Long-tailed macaque! We saw another one (don't know if it is the same one) on Hantu Besar too!
