Issue # 38: Hidden treasures

DIVE’s Summer ’25 magazine is here! Packed as always with brilliant photography and great writing – subscribe quickly so you don’t miss out on a copy!

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A DIVE INTO THE UNKNOWN

Raja Ampat is one of the world’s most sought-after diving destinations but it’s far from being completely explored. Award-winning photographer Jenny Stock dives into the unknown as she visits some previously undiscovered spots on board the Raja Ampat Aggressor, accompanied by some of her fantastic photography of never-before-seen reefs.

SAVING MEXICO’S MANTAS

The Caribbean Coast of Mexico is home to one of the world’s largest aggregations of whale sharks – and a gathering of giant manta rays follows them. Mark ‘Crowley’ Russell talks to Karen ‘Manza’ Fuentes about her determination to make sure their populations are preserved, and why they may well be the long-awaited third species.

OCEAN PHYSICS

Helen Czerski began studying the science of bubbles at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography when she realised she needed to learn to scuba dive – and fell in love with it. She talks to Jo Caird about combining her passion for the underwater world with a background in physics in her award-winning science book Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World.

MULTI-DISCIPLINE DIVING

Some underwater photographers prefer macro over wide-angle; others big fish or landscapes. Each takes time to learn and perfect, but diving under the Cement Plant Pier in Barbados provides photographers with a single site to practice them all. Award-winning photographer Catherine Holmes gives us her top tips for study and some stunning results of her own.

UNDERWATER EARNINGS

Lots of people love taking pictures underwater, and there are some super-talented amateurs out there. Most people will only ever see their pictures shared among social media friends – but can you earn an income from sharing them with the world? Colin Marshall shares tips from his 30-year history as a stock agency photographer.

SPEAKING OF PHOTOGRAPHERS…

While there some talented amateurs out there among the underwater photo pros, many, many divers pick up a camera and turn into nightmares with bubbles. Mark ‘Crowley’ Russell shares some of his experiences from his time a full-time dive professional, and what steps divers need to take before ever even thinking about taking snapshots!

BIG SHOT TOGETHERNESS

DIVE’s latest Big Shot underwater photography competition called for images of underwater animals living together – in harmony or, as the case might be, not. Check out the best of the entries from our Big Shot Living Together photo competition as they were meant to be seen – on the pages of a glossy print magazine.

More DIVE Magazine previews:

• DIVE Magazine Spring 2025 – Ocean Colour Scenes
• DIVE Magazine Winter 2024/25 – Never Stop Learning
• DIVE Magazine Autumn 2024 – a giant stride for mankind
• DIVE Magazine Summer 2024 – exploring the depths
• DIVE Magazine Spring 2024 – the Magazine with Bite

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By DIVE Staff

A 33-year-old Malaysian diver has reportedly drowned off the island of Pulau Weh in Indonesia, after being caught in a powerful current underwater.

The man, who has been named by the Malaysian Consul General as Haikal Rafie Halim, was diving with two Malaysian friends and an Indonesian guide at a popular dive site known as the Canyon.

The incident is reported to have occurred at around 9.30 am on the morning of Saturday, 31 May when the group was caught in a strong current at a depth of around 30m.

A spokesperson for the Sabang Police said that the victim appears to have panicked and attempted to bolt to the surface.

‘After about 20 minutes under the sea, all three were dragged by a fairly swift current,’ said the spokesperson (translated from Indonesian).

‘In these conditions, the victim is suspected of panicking and rapidly rising to the surface without control.’

Local media reports that the Indonesian dive instructor had ‘tried to direct the group to rise safely and hold the victim’s hand.’

Mr Haikal was found unconscious at the surface and foaming at the mouth. He was immediately transported to nearby Iboih Beach, where the instructor and his fellow divers performed CPR before taking him to the local health centre.

Attempts to resuscitate proved unsuccessful, however, and Haikal was declared dead at the clinic at 10.50 am.

He was taken to Sabang Hospital for a post-mortem, the results of which have not yet been disclosed.

Speaking with Malaysia’s New Straits Times, Mr Haikal’s father, Halim Abu Hassan, said his son had travelled to Aceh with his wife and a group of 10 friends.

Hassan paid tribute to his son, saying he had ‘always been passionate about diving’ and ‘never expected that it would end in tragedy,’ adding that his daughter-in-law was ‘still too shaken to speak about it.’

It is understood that Mr Haikal’s body was repatriated on Sunday afternoon.

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By Mark 'Crowley' Russell

A scuba diving instructor based on the island of Nusa Penida, off Bali, Indonesia, has been filmed heroically coming to the rescue of a manta ray entangled in a fishing net that had severely wounded one of its cephalic lobes.

Jason Fondis, manager of Blue Corner Dive Penida, was guiding two divers at Manta Point, a cleaning station at which reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) sightings are an almost daily occurrence.

The group spotted the manta – a large female – circling the cleaning station with a large chunk of an abandoned fishing net covering one of its cephalic lobes and trailing underneath the animal’s body.

However, the group were initially unable to provide assistance as scuba divers are forbidden from entering the cleaning station when mantas are present.

‘It was frustrating, as the main rule we have is for divers not to enter the cleaning station and interrupt the mantas’ normal behaviour, and several mantas were cleaning at the time,’ said Fondis.

‘It’s also shallow on top of that part of the reef,’ he added, ‘which makes it dangerous as a lot of snorkel operators visit the site, and there would have been a real risk of getting hit by a propeller as they drop people right over the cleaning station.’

The team was running out of time to help as divers are expected to leave the area while heading to safety stop depth so that there is no risk of boats striking the animals during pickup.

‘One of my divers hit 70 bar and I was about to head away from the cleaning station when I saw a diver from another group signal to me that he was trying to help the manta, but couldn’t do anything as nobody in his team had a cutting device.

‘At the same time, the manta left the cleaning station, and once it was over the reef, I could do something, so I took out my scissors, moved over the top of the manta and started snipping away.

‘The net was tough and I could see it had been pulled into her flesh – I assume it was part of a bigger net and she managed to break free.

‘It was over her right eye, which would have made it difficult for her to see to avoid obstacles and make her more vulnerable to predation.

Throughout the encounter, the manta appears to remain calm and makes no attempt to flee, remaining close to the reef and even at one point appearing to deliberately turn towards Fondis so he can continue cutting the net.

‘She was brilliant and so calm, she went as slow as she could to let me cut the net. I had to peel some of it out of her cephalic fin with my fingers; I saw a little blood a few times and felt awful for her, but she never once flinched – it was amazing how she clearly knew I was helping.

‘Once I snipped the last bit free, I actually fist pumped the water, but my next thought was, “I have to find my divers and get out of here!”

‘Fortunately, I turned around and they were right there,’ said Fondis. ‘We had not travelled very far, but I was so focused on freeing her, I did not realise that she had been circling the same spot while I cut the net off her.

‘We had to leave as we had now reached 50 bar, but the most beautiful part was that for the entire safety stop, she gently circled beneath us. That safety stop was the most wholesome thing.’

This is the second time Fondis has found himself rescuing an entangled manta – he and fellow instructor Hélène Reynaud, co-owner of nearby Purple Dive Penida, were filmed heroically cutting fishing lines from an entangled manta at the same spot in 2020.

Nusa Penida is famous for its resident population of reef manta, which are present in numbers throughout the year. Watch the video of Jason freeing the manta below.

Related articles

• Great white shark makes rare Nusa Penida appearance
• The best places to scuba dive with manta rays
• Ten best places to dive in Indonesia
• Australian scuba diver dies at Nusa Penida’s Manta Point
• Heroic Nusa Penida manta rescue

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Writer and photographer Todd Aki compares back-to-back week-long dive trips to Raja Ampat, staying in a humble homestay, then at a luxury resort

Words and photographs by Todd Aki

Raja Ampat is unquestionably one of the best dive destinations in the world. It is also a very expensive place to dive, either by liveaboard or from a resort. But there is a third option: a homestay.

This little-known alternative can cost as little as a quarter of the price of the standard Raja accommodation options. It’s therefore a mighty tempting proposition. But does paying a budget price risk getting a budget experience?

To find out, I booked back-to-back stays in Raja, first in a resort and then at a homestay. Here’s what I discovered.

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

The first glaring difference is getting to the accommodation. At Papua Explorers, the resort where I stayed, a resort representative met me at the airport and whisked me off to a hotel where I had a tasty breakfast buffet while waiting for other guests.

At noon, I was driven to the pier, where a nice resort boat took me directly to the resort, a little over an hour away. The whole transfer was effortless and relaxing.

This was not the case with the homestay. Upon exiting the airport, you need to find a taxi to take you to the public ferry. Next, you wait in line for a ferry ticket, then for some unexplained reason, wait in another line to redeem your ticket to get another ticket.

You then lug your luggage 50 metres to the ferry. If you are lucky, you will find a seat on the lower deck. If not, you’ll need to carry your luggage upstairs with you. I cheated and spent $3 (£2.30) for a porter as I was carrying nearly 50kg (110lbs) of dive and photo gear. It was the best three dollars I have ever spent.

After a two-hour ferry ride, you arrive on the island of Waisai and walk another 50m to get a permit to enter Raja. Your homestay boat will hopefully be waiting for you. It’s usually open top, narrow and loud. If there are any waves, it will be a bumpy ride. And bring a poncho, because if it rains or the ocean is rough, you will get soaked by ocean spray.

Depending on the location of your homestay, the boat ride could take 60-90 minutes.

CREATURE COMFORTS

Most resorts in Raja are well furnished and Papua Explorers was no exception. My spacious room had a hot water shower, a western flush toilet, a table and chair, and a covered veranda with a sofa. Air conditioning kept everything comfortable.

Right off the veranda were steps into the ocean, where on higher tides you could swim out to the dive centre or snorkel on the house reef.

The resort’s dining area was spacious, offering amazing food with plentiful choices for each meal, as well as delicious desserts.

My homestay, on the island of Arborek, was a very different affair. The room was tiny and very basic, with only a mattress on the floor and a small table with a fan, rather than air conditioning.

I paid a bit more than average for my homestay, so it was new and very clean, but the cracks between the wooden floorboards led straight to the ocean, so caution was required if I didn’t want my things to end up in the sea.

There was a plus side of this proximity to the water: from my bungalow, I could see baby sharks putting on a show at night, as well as a large school of bigeye scad and batfish.

Electricity is often only available at night. Once during my stay, the power went off for over a day, but luckily, my homestay had a generator. It was a mystery what hours they ran it, but fortunately, I was never caught without power.

In my homestay, there was no hot water. In fact, many Indonesian homestays have no running water at all. There is typically a communal shower or bathroom, in which you wash by dipping a ladle in a tub of water and pouring it over yourself.

Given the lack of air conditioning, the cold water was actually quite welcome. Toilets in many homestays are just as rudimentary: you flush by pouring water from a ladle into the pan.

As the owners of homestays often speak very limited English, there is no orientation, so you pick up what you need to know – meal times and the like – from fellow guests.

Food tends to be very basic: pastries for breakfast; for lunch and dinner it was either chicken or fish with rice and vegetables.

RESORT OR HOMESTAY: THE DIVING

Now for the most important thing: the diving. Upon arrival at Papua Explorers, the dive manager (just one of a plethora of managers looking after all aspects of the place) gave us a long briefing. They asked for dive certificates, we filled in several liability forms, and we were given an explanation of the logistics of diving at the resort.

We could do up to three dives each day, plus a twilight or night dive. We were told how to enter the water from the dive boat and how to get back on. If separated, we were to do a one-minute search and, if still separated, everyone would stop the dive and meet at the surface.

We were also told not to use strobes when shooting pygmy seahorses and manta rays – presumably in order not to cause them undue stress.

As you’d imagine with such good processes in place, the dive day ran like clockwork. I was fortunate to dive with the best guide I’ve ever had: she was always aware of her divers, was a great spotter and had such an infectious, happy personality you could not help but smile when you were around her.

My dive company on Arborek had a less rigorous approach. They did not offer an orientation, ask for certification cards, or give me any forms to fill out.

They did two morning dives a day and sometimes an afternoon dive, and offered a night dive only once during my six-day trip.

We were told to meet at 7:30 am, but the dive boat almost never left until 8:30 am. When it was time to leave, the boat’s engine caused problems every single day.

On one occasion, they did an engine swap from another boat, but as we headed out, that engine stopped working too so we went back to shore to get it fixed.

To be fair to the company, even with all these issues, all the scheduled dives took place.

One day I lost the group while shooting a particularly beautiful subject – I just continued my dive solo, surfacing at the agreed-upon time with no one seemingly concerned.

Maybe they recognised that I was a competent diver and decided it was safe to let me do my own thing.

Ultimately, my experience of diving at the resort and homestay were pretty similar. I dived all the famous dive sites and had a great time.

Both places have fantastic house reefs, with different strengths depending on your preferences. Papua Explorers has great macro critters – my fabulous guide found me a blue-ringed octopus on almost every night dive.

But Arborek was my personal favourite, boasting glorious hard and soft coral gardens, schools of fish, big and small, as well as rarer treasures such as flasher wrasses and even a regal tang.

A MATTER OF TASTE

Arborek is a very small island, meaning you can’t help but bump into kids playing with homemade toys or adults doing daily chores. After a day or two, I felt like a part of the community, and really valued this element of my trip.

A special mention needs to be made of Githa, the owner of the dive shop on Arborek, along with her husband. She is a driving force in protecting Arborek’s reefs, involved in conservation efforts such as restoring the hard coral, as well as helping improve the lives of local residents, especially women.

Papua Explorers, on the other hand, is similar to other resorts, where guests are expected to stay on resort property. You can hike to a nearby village, but you’ll need to make special arrangements to do so.

The booking process was easy for both trips. With Papua Explorers, you make a deposit by wiring money, and then pay the balance before arrival – $3,152 all-inclusive for seven days’ diving in my case.

You’ll also fill out some forms and send over pictures of your passport and dive certifications ahead of your trip.

Organising the homestay was actually even easier – stayrajaampat.com is an amazingly comprehensive website.

It lists homestays by location and includes thorough descriptions and helpful, accurate reviews. It has a great FAQ section explaining everything you need to know.

Most importantly, the website handles payments. You pay the entire amount upfront – $1,070 for my week’s stay and
diving on Arborek – and can use a credit card.

Typically, your only correspondence with the owners of the homestay is an exchange of WhatsApp messages when you have boarded the ferry so they can meet you at Waisai.

What is the final verdict– homestay or resort? As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. If you want to be pampered and have a smoothly oiled scuba diving experience, go with a resort.

If you want to save money, are happy to be flexible, value getting to know the local people, and don’t mind roughing it a bit, a homestay might just be your ideal next dive trip.

Todd stayed at Papua Explorers Resort and Raja Ampat Sunset Homestay

There’s no escape, the robots are taking over!

More great reads from our magazine

• Artificial Intelligence in underwater photography – a force for good, or evil?
• Liveaboard safety – how divers can change it and when to walk away
• DIVE’s Big Shot Portraits – THE WINNERS!
• How to become a better diver: never stop learning
• The National Lobster Hatchery – giving lobsters a helping hand

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The body of a Chinese diver who died off Kakaban Island, one of the Derawan Islands in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, has been recovered after she disappeared while trying to retrieve a dropped camera.

The diver, a 30-year-old woman identified by local authorities as Zhang Xiao Han, appears to have dropped her GoPro camera during a safety stop at the end of a dive on the morning of Saturday, 3 May.

According to witnesses, Zhang surfaced but jumped back into the water without her scuba gear in an attempt to retrieve the camera. She failed to surface and was reported missing at approximately 9 am local time.

A joint search and rescue operation was launched by the local Basarnas Balikpapan rescue team and members of the military police.

Ms Zhang was located at the popular Kelapa Dua dive site, a steep wall famous for thresher shark sightings, within a matter of hours. It took several attempts to recover her body due to the depth and strength of the current at her location.

‘A team of divers from the joint SAR unit was deployed and managed to locate the victim at a depth of 87 meters, but initial attempts to retrieve her were unsuccessful due to the extreme depth,’ said Endrow Sasmita, head of Basarnas Balikpapan, who led the recovery effort.

‘The search location was quite difficult and challenging,’ added Sasmita, ‘but thanks to the support of all parties, the victim was successfully found. This is the result of solid teamwork.’

Zhang’s body was brought to the surface at 2.55 pm local time and returned to Tanjung Batu port before being taken to Abdul Rivai Regional Hospital in Tanjung Redeb, Berau.

Related articles

• Great white shark makes rare Nusa Penida appearance
• Inquiry rules British diver’s death in Indonesia was IPO
• Australian scuba diver dies at Nusa Penida’s Manta Point
• Indonesian activists face jail after exposing damage to marine park
• Divers rescued after Komodo liveaboard sinks

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