The gateway to Kimbe Bay is by way of Alan Raabe's MV. Fe Brina, with scuba diving, snorkeling, underwater photography and underwater exploration the top priorities.
Kimbe Bay is a world renowned hot spot for diving and underwater adventuring.
Walindi Dive Resort has scuba diving, snorkeling, underwater photography, and eco tourism for the visitor interested in off the beaten track adventure experiences combining exploration and discovery.
The gateway to Kimbe Bay is by way of Alan Raabe's MV. Fe Brina with scuba diving, snorkeling, underwater photography and underwater exploration.
Only one small part of one of the Giant Sea Fans Melithaea sp. ( up to 2 metres across) which bedecked the reefs of Kimbe Bay. Just looking out for one small Egg, or Spindle Cowry could take 15 minutes to properly investigate just one Sea Fan.
Exquisite little Ridged Egg Cowry Pseudosimnia culmen on its host the Spikey Soft Coral Dendronephthya sp. Its thought that the long mantle papillae mimic the larger spicules of the soft coral.
Dogtooth Tuna Gymnosarda unicolor are regularly seen around the bommies and the reefs in Kimbe Bay. Like living torpedoes they appear out of nowere, circle a few times and are gone.
Another new find for me was this Elusive Sea Star Gomophia sp. I could only find one specimen no mater how hard I searched, so I guess it is by no means common.
This outcrop in the middle of the channel was one of the regular night dive sites. Not much on the surface, BUT below the water line it was mind blowing. A bit of current was to be expected and the amount of marine life was reflected by its presence. Just one of the fantastic night dives I experienced in Kimbe Bay, every one was awesome.
Just one of the amazing species I found at night was this Nocturnal Sea Cucumber Stichopus noctivatus. I went back during the day and was unable to find its lair.
Safe within the haven of its host Sea Anemone Oshima's Anemone crab Neopetrolisthes oshimai feeds by using alternate sweeps of its fringed mouthparts.
The Compressed Spindle Cowry Phenacovolva coarctata lives on the gorgonian Sea Whip Viminella sp. and is fairly easy to find in Kimbe bay.
Kimbe Bay kids with lolipops given out by visiting divers on the MV. Fe Brina. All these kids had on red fingernail polish, not something I would have expected, but there it was, Kimbe Bay had a lot of stuff I had never seen before.
In some of the Spikey Soft Coral colonies Dendronephthya sp. Oat's Spider Crab Hoplophrys oatsii can be found. This unusual spider crab has a colour and patern which mimics its host, and also grows small pieces of the host on its body.
Sponges are inherently difficult to obtain scientific ID's for as they often grow in different shapes depending on the habitat. Once this one is described I feel sure that we will be able to recognise it as the pattern is so uniquue. Till then I have called it the Quadrangular Sponge.
Growing to 55 cm, the Bignose Unicornfish Naso vlamingii occurs along the outer reef slopes where groups feed mid water on plankton. It can change colour very quickly in response to its moods and behaviour.
Fairly common on rubble flats and slopes, or on sand and on lower reef slopes the Red – lined Sea Cucumber Thelonota rubralineata is one of the most spectacular Sea Cucumbers in the Pacific.
The polyps of soft corals have eight tentacles and these are always fringed along the edges. This species lives at around 15 metres and deeper and can be found along the edges of drop offs.
I was shown a cave where Alan told me there would be hundreds of nudibranchs. I scoffed that hundreds might be an exaggeration. However, once I got to the shallow water cave at the corner of a reef, there they were at every stage of growth, over 100 Serpent Pteraolidia Pteraolidia ianthina were feeding on the hundreds of colonies of hydroids growing there.
Besides nudibranchs, one of my favourite marine invertebrates over the years have been the Marine Flatworms. Their bright colours and patterns and and interesting habits and behaviours make a fascinating study. This undescribed species Pseudoceros sp. was found at 15 metres crawling over a huge orange sponge.
Although well known amongst underwater pjhotographers for many years this magnificent nocturnal shrimp Saron sp. has yet to be described.
An easily recognised species, the Magian's Sponge Craniella abracadabra is only small in size, growing to around 80 mm. It lives on slopes and along drop offs throughout the Indo – Pacific.
