We’re still in Pulau Weh for one more day. Next we’re off to search for Orangutans in Gunung Leusur National Park and then back “home” to Kuala Lumpur.
Two days ago we did the best dive of our lives at Batee Takong. To start we dropped to 45m (160 feet) to witness larger sea fans than should be able to exist, some honestly almost 15′ by 10′ and they were everywhere you looked. Then came two leaf scorpionfish (they have leg like appendages with which they walk along the bottom), countless moray eels (over 10 different species), rays, the usual limitless menagerie of fish, schooling tuna, dragonettes, juvenille sweetlips (amazing), giant trevalley, and to top it off a blue ribbon eel. We were down for 75 minutes and covered a couple kilometers of ground.
We rented a motor scooter the other day and toured the island. On the way we saw snakes, monitor lizards, monkeys (macaques), eagles, and the usual goat/cow/chicken/yeti combo. Kilometer zero, which is the most Northwesterly point in Indonesia and the point from which all parts of Indonesia are measured, was particularly beautiful with the Indian Ocean over one shoulder and the Andaman Sea over the other. The convergence of these two massive bodies of water is what makes the waters here so rich with life.
We’ll post pictures as soon as we can, from above and below, but the old public computer here just doesn’t have the energy. So long for now.
-Scotty
How exciting!! I can’t wait to hear about the Orangs! I love those guys 🙂
Can’t wait to see the pictures, wish I could send you the steak & bakes potatoes you crave…somehow I think you’ll do just fine on the food anywhere. You’re excellent adventure keeps getting better! You are doing a great job of describing everything, what a magical world! Love you, Mom