Komodo National Park – Day 1: All Aboard the Neptune One!
KOMODO NATIONAL PARK
Day 1: All Aboard the Neptune One!
May 15, 2023
After another gorgeous sunset, room service, and a majestic sunrise, I was all set for yet another adventure.
I was picked up around noon and dropped off at the dock, where Nina and Daniel – a couple from Switzerland – were waiting for the Zodiac that would take us to our ship. As soon as we were joined by a group of some ten Chinese travelers, we headed on board and started on our way to the Neptune One – our home for the upcoming week. Much like my previous sailing abode, this one was another thing of beauty – a 33-metre Phinisi schooner with a wooden hull, a white stripe at the top, and two long masts towering above.
As we stepped onto the ship that was vaguely similar to the Sea Safari VI, with its four decks and dining area, we were welcomed by Darmin – the cruise and diving director. Here, we were met with Melinda and Casey – a couple from the States – and Anurag, an Indian guy I’d be sharing my cabin with.
After settling down and orienting myself around the ship, we were called to the dining area for the first briefing; we’d have some free time before lunch and then proceed to do a check dive to make sure everything would be in order before starting the actual trip.
The Pavlovian Routine of the Damned Bell
I spent a couple of hours reading out on the deck before a bell summoned us for lunch. Little did we know back then that this tiny bell – this damned, cursed tiny bell would become the bane of our existence.
The staff’s “Wakey wakey!” would be accompanied by the unending chimes of the friggin’ bell, as would all announcements regarding dives and meals, meaning we’d be hearing the damned thing at least eight times a day. As much as we all hated it, by the end we had this Pavlovian response to it whereby everyone would drop whatever they’d be doing in order to assemble at the dining area.
And here, we’d spend the majority of our time on board. The food, much like on my previous cruise, was to die for. As full as I’d feel, you’d find me racking up a pile of plates full of anything and everything they’d serve us at each and every meal. From seafood to fish, from meat to chicken, from noodles to rice, from veg to fruit, I’d make sure I’d have my fair share.
This time round, however, things were a bit different. The dive, eat, sleep routine was no more. Instead, it’d be dive, eat, study and repeat. In addition, the dive part would sometimes be substituted by a trek, with the extra day aboard this ship allowing for more excursions around the park. What this meant was that we’d virtually have no time for ourselves at all – something I would’ve loved were it not for my need to prep for my upcoming interview.
The Dry Suits and Flashy Add-Ons
Brought together by the sound of the damned bell (as it will be referred to from now on), Darmin proceeded to brief us on our first dive. We’d be going to Bidadari, and whilst this wasn’t the best of dive sites, the point of this one was for us to get a taste of what Komodo has to offer and to see whether there’d be any technical issues we could resolve. Chen Yang, the only one from the entire Chinese group who spoke English, had to translate the entire monologue all over – a task he’d have to perform after every single briefing, earning him the nickname of The Translator.
After explaining the topography of the dive site, Darmin went on to divide all of us into different groups. I was in group Yellow, along with Anurag, Xie Zheng, Hu Kai, and Indra – our divemaster. As fate would have it, team Blue and Green would go first, followed by team Red and then us. While the other groups were ready in no time, I can’t quite say the same for our group. Xie Zheng and Hu Kai would be diving in their dry suits, requiring a substantial amount of time to put them on.
Anurag, on the other hand, took his sweet time to get ready – his many expensive and costly add-ons taking a year and a half to put on and set up. Having moved to Dubai for work, he started his training as a divemaster and was now in the process of getting his hands on every single piece of diving equipment known to man – including an underwater camera he’d be using for the very first time over here.
Bidadari Reef
An eternity later, and we were all geared up and ready to go for our dive, the sun already having begun to set. This time round, getting on the Zodiacs proved to be more of a challenge than it did back on the Sea Safari VI, having to jump from the gangway onto the dinghy with some assistance – a feat more reminiscent of my expeditions back in Antarctica.
After a short ride, we were at the dive site – my excitement now uncontainable. Indra, going over the dive plan one final time, had us all go into position before counting us down to back-roll off the boat into the sea. “One, t-” and there went Anurag, the weight of his camera dragging him off the Zodiac. Excellent start. Once we all joined him at the surface, we proceeded to descend – the area considerably different than what I had grown used to in Raja Ampat. Here, the rocky wall next to us was covered in scant coral and the sandy bottom flecked with rocks here and there.
We spotted a few things – mostly lionfish and nudibranchs, with spotted stingrays dominating the seafloor. As great as it felt to be underwater again, I can’t say it was the best of dives – mostly cause after some ten minutes, the light started to fade and darkness set in, the sun having set. Whilst everyone else was equipped with a flashlight, I was practically swimming blind, following the others’ light in order to not fall behind.
Although I’m usually a fan of night dives, I have to admit I’m not a fan of unplanned ones. Luckily enough, Anurag’s camera’s flash was strong enough to light up the entire seafloor – blinding me every single time he’d point it at my face (something he’d do repeatedly, might I add). As if that weren’t enough, his buoyancy was all over the place, bumping into everyone and everything in his way, myself included. And, every time we’d spot something, he’d make sure to push us out of the way in order to get his shots. So friggin’ annoying!
After Indra realised I had been swimming in the dark for some twenty minutes, he signalled for a safety stop, ending the dive halfway through. I would’ve felt bad about it had I been told to bring a torch with me and failed to do so, yet when I asked whether I should take one just in case, seeing how late it already was, I was reassured I wouldn’t need to. So yeah, not a great start… Though the sight that awaited us at the surface kinda made up for everything.
Back on the ship, I didn’t have much time to ponder and sulk, given that after the dive and dinner, I rushed to my cabin to get some studying done – until Anurag showed up and wouldn’t shut up about how great the dive was, that is.