North Sulawesi People really lucky, a lot of places (tourism) is beautiful.

Volcano climbing 1311 meters Mahawu berketinggian Tomohon very beautiful crater lakes, such as Mount Bromo, East Java has. Tomohon still Lokon volcano crater lake (1580 meters), a "more exotic.

From the center, visitors can witness the beauty of the mountain Lokon and guidance Mahawu Tomohon. Certainly would be more than beautiful scenery of the Mount Inspiration. We stood there, the view of the mountain to the beauty of the mountain Lokon to see. It extends to the top of a mountain in the southern part. In the north Stupa partner, Mount Mahawu.

Between the two Hall-shaped reef extends along more or less two kilometers. In the hall now eruptions occur. It throws a crater and rocks, which lasted almost without interruption.

Mountaintop locations

Volcano region Mahawu now can be reached by car. Jefferson Tomohon Mayor Rumajar construct roads to get there. Moreover, a path through the planting of vegetables people.

Still in Tomohon, visitors or tourists can visit the Village Langsot of approximately three miles from the center. Here, people can see remnants of the stone tombs waruga Minahasa. The grave stone remains of the 14th century and the 15's attitude is wearing headscarves.

Stored in the tombs of the ancient objects, such as plates and kelewang. Unfortunately, tourism is not well kept, even archaeological objects stolen many people. "Until the closing waruga also taken," said Refly Santili, Tomohon citizens.

No less interesting culinary tour with a variety of foods from seafood and traditional dishes in combination with a number of international food. In Tomohon each year Gardenia Food Festival was held specifically to compete with the taste of traditional food, national and international. The festival was initiated by the Gardenia Resort invite experts from Jakarta boil.

Jefferson Rumajar revealed, indeed Tomohon Government still Tomohon tourism promotion. Geographically, not Tomohon has its own advantages.

For example, the tourist city of flowers. Diversity is important for the benefits for the tourism sector, local economy. Flower production continues because many residents have planted flowers to exist. As an illustration, only by Jefferson in 2003, flower production, which is a sort of cut flowers, stems reach 2 million. But in 2009, production reached 112 million flower stems.

Flowers are produced today, according to Jefferson, was more in the trade in North Sulawesi. But in 2013, directed, interest produced can be exported to Singapore.

Tomohon a population of 100,000 people and is suitable for cool temperate plants flower. Therefore, a number of festivals attractiveness to local and foreign tourists.

For business travel, the more the local bergeliat Tomohon son, Ronald Korompis, building location, "Hill of Prayer" in Kakaskasen about 70 hectares. City area with beautiful scenery in the public arena for entertainment.

From a tourist town in the province of Nyiur Golftrek, Tomohon indeed declared the benefits of tourism with a variety of natural attractions. Apart from the two volcanoes, lakes Tomohon Linow also a colorful water. "After Bunaken, City (Tomohon) should be sold," said Anton Supit, economic observers in Jakarta.

Sulawesi Tourism promises from time to time. From the sea, the beach, the mountain can be seen with a beautiful view of the nature-friendly culture and open society.

Sulut save it Lembeh Strait Marine Park (Bitung City area), which later became known to the world of international tourism as a marriage where the whale fish-specific. Lembeh Strait is also in demand as galaknya ocean current system there.

National Geographic magazine in 2005 was a special report on the unique nature of water Lembeh Strait. Indeed, a number of NGOs in the world-class working environment claims Lembeh Strait region as areas that should be preserved and protected from the hands of ignorant greed.

Furthermore, Sulawesi Volcano also space under the sea in County Sitaro located. Volcano Room at the location, the divers of Germany and France as oblivious to the whole world is full by the time they dive into the crater of which lies below sea level.

The natural resources of the sea and the sea coast of North Sulawesi are still equipped with Porodisa in water Lirung, Talaud Islands. Talaud people call it a beach Porodisa beach.

Reference to the names of the Portuguese sailors Porodisa start when they first approached Lirung water. At that moment a very beautiful natural scenery. Until now, the term still used Porodisa Talaud every citizen. In the District Talaud, each party in May Mane'e culture, fishing activities with yellow coconut.

In 2009, North Sulawesi tourism figures, a jump of the tourist arrivals and domestic tourists doubled. The North Sulawesi has 503 tourist culture, nature, and the sea.

Head of Tourism Department of North Sulawesi, Manado Fredrik Rotinsulu mention the number of foreign tourist arrivals reached 78 203 people in 2009. In 2008 the figure was only about 32 760 people. Rotinsulu said the increase in the number of tourist arrivals and domestic tourists to the length of stay and the amount of money spent. When in 2008 the length of stay of three days, four days now. Money spent on foreign tourists around Rp 1.5 million per day per person, while the domestic tourists USD $ 750 000 bringing the total money spent by foreign tourists and local tourists to RP 3.7 trillion.

The increase in numbers visiting the conference was due to the implementation of the marine world last May, due before August rd.

Rotinsulu we believe that the number of visits by foreign tourists and local tourists in 2010 grew more in a calendar of international activities in the area of the Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) and tourism. "For the mice, Galway has a three-building facility convention (agreement), which can accommodate 3-5000 people," he said.

But trust Rotinsulu, a veterinarian, not based on the work program. He said the tourism program is limited to the budget of the local budget. Therefore, tourism projects at the district and city.

Infrastructure

Johny Licke PHRI said chairman Sulawesi, a large potential useless if the performance of tourism actors so long. "In fact, many tourists complained because objects attract tourism infrastructure is not equipped with proper roads or transport Bunaken example.," He said.

To Bunaken, many tourists complained because the mobility of sea transport was minimal, so that tourism becomes expensive. "Imagine if everyone in Bunaken, a man a motor boat charter Rp 500 000 to 1 million, one-way Rp," he said.

To be sure, North Sulawesi Tourism suffered shock after the airline Air Asia, which flies Kuala Lumpur-Manado route, its operations in March. Previously, Sriwijaya Air, which flies Manado-Davao is also convinced.

Fortunately, there is Silk Air to fly to Manado from Singapore four times a week. However it induces in at least two international airlines have shut the door in and out of Manado directly so officials there dizziness dizziness.

the beautiful north sulawesi

Sulawesi people really happy, a lot of places (tourism) is beautiful. If you are in Manado, I think I did not want to go home, "said U.S. Ambassador Cameron Hume on Gardenia, Country Tomohon in May last year.

In a landscape of national tourism, North Sulawesi (Sulawesi) is one of the leading tourism destinations in Indonesia. A total of 503 natural attractions, cultural and culinary spread over 15 districts / cities.

Many people admire the natural advantage in the northern province of Indonesia, including Cameron Hume. In fact, he felt less satisfied with the two visits and explore new dive site in the region Siladen, Mantehage and Naen located in the constellation of Manado Tua and Bunaken. Three points is not less beautiful diving Bunaken Marine Park, which is already known

International Scuba Diving

Scuba Diving Underwater stands for Self contained breathing apparatus, is one of the must popular diving under the water sports. Scuba diving may be performed for several reasons both personal and professional. There are different kinds of Scuba diving such as cave diving, wreck diving, ice diving, deep diving, underwater photography and more. Take a look at few of the Spectacular dive destinations:

The Great Barrier Reef Australia is the largest coral Reef system, stretching for 2,600 km along the Queensland coast. The Great Barrier Reef Reef comprises of 2900 individual and 900 islands. It is the only living object on earth that Can be seen from the outer space. The warm and clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef make it a very popular destination for tourist, especially the dive enthusiast. The underwater collection includes 400 different types of coral, coral sponges, rays, dolphins, over 1500 species of fish, around 200 types of birds, as well as sea turtle, giant clams, humpback Whale, the few endangered species such as dugongs and large Green Sea Turtle.

Mexico: Diving in Mexico is one of the must popular sports and it is available all along the Mexican coast. Cozumel, which is located 12 miles from the type of the Yucatan Peninsula, is famous for its Reef Spectacular that stretch along its coast. Cozumel underwater world reveals a Splendid with Arches, canyons and underwater vegetation that flock the fish with underwater paradise for food. You may also get a chance to swim across the schools of Aryan and other sea life. Apart from the Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and La Paz are also the popular dive destinations of Mexico.

Indonesia: Indonesia is the heart of the world's greatest marine underwater activities and the Promise Exotic Adventure to all the dive enthusiast. With 17,000 islands and 80,000 km of Coastline, Can you find 3 000 fish species, 600 types of coral. Bali, Bunaken Marine Park, MediaWiki Straits, Pulau Weh, West Papua or Irian Jaya are few of the great dive destinations of Indonesia.

Egypt: Egypt is one of the must exciting places for scuba diving. The Red Sea, and the Ras Mohammed National Park in offers diving for all skill levels. The Entire area of the Red Sea is covered with more than 1000 species of fish, 200 species of coral and another 1,000 other species. Egypt is a scuba dive destination all year round Specially for the Europeans who want to escape the Winters. The best time to visit Egypt for scuba diving is from November to February in Egypt where the temperature ranges from 19 ° C to 29 ° C.

Thailand, Maldives, Vanuatu, Micronesia, Belize, Utila, Cayman Islands, Mozambique, Netherlands Antilles and Fiji are also the grape popular destinations for scuba diving the activities.

Sail Bunaken Minimum Impact

Based on the results of independent research Indonesian Navy Diving Club (INDC), the implementation of the record-breaking word and diving on the beach Malalayang effect, at least in the marine ecosystem in the Bay of Manado, North Sulawesi.

INDC research and development coordinator, said Joshua David Pahlano in Manado, Sunday, research in collaboration with the course of Manado State Polytechnic Marine Ecotourism and Kyushu University in Japan, weeks, months and three months after the events in Malalayang.

August 2009 Sail Bunaken in Manado leave a separate record of world history is a parade of ships in the bay of Bitung Manado with the highest number of vessels 32, not like hunting and smaller vessels. Previously the largest number of ships than South Korea.

There were two Guinness World Records record for the largest mass dive independence day ceremonies and below sea level in Cote Malalayang, gulf coast of Manado, followed more than 2000 divers.

According to a doctoral candidate from Kyushu University in Japan, which is responsible for coral reef ecology, the ecology of the marine environment from activities in a mass nature may still have an impact on marine ecosystems.

Based on the environmental carrying capacity study of the effect of the presence of the divers on the reef ecosystem boundaries more than the standard 16 divers per day site may have a negative impact on the lives of reef ecosystems, which range from behavioral changes in the fish and other biota to the closure of coral broken as a result of direct interaction with various marine biota.

"During the exhibition, with more than 2,000 people have a problem in itself, but based on research by measuring and identifying the components of the soil affected coral biota particularly encouraging results indicate the total value of less than five percent," he said. .

For fish, coral and other temporal form of exotic biota change, but less than three months in the general supervision biota biota is occupied habitat.

David says coastal areas around the front of the terminal to Malalayang Boboca before pillar has a very unique ecosystem and complete, the mixture between the seagrass Ruppia maritima bed halophila, scattered reef limestone young people, equipped with a muddy sand substrate on the rocky coast.

"Between a depth of three to nine feet of coral reefs by the seagrass Ruppia maritima bed halophila and sand substrate, 10 to 30 meters is dominated by relatively flat mud-sand substrates," he said.

With this condition, he said, offers unique biodiversity is clearly a very unique, as a combination between biota in Bunaken and Lembeh for coral-sandy mud habitat.

"Activities of mass submarine at a depth between 10-20 meters diniliai appropriate because it gives a small negative impact. Generally, corals at a depth of about nine meters involved, the depth of three meters, a bias instead to remember is location of the beach for public recreation, "he said.

Rd regional chairman of the Committee in 2009, as Chairman of the INDC Col (March) Suhartono, said it was satisfied with the results of this study complements the previous record of three in the series of events Sail Bunaken.

"We certainly do not stop until August yesterday, as a kind of care the responsibility for other activities such as sea food yesterday successfully carried out in the Lembeh Strait on the beach again Malalayang be," he said.

At the moment, he said, TNI-AL Lantamal VIII with divers of Miori DC, DC Larascasse, DC-Dragon diving and divers from diving clubs in and out of Manado, a artificial reefs or artificial reefs will be exactly the place be released submarines Malalayang mass gwr.

"It is not only a monument to the historic sights, but it is a real contribution to marine conservation," he said.

Reef restoration initiatives in this place, he says, is a module to use reefbLOCK conservation measures to improve not only the nature to restore, but also, simultaneously, a second option to add or multiply the good ecosystem health and can be used as a tourist attraction provided.

"Housereef who later formed directly or indirectly, the sale value and positive impact on the surrounding community level," he said.

Adventure Travel in Indonesia

From the snow capped should be of Papua to the smoking volcanoes of Java, Indonesia Presents Any Trekker with a wide array of choices, regardless of skill level. The Further a field you plan to go, the more valuable you will find using a tour agency to Arrange your trip. Tour Agencies Get Better deals are often national and airline tickets can Arrange for transportation and accommodation in AREAS WHERE amenities like this are scarce. Papua, the easternmost province of Indonesia, is unfortunately experiencing Period of civil unrest, so be sure to get updated information if you plan to set off there. The Snow Covered Carstensz Pyramid, locally known as Puncak Jaya, is the highest mountain in Papua. Please note - Carstensz Pyramid is the trek up for the Experienced Climber. For guiding those looking for something challenging, but Without the Need for carabineers, the third try, Highest Peak in Papua, Trikora Mountain. Indonesia requires all Trekker in Papua to Obtain a climbing permit, Usually arranged by your tour company. Trekking can be combined with a visit to one of the few remaining tribal groups on the island to experience first hand the Wonder of what it MEANS to live off the land.
For the eco-tourist, the options are endless. Spotting from orangutan and Jungle trekking in Borneo to the Komodo Dragon watching the Shores of Komodo, Options Vary by budget and time frame. The orangutan population to dwindle Continues Every year and some of the money garnered from eco-tourism goes to support local groups and foundations that we work to save them. Although the number of visitors is limited Each year, tour companies can Arrange a visit to the famous Rainforest area of study Tanjing Putting National Park and Camp Leakey in Kalimantan (formerly Borneo). A visit to the Ministry of Forestry's Feed Station Might you Earn the Chance to Directly interact with the orangutans. Accommodation and transportation are best arranged beforehand as flights can Vary throughput the year. Another popular ecotourism destination is Komodo National Park includes the Which Three large islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, as well as Several Smaller islands. A visit to this area can be combined with a dive trip as the waters in the reserve are home to an Estimated 900 to 1.000 marine species. The Komodo Dragons themselves, giant monitor lizards, are relatively easy to spot, but you're guaranteed to Find Them safely with the help of a guide. Accommodation in the National Park is rustic, but the staff is friendly and the food is decent. Foregoing the beaches of Bali May not be easy for some, but the Treasures of the other Indonesian islands are not to be missed.

bunaken beach

First park? Intends to recommend urungkan here try snorkeling.

If you're still desperate to try it ... ... ... There will be Hooked! This is not a playful joke.

Actually this article nyantol head since mid-May. After hard work in the City Tinutuan (porridge) it is also promised to pay my compost friend, Christine, to Semarang, the images in Bunaken see.
Back to the story snorkel.
Frankly, I could not swim. The courage to run out on the high seas because catamaran boat driver who is also a guide - will keep my promise when it later stations.
Kelar tool life jacket and snorkel, I did a dive into the blue salt water. Of course slow. Gerayangan keep my hand on the ladder board, body feels just upside down and drowned.

A long time I could follow the rhythm of ocean waves - which fortunately at the moment, conditions are cool. A moment later I felt good, and courage in the foreground.
Unaccompanied closely, I ventured away from the side of the ship. Fun .... get a glimpse of the sea.

Meanwhile, my friend, the photographer, who advanced to swim, busy with the camera underwaternya.
"This is the magic underwater world."

That said, google him from behind, as his head appears on the surface of the water.

He looks like the depth of the Bunaken National Park, which has the world's treasures. His friend was told when peering feet from the surface of the ocean depths, he felt like flying over the mountain top of the rock texture is very nice. Thousands of fish play on the edge of the coral that millions of years old.
And when you run into a deep ravine tebir, she admitted was amazed at the surface of the most beautiful coral reefs, which burns like a giant painting on the wall as high as ten meters vertically.

"I want to dive paintings and photography to teach in the depths of the divine."

This is the first word out of his mouth when he slipped up to the ship.

I say yes just what it says friend. LHA Wong ngapung I usually just on the surface, while occasionally looking into the sea.

Naturally his friends ngecap not coming. Bunaken is located on the peninsula north Sulawesi, is one of the world's heritage. Panorama, and the variety of marine life as a precious treasure, the target was very domestic and foreign tourists to dive or just snorkel in the ocean.

From the city of Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi (Sulawesi), one of the finest marine park in the world, how can only 30 minutes by boat catamaran.

In fact, identical to the Bunaken Manado. This area consists of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Nain, and Mantehage. Coastal areas include Molas, pressure, and Tiwoho Tongkaina. The park covers an area of 75,265 hectares of land and a growing and protected by the government of North Sulawesi. This marine park was inaugurated by the Minister of Marine 15 October 1991.

Bunaken has at least 40 places that are rich in fish diving - tropical fish and coral reefs. More than 150 species of 58 families at Bunaken beach. More than three thousand species of fish swimming in a region often called the golden triangle: Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Indonesia. Bunaken is biologically and strategically located in the Golden Triangle region.

Indonesia's Top Tourist Destinations

Deciding which part of Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, to visit can be a little bit puzzling. If you only have a 2-week vacation and you would like to get the best out of your Indonesian trip, where should you go?

Home to more than 17,000 islands, 300 distinct native ethnicities and 700 different languages, truly exploring Indonesia will take a lifetime! However, don't let these numbers scare you away. You can still experience the best of Indonesia if your trip is well planned.

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, more than 6 million foreigners visited Indonesia in 2008. This remarkable number increased enormously from 2007. Despite the recent negative media coverage of Indonesia's situation, tourism in Indonesia has never lost its value.

Here are some of the top tourist destinations in Indonesia:

1. Bali - The Island of Gods Bali has now become one of the top WORLD destinations for its white sand beaches, blue sky, magnificent waves, tropical weather and friendly locals. For several years, the International Travel Magazine awarded Bali as the world's best island. There were more than 1.4 million tourists to Bali in 2008. You have to wonder, what makes Bali as the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia? First of all, the island is located 8 to 9 degrees south of the equator with the Java Sea to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south, which gives Bali a wonderful tropical weather all year long! If it is rich cultural experience that you are looking for, Bali has it all for you. Balinese people have very strong Hindu beliefs. This is depicted through the statues and temples that you can visit all around Bali. One of the most popular art form is "Tari Kecak" or the Ramayana Monkey Chant. A fact that most people doesn't know about "Tari Kecak" is that this art form was originally a traditional trance ritual.
2. Bunaken - A Marine Paradise on Earth It is said that Bunaken Marine Park has one of the highest levels of marine biodiversity. The park covers 89,065 hectares of warm tropical waters. It is a paradise of magnificent coral reefs. Many tourists come to this site to dive or snorkel to see the corals firsthand. Bunaken has received much international recognition for its marine park preservation. For instance, The International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) has chosen Bunaken as its single Asian demonstration site for sustainable reef tourism. You are guaranteed to have a spectacular diving experience here! Staying on the marine park is also a relaxing one. Its laid-back lifestyle provides tourists with an enjoyment that they don't usually get in big city life. Here, everything flows gently and you need not to worry. Start your day by going for a morning dive, then come back for a quick lunch and nap before going for an evening dive.
3. Jakarta - A Metropolitan City in Indonesia Jakarta, the capital and the largest city in Indonesia, is home to 8 million people. It is the twelfth largest city in the world. You might wonder what you can see in Jakarta. There are actually many places that you might not expect to see in Jakarta. If it is museum experience that you are looking for, Jakarta is home to more than 22 museums with their own distinctive specialties. For instance, National Museum displays historical aspects of Indonesian culture through its extensive collections of artifacts and relics that date as far back as the Stone Age. The museum has one of the most complete collections of Chinese ceramics dating back to the Han, Tang and Ming Dynasties, as well as bronze and gold collections from the Indonesian classical period. On the other part of the city, Museum Wayang collects thousands of shadow puppets from all parts of Indonesia. There are many other things that you can do when you visit Jakarta. One thing for certain, culinary adventure is a must! Jakarta has a wide selection of traditional cuisines because of the unique blending of Indonesian ethnicities in Jakarta. At the end, you may fully taste Indonesia's culinary adventure just by staying in Jakarta!

Masterpiece Portraits by Rob Wilson Photography (Mendham Portrait Photographer)

Below is an example of integrating art and photography that evolves into a Masterpiece Portrait. My artist Darlene Foster attention to detail is what helps this portrait become a true work of art. I will let our work speak for itself! If you would like to learn more about my photography please email me at rob@rwilsonphotography.com or call me at (800) 757-3491

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A Day on board by Rachel

Dolphin Chase!
29th June 2010 - This is our second day in Louisa Reef. We ran out of fresh meat and what we have left is only sausages and some bacon and ham. At 6.45am, Eric jumped in the water to go fish hunting with the spear gun. After more than an hour in the water, he came back with 2 Groupers and 1 Banana Fish! They were all almost full grown so that should cover our lunch and dinner.

Eric's early morning fish catch

Around 9.30am, I was doing some cleaning with Hans in the boat when Eric said "DOLPHINS!!!" I automatically ran to get my camera, followed by Eric and Kevin. We ran out of the boat to take some shots of the dolphins. They were at least 50m - 100m from the boat. It was a school of Spinner Dolphins. Looked so elegant every time they come out on the surface. The baby Spinner was trying to jump as high as she could.
They moved behind us, so Kevin said, "let's chase them with the dinghy!"
The three of us, jumped in the dinghy, untied the dinghy, started the outboard engine and gave Hans a shout that we are going to chase the dolphins!
9.35am, the 3 of us were Dolphin Chasing! We were 10m away from the school when the outboard engine died on us. Eric and Kevin think as fast as they can on what might be the problem and figured out it has something to do with the connection tube from the outboard engine to the fuel tank. So they both hurriedly change the connection in order not to lose sight of the dolphins!
We were lucky that the dolphins decided to play with us!! After we got the engine running again we didn't have to go so far, they swam under the dinghy and in front of us. They didn't jump in the air but were breaking the surface. There were at least 4 of them playing around us. They were beautiful fish! Eric stopped the engine and we took as many photo's as we could. Then after 3 minutes, the dolphins moved slowly to another spot so we followed them again. This time, they were still in their playful mood, so again a few of them decide to make our day and swam under and in front of us again! This time they jumped on the surface in pairs and at one point there were 3 of them jumping at the same time! These are precious moments that I will never forget!

In front of us the rest of the school of dolphins were still swimming on the surface in formation. It was a really beautiful sight! At this very moment, when I am typing the sentence above, (11.45am) another school of dolphins appeared again. I heard a sound like someone is doing a breast stroke, and I looked out at sea and saw again dolphins!!!!! I just finished taking another set of photos of them! Wish I have the dinghy with me, I would have another Dolphin Chase.
I finished cooking lunch, and now waiting for the guys to come back on board from diving. Cooked the groupers and banana fish in Thai Curry. Hans offered me another cooking job in August for 3 weeks which I will think about it since I might still be in the Philippines or at least still plan to be there or another place? Will see how it goes. I like it being at sea where all you hear is just the sea water splashing on the boat. I am a movie junkie and would definitely need some good movies once in a while, but hey, I can always watch those when I am on land and how many chances do I get to be at sea anyways? (trying to comfort myself) LOL!
One important fact that I learn today is that, SHARKS are scared of DOLPHINS! I better learn more about dolphins in order to scare the sharks away! J
3.10pm
The guys arrived back on board around 1pm after a 2 hours dive. It was raining heavyly when they got back. I took the jerry can out to collect the rain water for the tank. ALK has 600 ltr water in two tanks 300 ltr each and we finished one tank in 4 days!! We managed to collect 150 ltr of rain water in this shower. So hopefully we can manage till we reach KK.

All hands and buckets on deck to catch as much water as we can

We ate lunch around 2.30pm and the curry tasted good in the cold weather. It was still drizzling when we had our lunch but we could see another shower coming our way! Right after we finished lunch the second rain start falling. So now we are just in the boat, doing our thing. Hans is currently doing some espresso for the guys while Eric and Kevin try to fix some gear.

Rocking and Rolling in North Luconia

June 25
Our first night, anchored more or less in the open sea at Hayes Reef, went well as the weather remained quiet and the next morning we continued further north. We headed for Tripp Reef some 9M NW of Hayes. By the time we reached our destination the reef turned out to be in a different position than our charts showed. When we finally spotted the reef with Kevin in the mast it became clear that we could not dive here. The wind was too strong and the reef did not provide any protection from the prevailing wind.
By the time we found our next reef at Seahorse Breakers the day was almost over but we did manage to make a dive before the sun went down. Our second night at anchor in North Luconia was very uncomfortable.The current set very strong over the reef which was quite deep at 7-8m and it provided no protection against the waves and at night with wind against tide it was a ball on board. ALK rolled and pitched heavily but amazingly everybody managed to get some sleep.

Mild rocking and rolling in Buck Reef, nothing compared to Seahorse Breakers!

The third dive day in North Luconia we were again unable to find a place which offered any shelter but the dive Kevin and Eric made in Buck Reef was very exiting so we decided to put the anchor down there. This time we knew what we were in for and we were not disappointed! The only difference now was that we were somewhat used to the wild movements. Occasionally a pan or dish went flying and salt water poored into the open porthole in the toilet when we rolled, but nothing worse than that.
The next morning Kevin and Hans did the first dive after breakfast on a nice wall with some gorgonian seafans and whip coral. Mid-day Kevin and Eric made a dive and late in the afternoon Hans and Eric did a dive together.

Sea squirts on sponge

Small porcelain crab hiding under an anemone

By this time the weather had calmed down but we did not trust the situation enough to stay for another night and before the sun went down we got our anchor up. Kevin had to dive a couple of times to clear it from a big piece of coral but then we motored off into a quiet moonlit night on the way to Louisa Reef.

June 28
This morning early we arrived in Louisa Reef after an overnight sail from Buck Reef in North Luconia. Eric was still half asleep after his night watch but he jumped in the water without any hesitation to check out where we could anchor. Anchoring without damaging the rich coral growth was not feasible so he looked for a big bommie where we could make a mooring. Meanwhile we followed him with ALK. Once he found a suitable spot we put down a shot-line (a piece of lead on a long line with a fender attached at the end) to mark the bommie he had chosen and then we mounted the outboard motor on the dinghy, got chains, line and shackles out and prepared Eric's dive gear. With all this stuff loaded in the dinghy we set off to make the mooring leaving Rachel alone behind the wheel of ALK. The wind blew her away from the reef and I felt a slight anxiety about leaving her alone on board in the middle of the South China Sea.... I instructed her not to drift out of sight while we were working on the mooring. When Eric was down in 14m, I manoeuvered the dinghy in position, Kevin dropped the mooring material down to him and he went about laying the chain around a huge bommie. Once that was done he shackled another piece of chain to the loop before we attached the mooring line to avoid chafing the end of the mooring line. After 45 min Eric's work was done, Rachel sailed up to us and we could safely moor ALK.
An important job well done!


Eric is getting ready to make our mooring close to the shot line with white fender

The reef looks very beautiful and we plan to spend some time here. Moored on the N side behind Louisa Reef, which comes right up to the surface, we will have better protection from the waves than on the deeper reefs in Luconia.

On our own mooring behind Louisa Reef

Lyrics "

Hari ini bagi" Lyrics lagu aja yea ;D hehe
CHECK THIS OUT :*

I dreamed a dream

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they turn your hope apart
As they turn your dreams to shame
And still I dream heÂ’d come to me
That we would live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from the hell IÂ’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed





Total Eclipse of the heart

(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round (Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears (Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by (Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes (Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart (Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart And I need you now tonight and I need you more than ever And if you only hold me tight We'll be holding on forever And we'll only be making it right 'cause we'll never be wrong Together we can take it to the end of the line Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time) I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks I really need you tonight, forever's gonna start tonight Forever's gonna start tonight Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart There's nothing I can do... a total eclipse of the heart Once upon a time there was light in my life, but now there's only love in the dark Nothing I can say... a total eclipse of the heart (Turn around) bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart (Turn around) bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart And I need you now tonight And I need you more than ever And if you'll only hold me tight We'll be holding on forever And we'll only be making it right Cause we'll never be wrong together We can take it to the end of the line Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time) I don't know what to do, I'm always in the dark We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks I really need you tonight Forever's gonna start tonight Forever's gonna start tonight Once upon a time I was falling in love But now I'm only falling apart Nothing I can say A total eclipse of the heart A total eclipse of the heart

I love God ♥♥

I have a best friends. The only friends that can safe my life. He is more than anything in my life. He is so loyal and I'll always try to be loyal too. His love is higher than the heaven, His mercy deeper than the earth, His grace is wider than the ocean. Yes, He is Jesus. He is truly amazing. He is my Daddy who can be my best friends. When I'm sad, He cheer me up. When I'm mad to somebody, He told me to forgive. When I'm afraid, He's said 'I'm always beside you, don't worry. Everything gonna be okay.' Do you know him? Actually, If you know Him, you're very lucky. If not, the time still wait for you. Read His Journal and receive Him as your savior. His journal called Bible.

♡~ I ℓ٥ﻻ ﻉ√٥υ Jesus

●♥٠•●♥●♥٠•●♥●♥٠•●♥●♥

٠•●♥●♥٠•●♥●♥٠•●♥●♥٠•●♥

Cheng ♥♥

Okay gue bener" suka sama si Cheng. Aduh cakeeeep cool banget!
Tadi gue uda nemu nama aslinya! HIHI
Trus kl ga slh umur dia 15 taun.. Bagus deh ga beda jauh sm gue *loh trs knp*
HAHAHAHAHA

Oia gue lg mencoba menaklukan kelinci ku biar ga gitu galak lagi.. hihihiy
semoga deh bisa ♥♥

Oke gue ga niat nge post dan ga sabar menunggu hari rabu.. soalnya mau ke Bandung :D

sekian post gue hari ini. Gue cinta Cheng selamanya (?)

Smelly business on the way to Luconia

June 24 Anchored at Hayes Reef
After the last goodbyes in Miri and clearing out with Imigresen we left from the marina mid-day on June 23. The weather was fine and there was not much wind but we could set the mainsail for some stability. The engine was running fine but we soon started to notice a foul smell. It was not clear where it was coming from but the engine was the first suspect. However all gauges showed correct values and there was nothing abnormal on the outside of the engine so it remained a puzzle. After a while the smell became very strong particularly in the storage room and Rachel started to feel seasick while preparing her first meal. That's when I decided to set the genoa so we could turn off the engine for a while and let her cool off to have a close look. Meanwhile the wind picked up nicely and we were doing 3-4 knots in a smelly but quiet boat!

 Kevin's first try at steering ALK
 
When the engine had cooled down enough for a closer inspection I still could not find anything abnormal. This was a real puzzle especially when only two weeks before I had made an afternoon sail with British reservists from Brunei when everything was working fine on board. It was not the smell of electrical wires melting, more of oil frying but where the hell was it coming from!.
Finally it occurred to me what the probable cause could be. A few weeks before I had discovered a jerry can with diesel in the aft-peak that was only two/thirds full. Normally this one is always full and as there was a bit of diesel under it I figured it had been leaking and threw it out. Most probably the diesel had leaked away from this jerry can into the bilge and on the way had been soaked up by the insulation of the exhaust. The diesel being heated by the warm exhaust must be the cause of the foul smell. It was a relief to conclude that there was nothing wrong with the engine but that did not make the smell more acceptable! Meanwhile Rachel had to give up her efforts to prepare the meal as she was seriously seasick by now and she went outside to get fresh air. Luckily Eric was not too much troubled and he finished off what Rachel had started without her instructions as she was flat out on the deck! The meal did not suffer from the interruption and went down well for all of us except Rachel.
By the time the sun went down the wind started to drop and I decided that we should take down the genoa and proceed under engine for the night. Soon the foul smell came back but at least I knew it was not the engine so we motored on into the night. Rachel and I had an uneventful watch but soon after Eric and Kevin took over heavy rain started to pour down and the headwind increased enough to slow us down to 3 knots. At daybreak the weather was still bad and it was difficult to imagine that we could anchor in Hayes Reef where we were heading for. With the rain and dark skies we would not be able to see the reef which is submerged some 3-5m below the sea if our information was correct. But as the sun rose higher the weather improved, seas went down and by the time we reached Hayes conditions were good enough to search for a place where we could anchor. From the spreaders we could see the small reef rising from the deep water and we proceeded carefully around it. There was no lagoon and the reef itself was submerged some 5-7m and would not provide any protection from the waves in case the wind would rise again. In an area of coral rubble we threw the anchor in 6m of water with Eric in the water to make sure the anchor set well and we let ourselves slip back down into deeper water. The holding was not fantastic and if we would get a serious blow we would have to move to the open sea but as long as the weather was fine we were ok. So here we are, anchored in the middle of the South China Sea with no land in sight for 100M!

 Diving equipment and Eric's video camera loaded for our first dive


After we settled into our anchorage we prepared for our first dive on the drop-off on the other side of the reef. As we were already informed by Ian, the fish life was rather poor and not what you would expect in a remote place like this. Fishermen know how to find these places and in recent years it has been seriously overfished as we witnessed. Visibility was fantastic though and we had good dives and are getting the hang of our diving system.

 Good visibility but poor fish life except in the house reef of this oriental sweetlips

For our position go to www.winlink.org and enter our callsign PA2ALK under the WL2K Users link.

Holiday and bad things

Hey blog! Kmaren gue ke waterboom PIK.
Super seru.. uda 3x sih kesana.. cuma kmaren tuh ga gitu rame..
Jadi asik.. Kmaren ber gj" ria.. nyehehehe
Tapi super fun :D
Cape sih.. muka gue jg merah agk sunburn gt..
Dan bikin tatto. Ini dia :)





Dan 1 hal yg bener" gue mau ungkapin. Gue super kecewa sm temen baik gue.
Dia tuh ngebocorin rahasia gue ke org lain.. Gimana ga sebel?
Betul ya gue bener" ga nyangka kl dia lebih milih tu org drpd temen nya sndiri :(
Bener deh lu tuh bikin kecewa banget
Godblessyou deh friends

Diving Luconia and Layang

June 22
It took a long time planning but in the end I succeeded in getting a team together who share my passion for the underwater world. Eric (www.treasure-images.com) from Kota Kinabalu and Kevin (www.flickr.com/photos/wulixin/) from mainland China will join me for a diving trip in the South China Sea. Both of them are accomplished underwater photographers who took the opportunity to make a unique diving trip. Our plan is to visit offshore reefs such as Luconia and Layang Layang. All will depend on the weather as many of the dive sites are completely exposed to the wind and seas and anchoring can be precarious. We all share a great concern about the over-exploitation of the seas and we will use our media skills to raise awareness. Completely unexpectedly my Malay mate Razali did not show up for work one week before our planned departure and through the grapevine I found out he had taken on another job. A serious setback one week before our departure with permission from the Malay Navy ready to be issued. At such short notice it was impossible to find new crew and when I had already given up on the idea of having a cook on board I met up with Rachel three days ago to share some information on diving in the Philippines. She is the friend of my Dutch sailing friend Frank and happened to have the time to join us. With Frank (www.svmorninglight.blog.com/) she has made some offshore trips and she will make sure that we will not starve at sea! The last two days we spent loading 'ALK' with provisions while Eric and Kevin got aquainted on board and prepared the diving gear, cleaned the propellor and hull, installed and tested the compressor, studied the dive sites etc. Last night we got very useful last-minute information from Ian (www.sharkyjones.com/) who had just returned from a live-aboard diving trip to Luconia. So we are well prepared and ready to set off after we clear with Sarawak Immigration.
We will make postings on the blog while at sea and you can follow our route on www.winlink.org/userPositions under my callsign PA2ALK.

 Kevin and Eric are happy to offload the extra dive bottles which they carried on their flight from KK

 The young owner of Miri Marina and the captain of his private yacht were quite interested in our trip

T

 The dive compressor next to the newly installed solar panels on the foredeck

Eric puts in his order for a beer!

But the beers are served on deck after a hard days' work

 Our last crew member Rachel is going to find out what it is like to feed three divers!

#HBD JAKARTA!!!!!!

Hey you you Jakarta kota tercinta gue amuah!
Ulang tahun nihyeee
Uda tua lu dsr uda 483 tahun.. Gila super tua ya.. nyihihihi..
Pertama-tama gue ucapin buat kamu Jakarta Happy Birthday!
Wish you all the best..
Semoga ga macet" lagi..
Jadi kota yg bersih jgn jorok" i-uh
Jadi kota aman,damai,sehat
nyihihihi
Pokonya harus jd kota yg hebat dan baik!
Thank you uda jd tempat bernaung gue slama ini..

I LAP YU JAKARTA MUAAACCCCHHHHHHHHHH :*

BIG hug and kisses from ME :D:D

Bali Day 7: Bali Beach Club Dinner, New Friends, and Over the Rainbow

For our final night in Bali, we headed down to the Bali Beach Club (BBC). Above is a photo of one of the hosteses. Hundreds of tables line the beach. Not all of these tables belonged to BBC, every restaurant on the beach had tables in the sand. Amazingly, there weren't any bugs. At least I don't remember bugs. There were jumping fish and that was quite interesting to watch later in the evening.



Strolling the beach was a band of musicians. Our tour leader told us that most of the singers probably learned the songs by listening to them on the radio. The first song they came over to sing for us was Johnny Be Good. Its interesting to hear that song in a Balinese accent. Very fun.



Here, they perform Hotel California for us.



This was my dinner. I had to consult this picture on my camera as I ate because it was so dark, I had a hard time seeing what was on the plate. I accidently ate too far up on the fish and got a nice mouth full of ribs....so glad I didn't get the gills and eyeballs. We also didn't get any utensils to crack the crab legs...so we were all improvising and adapting by crushing the legs with spoons. That could occassionaly send pieces of crab meat shooting across the table or into one's own lap. The squid patay was very good.




Below, a self portrait of myself. Behind me is a stage at a neighboring restaurant where child dancers were performing traditional Balinese dances.



J from Hong Kong and D from Florida purchase freshwater pearls from a vendor strolling the beach. To authenicate that the pearls were real, he held them in a flame so they could see that they didn't melt. I didn't have enough Balinese money left at this point or I may have purchased a necklace...I love pearls.



Now for last photos with my new friends. In keeping with my blog policy of not publishing names, unless people are public figures or business operators, I'll mostly be providing first initials.

Below, I am with our tour leader Halle from Spirit Quest Tours. She did a great job and was very helpful. I loved listening to her stories and she taught me a technique to help me when I have problems sleeping. I would go on another tour operated by Spirit Quest in the future and recommend them to my blog readers and to my friends.



This was the first vacation that I have taken with a tour group. They have probably spoiled me and I'll expect any future tour groups I go on vacation with to be much like them. Halle and her partner Greg were fabulous in how they interacted with us...like they had known us all for years and were just bringing a group of their friends along on a vacation. I can't say enough good things about my experience.

Oh, and apparently, I was looking a lot like the real Elizabeth Gilbert (except I probably weigh 30 pounds more than she does)...kind of weird that I would be 'channeling' the author of the book our tour was based upon. Halle and Greg told me that a couple times (they've met Gilbert in person) and I didn't know what to say to that...Gilbert's obvioulsy a pretty lady (hahaha!), no I didn't say that. I'd actually never seen any pictures of Gilbert, until I came home and googled her...and yes, I look like a meatier version of her.

Below is my awesome roommate J from New Zealand. Such a nice lady and she put up with me locking her out of the room the first night. Whooops! I really enjoyed chatting with her and hearing about her life in New Zealand, her sons and grandchildren. She is an avid photographer (did Spirit Quest do a good job matching us up or what?) and I loved seeing some of her picutres she had taken. (I fell asleep while watching her edit photos one night so I have been enjoying looking at them in detail on her facebook).



Below is my new friend A from Australia. She decided to come on the trip at the last minute. I also enjoyed listening to her stories. She's a midwife and she quit her job to go on this vacation because the hospital she worked for wouldn't let her have the time off. What a gutsy lady!



Below is K from the US. She is a mystical healer and counselor who helps people who are making big transformations in their lives find themselves and their calling. I really enjoyed chatting with her on our car ride back from the Elephant Park. She told me about her life raising her family, at one time living in a tent when they were part of a co-op and were waiting to build their house. She was so excited on our visit to the Artist Colony because she found a beautiful painting of a Hindu goddess she just loved....I can't wait until she shares photos on facebook of the painting in her office!



Next, this is my fellow Washingtonian and talk about a small world, she used to also attend the same church I currently attend. She is a massage therapist and has her own spa in the Washington DC area. She was such a great person to chat with. One thing she learned a few years ago during a career/personal coaching seminar, was how to find your strong suits...the characteristics about you that you eminate. She was telling me that knowing our strong suits can help us find the types of careers we should be in or understand how we ended up in our careers as well as understand how people relate to us. On the flight back to DC, she interviewed me and helped me make a list of some of my strong suits and boy was that enlightening. I hope to stay in touch with her as she is in the DC area and she was such a nice person.



This is G, also from the US. She once worked in Marketing and sold her firm a few years ago and now raises horses.



Below is L from Australia and D from the US. L has a daughter the same age as I who has had similar bad luck experiences with men and relationships. D was one of the first people on the tour that I met. She and I have a lot of shared experiences on this trip ...from the long line to go through immigration in Bali, the elephant ride, and the temple visits.



This is J from Hong Kong. I didn't get much of chance to hang out with J on the tour. She and D really hit it off. D, J, M and I spent time hanging out in the Denpensar airport with J helping us by-pass the really long line to check-in. Once at the Hong Kong airport, she gave us some tips for spending our time before our next flight.



This is another J from the US. I also enjoyed learing about her life experiences. She was one of the ladies on the Elephant Park trip as well as to Tanah Lot temple.



So many strong, independent, beautiful women on this trip, exactly what/who I needed to experience in my life. Everyone of them is a person I'd love to get to know better. Before I went on this trip my friends and I prayed knowing that God had selected each person for this trip and that all of us would have a wonderful time being touched by each other. While I know not everyone on this trip were Christian, I know that we are all God's children and my faith has been strengthened so much by this experience. Seeing how much He loves us that he put the right mix of people together so that we could enjoy His beautiful creation was just incredible.

The final morning before we boarded the bus to head to the airport, the sun illuminated the Hindu temple on the hillside across the valley from our resort.



About half an hour later, I heard gasps. When I looked up, I saw this huge rainbow ending over the temple. What a great ending memory of this trip.



One of my take-a-ways from this trip was wanting to celebrate more. Celebrate all that God has given me. Almost everyday we were passing through a village and the entire village was out in a parade celebrating and giving offerings to their gods. One thing that really stood out to D and I at Tanah Lot was all of the families that were coming together to worship...how different the US would be if our families and towns came together to worship and celebrate what God has given us. The Balinese have so little in material things compared to us in the US, yet they celebrate and give offerings with open hearts of what they have. We in the US complain way too much and ruin what we do have. At Tanah Lot temple, I actually was overwhelmed with a feeling of saddness. God just put it on my heart that I needed to celebrate and praise Him for what I've been given...and it has been a lot.

Celebration...that is my theme for the rest of the year...and hopefully, celebration becomes a habit and I learn to celebrate all of my life's blessings everyday.

Bad Monnday :(

Sebetulnya si gaada hari jelek ya :( semua uda diciptain sm Tuhan.
Tapi super sebel.. hari ini kan anak 7a (ga semua sih) pada jalan ke senci..
Ya sebagai 7a pengen banget kan ya gue ikut?
Nah itu betul banget! Tapi hari ini gue ada MD jam 3.
Gue bilang ke nyokab boleh bolos ga? katanya
'Ah kalo pake acara bolos"an ga boleh pergi.'
Oke gue starting BT. Akhirnya gue ga pergi dan membiarkan teman" gue ketawa" ria dan bercanda" ria. Sementara gue mau mati banget. Iri mampus. Apaan deh hu! masa les ga libur! Apa bangetdeh. Terus sepertinya liburan ini cuma mall to mall sama internetan mulu. HEY, temen" gue ya, pada ke Aussie,Bali,Singapore,China,Europe. Gue? Gue ga minta kali ya ke luar negri. Paling ga gue pengeeeeeeen banget ke Bali... Ke Bandung ato Puncak juga gapapa.. Tolong donk.. Jangan bikin anakmu karatas,berbuluk,lumutan,sama expired di rumah mom :'(


Ini ni gue mau banget ni disini. PANTAI. iya pantai. gue super cinta sama pantai. I miss the waves, the sands, the sunset, I MISS BEACH ! :'(

sekian Post gue hari ini Gue cinta pantai selamanya

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Thankyou Guys, enjoy your holiday !

I hope you will have a better holiday than me :')