Due to my lifestyle and the constant work ethic required to produce all the articles and books there's just not enough time left to go diving all the time. Even four expeditions a year is getting difficult to fit in and time just keeps moving along.
So it is with a great deal of thought that I select a location and there are a number of factors which are considered before I make a commitment
I guess it doesent really matter how many shots one has of the Common Lionfish Pterois volitans they always command you to try for one better.
( photo: Jorina van der Westhuizen)
This year, like every other year, the interval between the tropical monsoons is the right time to dive (usually in March/April). Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea was again chosen because I have had so much success over the many times I have visited there since the early 1980s.
I had watched the conceptual dream of Tawali Dive Resort take place over the many years it took to build and make it operational from the first small clearing amongst the jungle to the steps up the hillside to the foundations and timbers of the buildings, the jetties, the big house and the support infrastructure. Many years of frustration and hardship have paid off and today this modern day dive resort is one of the best anywhere, let alone where it resides on the edge of a real live jungle.
Tawali Dive Sites
Over the years I have dived most of the standard dive sites and many others that were pure speculative dives. I could write a myriad books on the sites and the critters but that would not get us to the story so I have included the resorts descriptions to ensure brevity.
Little China
An as yet unidentified species of brittle star, this fabulous red and yellow species was discovered by Roger Steene.
A coral mound coming out of 150 water. Typical of over 30 dive sites in close proximity. Large schools of fish over the front face, soft coral gardens along the slope facing the south. Both macro and wide-angle photographers can be more than satisfied. This reef is fed by mild to strong current. A safety sausage is required.
Crinoid City
The Wide -banded Cuttlefish Sepia latimanus are fairly common on many coral reef dive sites. The females lay their eggs deep in the recesses of Fire Coral clumps.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Coral mound coming up from 120 water. As its name suggests, it plays host to a variety of crinoids. The front slope of this reef is covered with a variety of black coral trees. Off the slope, huge schools of fusiliers, anthias and jacks.
Steep reef slopes can ensure that there will be a bit of current and thats where one finds the most coverted species. Several colonies of leather Corals Sarcophyton sp. relish in the plankton filled waters.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Excellent wide angle. This reef poses an excellent opportunity also for some small critters such as pigmy seahorses, Rhinopias and hairy ghost pipefish. Current here are mild to very strong. A safety sausage is required.
Female, and smaller male Roughsnout Ghostpipefishes Solenostomus paegnius take cover from the current in a gap in the reef. This form mimics filamentous algae.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Cobbs Cliff
Steep drop off on one side down to 150 and rising to 20 below the surface and chopping back in the centre to a sandy lagoon to 60. This site is frequently visited by large pelagics such as manta rays and hammerhead sharks. The reef also has hosted a variety of macro subjects such as leaf scorpionfish, Rhinopias, blue ribbon eel, elegant fire gobies and so much more. Currents here are mild to strong. A safety sausage is required.
Lawadi
This site is located in front of a 400-500 metre long pebble beach. The sea bed shelves off at approximately 15-20 degrees to about six metres (20) then drops abruptly on a 45-50 degree slope to 100 metres plus (300).
An astounding clump of Mermaid's Wineglass algae Acetabularia calyculus found in the in only 2 metres of water, growing on a clump of dead coral.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Found on the Stinging Sea Urchin Asthenosoma varium, the little Iain's Sea Urchin Shrimp Allopontontonia iaini only grows to around 15 mm and as such is easy to miss. With ite large chelipeds held out in front, it might be mistaken for the Ellegant Squat lobster.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Even in the shallow waters there can be huge schools of fish patrolling the slopes and endeavoring to keep the predators at bay. However, every now and then the big trevalies sweep in and go through the schools, supplying lots of action.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Critters can be found at this site from the maximum recommended depths to as shallow as one metre. Critters such as octopus, cuttlefish, lionfish, variety of ghost pipefish, mimic octopus, frog fish, Coleman shrimps and a variety of nudibranchs. The currents at this site are generally mild.
Mantas of Gunabarabara
This is the furthest dive site done out of Tawali. Travel time is approximately 1_ hours in our fast 40 cat Prowler. Divers at this site have the choice of going to the manta cleaning station located in seven metres (27) of water on a sandy bottom or going on a superb muck dive at a maximum depth of 15 metres (50).
At some of the inshore locations flambuoyant Cuttlefish Metasepia pfefferi can be seen on a regular basis. They often hunt during the day and also at night, actually utilizing the photographers torch light to hunt down shrimps with unerring skill.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Critters such as flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus, ghost pipefish, frog fish, flatworms, collections of crabs and a variety of nudibranchs can be found here. Currents here can be mild to very strong. Care should be taken. Bring your safety sausage.
Michelles Reef
Located only eight minutes by our 22 punts. This location offers two separate dive sites from the same anchorage when facing the shore to the right.
Although Dragon Sea Moths Eurypegasus draconis are considered a rare find, they are far more prevelant around muck dive locations than divers realise. They are just hard to see in their chosen habitats on soft bottom, and in sea grass meadows. ( photo: Jorina van der Westhuizen)
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Along reef edges, slopes and drop offs, clumps of Pink Sea Whips Ctenocella ( Ellisella) sp. may be seen from 5 metres to 25 metres. Inhabiting many colonies are exquisite Spindle Cowries and even Pygmy Sea Horses.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
You go on a muck dive looking for critters such as ghost pipefish, Pegasus fish, lionfish, occasionally mimic octopus and a variety of nudibranchs while on the left you can follow a wall into a maze of swim-throughs dotted with small gorgonians. This site has produced dugongs on a number of occasions. Currents here are mild with calm seas most of the year.
In the subdued light beneath the underside of a Turbinarea Coral, encrusting sponges present a kaleidoscope of colour at Michelle's Reef.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Wahoo Point
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Located only three minutes away from our 22 punts, Wahoo Point is perhaps one of the best chances of catching a glimpse of the larger pelagics. Over the years humpback whales, orcas, tiger sharks and more frequently encounters with whale sharks, mantas and hammerheads have been experienced. This dive site has a shelf which drops to 16 metres (50) at the Point and then plunges to 100 metres (300) plus. On this dive you can just expect anything to appear from the blue. Currents are mild to moderate with generally calm seas.
Deacons Reef
Along the off shore reefs are magnificent stands of Cabbage Coral Turbinarea reniformis. In some cases these beautiful examples of nature's architexture occur along the coastal reefs, generally in ares around points, or where there is good water movement.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Deacons Reef is located on the north coast. Approximately 10 minutes away by our 22 punts. This site is a spectacular wide-angle opportunity for photographers. With a 10 metre (30) shelf located under the jungle canopy and gorgonians growing only feet away from the rainforest. This is a truly beautiful reef. An eye should always be kept out in the blue for on occasions, Deacons is visited by whale sharks, hammerheads and mantas. Currents are mild to moderate in generally calm waters.
Barracuda Point
Barracuda Point is located approximately eight minutes by our 22 punts. This reef has a shelf, which drops to a depth of approximately 100 at the Point. The shelf plays host to a variety of schooling fish and can be frequented by pelagics such as mantas, hammerheads and whale sharks. On the shelf critters such as Rhinopias and hairy ghost pipefish have been found in the past. Currents here are mild to moderate in a generally calm sea.
Tanias Reef
Generally seen beneath overhangs, in caves and on shaded drop offs, Faulkner's Coral Tubastraea faulkneri grows in clump - fisted size colonies and its bright yellow polyps can be seen out in the day, but even more so at night.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
A large coral mount coming from 140 to just 8 from the surface. Divers are able to dive around the full circumference of the reef with a single tank. The south-east side of the reef is littered with soft corals of all descriptions. Large schools of fish feed off this face. This reef also plays host to giant clams and turtles. A strong current often feeds the front face which is why this reef supports so much life. As stated, the currents here are mild to very strong. Safety sausage is required.
Jasons Reef
Small coral mound coming out of 150 of water. This mound has large schools of bannerfish and fusiliers as well as many pelagics. Also on this reef you have a chance at locating the sort-after rhinopias or weedy scorpion fish. This very healthy reef can be fed by mild to very strong currents. A safety sausage is required.
Cheries Reef
This is a beautiful drift dive along a slope that is covered with large gorgonians and littered with large schools of fish. Along the walls are a number of the Red Wire Sea fans Muricella sp. which host the infamous Bargibant's Pigmy seahorse.
Found on clumps of the Sea Fan Muricella sp. Bargibant's Pygmy Sea Horse Hippocampus bargibanti occurs at depths below 20 metres. These little sea horses are very shy and as with their ilk, generally turn away from the light. Some specimens have algae growing down their backs due to this being the only part of their bodies that sunlight reaches.
After chasing fish species for 40 years its always nice to find a new one to photograph, no matter how hard it might be. This was my very first Finny Scad Megalaspis cordyla. They zoom in, in pairs and are gone in a flash. Its just a matter of hanging on a point and waiting, and hoping they come close enough.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Divers are dropped in upstream in the current and can enjoy a casual drift along the reef back to the boat. Fish life here is fantastic. Current here is mild to very strong. A safety sausage is required.
Piers Reef (Hammerhead Reef)
This reef is one of the furthest reefs that the Prowler does out of the resort. Located on the far side of Nuakata Island, this reef is often frequented by hammerhead sharks coming out of the blue. This is a wall dive and is often subjected to mild to very strong currents.
Boirama Island
Always a pleasand sight to see is Baba's Phyllidia Phyllidia babai. Compared to many other darker coloured Phyllidia, one would expect that this one would be easier to find. However, this is not so, as it is very uncommon and rarely seen anywhere. I have only seen 5 specimens in thousands of dives.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
This dive site is located approximately 45 to 50 minutes with the Prowler from Tawali. The dive site is the fringing reef of a small island, and has great diving both on the wall and on top of the reef. Very good corals as well as great fish life. Currents are mild to very strong.
Sponge Heaven
Located on the north coast only a few minutes from Tawali is Sponge Heaven. This dive site has a sheer wall plunging from a shelf three feet below the surface to a depth of 350 plus. The wall is honeycombed with small caves and hosts a variety of sponges. Along the wall can be found a variety of nudibranchs including, at night, the large Spanish dancer. This sighting makes a great night dive. Current is slight to mild.
Coral Garden
The only way to find this unique little Halimeda Spider Crab Huenia heraldica is to search beds of the Halimeda coralline algae. This wide carapace form is the female. The male is smaller and skinny and is sometimes mistaken for another species.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Located on the north coast, and only 10 minutes in one of the small skiffs. This site has a wonderful collection of hard corals most of which is in shallow waters. This site offers both the diver as well as snorkellers a great insight into corals. Current is slight to mild.
House Reef (Tawali)
Extensive labarinth- like reef system surrounding the Tawali shore reefs are riddled with caves, shaded overhangs and extensive gutters. Care must be taken not to disturb the silt when entering the caves and swimthroughs as it reduces visability. A torch is a must! ( Copyright photo: Roger Steene)
The house reef is best done in two separate dives, one from each wharf. There have been a large variety of critters found at Tawali since we opened our doors.
Twin spot Gobies Signigobius biocellatus are such a delight, one can spend the entire dive observing thier antics and trying to get a better shot than last time.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
A widely distributed species, the Strigate Chromodoris Chromodoris strigata if found on a regular basis at inshore dive sites around Tawali. it grows to 30 mm and feeds on sponges.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Only 25 mm in size, this juvenile Painted Anglerfish Antennarius pictus appears far more easy to see here, than it ever was in the field. I only found it with the help of a torch and a great deal of patience.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Stargazers, epaulete sharks, octopus, ghost pipefish, seahorses, mandarin fish and harlequin shrimps to name a few. Its one of these places the more you are in the water the more you see. To do this dive just check with the dive team, or contact reception.
Lawadi Cleaner Station
If you are really into muck diving any of the dive sites would suit you as there are critters all around. However, because currents carrying larvae don't act the same every year it is difficult to predict exactly what might be seen. The species proclaimed at the dive sites have all been found at those locations along with hundreds more.
Only found on Sea Cucumbers, the little Harlequin Crab Lissocarcinus orbicularis generally lives on the underside of its host Sea Cucumber, often in the vicinity of the anus. The larger ones are females and the smaller, males.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Some long-term inhabitants do exist and have been known at their specific locations for many years. Such is the moray eel cleaning station at around 20 metres at the middle of the beach at Lawadi. This spectacular, easily-found and accessed jumble of rocks and coral has two major holes. The biggest is on the deeper side and another smaller one is on the right-hand side. To my experience, the larger lower one has the most action.
Moray Cleaner Station
The entire rim of the hollow and much of the inside is covered with hordes of Durban shrimps Rhynchocinetes durbanensis. These colonies are full of characters, always on the move and easily recognisable. Durban shrimps are cleaners but it is my experience only to see them actually cleaning at night on sleeping fish only.
After years of waiting at cleaner shrimp stations for the right moment I finally got the shot I wanted. An Amboin Cleaner Shrimp Lysmata amboinensis in a Moray Eels throat, with just its feelers protruding from the Moray's mouth.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
There are several Ambon cleaner shrimps Lysmata amboinensis at the lower entrance which actively clean the resident moray Gymnothorax flavimarginatus during the day but are often interrupted by lots of juvenile basslets looking for their services. Sometimes the ambons can be seen standing up off the bottom cleaning hovering basslets in mid water or perched on the morays head. There are resident common lionfish Pterois volitans at the top of the rocks and zebra lionfish Dendrochirus zebra head down at the bottom of the rocks.
At the right-hand side entrance is generally a smaller moray and it is cleaned night and day by Anton Bruns cleaner shrimp Urocaridella antonbrunii which swim up from the bottom and crawl around on its head and neck.
Both these entrances afford excellent photo opportunities. Red-tooth triggers Odonus niger also sleep in holes and crevices at the station and myriad of smaller fish species visit during the day.
Living on the Bushy Oriental Gorgonia Alertigorgia orientalis the Depresed Spindle Cowry Hiatavolva depressa is an easily identified species which spends its entire life on its host. Females are somewhat larger than the males.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Beyond 20 metres the black sand slope angles down and turns muddy as one goes deeper. The slope is a series of ridges and gullies much the same as sand slopes in many areas in the region. Most of the life forms seen to favour the tops of the ridges but some, such as the fire urchins Astenosoma varium seem to be found in the gutters or depressions. Fire urchins make amazing photographic subjects and have a number of well-known commensals or associates living on the upper surface and beneath the urchin. At 25 or 30 metres this is a bit of a challenge because one urchin with several associates to photograph might take a while and lead a diver into decompression time.
Although we have found almost 100 undescribed species in Milne Bay over the years, its still possible to find new species on every trip. This small nut crab is a new genus and new species.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
When concentrating on macro subjects, waiting to get the best shot or even encouraging them into a better position with a kebab stick, a diver must be continually alert as to the dangers of getting too far into decompression. Personally, I very rarely allow myself the luxury of a few extra minutes of going into decompression, its just not worth the risk.
The deeper black sand slopes have brilliant critters but there are many more in the shallows. The best and most productive critter depths are from one metre to 10 metres. Within this area there are well over 1000 species to find and photograph.
Swimming crabs are more often seen at night than during the day. Night dives around Tawali Resort are most productive and even in shallow water the discoveries are endless.
(Photo Neville Coleman)
Offshore coral reefs are very pretty, but species are much more difficult to locate due to their being so many hiding places that one cannot get a camera into and stronger currents. Muck diving and its associated shore reefs are the best way to go if you wish to accumulate a great selection of interesting critters and for my money, Tawali Dive Resort dive sites have it all.
Neville Coleman's diving expeditions, fauna surveys, photographic fauna surveys and marine life identification courses include every major group of marine life.
Neville Coleman's expertise in marine life identification extends to the identification of Algae, Sea Grass, Forams, Sponges, Stony Corals, Soft Corals, Sea Anemones, Sea Jellies, Zoanthids, Corallimorphs, Black Corals, Flatworms, Segmented Worms, Crustaceans, Barnacles, Shrimps, Rock Lobsters, Hermit Crabs, Squat Lobsters, Molluscs, Chitons, Univalves, Bivalves, Cephalopods, Octopus, Cuttlefish, Squid, Opisthobranchs, Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs, Bryozoans, Sea Mosses, Echinoderms, Sea Stars, Feather Stars, Brittle Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, Ascidians/Sea Squirts, Marine Fish, Sharks, Marine Reptiles, and Marine Mammals, all found in the waters around Tawali, Milne Bay and Papua New Guinea.
( Copyright Neville Coleman)