Indonesia,  SCUBA diving

Underwater Videos from Wakatobi Indonesia Part 4

Have you ever started a blog post only to realize, four posts later, that you had inadvertently created a blog series? This is happening to me as we speak (or as I type). Welcome to the fourth post of The Wakatobi, Indonesia Underwater Video Series! (See Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3).

I assure you, this was completely unintentional on my part. One of my blogging goals is to become more organized with my posts. The next time I create a series, it will be completely intentional, with more thought and care in its construction.

Without further ado, here are some underwater videos I shot while visiting the world-class Wakatobi Dive Resort in Indonesia last October.

Fluorescent Yellow Leaf Scorpionfish

One of my favorite finds in the deep blue sea, the Leaf Scorpionfish, is often camouflaged, blending in with the colorful coral surroundings. Their dorsal fin juts out like a flamboyant mohawk, and their side fins feel the bottom and appear to “walk,” much like human feet. Here, this guy is using his fins to brace himself between coral, more like human hands. The fish is paper-thin, like a leaf, hence the name. Check out it’s iridescent, silver eyes!!

Gorgeous Spotted Pufferfish

I’ve always loved pufferfish. When I was young, my dad had a 250 gallon salt water aquarium. My favorite resident in the massive tank was a pufferfish. I hate that I can’t remember his name. Anyway, my dad taught me about the pufferfish’s defenses, explaining how he pulls water in to its stomach to “inflate” like a balloon when he feels threatened. To prevent my brother and I from jabbing the poor fish with a stick to make it blow up like a balloon, Dad warned that a pufferfish can only inflate once or twice, then it dies. There is actually a partial truth to this, as each time a puffer inflates, it risks dying if air gets trapped inside it.

Microscopic Soft Coral Crab

The area of the Coral Triangle around Wakatobi Dive Resort is famous for amazing microscopic marine life, some of the best in the world. This tiny crab blends in so well, it looks like it is part of the soft coral, until you see it move.

Lionfish, a Pretty Pest

Lionfish are known for being a pest in The Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, or more precisely, an invasive species. With no natural predators, the lionfish have established a foothold and are gobbling up the native reef fish in alarming quantities. We had a lionfish in our home aquarium as well. They only eat live fish, so I was partially scarred from watching Leo swallow the goldfish we bought him whole. It was a cool party trick to show friends, though. Lionfish are indigenous to the Indo-Pacific region, so here, we could guiltlessly enjoy their beauty and grace.

Rare Ribbon Worm

Finding micro-marine treasures while diving at Wakatobi was reminiscent of an underwater scavenger hunt– quite fun!

Flocks of Fish

The Banda Sea, teeming with life, and check out the puffer, who makes another appearance towards the end.

Sea Turtle Escape

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many sea turtles concentrated in one area in my life. We saw these beautiful, graceful creatures on almost every dive.

Tiny Clownfish Playing in a Purple Anemone

Another perennial favorite of mine, the playful clown fish-anemone duo have an amazing symbiotic relationship in which the poisonous anemone (to which the clown fish is immune) provides protection to the clown fish, who in return brings food into the anemone (the pieces that fall off as the fish eats are absorbed by the anemone). You guessed it! We had these in our aquarium as well….

Can you find the tiny baby? Hint: it’s around the one minute mark.

Schooling Fish and Shy Puffer

Look at the gorgeous patterns on that puffer (around 1:20)!!

Purple Sea Snails (aka Nudibranch)

You probably wouldn’t normally consider slugs to be top on your viewing list. Not all slugs are created equal, though. The sea slugs and snails in The Coral Triangle region are vibrantly colorful and quite beautiful.

Stay tuned for the final installation of the five part Wakatobi Underwater Video Series!

Check out the rest of the series and my other posts on Wakatobi!

Underwater Videos From Wakatobi Indonesia

More Underwater Videos From Wakatobi, Indonesia 

Amazing Wakatobi Underwater Video and Photos

Why I went to Indonesia to SCUBA Dive and My Life Under the Sea

Wakatobi, Indonesia: Best Micro SCUBA Diving in the World

World Class Wakatobi Dive Resort in Indonesia

Bali, Indonesia: En Route to Sulawesi’s Dream Dive Destination- Wakatobi

Thanks for reading!

♥ Lindsay

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