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Tide tables for Dili and Hera May 28th through June 3rd

Tide Tables - Double click to view

Tide tables for Dili and Hera May 15th through May 21st

TREASURE HUNT!!!

On May 21st 2007 FreeFlow diving is organising an
UNDERWATER TREASURE HUNT.
The venue will be Dili Rock east opposite the entrance to the f-FDTL base.
Fabulous prizes are on offer.
Assembly time will be 10.00am
Please see the attachment below and refer to the SITE MAP for Dili Rock.

click to enlarge

Currents

The currents in East Timor can be treacherous. If you think you know the currents here you havn’t dived enough in the country. If someone tells you they know the currents, they havn’t dived enough. When you plan your diving it would be a good idea to check with one of the established dive operators in Dili on tide times. Two of the best are FreeFlow Diving and Dive Timor Lorasae. Their experienced staff should be able to tell you the best and worst times for getting wet, although it is not written in stone. In general about 1 hour before either high or low tide is optimum for gentle to no current. I have found the best visibility is on a low tide, especially during the wet season. Another tip is to watch the local spear fishermen. If they are in the water then generally it would be OK for a dive. If they are NOT in the water there is a good reason. I have also found that if, when you get in the water, there is a strong current, just swim back to shore and wait about a half hour for the current to die down. As I’ve said, the currents can be very very strong but in general they do not last for too long. It is also advisable to carry at least two SSD’s (surface signalling device), such as, but not limited to, a safety sausage, whistle, an old CD to reflect the sun, marker dye or Hammerhead air horn.
Of course, if you are boat diving the current issue is not so important. Just enjoy the underwater movie and wait for the skipper to pick you up! Of course, it is still important to carry a SSD.
For the less experienced diver I would recommend guided diving with one of the above operators and for the more experienced who have not yet dived here I would recommend a ‘Discover Local Scuba’ dive.

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Tide tables for Dili and Hera May 10th through May 16th

Nudibranchs

Chelidonura palida

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Spanish dancer (Hexabranchus sanguineus) egg case

Nembrotha rutilans

Halgerda sp.

Dive Log

Location: Dili Rock, East
Date: 02 May 2007
Time in: 1930
Duration: 80mins
Max depth: 30metres
Tides: Low 1925, 0.6metres
Weather: Perfect, no wind
Sea: Calm
Visibility: Torch
Divers: Two – self/Kylie
Night Dive.
Swam out to the marker buoy and descended to where the coral meets the sand. First thing we saw was a nice big Queensland halibut resting in the sand. Just to the left of him/her was a BIG puffer fish having a nap. Carried on down to the bommy at 12metres and had a look round. Banded cleaner shrimp (Stenopus hispidus), resting surgeons, Hingebeak shrimp, a couple of nice Decorator crabs and a big Lionfish. Carried on west to the coral outcrop at 20metres. Wonderful. Two Flying gurnards, a sleeping Titan triggerfish, two Pleurobranchus grandis. And then…… two exquisite squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana), stayed with them for about 5minutes.


Pleurobranchus grandis - Dili Rock, East

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Tide tables for Dili and Hera May 3rd through May 9th 2007