Indonesia - Komodo NP: Secret Garden

Setting

A highly regarded site for hunting for unusual critters (e.g., Image 2). 5-7 m viz, 25C, mild-medium current.

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General benthic features

Pocillopora verrucosa, Pocillopora eydouxi, Pachyseris, Porites, and Acropora all present, though in general coral cover was low, and the site was predominantly a sandy slope covered by soft corals (e.g., Image 3).

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Benthos at 22 m looked like Wainilu (sand+soft coral, hard coral virtually absent). Some fungids. Some tiny Pachyseris colonies. Halimeda (algae) common. Monster Tubastrea colony covered in lion fish. More of a reef structure above 14 m, though still generally low average live coral cover (e.g., Image 5).

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At 10 m, mostly soft coral with some brain corals and poritids. Much more structure at 5-7 m. Appears to be rocks covered in coral rather than structures of coral origin. At least 8-10 species of soft coral at 5 m, where surge was intense (at base of small island). Carpets of soft corals in 6-7 m (most beautiful part of reef) (e.g., Image 4).

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Unknown species of massive coral seen at end of dive (need to check pictures, very interesting).

Coral cover

Coral cover: 13% — a blind Claude computer-vision point count of 39 of Anderson's edited photographs (20 points per photo; water, fish, and obstructions excluded). Other computer-vision methods are listed in the method table. Anderson is still comparing computer-vision models, and these figures will be updated as the methods improve.

Fish and other fauna

School of 7-10 mobular rays (mini-mantas) encircled us nearly the entire time (got some good pictures). Various sorts of ghost pipefish disguised as Halimeda (e.g., Image 1).

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Few big fish except for aforementioned mobular rays. Sexy shrimp. Peacock mantis (hidden).

Comparisons with other data

No prior survey data from this site. If you would like to share yours, please email us.

Dive record

2019-1-23 dive 2: Secret Garden (#17). 10:52-11:51 (59 min). Max. depth=29.9 m. Temp.=26.1ºC. 30% oxygen.