After seeing consistantly wonderous slide presentations on this destination by several highly regarded people, we decided to join Larry & Denise Tackett aboard MV Pelagian to sail from Bali to Komodo and Rinca. Upon arrival in Bali, we first traveled up to Tulamben to get in a few days of diving before boarding Pelagian. The photo below shows some of the union porters carrying tanks along the beach in Tulamben, Bali. The able assistance of one of these local workers is mandatory when making a beach dive at this site. The charge is quite reasonable.
This turned out to be yet another one of those trips where everything went right. The boat & crew were as good as it gets. Larry Smith (the one & only) was our cruise director. The diving and marine life varied considerably as we sailed along, and the water became progressively cooler as we moved south between Komodo and Rinca Islands. Several days after sailing from Bali, we arrived at Horse Shoe Bay, Rinca late in the afternoon and were subsequently welcomed by this magnificent sunset.
Dive areas included Satonda, Sangeang, Gili Banta, Gili Lawah Laut, Komodo Bay, Pink Beach (Komodo) and Horseshoe Bay (S. Rinca). Although there are many places yet to see on our wish list, this is one destination we will unhesitatingly do again.

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This colorful reef scene taken in Horseshoe Bay off Rinca Island exemplifies the extraordinary diversity and density of life on Indonesia's reefs. (C) David W. Allen	A Stargazer patiently awaits it's chance to ambush prey at night in the Northern Komodo Island region, Indonesia. (C) David W. Allen	Pufferfish sleeping off Komodo Island, Indonesia, with juvenile Golden Trevally staying close by. (C) David W. Allen
A Coleman Shrimp makes it's home among the venomous spines of a Fire Urchin. Taken in Horseshoe Bay, Rinca Island, Indonesia. (C) David W. Allen	The body of this exotic looking Squat Lobster is about the size of a dime. Taken on a night dive at Komodo Island, Indonesia. (C) David W. Allen	Crinoids atop coral enjoying a blazing current, near Komodo Island, Indonesia. (C) David W. Allen
Polyclad Flatworm, taken in Horseshoe Bay, Rinca Island, Indonesia. (C) Lisa L. Downs	Teira Batfish in the straight between Rinca and Komodo Islands, Indonesia. (C) Lisa L. Downs	A rare photo op when this preganant female frogfish and her attending male cuddle. Taken in Horseshoe Bay, Rinca Island, Indonesia. (C) Lisa L. Downs
This somewhat rare Miamira Magnifica Nudibranch can be found in Horseshoe Bay, Rinca, Indonesia. (C) David W. Allen	This shrimp, less than on inch in length, lives it's life among the apendeges of a Crinoid and adopts it's coloration to match that of it's host. This one was photographed in Tulamben, Bali. (C) David W. Allen	A large colony of Two-Spotted Garden Eels maintains constant watch of approaching divers on the wreck of USS Liberty in Tulamben, Bali. (C) David W. Allen
A colorful crinoid photographed at night in Horse Shoe Bay, Rinca, Indonesia. (C) Lisa L. Downs.	A nudibranch which is most likely from the Phyllidiidae family (warty mantle and lack of dorsal gills) was photographed near Komodo Island. (C) Lisa L. Downs	A Sea Apple feeds itself with one appendage as it continues to gather plankton with others. (C) Lisa L. Downs

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