Bali’s Charismatic Mega Fauna hits the BIG time

It’s been an action packed six weeks for the Bali Diving Academy So intense in fact, it has taken awhile for them to surface, decompress and provide Bali Update with a run down on what’s been happening in Bali’s unique marine environment… 

This story of Bali’s biggest visitor all began way back in 1985, with rumors of a huge Tiger Shark living out the back of the famous Shipwreck’s surf break at Nusa Lembongan Island. A keen eyed young surfer, noted with relief, that the massive fins which occasionally broke the surface, were not that of a Tiger Shark, but in fact the worlds heaviest bony fish, the Oceanic Sunfish or Mola Mola, which now joins a very short list of what is today known as “Charismatic Mega Fauna”

Six years later, while establishing the first phase of what was to become Bali Diving Academy, this unlikely pair was reunited thirty meters down and suspicions were confirmed. One of Bali’s growing number of annual arrivals was the strange and elusive Oceanic Sunfish…

The emerging diving company began monitoring the arrival of the animals and the various environmental indicators associated with their seasonal presence. Over a period of years, trends began appearing…

This made Bali one of only two places on earth where divers had a good chance of an interaction with these animals.

After ten years of destination promotion, hosting photographers, journalists, dive travel professionals, collecting data, communication with scientists and award winning amateur video by Mr. Chris Paporakis, awareness of this annual visitation was raised to such an extent, that it had to go global. And, this year, it did. 

In the past six weeks Bali Diving Academy have played host to some noteworthy characters for some noteworthy events.

The first significant activity of the season was a trip combining two major marine conservation bodies and some key sources of potential funding for the development of a Marine Protected Area. This represented a big step towards the fulfillment of ten years of efforts to ensure the conservation of not only the Mola Mola, but also the world class marine coral reef assets of Bali’s Three Islands region. The philosophy behind such events is simply “show people the unique nature of what you want them to assist in protecting, and they are more likely to understand the necessity of protection…” Suffice to say, the world class interactions that were provided during this first trip, were such that participants were left wide eyed and in no doubt that the massive enigma, that is the Mola Mola, was worth protecting.

Next on the scene, a last minute arrival, were the BBC and famed underwater cinematographer Mr. Peter Scoones. Peter’s previous award winning natural history work with the BBC made him the perfect man for the job of capturing footage for the follow up series to the Blue Planet, Planet Earth. Various teams were competing for the right to shoot this unique phenomena. The Oceanic Sunfish fell into the Shallow Seas Category, as the animals were visiting the reef in Bali. The animals were not being 100 % cooperative and the BBC worked hard for their footage, with multiple descents to thirty meters each day. The hard work paid off in the end, with the team leaving all smiles, pleased with what they had achieved. Smiling the widest was Mr. Chris Paporakis, who had achieved a life long dream of working alongside a cameraman who is rated amongst the best in the world. 

Visiting Bali at the same time, on a long awaited research grant was Miss Tierney Thys, a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and 
internationally known marine biologist, Tierney’s goal was to deploy satellite tags 
on the sunfish for the first time in a deep water environment. Considered 
the world's leading authority on these highly unusual creatures, Miss Thys was accompanied by Indonesian scientists Aidah Hussein and Dr. Joeharni Tresnati. 
Little is known of the movements or life cycle of the 
tropical variety of the Mola. It is hoped this research will 
bring useful scientific and oceanic information about these 
creatures. Photo Documenting this expedition was Mr. Tim Rock, an underwater journalist who has been following the Mola Mola story for ten years now. The penultimate moment for the research team was when the deployment of the first tag was filmed by the BBC with the latest in Hi Definition Video and photographed by Mr. Tim Rock. Along for the ride was Mr. Scott Tuason, another noted underwater photographer. The energy crated by this group was infectious and Tide Huts facility was turned into an impromptu lecture theater with laptops glowing with the latest research and the days images discussed on the candle lit tables on the beach.

Juts long enough to catch their breath and Bali Diving Academy found them selves hosting Digital Dimensions, another HI Definition marine production company shooting footage for a new series called The Equator… Richard Fitzpatrick, was the lead cameraman and he truly loved his work. Both Marine Biologists and conservationists, these boys must have won some good karma with King Neptune over the years. They were literally surrounded by these huge animals. Encountering Multiple Mola Mola on every location on each of their sixteen descents, they were able to capture images of five animals in one frame, three instances of these massive fish charging out of the depths and leaping full clear of the water, an unheard of six species of fish engaged in cleaning the parasites off a single animal. The next highlight was a moment to remember for Bali Diving Academy Director Michael Cortenbach, that same questionable surfer who dispelled the Shipwrecks tiger shark myth. Michael able to attach the second satellite tag to a Mola Mola, again filmed in Hi Definition and also filmed by their in house cameraman, Mr. Koko Widyatmoko. The icing on the cake was the return of the tagged animal to the reef only hours later, which allowed the teams to creature close up footage of the tag in situ, collecting valuable data.

Michael describes one particular interaction on as perhaps the most incredible thirty minutes he has spent with these animals in thirteen years of diving with them… Surrounded by Mola Mola, in crystal clear water, coupled with the events described above were a powerful reminder for Michael of the unique and diverse diving experiences available in Bali, why he has made it his home and his passion for the last thirteen years, and why the efforts to get Bali’s seas protected, must continue.

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diverse@indosat.net.id