art-inspired Banggai cardinalfish. Years ago divers erected metal


cages to encourage hard coral growth. Fish congregate in these rusting metal cages that are encrusted with clams, barnacles and corals. Perched on the struts of one cage a large yellow frogfish tries to lure its prey. Another smaller red frogfish is resting adjacent to a red leaf oyster. Deeper inside the cage we spot a grey giant frogfish and a striped frogfish. Juvenile lionfish swim easily between the struts. A sunken wooden barge is crammed with striped catfish packed so close together they appear to be gasping for breath. The smaller catfish swim continuously in a tight ball formation while the larger catfish rest on the floorboards of the scuttled boat.


Eventually our eyes tire from


searching for weird and wonderful creatures and we wade out of the ocean. We have not swum more than 100m in pond-like conditions. The diving is relaxing yet we can’t wait to return to Mimpi Resort where a natural thermal hot spring pool awaits us. The water has therapeutic and calming properties, and as we relax in our private pool we imbibe our surrounding zen garden. Frangipani flowers fall into the pool, a ceramic frog guards the pebble pathway and the breeze rustles leaves across the thatch roof. Another slow day in a distant corner of Bali. Travel contact: www.mimpi.com For more underwater images and stories, visit www.peterpinnock.com


September/October 2011


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