Our Last Day in Jemeluk

      The fish finding portion of our vacation is coming to an end.  In fact, today will see our last two forays in to the Java Sea.   We feel like we have done pretty well here with four species of anemone fish leading the

The identity of this gorgeous parrotfish remains a mystery.

way.  Curiously, almost every day, we add a fish that we know from Hawaii.  Yesterday, for example, we saw a pair of Ornate Butterflyfish. 

     Parrotfish, in particular, remain enigmatic.  I have pretty good pictures of at least two species that the available book, Reef Fish/ Tropical Pacific doesn’t picture.  In two cases his descriptions include the caveat that he makes the identification based on distribution.  Which doesn’t really help because the pictures don't match up.  Here is a picture of a gorgeous parrotfish taken yesterday to which I can currently not provide a name.  I have reminded my beloved companion many times that
Hawaii is dramatically different from the Java Sea.  John Hoover’s most recent effort pretty much shows every pattern of every fish that is remotely likely.  A magnum opus, to be sure.  To accomplish that feat here, would require thousands of pictures.

  Yesterday, we added only one fish.  However, it was just the sort of fish  with  which a bird watcher would revel.  Our newest friends, two triatheletes from Perth, had regaled us with tales of the Blue Ringed Octopus.  Six months ago while staying here in Jemeluk,   Sue had seen one of these tiny cephalopods six

Ocelated Dragonet  S. ocellatus  Jemeluk  2014

months ago.  The poor thing had been captured by a local urchin, who had, up to that point, avoided contact with the poison for which this animal is famous.  She was able to point across her cup of coffee, and between the beach umbrellas, to a spot just fifty feet up the beach.   The blue ringed octopus had been captured there, she declared.

      Before we took our dip I read in my enormous Coral Reef animals by Gosliner, et al and verified that the Blue Ring Octopus lives in the shallows among rubble and is active by day.  So as we entered, I was geared up to look carefully among the rubble.  Sure enough, just after I put on my fins, here was something moving among the stones and coral fragments.  It was no octopus, but a small fish, perhaps five centimeters in length.  He was long and thin and he crawled gurnard-like across the sandy rubble using his pectoral fins.  These were not as long as a gurnard’s, but were nevertheless quite handsome, black with festive orange fringes.  Go Beavers!  The rest of the fish was sadly a muddle of browns and grays.  We watched him for several minutes and sure enough, a second individual appeared.  I believe they were in love!

  It wasn't until we looked at the pictures on the computer that we were able to say for sure that these were Ocellated Dragonets.  I hope all you Oregon State fand appreciate the support that this fish shows for your team!

      Eventually even a jewel like this must be forsaken and we swam to  the outer reef.  One of the surprises we have discovered here in Jemeluk is large underwater sculpture.  At the east end of the bay, by the Diver’s Café, we have seen a Hindu godess and dolphins surrounding a mermaid.  Hee in front of Bleu Star, we found a large Japanese pagoda.  In the vicinity was  large Golden Spadefish.  Eventually we saw a second of these, as well.  This large fellow was kind enough to let me approach for a picture.

     On the outer reef we were lucky to witness a yellow trumpetfish hunting with a pair of yellow Virgate Rabbitfish.  In Hawii, the yellow trumpet sometimes uses Yellow Tang as a stalking horse.  We have never seen a better example of this behavior.

      On another front, last night we were more adventuresome with our dining.  As it is far from expensive to dine at Blue Star and the food is pretty good, we have not ventured off the reservation for even one meal.

 As we had a couple less than perfect fish experiences earler in the trip, we had not partaken of the fish offerings here.  In the early afternoon, while chatting on the beach, the ladies from Perth alerted Sandra that the fish in banana leaf was excellent.  Nyoman the Cute (self-appointed) encouraged our selection by noting that they had fresh mahi mahi and it was really good.

     Sandra ordered the aforementioned banana leaf fish and I had the fish cooked in coconut milk.  Both were absolutely toothsome.  So much so, that we are both looking forward to the dinner bell this evening!  On the side, I had garlic potatoes, which was an adventure in itself....the Balinese love garlic in a way not commonly encountered.  For a beverage, we had cokes on ice.  Up to this meal,  Nyoman and her colleagues had held out on the ice.  In this climate, it was such a treat that when Sandra failed to finish her ice we look it home!

    At 35,000 IDR (remeber to divide by 12,005) this meal was perhaps the culinary bargain of the century.  As we consumed the last few morsels, we speculated what this meal would have cost in Paris.  On the other hand, here in amed we don't have Le Metro, the Eiffel Tower or Marcel Marceau.

     Its time to sign this one off and head for the beach.  I promise to see a fish for you,

jeff