Two New Fish and Spam is the Bomb!

    It stands to reason that the more we snorkel here in the Amed area, the more difficult it will be to add species to the list.  Yesterday we added two really good fishes (and a couple others), changed our base and

Bicolor Angelfish, C. bicolor,  Tulamben  Nov. 2014

 visited our friend Ketut and his family.

     The day began at the Liberty Dive Resort, surrounded by the legion of young people they employ as housekeepers, waitresses, cooks and groundskeepers.  A million smiles and hellos.  While we devoured their large breakfast (the proprietors realize that divers need lots of energy) we said goodbye to Thomas and Mavis, a newlywed couple from Taipei.  We had met them the day before in an identical circumstance: they were preparing for a diving expedition by donning their dive outfits in the pool adjacent to the dining pavilion and I was a nuisance looking for a friend.  That night we arrived at the restaurant at the same time, pulled two tables together and had a delightful conversation over Beef Rangen and a couple of Bintangs (the beer of Bali).

      Having packed up our worldly belongings, we headed out for our last trip to the Tulamben coral garden.  Just before we reached the shallow reef, we spotted a pair of Bicolor Angelfish hanging around a couple

Calcinus Sandrai...Actually Ca minutus,  Tulamben 2014

 rocks in the sandy bottom, about twenty five feet deep.  They were both beautiful and cooperative and we did our best to dive deep for a photo op.

     On the reef it was usual suspects among the fishes, but we were lucky enough to find our first hermit crab.  We found two individuals, both hanging out on the top of  small corals.  At first blush, they belong to the genus Calcinus.  You may recall that Sandra is a world expert in this area of carcinology  With a measure of luck we were able to put a name to them.  I personally think that Ca. Sandrai is more colorful than Ca. minutus.

    We had to check out by noon, so our explorations were cut a bit short.  On our way back to the entry I found Sandra a perfect little abalone shell twinkling on  the bottom.  That was her first birthday present.  It was Nov 10th here yesterday and it is November 10th in the USA today.  What a lucky girl!

Deewah and the Spam!

   On our way to our new lodgings we visited Ketut's family.  He was our driver in Bali five years ago and became a close friend.  At Casa Ketut we were reunited with Nanaahk, his wife, Ketut's mother, who both this time and before held back from a central role. We also met Noman, who was just over a year when we saw him last time.  He is now a busy six year old.  And we met Ketut Number 2, who is no more than two.  No surprise, he is a chubby version of his brother at about the same age.

     As the visit progressed,  more people showed up.  Deewah, a pretty fourteen year old niece arrived with fruit and cake.  A bit later, her mother came to say hello, although her English was apparently limited to that one phrase.  Clearly the word was out that the circus was in town, because soon two neighbor girls arrived full of smiles, eager to join in the festivities.

Ketut and his Grandmother

    For our part, I passed out Kirkland Energy bars, which we foisted off as candy.  Soon Sandra came up with a brilliant idea to keep the party going.  Thinking that we might need some Hawaiian soul food, we had brought with us two cans of Spam left over from the hurricane provisions.  We passed around the spam, each person being required to pose with this quintessential Sandwich Island  treat.  The spam was as big a hit as the energy bars and yielded some excellent photos.  And we left the spam with Nanaahk with the admonition that it is sort of like sausage and goes well with eggs. 

    I do not mean to overstate our effect, but these people, who reside just 300 yards from the main road, live a life perched between the 21st Century and a 19th century agrarian existence.  their predicament is not unlike Abraham Lincoln in  Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.  There is a TV in the main  room, but its not 

The Gorgeous  Neon Damsel is One of the Regulars

works.  Sandra is fairly certain that they don't have a refrigerator. In addition to driving, Ketut farms a paddy of rice and a garden of fruits and vegetables.  When he is not in school, Noman seems to just hang around the house.   One hesitates to superimpose ones expectations on others, but to us it seems a little sad.     A snooty soccer mom might ask, "Where is the intellectual stimulation?"  And she might have a point.

     It is interesting that Ketut chose this path.  He graduated from high school in Amlapura and would have qualified for a job in that comfortable small city.  Instead, he returned to marry the girl next door and take over the family farm and the care of his aging parents. What he gained was the support of his local community and their religion.  While it is hard for me truly comprehend, these things are very important to the Balinese. 

    Eventually the party wound down and Ketut drove us into Amed, depositing us at the Blue Star B&B in Jemeluk.   (Please do not make the same mistake as me.  The name is pronounced Gem A Luke.  If you

A Juvinile Clark's Anemonefish  Jemeluk  2014

 substitute Luck, you will be corrected every time.

     Blue Star is exactly the opposite of the Liberty Dive Resort.  It is basically an aging Balinese compound with a bit of addition around the restaurant.  We were ensconced in the upstairs unit, a spacious room with harmoniously antiquated (some might say tacky) furnishings and a large WC with a huge tub.  No TV or refrigerator, but right on one of the best snorkeling beaches in Indonesia.  As it had a been a busy day, Sandra collapsed.

      Always the drudge, I put on my wet swimsuit and headed for the reef.  An hour of paddling around yielded a good variety of usual suspects, which now includes the incredible multicolored mantis shrimp.  As the sun was heading towards the horizon and  I was setting up to photograph a pretty green

The Clearfin Lionfish makes the Scene In front of thd  Blue Star   Jemeluk

crinoid, a lionfish swam into a nearby crevice.   He was a big fish, a large Clearfin Lionfish, Pt. radiata.  His bare spines filled the gap in the coral filled the gap in the coral.   He allowed two quick snapshots before receding into a cavity in the coral.

     It was a a very full day, full of fish and friends.  We look forward to several good days of fishwatching in Jemeluk and I'm sure we will make many new friends.

jeff    

SPAM !