by Fakhrizal S.

The third day began with the observation of slightly unhealthy reef. Circling around underwater, we dived for about an hour, searching for a suitable spot for monitoring, then we decided to move to another spot. The strong current was to blame. The second site did not provide any fascination in particular either. However, the sighting of a hawksbill turtle did cheer us up.

As we approached the eastern side of Alor, at North Kolana Village to be precise, a horde of small boats surrounded us. With smiles on their faces, these local villagers welcomed us with such warm hospitality. We then shared snacks with the children which brought us a sense of contentment.

North Kolana turned out to be a great dive site where soft coral dominated the benthos. Though scientifically a poor indicator, it appeared to be a wonderful site for underwater photography.Strong current was common in some dive sites which led to changes in survey technique. Also, since there was only one boat to pick up the two teams (fish and coral reef surveyors) they had to wait on the beach for the ride back to Menami. The cold water of Alor gave a distinctive feeling to those who had been here.