Hairball
Hairball is the classic Lembeh muck dive on the mainland side of the northern strait: a gentle slope of black volcanic sand with algae, rubble, a few sunken logs and scattered sponge patches. Long stretches look empty, but the sponge patches hide hairy frogfish, seahorses and Ambon scorpionfish, while mimic octopus, wonderpus, flamboyant cuttlefish, roughsnout ghost pipefish and snake eels turn up on the sand. Life here comes and goes, so some dives are spectacular and others quiet.
Facts
- Region: North Sulawesi: Lembeh, Bunaken & Bangka
- Area: Lembeh Strait
- Depth: 30 m
- Level: beginner
- Current: low
- Type: muck
- Coordinates: 1.5021, 125.2427
- Highlights: hairy frogfish, mimic octopus, wonderpus, flamboyant cuttlefish, seahorses, Ambon scorpionfish, roughsnout ghost pipefish, snake eels, black volcanic sand
- Tips: Patience pays off: move slowly, stay off the sand and let the guide do the searching. Guides know where critters are this week, so trust their site choice.