About
Wainilu lacks the colourful corals of other Komodo dive sites, but it is a great muck dive, and a photographers dream. Situated on the west side of a small island in the mouth of Loh Buaya, the dive follows a gentle sand and silt slope. The crest of the slope is strewn with broken coral and rubble, while deeper down soft corals litter the sandy slope. Look closely amongst these habitats to find a host of unusual critters not normally found on other dive sites in Komodo. Frog fish, seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, robust ghost pipefish, banded pipefish, stonefish, mandarin and picture dragonets, as well as the fingered dragonet. There are numerous juveniles of every kind of fish, including zebra batfish, barramundi cod, sweetlips… the list goes on. Drop in on any section of this site, just in front of the white sandy beach, and you will be sure to find many exciting critters. The site is best dived slowly, taking your time to really explore the nooks and crannies. Be aware that the silty bottom can be easily disturbed ruining visibility, and take care how you move you fins.
Hawksbill
The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Pacific subspecies. E. i. imbricata is the Atlantic subspecies, while E. i. bissa is found in the Indo-Pacific region. The hawksbill's appearance is similar to that of other marine turtles. It has a generally flattened body shape, a protective carapace, and flipper-like arms, adapted for swimming in the open ocean. E. imbricata is easily distinguished from other sea turtles by its sharp, curving beak with prominent tomium, and the saw-like appearance of its shell margins. Hawksbill shells slightly change colors, depending on water temperature. While this turtle lives part of its life in the open ocean, it spends more time in shallow lagoons and coral reefs. Human fishing practices threaten E. imbricata populations with extinction. The World Conservation Union classifies the hawksbill as critically endangered. Hawksbill shells were the primary source of tortoiseshell material used for decorative purposes. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species outlaws the capture and trade of hawksbill sea turtles and products derived from them.
Bleaching
Bleaching occurs when corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae - pigmented, algae-like protozoa that live within the coral's cells. High temperature, pollution or other stresses can cause the coral to expel its zooxanthellae, leading to a lighter or complete loss of color.
