Aurora Itineraries

Komodo

Komodo

A journey leading us through two oceans, separating, and uniting here at the same time. A current constantly crosses Indonesia, flowing from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Due to trade winds, the oceans have a different sea level of about 2 inches…. As the Pacific mixes with the colder Indian Ocean, at the south of the Lesser Sunda Islands, we find Pacific fauna scattered to the north and in-between the islands.

THE LANDSCAPE

During June and September, the landscape above the water is unusually dry for Indonesia. On the islands east of Bali rainfalls are rare during the dry season, and the landscape that elsewhere in Indonesia is green all year round, shows here some green and brown patches.

THE ITINERATING ROUTE

Aurora sails around the different islands, and we stop to sleep almost every evening in a different bay.

THE WATERS

Warm (27-29º C) and calm water, extemeley rich and diverse reefs and large colonies of hard coral charachterize the pacific side. Rich fishbanks (barracudas and carangidi) patrol the reef expecially in the canals between the islands, and when the sea tide rises (expecially during the time between june and september) the intensity of the current can be noteworthy.

THE SOUTHERN COAST OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

The southern coast of the Indian Ocean, however, is characterized by colder water temperatures (24ºC -25º C/ /75-77ºF), locally with high waves. The reefs is shallower water are rich in soft corals and hard corals with incrusted forms, very resistant to the strong water movement. In the waters with reduced visibility, encounters with pelagic fish such as sharks, manta rays or the rare moon fish (Mola mola) are quite often.

THE NORTHERN SIDE

The reefs on the northern side of Komodo and Rinca and the Lesser Sunda Islands belong to the most versatile reefs in the whole archipelago. Magnificently conserved, rich of big formation of Acropora (table corals). Uncountable reef fish and invertebrates make this underwater landscape very interesting.

THE REEFS

The reefs around Komodo are mainly fringing reefs, with a rather narrow reef platform close to the shore while the outer reef descends quite steeply. In the deeper water prevail by fan corals, along with black corals and big sponges.