Andre’s Paddle-Flap Scorpionfish (Rhinopias eschmeyeri)
A farewell surprise for Dr. Andre Smith and yet another Paddle-Flap Scorpionfish (Rhinopias eschmeyeri) specimen found by Maluku Divers’ guides in Ambon Bay!
In the last ten years, muck diving has rapidly become popular in the world of diving and the photographic opportunities this division of diving presents are the mainstay for dedicated photography resorts such as Maluku Divers. This is the reason we have developed (and are always improving) a resort which can cater to not only interested ‘critter spotters’ but also an array of enthusiasts, from novice to serious and even professional photographers.
The attraction of muck diving lies in its intrigue: you never know what you might find in your next dive. And so, muck divers often request to return to dive the same site during their stay with us, happily bury their heads in the sand, poke around examining and exploring the unique habitats, until ‘viola!’ the outline of a camouflaged critter bobs up and become recognizable before their eyes.
This was exactly the experience enjoyed by Dr. Andre Smith, a dive physician from Canada, who stayed with Maluku Divers for an eleven day muck diving marathon. Before his last dive, we asked Dr Andre what he hadn’t ticked off his checklist of critters and he asked to see the Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) as a special treat. Stoner, the newest addition to Maluku Divers’ dive dream-team who has a knack for finding pygmy seahorses in Ambon Bay, gladly accepted the challenge and delivered Andre a shot of the bargibanti, but not without another, unexpected farewell gift: Not far from the pygmy, the familiar shape of this large beige-colored Paddle-Flap Scorpionfish (Rhinopias eschmeyeri) caught Stoner’s eye and Andre was beside himself with glee when he returned from his last dive:
From our observations of the multiple rhinopias we’ve seen over the years diving Ambon Bay, the Paddle-Flap seems to be more restless than its counterparts in the Rhinopias family. A month ago (see our Weekly News on 16 April, 2011), a red specimen was found at Kampung Baru, a newly discovered dive site just two minutes away from Maluku Divers resort. This rhino disappeared after three days, very different to the pair of stunning purple Weedy Scorpionfish (Rhinopias frondosa) found in early March at Air Manis (a site also just two minutes away) stayed at the same site for more than two months, much to our divers’ delight.
Nevertheless, the frequent appearance of these serenely gorgeous fish in Ambon Bay never fails to send streams of enthusiastic divers frantically heading out on several dives in one day to get their best shot, for such is the excitement of having world class muck diving right on your bungalow doorstep.
Maluku Divers is strategically situated on the northern coast of Ambon Bay where it is only between only two and five minutes by boat from a multitude of world-class muck sites. If you are looking for the best opportunity to enjoy your first muck diving experience, or you are a seasoned muck devotee looking for the next critter haven to explore, give Maluku Divers a try. Like many divers before you, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed with what our dedicated team will show you.
