Whale Sharks sighted 4 times 2008-9 on Nusa Penida!

Rare but consistent sightings of these incredible animals have been happening for the past few years, which is great news for divers lucky enough to see them....

Latest Photos from Manta Point - Tim Birkett

Fascinating Fact: Where does the mola mola get its unusual name from?

Answer: In latin, the word "mola" means "millstone" which seems an accurate description of the fish's rounded body and rough, textured skin. The term "ocean sunfish" comes from the mola mola's tendency of lying on the surface of the sea, appearing to sunbathe.

Big Fish - Manta Ray & Mola Mola (Sunfish)

The coastal waters of Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida are home to a wide variety of Big Fish. We often sight huge marble ray, spotted eagle ray and even the occasional reef sharks or wobbegong. By far however, the most exciting and frequent Big Fish we see around are manta rays and mola mola…

Manta Ray (Manta Birostris)

These beautiful rays can be seen year round at Manta Point on Nusa Penida. They are the largest of all rays, growing up to an incredible length of 670cm wing to wing. Mantas are seen at depths of up to 30m, though at Manta Point are commonly found feeding on accumulated plankton close to the surface. We have also witnessed them from the surface making spectacular leaps above the water. This is thought to be either a method of communication, social playful behaviour, a courting display of bravado or an attempt to rid themselves of parasites.

The black and white body patterns vary from individual to individual and despite having up to 300 rows of tiny teeth, mantas are considered completely harmless to humans. Manta rays have flexible “lobes” on either side of their heads which are used to direct plankton and small fish into the mouth. They are believed to be formed during embryonic development, when a section of the pectoral fin extends away towards the mouth. The lobes are curled up when swimming to reduce drag and the diamond shaped body of the manta also aids movement in this way.

5 pairs of gills on the underside of the body are used for breathing. Mantas interestingly have the largest brain-to-body ratio of all sharks and rays. Little is known about the reproductive cycle of these gentle giants, but the gestation period is thought to be 9-12months or longer and only 1 or 2 pups are born in each litter. The only predators of the manta ray are large warm water sharks and humans who often accidentally catch them in their nets. These magnificent animals are very curious around humans and appear happy to swim with divers. However, human contact rubs away the vital mucous membrane which is there to prevent lesions and skin infections.

Mola Mola / Oceanic Sunfish

The mola mola or ocean sunfish as it is also known is the heaviest bony fish in the world, which is not surprising considering that their average weight is 1000kg and one particular 3.1m long mola found in Australia, was weighed at an incredible 2,235kg. Normally these fish are found in oceanic waters, but they come closer to shore from as early as July until the beginning of November in Bali and are seen at a number of dive sites around Nusa Lembongan and Penida, often daily.

Most renowned for their eccentric shape, the mola mola has no caudal fin, yet displays excessively large dorsal and ventral fins, making it far taller than it is long. Although often sighted by divers in shallower water, mola mola can swim to depths of almost 600m. The diet of a mola consists primarily of jellyfish, although they are also partial to the odd salp, comb jellies, zooplankton, squid, crustaceans and small fish. Fortunately for them, they possess relatively few predators - sealions, orcas and sharks being their only concern. Frequently though, molas are accidentally caught in fishing nets or are harmed through encounters with floating rubbish such as plastic bags.

The skin of a mola mola is approximately 3inches thick and its colouration is believed to be for camouflage; dark above fading to a lighter colour below. The fish are well known for the impressive number of parasites found on their skin: some 40 genera of mola parasites have been recorded to date. One of the most interesting facts about the mola mola involves its reproductive habits - females produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate, releasing up to 300million eggs into the ocean at any one time, to be externally fertilised by the male.

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