Tulamben History
Originally a World War I cargo vessel, the Liberty was 120m (400ft.) long, 20m (60 ft.) wide and grossed over 6000 tons. During the 2nd World War she was refitted as a US Army Transport vessel and on the 11th of January 1942, whilst Philippine bound laden with an Australian cargo of rubber and railway parts, she was critically torpedoed by a Japanese submarine (I-166) in the Lombok Strait. An attempt was made to tow her to Port at Singaraja in North Bali but she foundered and was beached at Tulamben.
For 21 years she lay on the shore and was stripped of cargo and fittings by local 'business men'. When the volcano Mount Agung erupted in 1963, the Liberty was pushed off the beach into the sea where she resides today, a few fin-strokes from the shore.
Impressively big despite being broken into several pieces, the Liberty's bow lies in 5m (15ft.) and her stern in 35m (110ft.) and there are many large holes in the hull enabling easy exploration.
She is covered with invertebrates, hosting a superb variety of marine life. Australian author Rudi Kuiter estimates that over 400 species of reef fish live in the wreck and she is visited by another 100 or so species of Pelagic (larger, deep sea fish). According to the world renowned naturalist, Dr. Gerry Allen, the sheer number of species and the black sand background combine in Tulamben to provide unparalleled photographic opportunities! There is so much to see and at so many levels, that all aspects of photography are catered for.
Wally Siagian suggests that the Best Night Dive of your life
will be on Liberty at full moon!
Plan at least 2 days diving in Tulamben
and load your camera with a fresh roll of film each dive !
Let;s Dive Wally Siagian
| Widely acknowledged as the best Indonesian dive guide, Wally (Wilhelm) Siagian always provides unique diving experiences. His powers of underwater observation are absolutely amazing, the result of over 7000 dives and a constant learning process. He has identified four new species of marine life: three fishes and a stunning purple hairy mini-crab named Lauriea Siagiani in his honour (pictured below). Wally is currently at work as the co-author of the definitive dive guide to Bali, to be published in early 1999. Come and dive with Wally! Never a dull moment and you can&';t ever forget the dives led by him. Wally's repeat guests include some of the 'greats' of underwater photography and marine science; such as Dr. Jerry Allen, who has written dozens of books and hundreds of articles on marine life, Rudy Kuiter, the author of many fish books including the definitive Indonesian fish identification guide and Roger Steene, the best Australian underwater photographer. Wally is the only dive guide in Bali to have ever worked with Dr. Kal Muller, the author of Diving Indonesia, the original and only complete in-depth dive guide covering all of the huge archipelago. Kal, as well as many of Wally's other guests seek his marine expertise but also appreciate his superb nose for world-class durian fruit and the best massages south of the equator! For clients who need such a thing, Wally can find, anywhere, the coldest of beer this side of Australia. | Wally Relaxing on the Beach at Tulamben |
| While anyone is welcome to dive with Wally, he prefers families, the handicapped, scientists, photographers and in general anyone with a serious interest in marine life and conservation. The location of his dive series depends on the season and on local conditions; but always includes Tulamben, with its Liberty shipwreck and the densest concentration of fishes and strange invertebrates. Wally's dive safaris, outside of Bali, cover all locations in Indonesia, including the Komodo National Park. The Komodo trips are on comfortable live-aboards, equipped with compressors and enough tanks for unlimited diving. Aside from the Komodo Dragons, by far the world's largest lizards, Wally will show you sea mounts teeming with pelagics and some of the healthiest reefs in existence, with the most incredible variety of underwater life. Here, fishes vary in size from one centimetre tall adult seahorses through two-meter plus groupers and the occasional friendly whale shark. |
Virgin Oceanic, Kapal Selam Penjelajah Lautan Untuk Google
Salah satu pengusaha terkaya di Inggris Richard Branson mewujudkan jet dasar laut. Ia sendiri akan menjelajah bawah laut untuk wisata dan ilmu pengetahuan.
Branson menamakan proyek barunya sebagai Virgin Oceanic, selaras dengan maskapai penerbangannya yang bernama Virgin Atlantic dan proyek wisata luar angkasa Virgin Galactic. Ia memperkenalkan kendaraan yang disebut jet dasar laut yang akan digunakan Virgin Oceanic.
“Kapal sepanjang 5,5 meter ini bisa menyelam hingga kedalaman di bawah 11 kilometer di bawah permukaan laut,” kata Branson memperkenalkan jet dasar laut pada konferensi pers di Newport Beach, California, Selasa (5/4/2011) waktu setempat.
Kendaraan tersebut berpenumpang tunggal. Branson mengatakan jet dasar laut Virgin Oceanic sanggup membawa pengendaranya selama seharian di dasar laut dalam. Ia memperkirakan biaya untuk melakukan sekali perjalanan ke palung dasar laut “hanya” sekitar 10 juta dollar AS.
Virgin Oceanic akan melakukan lima kali penyelaman dalam dua tahun ke depan. Sasaran pertama adalah mendekati Palung Mariana di Samudera Pasifik pada kedalaman sekitar 11 kilometer dari permukaan laut. Branson berencana melakukannya sendiri pada kesempatan kedua ke Palung Puerto Rico di Samudera Atlantik. Daerah lain yang akan dikunjungi yakni Molloy Deep di Laut Arktik, Kutub Utara, Palung South Sandwich, dan Diamantina di Laut Hindia.
“Di sana banyak sekali yang bisa dijelajah begitu banyak yang bisa ditemui,” kata Branson. Ia berharap terobosan yang dilakukannya bisa turut menyumbang ilmu pengetahuan yang berguna bagi kehidupan manusia di masa depan.
Richard Branson bukan pertama kali merintis wisata kontroversial. Ia yang pertama kali menciptakan wisata ke luar angkasa lewat Virgin Galactic.
Oleh : Nationalgeographic
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