Lembeh Strait offers world-class muck diving and a chance to see more critters than you can count. Between northern Sulawesi and the island of Lembeh in Indonesia, it’s at the top of many bucket lists. Here, carefully searching the brown sand pays off with sightings of octopus, frogfish, cuttlefish and everything in between. Underwater photographers can find everything from octopus to frogfish. Dive sites rarely exceed 20 meters, so you’ll have plenty of bottom time to search out all the weird and wacky Lembeh residents. Happy hunting!
Look closely: how many frogfish do you see? These two pals sit against an orange sponge, waiting patiently for prey to float by before snapping it up with their lightning-fast lure.
The beautiful mimic octopus is thusly known due to its ability to impersonate other area animals. It can change its skin color and texture to blend in with its environment using pigment sacs known as chromatophores.
Divers will see lots of coconut octopus in Lembeh. These smart cephalopods use coconuts — or glass bottles or plastic containers — for shelter and protection on the sandy bottom, folding themselves into their coconut condos.
Although ubiquitous, cuttlefish are a photographer favorite. These cephalopods are in the same family as squid and octopus, and range in size from around six inches to the largest species, which can reach over 20 inches in mantle length.
All photos taken by Scuba Diver Life with the SeaLife Cameras Micro 2.0.
