Another natural miracle that is in Lombok Island, and not possessed by other regions in Indonesia, is the diving location frequented by schools of Hammerhead Sharks of Teluk Sepi ‘Bay’, Sekotong, West Lombok, in a location named The Magnet.
According to Aviz, a Dive Instructor with Dream Divers who claims to have taken tourists diving there for three years, The Magnet is a top of a pinnacle that can be seen from the mainland, depending on the condition of the tides.
“If we see from the mainland in Teluk Sepi, The Magnet looks like a pinnacle that appears at sea level. But if we are diving to the bottom, its form will be seen that looks like a tower,” said Aviz.
To reach this area, explained Aviz, from Senggigi to Sekotong is about an hour, then from Sekotong to Teluk Sepi can be reached in about 40 minutes using a four wheel drive vehicle, due to the off road terrain road. Arriving in Teluk Sepi, then cross the bay using a boat about 5 minutes to Pangsing, There, is the Blongas Bay Lodge owned by Mr. Bret Haysom, who has built 2 Deluxe Superior Villas and 4 Standard Villas with balconies.
If you only want to dive in The Magnet area, suggested Aviz, you must be an experienced diver, because the sea currents in this area can reach 6 knots. By comparison, when diving in three Gilis area (Gili Terawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air), the flow only reaches 3 knots. “If we dive and confront the sea current, it feels like our mask use will get ripped off,” said Aviz.
If you only want to dive in The Magnet area, suggested Aviz, you must be an experienced diver, because the sea currents in this area can reach 6 knots. By comparison, when diving in three Gilis area (Gili Terawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air), the flow only reaches 3 knots. “If we dive and confront the sea current, it feels like our mask use will get ripped off,” said Aviz.
Usually, continued this man whose body is full of tattoos, schools of Hammerhead Sharks can be seen from June until September. “There are two kinds of Hammerhead Sharks, one with a length of between 3 and 4 meters, and the second, the Great Hammerhead Shark, with the length of between 4 and 6 meters,” he explained.
Its unique, the diving location that can see both kinds of that fish. There are only three such places in this world: Costa Rica (America), the Philippines, and Lombok (Indonesia). “It can be said that, everyday the Hammerhead Shark can explore the sea in almost half of the global area, and The Magnet, Teluk Sepi becomes one of its transit places. This is a precious asset that must be preserved,” suggested Aviz.
Not only that, around the Teluk Sepi ‘Bay’ area also can be found Yellow Fin Barracuda, Dog Tooth Tunas, Manta (ray), Mini Manta or Devil Ray (Mobula mobular), and others. Thus the condition of the coral, both of soft coral and hard coral, 80 until 90 percent is still natural (alive). “The comment from our diver guests, the diving location in Teluk Sepi is like the Red Sea, Egypt,” said Afiz imitated his guests’ comment.
Besides that, in this place there are also expanses of Mangrove forests, and places for pearl cultivation and kerapu (grouper) fish.
However, the precious nature of the asset is not followed by the awareness of local communities with many of whom still are using bombs and potash to catch the fish. “Even my guests have cried when they saw directly the local fisherman catching dolphin, but not to be consumed. They slice the dolphin into small pieces just to become bait for fishing,” said Aviz regretfully.
According to him, in a meeting that was conducted with government officers, in this case the Culture and Tourism Agency of West Lombok, the issues have been mentioned to them. But until now there has been no follow up, so that it is of concern, the miracle appearance of Hammerhead Shark in The Magnet, Teluk Sepi, may come to an end. (SS Lelono)
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