Meno island (gili), previously known as a haven for mosquitoes, has become a favourite honeymoon destination and tropical island escape for those seeking respite from the fatigues of their home environment.
Known by local boatman as “the middle island”, Meno sits between Trawangan and Air and is the smallest of the three famous Gilis off the coast of north-west Lombok. It is the calmest and quietest of the three and, like the other two, is devoid of noise and fumes from motorised vehicles.
Gently lapping waves and breezes rustling through the palms and casuarinas are usually the only sounds creating Meno’s sense of supreme isolation. Only around 300 people live permanently on the island which features a lake and a bird park and which has not been equipped with the modern facilities of its two neighbours.
From about five metres below the surface of Meno’s surrounding waters, you will find at least six of around 24 highly-rated dive sites in the combined islands of the Gili Indah region. Meno Slope is to the west; the Bounty wreck is to the southwest; Meno’s Reef sits to the south; Meno’s Corner is to the southeast; and Alex’s Reef is to the north.
But standing solidly in the northwest, like an old fort housing all the species of the ecosystem, is the beautiful and mysterious Meno Wall.
Between Meno and Trawangan, about 10 minutes by regular boat, Meno Wall is conveniently located and suitable for divers of all levels and even those just starting their Open Water Course. Meno Wall is often recommended as an afternoon dive location for novices, but it’s also suitable for those who have higher skills and want to experience night diving.
The wall consists of two separate cliffs, ranging in depth from 5 to 20 meters below sea level. At 40 metres, water temperature at the bottom is between 26 and 30 degrees Celsius and there’s 15 metres of excellent visibility.
In the shallower areas to the north, divers will usually find several large green sea turtles, eating or resting between the sponges. Some kicking activity around a bed of anemones causes the colourful anemones and soft corals to become a playground for timid clownfish, angelfish with beautifully- coloured scales and fins, butterfly fish, groupers, triggerfish, batfish, scorpion fish, frogfish, trumpet fish, damselfish, anthias, and parrot, surgeon, box, puffer and other small fish.
All are so relaxed in human company that they freely swim about, without the slightest concern, creating a showcase of movement and colour. Occasionally the sweetlips fish will venture close to your mask to reveal her sexy mouth.
The first wall is the home to a variety of sweetlips, along with moorish idols, moray eels and soldiers and squirrel fish. Lucky divers may come across one or two white tip or eagle rays, on patrol around the walls.
Meno Wall is especially attractive venue for underwater macro-photography because in addition to the diverse and often dense fish population, there are several types of seahorses, molluscs like flat worms and nudibranchs that are idolised for their unique shape and colour.
From this point, the currents become stronger which is a bit troublesome if you need to kick hard to swim against them. If you are moving with the currents, however, it’s a bonus as you can drift and feel as if you are flying like Superman towards Meno Slope to watch the behaviour of Green Turtles at the end of your journey.
Fact: Meno Wall is also known as Turtle Heaven because it is home to more Green Turtles than other local dive sites.
Strange Habits of Our Ocean Creatures
Scorpion fish generally live near the coast but some are found in deep waters. Most species have amazing colours and striking camouflage patterns. Those with poison glands at the base of their fins use their poison only for defence but should be handled with care as they produce a neurotoxin which affects the nervous system.
Scorpion fish produce a tender and tasty meat. They are very territorial and the only species known to wait along cliffs until prey is close enough for the scorpion fish to leap on it or create a great suction by opening and closing its mouth to pull in its victim. Large prey includes mussels, other fish and crustaceans. After mating, the female scorpion fish lays jelly-like spawn balls that have eggs on the outer surface.
Frog fish spend their days lying motionless among rocks or coral. They have a thin strand of flesh on the head which they wiggle like a tiny fishing lure. When small fish come to investigate the movement, the frogfish lowers the lure closer to its mouth then leaps forward, using its strong pectoral fins, and snatches the fish with its large mouth.
Frog fish are greedy and often try to swallow fish that are larger than themselves. When they do this, they must enter a state of half sleep for several hours to digest the meal. Frogfish use their pectoral fins and ventral fins to drag themselves along the ocean bottom. Some frogfish climb rocks.
Moray eels are secretive creatures which hide in holes and crevices among rocks and coral on the ocean floor. Like many large fish, they are carnivorous. Fish, molluscs and crustaceans are their main foods.
The moray eel is often the dominant predator in its environment but is hunted by other large fish and sharks. It mates when the water is warmest and it spawns, meaning eggs and sperm are fertilised outside of the womb in the surrounding water. More than 10,000 eggs can be released at a time. Eggs develop into larvae and become part of the plankton. It can take up to year for the larvae to develop enough to swim to the ocean floor to join the community.
Seahorses come in different colours and can change colour to safely blend into their surroundings. Seahorses use their fins to move. They like to live near the shore, using their tails to attach themselves to grass, coral or seagrass so they won’t float away.
Seahorses have no teeth and use their snouts to suck up plankton, shrimp and fish larva which they swallow whole. The male has a pouch in which the baby grows until birth. The male seahorse gives birth and cares for the young.
Nudibranchs are carnivorous. They eat sponges, barnacles, corals, and sometimes other sea slugs. They have an array of defence mechanisms to protect their fleshy bodies, including using stingers to repel predators.
Nudibranchs eat creatures with stinging cells, such as jellyfish, and then move the stingers to their own skin and tentacles. Sea slugs leave a trail of slime behind them when travelling which can warn off other slugs or alert predators to follow the slime scent.
Source:enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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