Dive trip: day zero bis

Sunday 7th May, a tour at a natural park. A good idea after all...

Dear all,

Happy Sunday! Well, it probably wont be Sunday by the time I write about this day and the time you read it, but you get what I mean.

So today is the last day waiting for the boat (boarding tomorrow Monday). We are four divers at the hotel and we have two options: stay by the pool and do nothing, or find something to do. We agreed to...do something. An option for you to consider is what we did: find a driver to go to Batuputh Kota Bitung. Ask the hotel staff if they can arrange it for you. It is about 45mn drive from the hotel and its a good way to get some fresh air.

It is a park (not sure whether it is considered a national park) but you need a ranger for the tour. You will see monkeys, birds (we saw an eagle). It is a chill walk, nothing to do with trekking or else.

Black Macaque monkeys

The Sulawesi Black Macaque monkeys are known by the name “yaki”. They are very social since they live in groups and families and walk mostly on the ground. Unfortunately, endangered , with around 5,000 left in the jungles of Sulawesi. These monkeys live on leaves and fruits, but also eat snakes and rats.

Tarsius

They are small but agile and can jump from tree to tree to find food, consisting of grasshoppers and other insects. The Tarsius has a long tail that is longer than its body, and has quite long fingers which allow them to jump some 3 meters catching branches from tree to tree. Worth noting that the Tarsius is known to be faithful since it takes one mate only throughout its entire life, and even when its mate dies, it will not take another.

Eagle