Lembeh Strait Photo Gallery
Images from the Lembeh Strait, Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia
and from Bunaken Marine Park, Manado
Until you've experienced it for yourself, muck diving does not sound like a very appealing concept. But the resorts of Lembeh Strait in North Sulawesi, Indonesia have made muck diving an awesome expience. Lembeh Strait is a protected waterway with the world's highest conentration of unusual marine life. The following photographs will give you an idea of the delightful biodiversity of this remarkable environment. Enjoy!! Ken Knezick - Island Dreams
Please note that this entire Web Site, and all photos and text contained within are Copyrighted. Please do not use any of these images or text without prior written permission. ©
Ken Knezick - Island Dreams
Photos Currently on Display in the Lembeh Strait Gallery...
- Ornate Ghost Pipefish
In Lembeh, often the creature is viewed against a substrate of black volcanic sand. In this case though, the lovely orgnate ghost pipefish is photographed against a more colorful negative space.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Blue Ribbon Eel
The ribbon eel is most often spied with only its head extending from its lair. I've also had the good fortune to see one free swimming. Almost a meter in length, while moving along the bottom its body undulated exquisitely.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Hairy Squat Lobster
The hairy squat lobster lives on the sides of a particular barrel sponge. It's body is no larger than a U.S. dime.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- The Amazing Mimic Octopus
Only recently described by scientists, the mimic octopus apparently is capable of copying the persona other marine creatures.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- The Mimic Octopus Mimics a Flounder
Here, as the mimic octopus moves along the bottom, it perfectly matches the body styling of a flounder.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Watch for the Mimic Octopus
When I first found this Mimic, it was resting with just its head protruding from the bottom. Here's what to watch for.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Baby Cuttlefish
These two tiny cuttlish were perfect replicas of adults, and apparently immediately became experts in camoflouge.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Razorfish Wrasse
Here the black volcanic sand of Lembeh Strait makes an excellent negative space for this razorfish.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Crocodile Snake Eel
Special thanks to Dr. Douglas A. Segar for the ID of this enigmatic bottom-dweller.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Porcelain Crab
The porcelain crab inhabits one specific type of anemome. In a rapid but graceful dance it filters the water for specks of food by alternately throwing out one of two net-like appendages.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Eye to Eye with a Peacock Flounder
This adult peacock flounder camouflages against the black volcanic sand of Lembeh Strait.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Sedentary Anglerfish
Clearly, this frogfish did not have to move in order to survive. An angler by trade, it lured its prey to lunch with a fleshy lure on its upper lip. This specimen had been in place so long that it had grown into the reef.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Pygmy Seahorse
The pygmy seahorse is a delight of nature, and, due to its miniscule size, a sincere challenge for the underwater photographer.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Hairy Frogfish
This animal was first described and photographed by Denise Neilsen Tackett. She named the divesite where it is found, "Hairball." In this image, the animal is displaying its lure, which it would beat against the sand to encourage a strike.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Flamboyant Cuttlefish
Only four or five inches long, when alarmed this small cuttlefish's body pulsates with color.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Nudibranch
Lembeh is host to a great diversity of nudibranchs. The flower like appendage at the top of the photo are the animal's gills.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Cardinal fish
This cardinal fish is unique to Lembeh.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Fuzzy Filefish?
When this one came floating by, we literally could not believe our eyes. Until we got very close, and lit with our strobes, this amazing fish just looked like a floating ball of fluff.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Handsome Goby
This handsome goby is ready to dart back into the safety of his den.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Filefish
A master of camouflage, this filefish would lie on his side to better match the coral hiding place.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
- Tarsier
Not all the beauties in Sulawesi underwater. We encountered this wonderful Tarsier in Tangkoko National Park. Small enough to sit in a teacup, the Tarsier is a nocturnal creature which feeds on insects. When moving from perch to perch, it moved so quickly that I could see where it had been, and where it landed, but its speedy leaps were only a blur of motion.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
The reality is that most of these photos could not have been accomplished without the expert assistance of the photo savvy dive guides at Kungkungan Bay Resort and Thalassa Divers. They are simply the best I've seen when it comes to finding these amazing creatures. My hat's off to them!! Here's wishing you great diving...and a world of adventure!
Ken Knezick - President, Island Dreams Tours
& Travel
Link to Explore-Indonesia.com
Consider Island Dreams' Bunaken Lembeh Group Trip, April 7-19, 2005
Link to Ken Knezick's Latest Indonesia Dive Report 
Link to Bruce Moore's Lembeh Marine Life Report
Link to Murex Divers' Manado Combo Package
Link to Kungkungan Bay Resort, Sulawesi - Critter Diving Delight
Link to Hotel Santika and Thalassa Divers - Best Diving in Bunaken Marine Park, Manado
Link to Kararu Dive Voyages - NEW Indonesia Live-Aboard 
Link to Wakatobi Resort, Tukang Besi Islands, S.E. Sulawesi - World's Finest Beach Dive
Link to Wakatobi Photo Gallery
Link to Itinerary for Ken Knezick's September 2004 Wakatobi Group
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