August, 2015
An Eerie Beauty: Batur
Lake Batur
May 19-21st 2015
Diving in Bali usually conjures up images of Molas and Mantas over rich reefs in clear, warm, tropical waters. But high up in the volcanic North of Bali is a large lake offering those curious enough the opportunity to dive somewhere completely different. The low visibility created an eerie yet beautiful experience as we dived past imposing granite cliffs and found large lava fields, all inhabited by small crabs and fish. Descending to the depths of the lake was like entering a lifeless alien world that spoke volumes about the impact humans are having on the planet. An exploration trip to dive at altitude in a body of water no‐one has ventured before requires careful planning. With the right training and preparation, the results were immensely rewarding.
Lake Batur
Lake Batur is a crescent shaped lake lying within the heart of a huge crater created when the original Mount Batur violently erupted 20,000 years ago. Within this crater, the new Mount Batur has been slowly rising up and has erupted multiple times in living memory. The volcano draws thousands of tourists every year to hike up to the crater’s edge to watch the sun rise over Bali.
Situated high up in the mountains, the water level of the lake has been rising over the years. The jetty used by the local villagers is now underwater and no‐one knows why the water level is rising so quickly. The lake is not known as a dive destination, and has only been dived by Leon Boey and Terence Lee in 2014.
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