Season Greetings from Bunaken Cha Cha Nature Resort

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2013!!

Pitaya "Queen of the Night" or "Moonflower"???

I got this plant from our friend Fee and Alan.  In the beginning I was not sure which plant is this or how it grow, but just gave it water every day and look after.  Then green thin leaf start grow longer and longer and another one came out and grow longer and longer.

The other day I saw two flowers which came out all of sudden.  I am sure I saw this plant the day before but look like these flowers just pop out next day.

When I checked, it look like this one they call ether "Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)" or "Queen of the Night" or "Moonflower".

This flower bloom only in the night, then close next morning. 

This is why this flower got name above..... nice.

but I did not know until today I checked in the internet, big pity was I did not check the smell of this flower. 

"Hylocereus blooms only at night; the large white fragrant flowers of the typical cactus flower shape are among those called "moonflower" or "Queen of the Night". Sweet pitahayas have a creamy pulp and a delicate aroma. It is also grown as an Ornamental plant, used in gardens as a flowering vine and a house plant indoors." (from Wikipedia)

This is the condition now ↓

The other flower already fallen on the floor, pity, but can you see the right bottom of the flower look like "Mini Dragon Fruit" looking??? or just me...? 

I hope we can see the fruit someday. 

To be continued.....

The first homemade "Lemoncello" by Raf @ Bunaken Island

The first HOMEMADE "Lemoncello" by Raf.
We are looking forward to taste it on 20th December.

The Visitor in the Cha Cha office??

One day at the office in Cha Cha.

Raf looked up the ceiling inside office and found a hairy thing sticking out.

That was a sleeping kitten paw!!!

After Raf touched the paw, it disappeared so fast, then few seconds later he could see a very curious kitten eye looking down the office through the hole. so cute and so funny!!!

Sailfish caught in front of Buanekn Cha Cha Nature Resort!!!

Fisherman brought huge "Sailfish"!!!

Very happy Fisherman.

What's happened to Venezia "The Water Metropolis" in Italy??

In Japan we call Venezia also with another name "The Water Metropolis".
But everybody must surprised to see today's news about Venezia in Italy.

This is June 2010, we had nice drink at this cafe.

and this is the latest picture in the today's news.

umm...

Bunaken Beach combing with Professor Chiko.

This morning I did beach combing with professor "Chiko" to the famous sand bank left side of the resort when it's very low tide. 

First I thought I found Meteorite cause it look like golden color on the surface of the rock.

But maybe NOT ....

It must be a peace of coral fossil rock which recently fell off from the wall.

Then our "Beach combing professor" Chiko disappeared int the rock hole and wake up two Bats that sleep inside there. I was very surprised, it was the first time experience to meet "Bat" in this way in the morning in a long time beach combing experience.  It is a great discovery by professor Chiko, especially good information for the "Bat researcher" guests they will visit our resort soon.  

Also found a Chiragra spider conch, is a species of very large sea snail.

 

Usually this conch shell has this shape.↓

This conch was staring at me with tiny spy eye sticking out from the shell.

You will go crazy surprisingly, Beach combing around Bunaken.

Even at such a shallow water, there are lots and lots of marine life you will find.

Chiko the "Beach combing Professor"

"Manado Talent Show" held at Bunaken Cha Cha Nature Resort

So much fun!!  "Manado Talent Show" Father and Son/Daughter Group Trip from Singapore held at Bunaken Cha Cha Nature Resort.
The group donated lots of books to  "Bunaken Children's Library" project on Bunaken Island run by "Bookbound" and "LSM Mata Biru".

Flatworm, Pseudobiceros fulgor at Bunaken Island

Flatworm - One of the most beautiful flatworm I ever seen around Bunaken.

Flatworm - Pseudobiceros fulgor - Bunaken Cha2 point - Indonesia

Bicolor Blenny at Bunaken Cha Cha 2 Point

Blenny at Cha Cha 2 Point

How are you everybody?
Bunaken is still hot as peak season. Today we had just little bit rain, but finish in 5minutes. Our garden looks still dry..  We need water for our plant...!!!

Anyway...  we want to introduce cute Blenny at Cha Cha 2 point.

Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor)

The bicolor blenny (Ecsenius bicolor) is an interesting little marine bottom-dwelling fish.This fish is called the bicolor blenny because its front half is blue to brownish in color and its back half is yellow or orange.

It belongs to the family Blenniidae. All members of this family have small projections protruding from their heads called cirri. They feed on marine algae.

Bunaken Porcupine fish

Mona Lisa Smile??

Porcupine fish at Cha Cha 2 Point. 

Beetle - Prosopocoilus occipitalis at Cha Cha

Prosopocoilus occipitalis

Cool!! 

Cha Cha Staff Odnir found this amazing beetle I never seen for 25 years since I visited Indonesia.

Snake eel and Baby squid, Manado, Bunaken National Marine Park

Snake eel and Baby squid video.

Puffer fish, Bunaken Island

Big puffer fish lives in Cha Cha 2 point, Bunaken Island.

Blacktip shark in Cha Cha2 point, Bunaken Island

Blacktip Shark in Cha Cha 2 Point at Bunaken Island, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Today's Sunrise - Bunaken Island, Manado

Sunrise 5:38AM Bunaken Island, Manado

Manado,Bunaken, Crab eyed goby movie

Crab eyed goby, Twin spotted goby.

Egg of Nudibranch, food for Nudibranch?? Bunaken (Manado)

This is the egg of Glossodoris stellatus, size 2-3cm.
When I took picture, could not see clearly there were two different nudibranch staying inside... eating egg?? maybe...  amazing...

Glossodoris stellatus

Departure from the resort on the "Man power floating bridge".

A special way to checking out resort (Only sometime though...), 

Bunaken, Chelidonura sandrana and Glossodoris stellatus

I love this leopard looking sea slug. The size is 15mm.

Chelidonura sandrana

This nudybranch looks like "gumi" or "jelly bean"... sweet... 

Glossodoris stellatus

Photo by R.Downey

Giant Trevally(Caranx ignobilis) at Bunaken Island

"Ron's point" at the corner of south west Bunaken I.S., It gets sometimes very strong current.
17th of August, there was some current and slightly down current as well, but we could enjoy meeting with these school of Giant Trevally, Bigeye trevally at deeper down, also with Yellowfin Barracuda, some huge Napoleon fish, garden eel, etc.
Sometimes if there is no current or slow current, nothing happen, no show of these big fish in same dive site, but today's diving was so fantastic!



Video by R.Downey (Bunaken Cha Cha Nature Resort)

Enjoy a cocktail at the beautiful moment of the earth

Enjoy a cool cocktail at sunset time on the Cha Cha balcony with stunning sea view. 

Congratulation!! New PADI Scuba Divers!

For the last week the Water Temperature has been around 29-30 Degrees

Visibility - 20 - 30 meters

Surface Weather - Sunny with the odd day a little swell.

Yesterday we had Shi and Herbert Complete the PADI Scuba Diver Course and followed up with some fun dives. They purchased there own camera so here is a nice shot of them both Hovering along the reef during a fun dive. :)

Yet again more happy students, We hope to see you again at cha cha in the not so distant future.

Congratulation from the Cha Cha Team

Flower Ghost Shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis)

Common name: Flower Ghost Shrimp, Tide pool Shrimp

Found this in the dry sand at very low tide beach, seemed to be struggling a lot. In the beginning I thought it's start changing their skin, but not. It was struggling because of the body start gets dry I guess. so moved it gently to the very shallow water 30cm away.  

Finally this shrimp start gets really active in very shallow water and digging a whole which somebody already live in....

But as you can see it's holding a lot of orange color eggs under the body.

Amazing!

Enjoy the Video.

Pontoh's Gorgonian Pygmy Seahorse, Manado Bunaken

Wheeler's Watchman Goby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri)

Wheeler's Watchman Goby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri)

Wheeler's Watchman Goby is also know as Wheeler's Prawn Goby, Gorgeous prawn goby, Wheeler's shrimp Goby.
This is a goby from the Indo-Pacific. It grows to a size of 10 cm in length. 

Frogfish - up side down pose.....

Frogfish - Size about 25cm

Can you see where is his/hers eye?

Frogfishes, family Antennariidae, are a type of anglerfish in the order Lophiiformes. They are known as anglerfishes in Australia, where 'frogfish' refers to a different type of fish. Frogfishes are found in almost all tropical and subtropical oceans and seas around the world, the primary exception being the Mediterranean Sea.

Abnormal weather all over the world....?!

Weather now. Sunny and Hot. This is quite normal weather in Dry season.

Weather 3 days ago. Cool and bit chilly in the early morning. Did not feel like as "July weather" at all.