Muck Diving in Kudat

Muck Diving in Kudat

        We all know scuba diving on a coral reef is an amazing experience, with colourful corals and an amazing array of marine life. With everything from spectacularly coloured fish to tiny shrimp, and all that’s in between.

        However, there is a whole world of weird and wonderful waiting to be discovered out on the sandy flats, which brings us to the often underestimated MUCK DIVE!

        Sure you won’t be instantly overwhelmed by the obvious beauty of a coral reef, but with a bit of patience and a keen eye the inhabitants of the muck are well worth the search.

        Out on the sandy flats of Kudat are some creatures you have to see to believe.

In this harsh environment lacking in shelter, the cunning creatures who call the muck home, are always on the lookout for cover, be it a discarded can or coconut husk.

        We have been building artificial reefs out in these baron environments, which has resulted in the reefs being swiftly populated, and left the surrounding sand flat teeming with life.

          The list of organism we at TRACC encounter includes: 

Mimic octopus

Frog fish

Ambon scorpionfish

Urchin carrier crabs

Snake eels

Sting rays

Sea horses

Ghost pipe fish.

         With such an impressive list of locals it can be hard to focus on the task at hand ;) but the work must go on.

         So the next time you’re on a dive and you see the sandy planes lurking just off the reef, head out there and explore, you may be rewarded with the treasures of the ocean not found by many.

          For more information on the exciting experience that is muck diving watch:

         ‘Mucky Secrets’ on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJMZ6reOB0E

More info about volunteering with TRACC in Malaysia - Turtle Snorkellers - Divers

Wonderpus (Wunderpus photogenicus)

Pom Pom Island has a resident population of wonderpus (Wunderpus photogenicus) and Blue ring octopus. While our camp site at the Tip of Borneo has a population of both wonderpus and mimic octopus.  If you like muck diving away from he eef over the sandy silty sabed, it is relatively easy to see these.  Both species are away from their burrows much more at night.

If you are a student we have a great project for these interesting octopus,

 More info about volunteering with TRACC in Malaysia - Turtle Snorkellers - Divers

Muck diving in Seagrass

After the fantastic diving on Pom Pom, none of the vols were keen to go and explore a Kalapuan seagrass bed on a Sat morning which was our fun recreational diving day.  The boat stopped and we got out and stood on the bottom.  Which way is the deep water? Stupid question, the seabed was flat for about 2km.

Long leaf seagrass, grows to almost 2ft tall

This is a worm of some sort.
I will look it up when we get back

Seriously stinging burrowing Anemone

A few metres away we found our first patch of seagrass,  The visibility was good and when you are only looking 2 feet, you can really see the cool small stuff.  Several seahorses, pipefish and cuttlefish were seen as well as green camoflaged file fish.  Of course, I had the camera and didn't see any of these. I had chosen to use a tank not snorkell - easier to take photos except I hadn't realised the fact that my boobs were scraping the seabed and stiring up the muck was a major disadvantage. 

All the hard substrate we found was covered
with oysters and sponges

Fortunately the tide was coming in and the water was getting deeper so I got enough depth to wallow without touching the mud.  The other secret I learnt was that if you face the current the sediment washed behind you. Don't dive behind me.  Eat my muck cloud "sucker".




The biggest surprise was that this was fun and different.  We all spent 90-120min in wading depth water with people standing up and calling to each other about the critter they had seen.   Lots of different biodiversity here,  After the party tonight we will all have to study the books to find out just what we saw.

Muck diving on Pom Pom

The diving has been fun.  I can see why people travel across the world to go muck diving in Mabul or Kapali.  Personally I think Sipadan is overrated, watching out into the clear blue water for something that might be there on the deep reefs of pom pom is really exciting.
These banded pipe fish are some of my favorites,  They are always together and always in the same place.

The pom pom Volunteer project has offered me a lot I shall be sorry to leave.
Rebecca pom pom project volunteer sept 2011