Lighthouse

Overview

Lighthouse is a dive site at the north-eastern point of Gili Lawa Laut in northern Komodo National Park, according to Emperor Divers and Starfish.ch. Emperor Divers says it takes its name from the small lighthouse above the site. Komodo Resort describes a slope reef off Gili Lawa Laut with two peaks, and Blue Marlin Dive Komodo describes two pinnacles jutting off a sloping reef.

The reef

Blue Marlin Dive Komodo describes large table corals and long whip corals with schools of redtooth triggerfish, whitetip reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish and sweetlips. It reports leaf scorpionfish, frogfish, schooling batfish and, at the right time, hundreds of spawning Indonesian groupers at the first pinnacle, and whitetip reef sharks, manta rays and occasionally dolphins at the second, larger pinnacle. Komodo Resort describes table, whip and soft corals with sandy areas, and says the pinnacles host breeding groups of Indonesian groupers at certain times of year.

Emperor Divers describes a long drift to the cape over a sloping reef of hard and soft coral, ending at the corner, where giant trevally, Napoleon wrasse, snappers, sweetlips, batfish and sharks can be seen. Starfish.ch instead describes a protected area just below the lighthouse: a gentle slope of table corals and other hard corals mixed with black coral bushes, soft coral and white sand, where several sharks rest on the sand or under the table corals.

Conditions and level

Accounts of the conditions differ. Blue Marlin Dive Komodo lists it for advanced divers only and calls it a drift dive for more experienced divers, and Emperor Divers says it is exposed to current. The Wannadive.net listing records the current as strong, lists current as a danger and gives an Advanced Open Water experience level. Komodo Resort instead describes a medium-speed drift with changeable but normally manageable currents, suited to confident Open Water divers and Advanced divers, and Starfish.ch calls it a good site for a third, shallower dive. Depth figures differ as well: Komodo Resort gives an average depth of 15 to 25 metres, Blue Marlin Dive Komodo an average of 15 metres and a maximum of 35 metres, and Wannadive.net an average of 20 metres and a maximum of 30 metres. Wannadive.net records visibility of more than 30 metres.

Komodo Resort describes the north of the park, including Lighthouse, as having the strongest currents, water clear for 20 to 30 metres and temperatures of 26 to 29 °C, and says the best time for these sites is the dry season from April to October.