Bats failed to materialize in any significant number.
The two crew members declined my offer of Arak so I was forced to drink alone where we moored. Lightning flashing over yonder hilltop, and a moon beginning to wane reveals her satin face.
First stop the following morn, the fabled Komodo Island itself. It's early and overcast, perfect weather for Dragon activity. Proper conditions yield tremendous results. Not five minutes into the guided tour my chaperone and I encounter four ravenous beasts playing tug-of-war with a deer carcass. The carrion appeared to have been dragged through the dirt for hours as the vile creatures ripped at it and swallowed lage chunks whole. At one point during the feast a Dragon turned its eye and clearly focused on me, murder in its gaze. My guide motioned me back and cautioned against their unpredictable speed. Evidently the Dragon decided she had more opportunity with the meal at hand and went back to gorging on the raw flesh. The rest of the trek proved dry and uneventful but the initial excitement was entertainment enough.
Our boat raced on for the final destination on our itinerary. Along the way the elder cried out for he had spotted hunting Manta Ray in the depths below. I donned the mask and plunged in, the water clear to the bottom where the bizarre creatures hovered. Looking every bit the part of some malignant force's oppressive surveillance drone the Manta trolls along the ocean floor, sucking plankton into it's covetous maw. Massive beasts, those Manta. They easily clear my armspan in width. They glide along with a speed and fluid grace that I was able to pace from the surface, yet still lack the confidence to pursue at depth.
I'm swimming through a cloud of creatures that never bothered to develop opacity. Globular forms that express motility by slowly contracting a portion before rapidly expanding, thus pushing through the ocean medium. They appear as transparant jellyfish that lack the tell tale tendrils yet still produce a mild sting upon contact. Others in this volume include a translucent sort of filament with interior opaque nodes and a jellyfish proper, orange in color. I made my way to board the boat but as I grabbed the ladder the captain kicked the rig into high gear. Impossible to climb against the drag, just cling tight and dip your face into the rushing wake. Nice to be towed while snorkeling.
Final stop was a disappointment. Water was cloudy, coral was derelict, and snorkel tube keep filling with saltwater. This is common but a functional tube can be cleared with a powerful exhalation. Not so much with this one. I hate getting a mouthful of seawater whilst trying to breathe. At least the fish put on a good show. Scores of swarming squigglies and a few bigguns to boot.
Exhaustion sets in. Back to Labuan Bajo and rest. Later, a new years party is planned at Michael's residence. Tomorrow, Alexy and I rise early. We've agreed to journey together again, this time by ferry and by car through Sumbawa, Lombok, and Bali further west.
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