LaRascasse(lionfish) Sept 1st to 6th 2010
we were flying in circles for half an hour due heavy rain over Manado airport, finally it cleared and we came in for a landing. journey to the resort took about 35 mins, slightly shorter than to Sedona resort. a smallish sort of resort with a mini zoo (beware of the simian who can leap past the barricade) and for tennis diehards, you are in luck!! a tower above the dining hall for a splendid view of the sunset..
a short walk to anywhere, dining, room or the dc. and you will not miss any world sporting events-- room comes with Astrovision, the satellite dish just outside your room. if you have kids already, no worries mate! if not maybe lead underwear!! just a thought.
we got room 203, can get internet from the dining hall! if not then its avail at the dining hall. room was small by any standard but there is a fridge but no water boiling facility. the varendah has plenty of drying space. the view from our room was scenic. air-cond. first resort i have been to that gave a toothbrush and paste!! full sized Lux soap haven't seen that in a while,wow...plenty of powerpoints to charge everything.
quickly set-up my camera--Olym pen--first time getting it wet! excitement beginning to mount. met our DM-Simeon. short brief then splash into the house reef. muck diving...at its best. so many nudis and candy crab. my smile is showing thru my mask. this is the Manado that i love.
water was clear surprising as it was after a heavy downpour. temp was pleasant. and we saw so many things in just 45 minutes. the boat men here at La Rascasse reverse park their boats due to space constraint. quite a treat in itself.
we were then treated to another surprise--dinner was delicious! grouper steamed to perfection, kailan stir-fried and tow foo so silky it slipped passed the tongue. an important note here...the cook has to be told if you want a halal meal way in advance. and oh the soursop drink is very shiok! and if you like chili like me but sweat a lot? beware the house concoction, it is nuclear in strength. at this time your lunch request is taken (and if you are going to Lembeh, b'fast order as well cuz the transport is at 0700 hrs).
the day ended perfectly--whisper quiet air-cond, temp control worked and sleep followed immediately.
day 2 started at 0700 with breakfast, 2 eggs half boiled, oh i am so happy...toasts with pineapple jam completed the start to a good day. coffee is a 3-in-1 affair, Nescafe brand no less. coffee is avail on the boat as well.
the boat is spacious--i am very particular about an overcrowded boat--and a toilet is avail. the aftermath is errr well pumped into the sea. you have been warned! we went to Batas Kota, where there was an abundance of shrimps and crabs. the calm sea made for an enjoyable dive,having braved the rough seas of Pulau Weh, this was easy peasy.lunch was good after 2 dives. hot coffee washed down our nutritious meal. hmm my wife and i made a comment that we have seen these lunch boxes before...dejavu! dinner was another delicious experience. and we awaited tomorrow--Lembeh Straits!
Day3--started with a stop at Saroja (what ever you forget, do not forget to ask them to pack lunch for you at Saroja)--a roadside restaurant in downtown Manado where the que was so long, they ahd a guy who stopped traffic so customers could cross the road--at a price! the journey took 2 hours, the road was narrow and the traffic was heavy. the boat was wating at a fishing boat jetty--can you smell it?--yes the pong was quite bad and it was only 1000 hrs. anchovies, mackerel and yellow fin tuna was hauled out of the bellies of these boats and left on white tiled floors for auctioning. no sharks though (phew, that was close). it was quite a balancing act getting into our boat, because the deck of the boat was 3 feet before the pier. the boat is way smaller than the one at the resort,low headroom. no pail to dip your camera. plenty of drinking water and hot water. if you have to go to the toilet, there are a few at the fish market, and they have water to wash before you board the transport back at the end of your boat ride. they brought everything including food from La Rascasse and if you forgot something it will be an unpleasant dive!! then the packed lunch from Saroja--if i told you i have eaten better nasi kuning, i would be lying. it was heavenly, eating this on a rocking boat under the shade of a tree--perfect! we did Nudis Retreat, Nudis Falls. this was a totally new dive experience where we dived in calm waters and with a small cave full of life and crytal clear waters. i like cardinals and t was a real treat for me to get up cloce to them and in clear waters as well. and banded pipefish. we also got to see the resorts at Lembeh and the price that they commanded. hmm another chance for a diving trip there? but very desolate. funny to see our boat moored to a tree above us! i think the unique thing about lembeh is the crytal clear waters at Nudis Falls and the caves carved by the waves in the sandstone, not even Bunaken has that. as said earlier, you can wash up a bit before the trip bask to La Rascasse at the fish market toilets. better than sitting in your salt watered attire. and believe me, its a loooooooooooong ride home.
had a very interesting and lively conversation with the owner of La Rascasse, the choice of lionfish--did you know they are edible? especially in south of france? we were practically neighbours during the 1980's in singapore but we did not know. anyways, if you stay here and he is in his villa, pop by and chit chat, very friendly guy. he will tell you the humble beginnings of La Rascasse. and its relationship with Minahasa Divers (Sedona Resort).
Oh yes, beer is sold outside and the best time to buy is when you arrive from the airport or back from Lembeh cuz there is a fridge in the room? Pocari is especially cheap here..S$1/-. i was very tempted by the fish BBQ stalls outside and the crowds that came to buy them, so i bought one mackerel at 15,000 Rp but was thoroughly disappointed, very dry and the coconut husk and shell used to barbeque them was overpowering in the flesh of the fish. but something to try if so inclined. the are 3 big restaurants by the roadside within 5 mins walk, but i did not try. looks well patronised at night.
TO BE CONTD
