• Photo by Rantje Allen

  • Photo by William Tan

  • Photo by Rantje Allen

  • Photo by William Tan

  • Photo by Rantje Allen

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Monthly Archives: November 2018

Dive Season in Gorontalo

Dive Season in Gorontalo runs from November to April. During this time, seas are typically calm and blue. Light afternoon showers make for enjoyable, balmy nights.

Surprising Discovery

Before Miguel’s Diving opened diving in Gorontalo in 2003

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, no one knew the dive season here. In fact, no others were diving in Gorontalo prior to that. The common assumption was that the dive season in Gorontalo would be the same as its nearest neighbors, Bunaken National Park in Manado and the Togean Islands. The distance to Manado is about 400 km. The ferry trip to the nearby Togeans lasts one night.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, diving season in Gorontalo is quite different. Its discovery marked the conclusion of two years’ survey work conducted by Miguel’s Diving staff.

Wind Direction not Rain

Conventional wisdom also says that off season for diving should be during rainy season. And, that dive season should be during dry season. In Gorontalo’s case, the opposite is true. The key factor is wind direction not precipitation.

dive season
Surface interval during dive season

When the northwest monsoons descend on Southeast Asia

, Sulawesi Island is affected. The winds that bring rain hit two lines of mountains before they reach the sites where Miguel’s Diving takes guests. As a result, the seas along Gorontalo’s southern shoreline are calm. Rain rarely hits the entire area. The usual time for showers is three o’clock in the afternoon when rising temperatures gather moisture. Gorontalo City on average receives half the annual rainfall as Manado, which faces north and into the rains.

However, when the dry winds from Australia hit Sulawesi, Gorontalo’s southern coastline is exposed. Seas adjacent to Miguel’s Diving dive sites plunge to over four kilometers. With no islands or barrier reefs, the coast is hit by wind-driven waves. Three to five meter waves are typical during dry season.

Dive Season in Gorontalo

Officially, dive season here runs from November to April. Miguel’s Diving opens for regular diving after the moon change in October. Regular diving ends by mid-May. After that, diving twice in the early morning can be possible. Oftentimes, seas are too rough to use speed boats. The worst sea conditions occur in August. At that time, perhaps only one dive is possible. Sites are limited to only one or two locations by beach entry.

Gorontalo’s dive sites are located in Tomini Bay. This large bay is split by the equator. Perhaps because of the closeness to the equator, Miguel’s Diving staff have observed the change in wind direction has not varied more than two weeks during the two decades of observation.

As a result, we recommend making a booking with us during regular diving season.

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