What Weird Creatures Live At Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida? BEST OCEAN ENCOUNTER OF MY LIFE!

[@helgo719]

Marvelous video once again! I loved it. That shot of the dolphin rising up to the surface was so good!!

[@barnydillarstone]

Thank you, sir!! Dolphin encounter was soooo cool. Super happy I managed to get some good footage of it as well. I've had some great encounters with dolphins before, but usually they're a little too far away or don't hang around long enough for me to get good video. I'll be heading back to this spot at some point though - lots of big stuff in the blue there (including a white shark in 2019!!). Are you preferring these vids or the shark cam ones?

[@helgo719]

Both types of videos are very cool I think. I'd prefer if you continued both kinds of videos. And there are still some species missing from your hitlist of your earlier videos, right? I couldn't really say what i would prefer if I had to chose between one of the two. I really like the narrated dives like in this video, but on the other hand the baitcages can attract those rare species like the thesher shark in one of your early videos, you know? Sorry, I know that's probably not very helpful.

[@barnydillarstone]

@@helgo719 yes, still hundreds of species missing from the hit list!! I've got another baited camera video coming out on Tuesday that I think you'll like. It's a bit longer and a bit of a different vibe to the other ones - I'd love your thoughts on it. I love dropping the baited cameras so definitely plan on still mixing up the videos!

[@helgo719]

@@barnydillarstone Alright! I’m looking forward to tuesday then!

[@VilleSSS]

Amazing content! This was really entertaining and well made. I can tell you put in effort with the editing. I have to ask though, have you modified the footage so the water looks better/more blue?

[@barnydillarstone]

Thank you - really appreciate the kind words. Urrm, a lot of the clips have been colour corrected to make the colour more true to what you'd see with your eyes (not excessively green, or blue). Some of the footage from the 360 cam gets colour graded in the camera, so it does tend to ramp the saturation up a bit and make everything look very vibrant. Crystal Bay is very impressive on a good day though, especially the shallower areas where it's brighter.

[@otome3072]

So envious！ love this video, very well made too 🎉🎉

[@barnydillarstone]

Thank you thank you!! You'll have to come back and we can dive together 🤞Did you see any of these critters in Tulamben/Amed?

[@otome3072]

Everything except the cool stuff on this video i.e. dolphins, frogfish, flounder, razorfish 😂😂 yes wanna go back to Bali n dive so bad 😭

[@barnydillarstone]

@@otome3072 haha I did get very lucky on these dives!! I'm off to Tulamben next week so brace yourself for a load of macro vids. Anything you want me to try and find?

[@otome3072]

@@barnydillarstoneyes! These r from my bucket list which I didn’t get to see -》 leaf sheep nudi, electric clam, harlequin shrimps, mimic/wunderpus, pom pom crab 😢

[@barnydillarstone]

@@otome3072 Oooo nice! I've just got back from a couple of dives and we found a few harlequins - video coming soon. Still working on the mimic/wunderpus 🔍

[@aquamatt4225]

Really epic to see a dive video where the filmmaker can actually dive! I've been working on Lembongan as an instructor here for the last few months and that seahorse is always there, he just chills by the sand

[@barnydillarstone]

Thanks, bro! Yeh, really do feel like there is a lack of good quality scuba vids out there without the shaky gopro footage etc 😂 Appreciate the support. Hope the seahorse is still about! How long are you on Lembongan for?

[@arya_wol6041]

Amazing video 👏👏👏

[@barnydillarstone]

Thanks, bro! Let's go diving soon?

[@paulschnadig8802]

Ahh Crystal Bay… the nostalgia. Not many divers in the water with you? What do you think caused the dolphin appearances? The content keeps getting better each video… keep evolving as a creator!

[@barnydillarstone]

Yep, just us in the water, and to be honest I think that's the reason why the dolphins were about. I imagine they probably go into the bay in the afternoon knowing there won't be many people around, and were probably quite surprised to see us!! I think they were feeding on the razorfish and flounders on the sand. Crossing fingers for some molas, wobbegongs, threshers (and a great white) over the next couple of months 👀 Thanks again for the support bro!!

[@lichtfang-photography]

I know the bay well. Haven't been there for a long time. What happened. Everything is missing. So many corals are missing and so little flora and fauna. I could cry for hours.

[@barnydillarstone]

A lot of the damage was caused by a flash flood a few years ago that caused the rivers to all burst their banks and flow into the bay. The reef on the south side was hit even harder I think, and is basically just covered in soft corals now. There are some efforts to restore the reef there, but the fact the dolphins still hang around in the bay means it can't be doing too poorly. Molas are still there in season, and there's been some awesome macro sightings recently (blue-ringed octopus, pygmy seahorse). I did see a video yesterday though of a hammerhead swimming around 12 years ago 👀 I would love to have dived it 100 years ago!! When were you here last?

[@lichtfang-photography]

@@barnydillarstone I was last there in 2022 and was shocked. The reef was much better in 2015. I have to search. But I should still have lots of photos. but I'll be there again in 10 days. :-)

[@barnydillarstone]

@@lichtfang-photography I'd love to see your old pics and videos! Are you over here for a while?

[@lichtfang-photography]

@@barnydillarstone send me an email. then i'll send you photos from there in 2015. i should also have videos.

[@weriguenz]

That seahorse you can find most of the time around 12 meters

[@barnydillarstone]

haha a few people have told me that! You work on Penida?

[@weriguenz]

@@barnydillarstone I dive a lot there, that's why I know