Nestled at the foothills of Mount Agung, Tulamben rests on a seabed of volcanic ash that lends its reefs an otherworldly texture. In August 2023 and again in September 2024, this once pandemic‑quiet spot blossomed into a hive of underwater photographers. Early morning dives reveal the famous USAT Liberty wreck, now draped in soft corals and patrolled by ghostly lionfish. Often dubbed the “Nudibranch Capital of the World,” Tulamben’s ash slopes and wreckage host hundreds of nudibranch species. This super‑macro playground brought minute wonders into crisp focus—Elysia, Hypselodoris, Costasiella—each barely a centimeter long, their cerata like living confetti (thankfully, my stronger contact lenses finally kept them sharp!). Those trips also marked my first mirrorless rig dive and the switch to positively buoyant Nauticam housing. Tulamben didn’t just welcome me back to diving—it witnessed a personal paradigm shift in my gear, vision, and passion beneath the waves.
