Freediving Gorontalo

Nicholas Kouvaras · Issue 130, Jan/Feb 2023 · pp. 37–42

Products mentioned: Olympus OM-D E-M5 mark III, Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO Lens, Nauticam housing, 4.33'' Dome port, Orca Torch D900V

Gorontalo lies on the northern peninsula of Sulawesi, also known as the Minahasa Peninsula. It can be reached by plane directly or through Makassar. In the old times it was known for its port and had been the centre for the spread of Islam in Eastern Indonesia, dating back to the pre-colonial era. The Province of Gorontalo has approximately 1.200.000 inhabitants 98% of them muslim and 90% belonging to the Gorontalean tribe. One of the biggest in Indonesia. For the diving community it is known for the Whale Sharks and the Salvador Dali Corals in the Olele Marine Park. Just 30 minutes drive from the city of Gorontalo in the area of Botubarani there is a shrimp processing factory. The waste of the factory, shrimp heads, has attracted whale sharks even before they became an attraction for local and foreign tourists. As our guide said: “Whale sharks eat little lobsters”. Meaning the shrimps :…