Guess what we saw ???

On the 5 May 2007, afternoon dive only one boat from SWV Resort went to Sipadan with 4 divers and 2 snorkellers. On the way back to Mabul, with the flat sea surface, can clearly see there are one flaoting things on the sea surface........ wonder what is the flaoting creature? Whale shark? Manta? Get closser...........

Its a fish with very big body size and big eyes...........its SUNFISH (Mola mola)!! Unbelieveable!

Then everyone jumped into the open ocean snorkeling to see the most rare creature that can be see here compare to whale shark or dolphin. The body length of the Ocean Sunfish its about 3 m. Its known as the largest bony fish in the world (whale sharks are cartilaginous) in the family of Molidae belongs to the order of Tetraodoniformes. Sunfishes found in all ocean in tropical and temperate water, but prefer open ocean.

The charecteristic of the body is unique, large and flattened body with scaleless but tough and leathery thick skin. They seem like no caudal fin at all, but with a long anal and doral fin look like paddles. Body color silvery to brownish grey.

The behaviour of the Sunfish surface its known to clean the parasite on the body. They often drift on the surface while lying on side or swimming upright close to the surface. Then we can see them at the shallow water, because after that they will swim down to deep water more than 300 m.

There are many names for sunfish (English), Mondfisch (German for moonfish) Manbow or Manbo (Japan), Poisson lune (France), Putol (Philippines - Visaya for "cut off"), Toppled car fish (Taiwan), Bezador or Pez luna (Spain), Makua (Hawaii).

Who is the super lucky Divemaster saw the Mola mola ? ? ? ?

After 12 years working in Mabul this is the 1st time saw Sunfish.

No mistaken.......must be him................

Lets me introduce to you.....

ALLAN SAN