DiveZone: Exploring Lombok’s Hammerhead Magnet South Lombok’s burgeoning scuba scene provides that rarest of pleasures – diving with hammerhead sharks
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hink of Lombok diving and the well established dive spots of the fabled Gili Islands immediately spring to mind. There is still top diving to be had in the Gilis despite the ever expanding crowds, but they are by no means the only show in town. Divers with a hunger for something different head southwest to Sekotong and the up and coming ‘Secret Gilis,’ or Belongas Bay on the south coast. The latter offers the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with the majestic hammerhead shark. A first glimpse of a hammerhead shark in the flesh is an out of the ordinary experience. They use their quirky-shaped
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head as the main tool for hunting, with eyes on either end of their head. It affords them a near-360 degree line of sight to find prey. They also have several sensors along the head that transmits electrical charges as an aid to seek out their next meal – these sharks are carnivores with a particular liking for stingrays. Lombok’s hammerheads can grow to six metres in length and have a life expectancy of about 30 years. An up close and personal experience with hammerhead sharks is one of scuba diving’s great pleasures; a solitary hammerhead is a mighty impressive sight, but a large school swarming around you – as is likely in Lombok during the season - is a breathtaking experience.