​My very best dive up until now was in October 2020 on the Liberty wreck in Bali, Indonesia. On his own a fairly know wreck that has been dived by many divers before me on that day. And many might not consider it, it's the best dive ever. But for me, it was that multiple events came together on the same morning which made it the best dive so far.

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The Liberty is a type of ship that was made for quick production to help in transport during the war. This particular ship was built at the beginning of the 20th century. It even crossed oceans during the first world war. It was only until the second one that it got shot by a Japanese submarine. A torpedo hit the rear and the Liberty started making water. Being towed by an American and Dutch vessel, they tried to get to the closest harbor in Java. They didn't make it and beached the ship in Tulamben. There it got looted quickly and left on the beach to rot.

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Much later, after the second world war, it became a dive site when Mt.Agung decided to erupt and causing the shipwreck to tumble off the beach and into the water. Resting just 7 meters below the water and its deepest point at 28 meters.

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The wreck now houses many species that people from all over the world want to take photos of. 

My dive was during the first corona lockdown in Bali. Diving was allowed but hanging around afterward wasn't. I went alone so that wasn't an issue. I woke up early, just before sunrise, and had my peaceful 25min drive towards the dive site from Amed. On the way, the prettiest cloud blanket was covering the volcano. Will I keep on driving the moon was still out and starting to reflect the red sunlight from the sunrise. It was nice and quiet, that peacefulness just before everybody would wake up kinda quiet. Things would get busy and chaotic in an hour or so like in any other Asian country when the sun comes up.

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Once at the dive site, I geared up and grabbed my camera. I walked down the pebble beach and the waves were nice and easy. I looked at the horizon and there was the neighboring island, Lombok, with its volcano, Mt. Rinjani, sticking out right next to the sunrise. Just below the surface, you had the most beautiful rays penetrating the waves.

 

I started my dive and got warned directly by a large male Green wrasse. It was flashing its sides at me and making itself big to show it meant business and didn't want me anywhere near its girlfriends. "What a start!" I was thinking will continuing my dive deeper toward the cargo room of the wreck. I had an insane view. The current was mild after providing fresh water from the deeper parts and the visibility was more than 40 meters! It started to linger on me that I was alone. A very rare event on the Liberty, otherwise the busiest dive site on Bali. I had a real blissful moment there when suddenly the bump head wrasse started passing by. They live in larger groups on the wreck during the night and leave in the morning to feed on the less crowded reefs. They weren't scared of this one lonely diver. I almost forgot to take photos since I was so relaxed with the whole event that was happening.

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A solid 80 minutes later I walked up the pebble beach again and got looked at weirdly by a park ranger. He didn't see me going in and was gazing far away while zipping on his Bali kopi he just made. Got a weird eyebrow while I waved at him at walked towards my scooter. Made me smile while I drove back towards Amed. On the way I got looked at more because I was still wearing my wetsuit while passing the busy crossroads where the market had started buzzing. It started to dawn on me, that this might be the best dive so far and I felt the happy hormones racing through my body.

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Once at the apartment again, my former girlfriend had turned on the shower. She heard me parking the scooter and made me very happy by telling me that the boiler had already warmed up the water. I stood under the shower to warm up after I'd taken off the cold and damp wetsuit. I felt amazing and then I knew whenever someone would ask "What's your best dive?" I could answer it with a genuine answer.

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This is my best dive (so far)!