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Sabolin Kecil

📍 Komodo, Indonesia

Big Auger (Oxymeris maculata) - recorded at Sabolin Kecil

Sabolin Kecil is a dive site in Komodo, Indonesia. Currents typically run at 0.5 km/h and reach 0.9 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 28°C in February to 30°C in November. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.4 m. Species recorded in the area include Mushroom Coral Reticulida, Big Auger, Chocolate Chip Sea Star, Boring Giant Clam and Whitepatch Damsel.

Dive Conditions

💨
Current
0.5 km/h (0.9)
🌡️
Water Temp
28–30 °C

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Typical Current 0.5 km/h (up to 0.9)
Water Temperature 28–30 °C
Tidal Range 1.4 m (typical daily)
GPS -8.3904°, 119.8053°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024. Tidal range is the median daily range of modelled sea level from Open-Meteo Marine, hourly values 2024. Species observations from iNaturalist, checked against the World Register of Marine Species.

Conditions at Sabolin Kecil through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in November at about 30 °C and coolest in February at about 28 °C, a spread of 2.2 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Sabolin Kecil (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
28.4 28.2 28.8 29.5 29.9 29.2 28.7 28.3 28.4 29.3 30.4 29.6

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 0.5 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 0.9 km/h, which is when entries are normally timed to slack water at the turn of the tide.

The tide moves the water level by a median 1.4 m over a day, and by up to 1.8 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

In the open sea off Sabolin Kecil, the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 0.8 % of days between 2015 and 2024. The roughest month was January (5 % of days), the calmest April (0 %).

Share of days with waves above 1.5 m, open sea near Sabolin Kecil (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
511000000002

How Sabolin Kecil compares

These comparisons use only the measured values above, set against the 376 dive sites published on findadive.com. A percentage shows the share of other sites with a lower (or higher) value, so it reads the same way wherever the site is. Sabolin Kecil sits with its typical current in the bottom tenth and its peak current in the bottom tenth of all listed sites.

Sabolin Kecil compared with all listed sites and with Komodo
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Komodo
Mean water temperature29.1 °Ccooler than 72 % of the other 375 sites28.8 °C (68 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.2 °Cwarmer than 55 % of the other 375 sites27.9 °C (68 sites)
Typical current0.5 km/hweaker than 97 % of the other 375 sites1.2 km/h (68 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours0.9 km/hweaker than 98 % of the other 375 sites2.7 km/h (68 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.4 msmaller than 52 % of the other 375 sites1.5 m (68 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at -8.3904°, 119.8053°. Wave statistics from ERA5-Ocean via Open-Meteo Marine (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2015–2024), daily maximum wave height on a 0.5° grid; land shelter tested against Natural Earth coastlines.

Marine life recorded at this site

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist within about 12 km of these coordinates.

Mushroom Coral Reticulida (Reticulidia fungia)
Mushroom Coral Reticulida Reticulidia fungia A nudibranch with a flattened, oval body covered in small, rounded tubercles. Its colour is pale with a network of brown lines, resembling a mushroom coral.to 5 cm · 5-25 m · day and nightcoral reefs, often near its mushroom coral preyLook for it on or near mushroom corals (Fungiidae), which it feeds on, often on reef slopes or under ledges. (c) Bernard Picton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Big Auger (Oxymeris maculata)
Big Auger Oxymeris maculata no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Chocolate Chip Sea Star (Protoreaster nodosus)
Chocolate Chip Sea Star Protoreaster nodosus A sea star with a tan to brown body covered in dark, conical tubercles resembling chocolate chips.to 30 cm diameter · 0-30 m · day and nightsandy and seagrass areas, sometimes on reef flatsLook for its distinctive shape and pattern on open, soft substrates, often partially buried. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Boring Giant Clam (Tridacna crocea)
Boring Giant Clam Tridacna crocea A brightly coloured giant clam with a thick, heavy shell, often embedded in coral rock with only its colourful mantle visible.to 15 cm · 0-20 m · day and nightembedded in living coral or coral rockLook for a patch of intense blue, green or brown tissue flush with the reef surface; it retracts quickly if shaded. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Whitepatch Damsel (Dischistodus chrysopoecilus)
Whitepatch Damsel Dischistodus chrysopoecilus no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Pacific Trumpetfish (Aulostomus chinensis)
Pacific Trumpetfish Aulostomus chinensis A slender, elongated fish that often hovers vertically among branching corals or swims slowly, sometimes shadowing larger fish.to 80 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral reefs and seagrass bedsLook for its motionless vertical posture near coral heads, or watch for it swimming close behind large parrotfish or groupers. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Blackpatch Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus verrucosus)
Blackpatch Triggerfish Rhinecanthus verrucosus A triggerfish with a pale body, a dark patch behind the eye, and a network of blue lines on its face and fins.to 23 cm · 1-20 m · by daysandy and rubble areas near coral reefsOften hovers just above the bottom. It may retreat to a burrow if approached too quickly. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Blue Demoiselle (Chrysiptera cyanea)
Blue Demoiselle Chrysiptera cyanea A small, bright blue damselfish with a black spot at the base of the pectoral fin. Males have a yellow tail.to 8.5 cm · 1-18 m · by daycoral-rich areas of lagoons and outer reefsLook for it darting among branching corals, especially Acropora, where it feeds on plankton. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation