Hergen's background includes seven years in public safety as a firefighter, first responder, and public safety diver. After suffering from “white wall fever” at a Biotech company, Hergen moved to the Caribbean to start a career in diving. While living in St. Croix he became a USCG licensed Captain and Operations Manager for a top rated dive operator. In 2006 Kerri and Hergen moved to Indonesia, becoming the Cruise Directors for Kararu Dive Voyages. For the next three years they lead cruises across the Indonesian Archipelago through Bali, Komodo, Alor, the Banda Sea, Ambon, Raja Ampat, and Fak-Fak. “For us, Indonesia is one of the last diving frontiers. Lembeh is one of the flagship regions, and critters@lembeh is one of the pioneers. It is our pleasure to work with the incredibly experienced critters@lembeh dive team.” Herg & Kerri

STEVE FISH- UW PHOTO-PRO

Steve Fish (yes, his name really is Fish) is a professional photographer, filmmaker and author with over 37 years of diving experience. Since 1993 he has worked full time at dive resorts and on liveaboard dive boats around the world as UW Photo/Video Pro in residence. His photos have appeared in magazines and books around the world. His UW video footage has been used in broadcast projects on 3 continents. He is the author of four recent books; two on UW Video and Editing techniques and two on Underwater Digital Photography. Steve teaches a variety of courses on Underwater Photography and Underwater Videography.

RONALD SARANTE
19 November 1973
Born in village of Madidir in city of Bitung
Married, one daughter

Senior Dive Guide

Before learning to dive, Ronald worked at a local hardware store and on a fishing boat. Ronald was in Larry Smith's second class of dive guide trainees in 1995 where he achieved Rescue Diver level of certification. Ronald was trained to dive NITROX in 2005 with us at critters@lembeh.

Paman has more than 6,500 dives in Lembeh Strait and his favorite dive site is HairBall. Most of all, Ronald loves to show guests Hairy Frog Fish. He enjoys learning more about different fish and critters; their habitat and symbiotic relationships with other critters.

Favorite Dive Story:
I was diving at Madidir with two guests. At 18 meters I saw a pair of Frog fish. After 10 years diving in Lembeh Strait, I never saw this type of Frog fish. When I first saw them I was 'kaget' (totally excited). I stayed for 30 minutes looking at the frog fish with the guests and we were yelling and screaming! The guests knew I was very happy. When I got back on the dive boat I called Andy (my fellow guide) and asked him to check the book for this type of Frog fish in the books. Andy said yes, it is in the book. However, when I returned to the dive shop, I check myself and said that it maybe different. Then we went again the next day to check. Now we are waiting to see if it is a new species. I would love to have a Frog fish named after me!"

ANDI ABDAL
Born 12 March 1980 in village of Pinrang, South Sulawesi

Senior Dive Guide / Guest Relations

Andi started his diving career in NE Kalimantan as a compressor attendant at Derawan Dive Resort. He started diving for fun in between filling cylinders and was trained to Rescue Diver by Tetsuya Kobayashi. Because he wanted to learn English and Japanese, Andi gravitated toward the dive guides. He became a full time dive guide mid way through 2000 and now has nearly 5,000 total dives!

In May 2004, Andi worked for a short stint aboard the Ciska diving Bali and Komodo. He then turned his sights toward North Sulawesi and began working for Lembeh Divers in September of that year. Andi knows his critters and has a passion for showing guests the wonderful treasures of Lembeh Strait. Most evenings Andi joins guests for dinner as his enthusiasm for talking about diving is unparalleled.

Favorite Dive Story
Andi's favorite dive was actually his very first open water dive. He did a discover dive with Derawan's senior dive master to 4 or 5 meters in front of the resort jetty. He couldn't believe his eyes…turtles, school of jack fish, beautiful coral. Andi was hooked from that moment!

Also on Andi's all time favorite dives is a pre sunrise dive at Derawan witness to Gold Specs Jaw fish releasing eggs from it's mouth. " It was wonderful…waking up early, excitement building with anticipation, and I would feel great all day." Jaw fish typically release their eggs twice per year during full moon. Andi would do this dive every morning during full moon checking to see if his timing was right. Andi has become an "expert" at finding jawfish with eggs and loves to show our guests here at Lembeh Resort this incredible marine behavior.

ABNER MANGOLE
Born April 1977 in Alo, Talaud - North Sulawesi
Married with two daughter.

Senior Dive Guide / Guide Supervisor

In 1998, Larry Smith trained Abner as Open Water and Advanced Diver where he was previously one of Larry's boat boys. He earned Rescue Diver status in April 2004 from Adam Caris and NITROX certification from Bruce Moore in February 2005. Now with over 7,000 total dives (all but 300 in Lembeh Strait), Abner is keen to show divers the critters they desire most.

Abner likes being a dive guide in Lembeh because of the variety of diving. He loves muck diving and critter hunting, "but there is also beautiful reefs and coral in this area as well. The behavior we see in Lembeh Strait is amazing!" Abner most enjoys taking divers to the dive site TK II. "It's great muck diving, always calm and good for photographers. Because it has a large shallow area and gentle slope to deep water, there is always great things to find including the Wonderpus!"

Favorite Dive Story:
When asked about Abner's favorite all time dive, without hesitation it was a night dive on dive site JAHIR. A Peacock Flounder aggressively went after a Long Arm octopus for dinner. They struggled for a while until the flounder ate the octopus. However the octopus arms were sticking out of the flounder's gulls. Eventually, they both died!

VADLY MAKASIGHE, Nick name "OPO SEDANG"
Born 12 July 1982 in Pintu Kota, Lembeh Island
Married with one son & one daughter.

Senior Dive Guide

Opo started work for Lembeh divers in 2003 as a deckhand. He progressed quickly and was soon working as a boat captain. In 2004 he started to dive and he quickly received the advanced diver qualification. Three years and almost 2000 dives later he became a rescue diver. Opo now has over 5,000 dives!
Opo loves to dive in the strait and he is very curious of where the different fish and critters live. By observing fish behavior during dives and by speaking to more experienced friends he has learned where the different critter and fish lives. He is amazed by the diversity of “homes” that the different organisms are occupying.
His favorite dive sites are Aw Shucks, Hairball, TK2, TK3, Jahir, Nudifalls and Pantai Parigi because on these dive sites he always finds small and large critters such as sea horses, cuttlefish, various octopus species, crustaceans, frogfish, ghost pipefish and many others.

JULIA SANGI "JULS"
Born at Tomohon, 27 July 1983
Married with one son

Dive Center Office Supervisor

In 2001, Julia started working in the tourism industry at a dive resort on Bunaken Island as a waitress and guest services. She then worked for Murex Manado as office staff for two years. Julia joined Lembeh Divers in 2005 as office supervisor.
�I love this work because can learn how to service guest and can organized everything for them. I also can meet new people from all over the world and learn new languages and cultures. Oh yes, and I love diving!�.

Sometimes Julia also guides the Mandarin dive or House Reef and she is a terrific spotter. Juls earned her OW certification in 2006 and now already has 560 dives. She is currently working on her Advanced Certification & Nitrox Certification. Also, for the past two years, Julia passed Lembeh Divers version of a Rescue Course.

Juls�s Favorite Dive Story: I was diving the house reef with guests trying to find some cool critters for the photographers. Then I saw a pair of eyes from a distance and swam slowly. It was a wonderpus! I was so excited and started to scream in the water and called for everyone to come and see what I found!�

YANTI RANGINGISAN
Born at Manado, 4 September 1981
Married �with one son & one baby boy

Dive Center Accounting

Yanti is a 2003 Accounting Graduated at UNKLAB University in Armadidi. After her job training, she began work with in Bitung for PT. Sulawesi Fishing Venture. Yanti joined critters@lembeh in July 2007; she is very professional on her job and sometimes covers dive center administration work. She�s tried diving for couple times and really loves it!

Catherine “Dimpy” Jacobs
Staff marine biologist for critters@lembeh

Catherine “Dimpy” Jacobs - staff marine biologist for critters@lembehCatherine “Dimpy” Jacobs earned her degree in Marine Science from UNSRAT, here in Manado, in 2006. Dimpy started at critters@lembeh as an Open Water Student and now has her Divemaster Certification and over 1500 logged dives in Lembeh Strait. She was instrumental in helping build what would later become our extremely successful “House Reef Project”. Dimpy is the critters@lembeh in-house marine biologist, maintaining the house reefs Bio-Rock and Reef Balls, managing our volunteer program, and helping guests with any “critter questions” they may have. In addition, she also updates our website, facebook, and critter-logs. “I am glad to be here and to have the ability to share my experience with you on your next visit to critters@lembeh!” - Dimpy