The Glittering Reefs of Sulawesi

 

The Glittering Reefs of Sulawesi

BBC Worldwide

Set in the tropical waters surrounding the exotic island of Sulawesi this film explores the underwater world of Indonesia.

Coral walls plunge dramatically 3000 feet into the abyss, caves and caverns hang with masses of coral, and fish of every colour and shape dance over the reef in a dazzling rainbow. Undulating schools of catfish move along the reef like tormented ghosts, large shoals of batfish glide through the water like a rippling curtain of light and garden eels sway in synchrony in the current.

The film also gives a tantalising glimpse at life above the waves. Stilted houses perch precariously above the sea in mangrove swamps and the fishermen that live there still use traditional fishing methods including a bizarre technique called ‘kite fishing’ – a kite made from a large leaf is flown in the air to hold a lure (made from a spider web!) at the surface of the water to capture fish.