And the second part of the final Raja Ampat Liveaboard Trip Report of the season! (Read Part one Here…)
It is day 4 in Raja Ampat and the morning sun wakes up and we rise to the idyllic Keruo Islands. Minutes after jumping in and the gang become aware of one thing. Keruo Channel is the loveliest place on earth (or as Prue would say “bloody sick”). Glossy and fluffy fans litter the bottom ridge, some 3m wide, while fish dance like fireworks off the walls edge. Look up and you can make out the trees sprouting from the island above; get a little shallower and explore the shimmering hard corals and the thousands of damsels that wiggle themselves in and amongst them. Denise’s pygmy seahorses cling to their gorgonians whilst one of the groups set their eyes upon a Wobbegong shark. Life is good.
The second jump is at Batu Rufus (aka Rufus Rock) and boy does RUFUS ROCK today. “Watch your depth guys” warns Pit and “keep your eyes out for something in the blue.” All wise words as Raja once again blasts us away with 25m visibility, a vertical drop-off and black tips cruising around beneath. To finish off the dive we meet a shallow coral window highlighted by several large orange and red sea fans. The silhouettes of a shoal of batfish stand stark against the azure blue water. We skim past them through this heavenly swim through and into a pristine blue lagoon. WOAH!
We get dry, take some lunch and relax. Interrupting a game of worms is an endearing island shaped like a snail and it appears that this is our next dive site, right in the heart of Penemu.
Our dive briefing for ‘Melissa’s garden’ creates an array of puns that have us laughing above water. The smile stays put on everyone’s face as we descend below to a 25m view of fish orchestra. Down scoop the fusiliers from the major high to the minor low as the trevally attack with a rhythmic thump. Surgeon fish block the paths of the divers whilst the Barracudas create a silence within the reef. Once you have mange to pass the fish blockades the damsels, basslets and anthias break out into chorus in the blue. A lonely trumpet fish glides through, just doing his thing.
A quote from Sir Martyn, the trip leader.
“That was the best dive of the season.” Boom!
Pleasant surprise is described by Prue as ‘surprising’ indeed. It is a rare site to visit and only two of the crew have ever been diving here. What a charm! As ever we are laughing before we have entered the water thanks to a quirky dive map and site briefing. This time the sun is setting just as we take a dip, silhouetting our much loved Jaya. The bright sandy colours of a Wobbegong stand out in the torchlight, as do the bright red eyes of an anemone collector crab. Bobtail squid shine the colour of oil on water beneath the torchlight of some of the groups whilst others are captivated by the weird and wonderful orang-utan crab.
Not known for amazing visibility, today Raja Ampat has delivered above and beyond expectations of all guests and crew alike. Our souls exhausted but content, it is an early night for all, ready to wake to a perfect sunrise in perfect paradise all over again. Finishing the day, we are surrounded by the sound of birds from the jungle and nothing else. We have been travelling east and rest on the tip of one of Raja Ampats larger Islands called Pulau Gam.
Day 5 begins around Gam at citrus ridge. With the visibility still mind blowing we drift along the fluffy orange wall along with tens of schooling barracuda. A turtle takes a fancy to Ronny playing around him for a few minutes making his dreams of swimming with turtles come true. Other groups stop to check out the sleeping Wobbegong shark and just sit back and admire the sheer beauty of the idyllic lagoon.
Mantas were the afternoon priority and Manta Sandy delivered on all accounts. Descending upon the sandy slope we were immediately swooped upon by a large majestic black manta before it idled off into the blue. Other mantas cruised by giving each guests a wave before settling upon the cleaning station to begin the afternoon clean. In awe, we kneel eagerly watching the harmonious creatures laze about the bommie with its hungry moon wrasse close by. Sabrina and Kate can now tick their box of a close proximity, personal manta ray encounter. Well done team.
Having just seen the friendly giants, we pay a visit to the Barefoot Conservationists on the lovely Arborek island. Taking our first steps on land in 6 days, we learn about the mantas before taking a sunset stroll around the sandy shores.
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The rugged cliffs of Pulau Kri meet us on our final morning. They drop into the turquoise lagoon before forming at the very tip and underwater ridge known as Cape Kri. A haven for divers and hunting fish alike we drop in at breakfast time. Tuna’s, Giant Travally, Spanish Mackerel and barracuda frenzy over the scuttling fusiliers. Steve’s group were circled by a grey reef out at the split and Pits group saw one cruise by later on whilst the shallowing groups play amongst the humpheads, harlequin sweetlip, napoleon wrasse and chunky black tips reef sharks near the glistening surface. Martyn’s keen eye locks onto an extremely rare Pontohi Pygmy seahorse hiding amongst the corals, whilst Prue and Pits group get some Wobbegong action.
Walking Shark Reef lives up to its name with every diver on board spotting the endemic, one and only, Raja Ampat Epilate Walking Shark. What a way to finish! If that doesn’t signal party time than what does.
A relaxed journey back to Sorong sees everyone smiling, exchanging emails and checking out their pictures from the fabulous week they have just shared together.
A big thank you to Prue and Becs for writing this awesome blog and providing the photos with it. Also a big thank you to Sharon and Ianni for providing manta ID-shots. It has been an incredible last trip of the season. Thank you so much for coming with us! We hope to see you all again one day, maybe in Komodo?!
