Raja Ampat Reloaded – Part 3
This is the third and final installment from the Ferraris about their recent adventure in Raja Ampat.
Seriously, as a dive travel destination goes, Raja Ampat has few equals in the world – spectacular marine life (all sorts of stuff including carpet sharks, mantas, dolphins, rare and exceptionally colourful flasher wrasses and even four different species of pygmy seahorses – bargibanti, denise and two undescribed ones, possibly pontohi and colemani), incredibly scenic topside views, unique land wildlife (sulphur-crested cockatoos, Eclectus parrots, cassowaries, cuscus – a cuddly, small, tree-dwelling marsupial - and two birds of paradise!), colourful, spirited and very friendly local people, and finally, a good all-year round tropical climate.
Occasionally, currents can be extremely strong and visibility less than optimal, but these are (however bothersome to underwater photographers) guarantees of a healthy, vital environment. No wonder all who can afford it are flocking there (well, flocking might be a big word – Raja Ampat currently gets less than 500 visitors a year), even if it’s a long, tortuous and occasionally unpredictable route: from Manado onward, you are advised to expect sudden flight cancellations and the like. But it’s all part of the game – after all, Raja Ampat wouldn’t be the same without the unexpected, would it?
The Place and What to Expect
Raja Ampat (meaning “The Four Kings”) refers to four large jungle-clad islands (Batanta, Waigeo, Misool and Salawati) which are part of a 600-island-and-islet archipelago west of the Vogelskop or Bird’s Head Peninsula in West Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya (this is the half of Papua New Guinea politically belonging to Indonesia today).
Culturally and historically rather similar to the Malukus (or Moluccas), the islands of Raja Ampat were ruled in the 15th century by the Sultanate of Tidore, originating from Halmahera in the Malukus, and offer today unsurpassed topside scenic beauty, crystal-clear water and an unbelievable richness of marine life. The region can be easily reached with a short turboprop or jet flight by local airlines from Manado to Sorong, the harbour town from which transfer boats leave to Kri Eco Resort and Sorido Bay Resort.
English is spoken almost everywhere. All necessary documents, flight reconfirmations and travel permits are obtained for visiting divers by the local staff of Papua Diving in Sorong and handed to you in Manado – remember however, flight delays and cancellations are always possible due to a variety of reasons, so be prepared for occasional hassles. When in Manado, consider staying overnight at Tasik Ria. Besides their beautiful swimming pool, they’ve now got a lovely new spa offering free jet-lag massages!
While camera and video facilities in Kri Eco Resort are rather basic, Sorido Bay Resort is exceptionally well-geared toward professional photographers and videographers, offering communal freshwater rinse tubs on the jetty, Apple computer stations in a dedicated air-conditioned camera room by the library and recharging power banks in every bungalow. Bali-built fibreglass dive boats are very comfortable, sturdy and fast, being equipped with oxygen and a very welcome canvas roof. Nitrox is available in both Sorido and Kri. Electricity is 220V, available 24 hours a day.
Cerebral malaria is present in the area – especially if you go for land excursions in the forest – so always remember to obtain recently updated, reliable medical information and don’t underestimate the danger posed by this deadly mosquito-borne illness. When we go there, we take our Malarone pills regularly and never have a problem. Be advised that given the owner’s religious beliefs – Max Ammer is a Seventh Day Adventist – Saturdays are strictly observed holidays with no guided diving until 7:00pm.
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane!
Raja Ampat offers exceptional opportunities for bird watching and WWII wreck hunting, two activities which can often become as obsessively absorbing as diving itself. Spectacular bird species encountered in the area include the common sulphur-crested cockatoo, the large flightless cassowary, huge sea eagles, shockingly colourful Eclectus parrots and naturally the incredible Wilson’s and red bird of paradise (Paradisea rubra), endemic to Waigeo and Batanta and reliably sighted if trekking with the local guides to a few protected sites in the forest (but be warned – you’ll have to wake up at 4:00am on Saturday morning!).
If wrecks are your cup of tea instead, you’ll go nuts over the incredibly well-preserved P-47D Thunderbolt “Razorback” lying on its back in 20 metres of water off the Wai island reef. This US Air Force single-engine fighter-bomber was one of seven (“Tubby Flight” of 311th Fighter Squadron) which took off from Noemfoor Island on a bombing and strafing mission to Ambon Harbor and subsequently ditched in the area on 21 October 1944 after having run out of fuel.
The plane is in perfect shape with only a nicked propeller blade and all dashboard instruments and wing armament intact – a moving and fascinating testimony to the young pilots, both American and Japanese, who flew, fought and died above the sea in this area during the Second World War.
Literally hundreds of other occasionally well-preserved wrecks – boats, tanks, airplanes - can be seen in the region, but most require special trips: Max however is a wreck aficionado (WWII relics were in fact the main reason he relocated from his native Holland to Raja Ampat almost twenty years ago) and will be happy to show you his collection of incredible photographs and artifacts – including rusty but still live bullets, airplane maintenance hatches, bomb-aiming devices and even a couple of hefty Browning machine guns!
