Spice Islands & Raja Ampat

Transcription

1 VOYAGE NUMBER: 1016 > DEPARTING: 11 OCTOBER 2016 > ARRIVING: 23 OCTOBER 2016 > TOTAL DISTANCE STEAMED: 1571 NM Spice Islands & Raja Ampat CAPTAIN S VOYAGE LOG CORAL DISCOVERER Flag > Australia Master > Gary Wilson Mate Purser > Dan Prockter > Amy Tibbett Expedition Leader > Jamie Anderson Guest Lecturers > Mark Steadman Bruce Pohlmann

2 Introducing The Spice Islands & Raja Ampat > NATURE UNBLEMISHED Wayag Gam RAJA AMPAT Biak Misool Cenderawasih Bay SPICE ISLANDS Banda Island WEST PAPUA BANDA SEA ARAFURA SEA TIMOR SEA Darwin THE SPICE ISLANDS The Spice Islands are a small group of islands to the NorthEast of Indonesia, located between Celebes and New Guinea. Historically, they were known for being the largest producers of mace, nutmeg, cloves and pepper in the world. Now known as the Molucca Islands, their Indonesian name is the Maluku. Today, the Spice Islands, remain one of the most beautiful archipelagos in Indonesia. Exotic, isolated and untouched, this group of more than 1,000 islands is best explored by small expedition ship. Only now being discovered by tourism, guests to this pristine area will hike in the shadow of conical volcanoes, meet villages untouched by modern culture, and encounter an underwater ecosystem unmatched anywhere in the world. Visibility can range up to 60 metres underwater and divers enjoy meeting rare and interesting marine wildlife, such as the hairy squat lobster and enormous Napoleon wrasse. Exposure to outsiders is still a novelty to the local village children, who spend as much time on the water in their homemade boats as they do on land. Guests will see spices drying in traditional baskets on rooftops, and coconuts dried by smoking. RAJA AMPAT The Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat lies in the Coral Triangle, an area which stretches from The Phillipines to Tuam Island Timor to Papua New Guinea. Considered to be one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on earth, it boasts three quarters of the world s coral varieties. It is also known as the historical home of the work of Alfred Wallace, whose philosophy is considered by many to be of equal importance to Charles Darwin s theory of evolution. Raja Ampat is composed of four large islands, and hundreds of tiny islands off the western corner of Papua, together amassing over 1,500 islets. Marine diversity here is staggering, and scientists describe the area as a species factory. In one documented dive, a world record 374 fish species were spotted, including jackfish and batfish. On land, guests might expect to see a variety of lizards, snakes, tortoises and the elusive Red Bird of Paradise. Presently one of the world s most untouched ecosystems, Raja Ampat is nature in her finest moment. The best way to see this area is by ship, pulling into little inlets along the way, and disembarking to kayak, snorkel or dive. At present, this breathtaking area is explored by only the most intrepid travellers and diving enthusiasts.

3 DAY DAY LOCATION: BIAK WNW gentle breeze Smooth Low ENE Cloudy and hot Barometer 2hPa below seasonal ave in evening LOCATION: CENDERAWASIH BAY AND KWATISORE VILLAGE 1600 Guests board Coral Discoverer for start of voyage 2100 Pass through Selat Miosnum, then into Cenderawasih Bay Overnight passage towards Kwatisore We flew across the Arafura Sea on our way to West Papua, and on to Biak at the entrance to Cenderawasih Bay. We were met at the airport by the expedition team from the Coral Discoverer and loaded into the waiting buses which took us to an historic hotel for lunch. We were treated to an amazing cultural dance by the local Biak dancers while listening to traditional music. The buses then took us around Biak to the WWII cave system where over 3,000 Japanese Soldiers had died. The site was still littered with old weapons and munitions from the war. After cruising past the many sights and sounds of Biak, our bus took us to the harbour area, and our waiting ship, the Coral Discoverer. Captain Gary soon had us underway south into Cenderawasih Bay. We had our mandatory safety drill and our Purser, Amy, outlined emergency procedures before describing the day to day operations of the ship. Our Expedition Leader, Jamie, then introduced the expedition team which included his assistant, Mark, along with Guest Lecturer Bruce, and Dive Instructor James. Calm and light airs Smooth Low NE Hot and cloudy Barometer 2hPa below by evening 0730 View whale sharks aboard Zodiacs 1345 Visit to the village 1600 Water activities aboard the Zodiacs 1800 Masters Welcome Drinks Then it was downstairs to grab our mask, snorkel and fins before heading back upstairs for pre-dinner drinks and a chance to meet our fellow expeditioners. A beautiful seafood buffet greeted us in the dining room, prepared by our two very talented chefs, Patrick and Steve. This morning we all awoke early, excited about the chance to swim with one of the true ocean giants, the Whale Shark. It wasn t long before the announcement came that Whale Sharks had been seen at the local bagan with its lift-nets. We very quickly ate breakfast and prepared for our upcoming encounter with these magnificent marine creatures. At just after 0700 we were heading over to the bagan and were soon floating at the surface surrounded by six huge Whale Sharks slowly swimming around just below our fins. It was truly an awe-inspiring experience for everyone to see these gorgeous animals so close. After lunch we were off in the Xplorer to the nearby village of Kwatisore, situated at the base of the jungle-festooned mountains. The villagers welcomed us with a wonderful dance ceremony. There was a Birds of Paradise dance as well as a special dance by an amazing young boy who turned out to be the hero of the story. We had an opportunity to pose for photos with the dancers before excitedly looking up and down the rows of locally made arts and crafts many of us buying some beautiful pieces. We then had a guided tour around this amazing village, meeting some of the locals and photographing the children who followed us around practising their English. Once aboard the Coral Discoverer we grabbed our snorkel gear and headed out to the nearby coral reef for a quick look at the marine creatures. At 1800 Captain Gary welcomed us aboard with pre-dinner drinks up in the A Deck Lounge. A lovely dinner was followed by the BBC documentary, Whale Shark.

4 DAY LOCATION: CRUISING BIRD S HEAD PENINSULA Calm and light airs Becoming moderate head seas NW & Westerly low Cloudy throughout Barometer 2hPa low on seasonal average 0700 Memori to pass Mansinam and then NW & WNW along coast 1015 Crew and passengers practice safety drill 1200 Guests have lunch in the dining room 1500 Guest Lecturers and Dive Instructor presentations throughout the afternoon DAY LOCATION: WAYAG, RAJA AMPAT SSW gentle breeze Moderate Short westerly Cloudy and hot Barometer 2hPa low After a leisurely start to the morning our Guest Lecturer Bruce gave a great presentation on the history of the Papuan people. Our Indonesian guide, Oswald, then gave us an informative talk on phrases we can use in the Bahasa language. Lunch was served then Mark entertained us with his talk on coral reefs of Raja Ampat. Next, some of us watched a very interesting documentary titled, Equator, followed by Bruce giving his second lecture, An Introduction to Raja Ampat. James met with the SCUBA divers in the A Deck Lounge for a safety briefing, and before we knew it, it was time for pre-dinner drinks again. The spectacular limestone karst system that makes up Wayag was just incredible. After breakfast we were off in the Xplorer and Zodiacs to explore the inner channels of this maze of islands. In the Zodiacs we could get up close to the little islets and see the bird life and vegetation. Some purple, pink and white orchids were spotted, along with Feather Palms and Pandanus. Very interesting were the antplants and the tree ant nests where some of us tasted the acidic ants. We enjoyed a stop at a small protected beach for a swim and an exploration of the beautiful white sandy beach. This was a welcome stop, to cool down and relax after a morning of exploration. Cake and fruit was served up for morning tea. We eventually made our way back to the Coral Discoverer for a well earned lunch. Another fantastic meal was followed by the documentary Wild Indonesia Castaways. For many, this was a great day for relaxing, reading and a bit of education on the side. Next, the Xplorer departed taking snorkelers, divers and walkers to a nearby beach. The walkers climbed the steep slopes of the highest peak (Mt Pindito) with Jamie and Oswald to take some spectacular photos of the surrounding waterways of Wayag. Mark took some guests for an exploration of the local coral reef on the glass-bottomed boat Arrived at Wayag Lagoon 0920 Lagoon cruise aboard Zodiacs 1330 Water activities including glass bottom boat and kayaking 1740 Depart Wayag Lagoon Here we had some excellent views of a beautiful coral system with a rich mix of soft and hard corals. Another group made full use of the kayaks with Bruce to explore the local coastline. All too soon the sun was heading for the horizon so we packed up and headed back to the Coral Discoverer for pre-dinner drinks after a full day exploring this beautiful area. A lovely meal was followed by the documentary, Wild Indonesia Underwater World.

5 DAY DAY LOCATION: ALJUI BAY & PENEMU Veering fresh SE Moderate Low SE Partly cloudy and hot Barometer 3hPa LOCATION: YENSAWAI & HIDDEN BAY 0600 Xplorer to Equator monument 0700 Passage to Aljui Bay 0910 Water activities in Aljui Bay 1230 Head south to Pulau Penemu 1950 Pass Yensawai village It was an early start for many of us this morning as we boarded the Xplorer at Kawe Island for a cruise over the equator line at sunrise. We landed on a narrow beach at the foot of the equator monument, and as the early morning golden light bathed us, we were able to get some great photos. Then we headed back to Coral Discoverer as she travelled towards Waigeo Island for a chance to swim at one of the most pristine coral reef systems found anywhere Aljui Bay. Jamie and Oswald left in the Xplorer to meet with the locals and to ask permission to swim here. Once granted, the divers were quickly geared up and in the water, with the snorkelers just behind them. We were greeted with the most amazing sight: thousands of brightly coloured fish absolutely everywhere. It was hardly possible to look in any direction without seeing scores of fish of all colours. There was a great abundance of sponges, sea stars, feather stars, Christmas-tree worms and many more invertebrates. Some of us chose to have a Zodiac cruise with Jamie and Oswald, seeing many species of forest birds as well as many plants such as the carnivorous pitcher plant. As the divers eventually emerged amid exclamations of seeing manta rays (again), everyone agreed that the morning spent on this wondrous reef system would be unforgettable. By mid-afternoon we had steamed around to Pulau Penemu in the Fam Group. A gap in the jagged limestone coastline allowed us to enter a lagoon system and head over to a small hut occupied by some locals where Oswald paid our entrance fee. Xplorer then took us over to a small jetty where we landed below a lookout located on a high pinnacle above us. We had to negotiate 320 stairs to reach the peak, which gave stunning views of the surrounding limestone Karsts. The azure coloured waters were a sight to behold. At 1700 it was time to head back to the ship in order to ready ourselves for pre-dinner drinks. Tonight was succulent Roast Night, enjoyed by all, and followed by the documentary, Wild Indonesia Magical Forests. Calm with light SE breezes Smooth Negligible Partly cloudy, hot & humid Barometer Slightly low on average 0730 Zodiac excursions to creek and waterfall 0950 Board Xplorer to head to village tour 1445 Enter Sumlanjoko Bay 1800 Sunset drinks on sundeck After an early breakfast we left the Coral Discoverer in one of the three Zodiacs for a cruise along a mangrove-lined creek towards a waterfall. The mangrove trees were very tall and overhung the narrow waterway as we wound our way to a small jetty. From here it was a 10-minute walk through the rainforest to a lovely little waterfall where many of us dipped our feet to cool off. Once back aboard the ship there was time for a quick cup of tea before heading out again in Xplorer to a very colourful village called Yensawai. Here we were greeted with what seemed like hundreds of young children running around screaming and waving to us. They all had the biggest smiles. We took a walk around the village noting the school and all the houses painted in super bright colours. Once Jamie presented the Headmaster with our gifts of school supplies and soccer balls, we had a chance to buy some local handmade gifts. After lunch Mark gave another great lecture on coral reefs, this time on all the different underwater creatures to be seen while swimming. Then we all had a chance to snorkel, go kayaking or take a glass-bottomed boat tour around Hidden Bay. It was another beautiful spot surrounded by limestone karst. There were surprisingly many Crown-of-Thorn starfish seen at this reef system, our first we had seen. We learned, however, that they are a natural part of the reef ecosystem. We were also thrilled to see many little Nemos (clownfish) hanging about inside their protective anemone. After almost two hours in the water it was time to head back to the ship for sunset drinks up on the Sun Deck. Here we witnessed a beautiful sunset, the sky being lit up in gold, as we enjoyed our beers and bubbly, and good company. Following another great dinner, tonight s documentary was Bill Bailey s Jungle Hero Wallace in Borneo.

6 DAY DAY LOCATION: HIDDEN BAY & YENWAUPNOR Calm with light SE breezes Smooth Negligible Partly cloudy, hot & humid Barometer Slightly low on average LOCATION: YENWAUPNOR & MESEMTA 0745 Board Zodiacs for Wallace Passage 1045 Depart for Yenwaupnor 1330 Water activities aboard Zodiacs 1400 Depart for village aboard Xplorer This morning we were anchored in the beautiful Kaibui Bay site of the famous Wallace Passage. After breakfast about 25 of us decided to try a drift snorkel through this passage. The current was streaming through the narrow channel quite quickly so we all had to be careful we didn t get too close to the rock edges. There was certainly lots of colourful fish and corals to see, along with many large sea fans stretching out as far as they could into the current to catch passing food morsels. After an hour we were out the other end of the passage, a little tired but definitely glad we experienced this wonderful place. Before lunch, Bruce gave another interesting lecture, this time on Ethnicity and Religion of Raja Ampat. During lunch, Coral Discoverer cruised over to nearby Yenwaupnor village. Here some took the opportunity to go ashore and have a leisurely stroll around the village with Bruce and Oswald. Meanwhile the rest of us had a great snorkelling experience right off the wharf. Many reef fish species were seen along with lots of giant clams and colourful coral. Then, we had yet another highlight of the trip an amazing welcome to the village of Yenwaupnor. Calm, with SE breezes Smooth to slight Negligible Cloudy, hot & humid Barometer 1-2hPa 0645 Guests depart for early morning snorkelling trip 0815 Depart for Misool 1620 Approach Mesemta 1630 Guests board Xplorers for Mesemta 1730 Sunset drinks and BBQ onboard There were children dancing in the water as we walked down the jetty past the flute and drum band. There were adults and children both all painted up in traditional designs. The local band and dancers provided us with some excellent entertainment and eventually had most of the expeditioners up and dancing with them. We were made to feel very welcome as we relaxed and enjoyed afternoon refreshments with them. We were then led on conducted tours through the well laid out village. Eventually the sun was getting low so we headed back to the waiting Coral Discoverer and a delicious dinner. With darkness still cloaking the land, a keen group of expeditioners left the Coral Discoverer and walked through the village of Yenwaupnor and on into the darkness of the surrounding hills. They reached a site deep in the forest where they could sit and wait for the Red Bird of Paradise to appear and begin displaying. They were rewarded with the sighting of three females and as many as eight males resplendent in their long red tail feathers. They put on quite a show as the males tried valiantly to impress the females with calls and dances, often while hanging upside. A little later on, a group of keen snorkelers were in the water by 0700 and again enjoyed viewing some excellent marine life under and around the wharf, including many giant clams. Breakfast was definitely a welcome sight when we all returned to ship. At 1000 Mark put on a presentation on the Wildlife of Wallacea, and Bruce followed soon after with a talk on Ethnic Groups of Papua. In the late afternoon we entered the spectacular Mesemta Channel. We experienced a live drop where the Xplorer was dropped into the water while Coral Discoverer was temporarily stopped. We cruised through this narrow channel to a beautiful area surrounded by tall karst limestone hills. We also had the opportunity to photograph our ship as she steamed past on the way to her anchorage. We enjoyed sunset drinks and a delicious BBQ on the Sun Deck, followed by an amazing array of desserts. A great way to finish the day.

7 DAY LOCATION: MISOOL ISLANDS, MESEMTA, & WAGMAB Lt Airs Smooth to slight Low e ly and se ly Clearing in the afternoon Barometer Remains low 0730 Guests depart for early morning Xplorer cruise 1200 Depart for Wagmab 1430 Board Zodiacs for water activities in Wagmab inlet 1700 Depart for overnight passage towards the Spice Islands As the sun rose over the spectacular limestone karst islands, we were keen to do some exploring of the area. Xplorer took us for an exploratory cruise through the islands passing many pitcher plants, Native Hoya (or Waxflower), palms and purple orchids. Even though there was a short rain shower or two, we had wonderful views of the coral during the low tide, with many corals actually exposed above the water-line. Next it was time for our in-water exploration of the area. We had the option of SCUBA diving, snorkelling, kayaking, or glassbottom boating. Everyone had a great time seeing so many fish and brightly coloured corals. Early in the afternoon we arrived at Wagmab with yet another spectacular coastline to greet us. Once again the kayaks were made available to take a trip with Jamie around the limestone islands. Snorkelers were also quickly in the water with Bruce, as was a slow cruise in a Zodiac with Mark and Oswald. Huge Hornbills were seen flying overhead between patches of rainforest. This area was truly a majestic place the underwater marine life was exceptional. DAY LOCATION: BANDA SE, becoming moderate Slight Short, moderate SE Fine forenoon, afternoon showers Barometer Low in morning, average by evening 1000 Arrive Banda Harbour 1300 Guests depart for diving and snorkelling on the lava flow 1620 Board Xplorer for Banda Fort visit Many species of large fishes were seen along with black and white-striped Banded Sea Kraits. By 1700 it was time to pull up the anchor and make our way south for the Banda Islands, known as the Spice Islands, for our final days of exploration. Our documentary tonight was Bill Bailey s Jungle Hero Wallace in the Spice Islands. Breakfast was enjoyed as we continued to steam towards the Spice Islands. Bruce gave us a presentation Spice Islands What was all the fuss about? to prepare us for our imminent exploration of Banda. At 1000 we entered the Zonnegat Straits and as we approached the narrows we were joined by two large canoes, called Kora Kora. Amid the drums banging and our yells of encouragement, they raced each other as they escorted us into the main port of Banda Neira. We began our first exploration of Banda Neira after an early lunch. A group of expeditioners went ashore with Bruce to explore the main town, while the remainder travelled out to the fresh lava flows from the 1988 eruption of Banda Api Volcano to explore the newly formed coral reef. Both snorkelers and SCUBA divers enjoyed the clear water and abundant marine life which had so quickly grown back in less than thirty years. After a brief stop-over on the ship to freshen up we went ashore for a welcome ceremony up on the walls of the old Dutch fort, called Fort Belgica, alongside Banda Api volcano. Here we enjoyed Champagne and orange juice as the locals presented us with some excellent singing and dancing as the sun slowly went down behind the volcanic hills. An excellent finish to our first day of exploration of this vibrant town. Dinner awaited us once we returned to ship, and tonight s documentary was the BBC s Spice Trail.

8 DAY DAY LOCATION: BANDANEIRA Freshening SE ly, easing through afternoon Smooth becoming slight Short, moderate SE ly Cloudy and hot Barometer Low by evening LOCATION: THE ARAFURA SEA 0730 Board Xplorer for town tour 1015 Depart for exit of Banda Harbour Guest lectures through the afternoon Onward passage to Darwin Gentle SEbE, freshening through forenoon Rough by noon, easing late afternoon Short, mod SE Hot and cloudy Barometer Average throughout The Xplorer was loaded and ready to take us ashore by 0730 so that we could get an early start to our exploration of the historic main town of Bandaneira. The tour guides escorted us through the old fort, called Fort Nassau, and other historic features of the town before taking us through a spice farm. Here we saw nutmeg, clove, native almond and cinnamon trees growing on the rich volcanic soils. A breeze had sprung up during the night, and we were experiencing some light seas as we enjoyed breakfast. The documentary Pride of Warriors was shown after lunch. Once we were back by the wharf, refreshments were served as we were once again treated to some great dancing and singing from the local school children. We were made to feel very welcome and we were sad to leave this amazing little town. Eventually we had to leave Bandaneira and return to the ship for a well earned lunch. It was now time to leave the Spice Islands and we were once again heading south, this time towards Darwin, our final destination. Captain Gary started our evening with Captain s Farewell Drinks. This was our final opportunity to socialise with our newly acquired friends on the ship before our departure the following morning Passed close to E Masela Island to enter Timor Sea 0900 Presentation on Crocodilians of the World 1000 Guest lecture on the Asmat and Komoro of Papua 1630 Expedition Leaders final recap 2400 Rounding Cape Fourcroy

9 DAY LOCATION: DARWIN VOYAGE: SPICE ISLANDS > LOCATION: BANDANEIRA PICTURE TAKEN: OCTOBER 2016 Fresh SE on approach Moderate Low Partly cloudy and hot Barometer Above average 0830 Clearance obtained 0910 Guests disembark It s time to say goodbye to the Coral Discoverer and her wonderful crew. Online cruise@coralexpeditions.com Freecall within Australia Outside Australia