Indonesia Itineraries:
1. Maumere to Ambon, 13 nights: Sept 18 - Oct. 1, 2010
(Scroll down for trip 2 itinerary and map for both trips.)
Sept. 18th:We arrive in Maumere after our flight from Bali. The Sea Horse will depart for Adonara strait while we organize our dive gear and cameras. (See map below.)
Sept. 19th: We arrive at the island of Adonara, across a narrow strait from the big island of Flores. Diving here is "muck" diving along reef slopes looking for seahorses, frogfish, crustaceans, ghost pipefish, etc. Can you see the really tiny black frogfish in the yellow circle?
20 and 21: In the South Alor Region, we will be diving at Beangabang Village, a black sand bay opening to the Indian Ocean at the southern end of Alor. Beangabang is listed as the favorite critter dive of many underwater photojournalists. The ease of diving here (usually done in an open-deck fashion) and the amount of critters makes it everyone's favorite dive for close-ups. We will be looking for frogfish, ghost pipefish, numerous different species of nudibranchs, and of course the possibility exists for Rhinopias! In addition, crustaceans abound on the tall soft coral "trees" that grow in the deeper areas of the slope.
22 - 24th: The famed Alor Strait runs between the islands of Pantar to the west and Alor to the east. Sitting dramatically in the strait are three small volcanoes that have long been extinct. The largest of these is the verdant island of Pura. This is another centre for traditional weaving and the islanders here are Melanesian in ethnicity with dark skin and tight curly hair. Not only does Pura offer pristine reefs, but each village protects the reef on its shores and practices a sustainable fishing system of traditional fish traps and spear fishing. We will enjoy the opportunity of seeing the spear fishermen carrying out their trade. The men and kids are a delight, diving down to 20 meters on occasion, to tend the traps or shoot a nearby reef fish. They also make
willing underwater photo subjects. There are also great opportunities to take split shots of the small outriggers with the spear fishermen hunting below. However, when dusk sets, everyone with a camera changes to a macro set-up and prepares for the mandarin fish dive in the shallows in front of the village.
25th: Gunung Api, literally "Fire Mountain", is volcano that's summit breaks the sea's surface by 800 feet yet which has its base on the seabed some 13,000 feet below. The island created by the volcano is 120 miles from the next nearest landfall and is therefore home to the reef fish that populate it's steep drop offs and walls, occasional visiting pelagics, and extraordinarily an uncountable population of Banded and Olive sea snakes. These marine reptiles have found a sanctuary here among the warm volcanic vents and reef fish that live in the area. It is truly a unique spot that never ceases to amaze divers. In some shots there are over thirty snakes in the frame and they make inquisitive yet docile subjects.
26th: Maisel: North of Gunung Api is a remote archipelagic atoll named Lucipara. These atolls are also surrounded by a sea floor that is 13,000 feet below. Consisting of three large islands and a few tiny reefs that just break the surface, the islands offer divers vertical walls and visibility of over 120 feet with very mild currents. They are also home to a population of the largest sponges that Kararu divers have ever seen in Indonesia. Some barrel sponges could hold and entire diver (although we won't actually be trying to do that.)
27th: Nusa Laut, just east of Ambon, was made famous from of east Indonesia's famous diving pioneers, Edi Frommenweiler and the late Larry Smith. Larry had said it was his favorite reef in the entire eastern region of this great archipelago. It is truly a spectacular location and a full day's diving will be on offer.
This was a plain looking nudibranch until I noticed his FACE. What fun! Every creature is something new.
28 and 29th: Ambon Harbor: Ambon holds an important place in both the rich history of Indonesia, and as one of its best diving destinations. The island was conquered by the Portuguese, later the Dutch, and is speckled with the occupying forces' old forts, some of which date back to the late 15th Century. It is now the capital of the southern Malukkus and has a diverse mix of cultures and ethnicity. Ambon was taken off the tourist map by the government for six years after unrest between two ethnic groups led to turmoil in the city. After the unrest subsided, the army was sent to keep the peace and help repair infrastructure. This was a great shame for the Ambonese, a welcoming and hospitable people, that are proud of the history and beauty of their island as well as the fantastic diving found around their shores.
Ambon harbor is a long, deep harbor surrounded on both sides by steep, verdant volcanic slopes. A true sense of history overcomes one; imagining the great seafarers like Magellan, Cook and others sailing down the same bay's mouth. One gets the impression that the area cannot have changed much since the days of these great explorers. The first dive site is under a pier close to the Ambon airport and has the boasting rights of being able to call itself the first great muck site in the world with multiple species of frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, reef cuttlefish, ribbon eels, nudibranchs, juvenile batfish, two species of blue-ring octopus, mandarin fish. This is normally where one can get a glimpse of the rare Ambon scorpion fish. Also on offer is a pristine wreck covered with hard and soft corals, lots of fish and resting upright in relatively shallow water.
Sept 30: One "floater day" is included that can be spent in an area of particular interest, or perhaps to visit the active volcano island "Komba" if it is erupting....
October 1, Depart Ambon for your return home, usually via Bali.
2. Ambon to Sorong, 12 nights: October 2 - 14, 2010
October 2nd: Guests arrive in Ambon from Bali and board boat. Set up dive gear and camera equipment.
October 3rd: A full day of Ambon Harbor diving the fabulous critter bonanza of Laha, the rocky slope next to the fishing pier. Replete with multiple species of frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, reef cuttlefish, ribbon eels, nudibranchs, juvenile batfish, two species of blue-ring octopus, mandarin fish...the list goes on. One day is the minimum amount of time we would spend here.
October 4th: We make our way along the west coast of Ceram (the large island north of Ambon) stopping at a couple of sites that Kararu has recently discovered. Batu Satu (One Rock) is a large rock connected to the mainland by a shallow reef. On one side, the rock is a reef slope that seems to be a favorite resting spot for turtles--a beautiful shallow coral garden graces the area directly around the rock itself. Further north lies Jacks on Crack, so named for the large school of extremely hyperactive Jacks that speeds around a shallow pinnacle off of Ceram's north coast. Also a nice site for macro, the shallow black sand reef is loaded with neon-red anemones and critter-loaded whip and black corals.
October 5th and 6th: Blue Water Mangroves of Misool. The island of Malangkari, located off the west coast of Misool (the Southernmost of the four Raja Ampat Islands) is essentially a "Venice" of smaller mangrove islands. Anchoring the boat in one of the deeper channels, we will offer open-deck diving to this unique environment made famous by David Doubilet in his National Geographic article. At high tide one can dive INTO the mangroves, following small "rivers" back into the inner mangrove islands. With crystal clear water and soft corals of every color living on the submerged roots, wide-angle photographers will be in heaven.
October 7th and 8th: Boo Island, Misool. Located on the eastern side of Misool, these limestone uplift "Rock Islands" provide a dramatic topside backdrop to the most beautiful untouched reefs around. Just below the surface of Boo and it's neighboring Fia Bajet lie soft-coral covered rock formations covered in fish...did we mention soft corals?
On the neighboring island of Fia Bajet, the shallow reef extends down to 15m and out from the island the same distance, literally covered with healthy coral...with deeper pinnacles bringing in schools of larger fish, napoleon wrasse, sweet-lips, etc. Macro is of course also an option here as the sea-fans here are home to at least three different species of Pygmy Sea Horse.
One evening, we will also head to the island of Kaliq to watch the sunset from a deserted white sand beach--unforgettable.
October 9th: Misool Farundi. Located about 15 miles from Boo, this area is the location for our "bat cave and boat tour." This is a- tighter cluster of rock islands than Boo and we will explore the inner lagoons in our tender boats, cruising back into the interior to visit our favorite little bat cave. The diving here is on three sites that range from soft-coral covered walls, to caverns, to a trio of small islands separated by divable dramatic fish-packed channels. Another signature Raja Ampat species that resides here is the wobegong shark which usually makes an appearance.
October 10th: Jef Fam and Keruo. Located halfway between the northern and southern part of Raja Ampat, the island of Keruo is home to the shallow reefs surrounding the rocks of Melissa's Garden. With huge clams, wobegong sharks, and healthy hard coral gardens, the diving here is well worth a whole day. With an option to visit a local village before our night dive, we can
round the day out with a wonderful cultural experience.
October 11th: Eagle Rock and Waigeo. The northernmost island in the Raja Ampat foursome, Waigeo boasts deep dramatic bays that play host to a wide range of macro critters and also dramatic walls and reefs. Diving outside of Aljuie bay at Eagle Rock, we will 
hopefully find the resident Mantas feeding and cleaning before heading in to the bay for our afternoon dives.
Inside the bay, we will be diving near the Cendana Pearl Farm, which generally puts on a pearling demonstration for us. Diving here ranges from spectacular macro to unique shallow reefs and a fish packed pier.
October 12th: Moving further south, we will spend our day around the islands of Gam and Yangelo. Conditions permitting we will dive a site known as the passage--a narrow shallow channel separating the islands of Gam and Waigeo. With lush Rainforest growing on either shore (sometimes touching over the water) several small "eddys" provide unique wide angle opportunities of the overarching jungle as well as the resident archer-fish. And for the brave at heart, you can pop out into the current for a ride down the shallow channel past beautiful rock formations and sea grass beds.
The day usually concludes at the island of Yangelo. Yangelo's reef is situated at the mouth of a channel, with it's shallows rising up to a beautiful hard coral garden. The deeper parts are home to numerous wobegongs and probably the most abundant schooling large fish in Raja Ampat.
October 13th: The final day of diving will be in Kri Area, just north of Sorong. Home to one of Gerry Allen's record setting fish count sites, these large reefs can provide close encounters with schools of giant bump-head parrots and very outgoing sweet-lips.
October 14th: disembark for our trip home from Sorong.
