 Raja Ampat & Ceram Sea Exploration 2012
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Raja Ampat & Ceram Sea Exploration 2012This cruise will take us through the best and most diverse marine environments in Indonesia. Again we will start our trip in Sorong, the gateway to the famous Raja Ampat islands situated on the western tip of the Indonesian part of New Guinea. We start from Sorong on March 26 and head strait to the eastern coast of Misool where we will dive the underwater hotspots in this area. The Blue Water Mangroves to the West of Misool are also on the agenda. From this point onwards our trip will get a more exploratory touch: We turn south and sail in the direction of the northern coast of Ceram island. We will visit a new resort in the area and look for critters on black sand, but there is also a chance to dive healthy coral reefs and watch schooling fish in the current. After Ceram we head north in the direction auf Obi island. This is still unchartered area. Looking on sea maps there are many potentially interesting dive spots. However we will only be able to assess the potential when diving there. We continue north. Our next aim is the moluccan island Halmahera and the smaller islands and atolls to the west. This region is only visited by a small number of diving vessels each year and is famous for its high biodiversity. With a bit of luck we will also see big schools of fish and the occasional pelagic passing by. Our Raja Ampat & Ceram Sea tour will end in Ternate off the western coast of Halmahera. From here there are daily flights to Manado in North Sulawesi. Our ship and home during this ultimate Indonesia tour will be once again MV Amira. There is enough space for a maximum of 18 guests in double and single cabins. Cruise Director and dive guide is Bruno Hopff. He is one of the most experienced skippers to be found in Indonesia and knows the Indonesian seas like very few other people. Nitrox is included! The planned itinerary can be seen here:
Date: März 26 - April 8, 2012 Price: on request Not included are the long distance flight Europe/US - Indonesia (1000 Euro) and the domestic flights to Sorong and from Ternate to Manado (200 Euro) as well as national park/diving fees (55 US$). The weather should be at its best during the period we have chosen for this trip. However, even with best preparations before, we are still not able to control weather conditions. The itinerary en detail:
Arriving at Sorong we board Amira. Boat orientation and safety briefings follow. As soon as possible we leave Sorong for a first check dive near Batanta island. Afterwards we continue our trip south towards Misool island. We arrive at Misool in the early morning and start our daily diving routine in the Fiabacet area not far away from the Misool Eco Resort which is just around the corner. We will find a fascinating underwater landscape and there are healthy coral reefs. With a bit of luck we will also see Mantas visiting a cleaner station in the area.
We follow the southern coast of Misool and will eventually reach the Blue Water Mangroves near the western tip of Misool. This is one of the rare areas where Mangroves grow in clear water and where even soft corals grow on the roots of the mangrove trees. Underwater photographers love this scenery. There are salt water crocodiles in the area so we have to dive carefully.
We leave the Blue Water Mangroves and turn south. After another night journey we arrive the next day at the northern coast of Ceram island. Ceram is very seldom visited by live aboards. There are black sand dive sites with interesting critters but also fishy reefs and walls with huge sponges and sea fans. We will visit some of the most promising sites in the area.
Another journey through the night leads us back north to the Obi island group - a couple of islands spread out between Ceram and Halmahera. We will stay here at least for one day to explore some very promising reefs and atolls in the North of Obi island.
The next day we reach the southern part of Halmahera, the main island of North Maluku. Halmahera is part of the Indonesian ring of fire with some active volcanos. As far as marine biodiversity is concerned Halmahera is one of the hotspots in Indonesia. Dr. Gerry Allan, the famous Australian ichthyologist counted here 301 different species of fish during a single dive, more than in Raja Ampat and only little less than in Triton Bay. During the next days we follow the western coast of Halmahera to the north allways on the lookout for interesting dive spots.
Our dive trip ends in Ternate, capital of the former sultanate of Ternate which once ruled over all the Moluccas and parts of West Papua. Today Ternate is the entrance to Northern Maluku. We will leave Maluku on one of the daily flights to Manado and continue from there our journey home to Singapore. Important notice: This is a sample tour description. Weather conditions or your wishes may cause to change this plan. In case you are interested and want to take part, do not hesitate to use the send an email. Up to date information can be also found on the BodeBlog (in German).
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