West Papua III – Beneath The Surface

Northeast of the ‘Bird’s Head Peninsula’ in Papua lies a group of islands called the Raja Ampat archipelago. Known until recently by few other than serious ‘birders’ who came to see the endemic birds of paradise, the islands have over the last years gained a reputation as the world’s finest coral reef diving.

Located around the Dampier Strait the waters between the islands are sometimes referred to as ‘a liquid cyclone’ due to the highly unpredictable and extreme currents that sweep through the area. Floating with the current it is sometimes possible to travel miles underwater (literally) on a single tank.

These currents nourish extraordinary volumes of diverse marine life of all descriptions (more than 1,300 fish species alone have been recorded from the area). Due to the remoteness of the area  academic study of the marine environment remains at an early stage and it is not unusual for scientific expeditions to find more than one new species in a single dive. With this exhilirating atmosphere of discovery that still surrounds the area it was a pleasure to come back to the Raja Ampat for a third visit and find it has lost none of its magic – in fact looking healthier than before in some ways.

We felt a little bereft to be witnessing such natural splendour without our trusty Canon SLRs (travelling for a year it is really too much to take full size underwater housings for these with all related bits) however we set to work underwater with our rather more compact Canon Ixus 950. With a little less creative control than above water, but still a satisfactory result overall, we present a small glimpse of the natural wonder of the Raja Ampat islands.

Should you wish to visit (it is quite easy to do so in a two week vacation) we suggest you strongly consider Papua Diving at http://www.papua-diving.com – the only reputable and long established land based operator in the Raja Ampat. In our view this is arguably the finest dive hotel in the world. Liveaboards are another option, but we hear many mixed stories about the quality of these trips (and indeed have had mixed experiences ourselves).

The Raja Ampat has many small complex bays and inlets.

The limestone scenery of the Fam Islands is spectacular, but beware if you walk on it - like walking on knife blades!

Fishing is a key subsistence activity in the villages.

Sorido Bay Resort - diving mecca!

The diving is good and the bugs are BIG..!

The underwater jungle begins where the rainforest stops. (See previous blog for more on this site).

Underwater caves and passages encrusted with soft corals and light coming through appear like portals to another world..

Gardens of orange soft coral grow in the shallows.

Many reefs level off at 3-5m below the surface with fish collecting around the top of the slope.

The volumes of fish in a single shoal can be breathtaking, so dense they block the sun.

Staying quietly in one position for a few minutes and they will swim right past you, even collide with you (or your lens...).

Swimming around the bright sea fans they make wonderful colour contrasts.

Sweetlips also like to collect in large groups around coral 'bommies' where there is current.

A crocodilefish lies in wait by the side of a coral thicket.

Diving deeper (especially at night) the very decorative juvenile sailfin snappers sometimes make an appearance.

This is the Raja Epaulette Shark - endemic to the Raja Ampat. It is more popularly known as the 'walking shark' as it commonly walks along the seafloor on its fins rather than swims...yes, really!

Juvenile batfish are always decorative, but you need to look into the little holes and crevices to find them.

Look at almost anything closely and you'll find small animals living there - like this small crinoid clingfish camouflaged inside a yellow crinoid.

One of the main reasons to strap on a tank once more after a long day of diving is the chance to see Mandarinfish at dusk.

Look closely at the soft coral and you may see jewel like cowrie shells moving around on it.

The pygmy seahorses are some of the most loved of the 'small critters' of the area.

This is a brown variety of the Bargibant's pygmy seahorse.

Looking closely, although it may be only 7-8mm tall it has very detailed texture.

The smallest and hardest to find is usually the Pontohi pygmy seahorse - paper thin and only a few millimetres long. Helpfully, it often hangs around stinging hydroids..

The white with red spots variety of Bargibants pygmy is arguably the most pretty though.

Pygmy seahorses are by no means the only interesting small subject - large groups of cuttlefish eggs can sometimes be seen in caves or under ledges.

Looking similar, bubble coral sometimes harbours tiny bubble coral shrimps.

There's no shortage of nudibranchs...

of all colours..

...and shapes.

Groups of batfish hang in the blue water around reef areas.

Even just drifting through the blue there are interesting things to see, like this large and rather spaceship like comb jelly.

The ultralight wtaerplabe returns to the resort after another recce trip through the islands.

Sunset along the shore of Kri island.

In haste – we hope you enjoy the post – the next one may be from Hong Kong in October…it’s time to disappear back into the jungle…!