Dive Traveller

t’s all a blur, green to the side Words and Photography and blue below. The lush, jungled by Brandon Cole coastline is unbroken by habitation and the sea below us is full of A place so remote only promise. Three days into our travel marathon to far eastern Indonesia— a journey that began six flights ago 600 divers per year visit, and ends with this two hour boat ride—I remind myself of the diver’s maxim: “A marine ecosystem’s but it will blow your mind! health is often directly proportional to the distance off the beaten path.” The t-shirt across from me pithily concurs: “Triton Bay: Remote, and worth it!” For geographical reference, if Raja Ampat is the head and beak of Bird’s Head Peninsula, think of Triton Bay as the neck wattle, and Iris Strait as the jugular vein through which the lifeblood of the Kaimana Regency flows. And that pulse is strong. This remote and remarkable region of West Papua has been proclaimed a “species factory” by marine scientists. That was all it took to convince a roving fish geek like me to travel 10,564 miles (17,001km), give or take. Tired eyes open wide upon submersion at a dive site called Little Komodo. Hundreds of fusiliers are flowing around us, a river of quicksilver refracting bright sunlight. Like a wave they crest, then descend to blanket a forest of black coral bushes glowing green- white. I’ve never seen so much of the stuff, and so shallow. We’re barely 33 feet (10m) below. We poke into the thicket to find bannerfish standing at attention and brassy cardinalfish sheltering amongst the tangles of fine branches that appear to be coated in hoar frost. Jack, one of the lead guides for Triton Bay Divers, beckons us onward, a hint that there’s even better ahead. When the current’s just right, divers can swim around the point to the flip side of Saruenus Island. Kingdom

of the Fishes Fisherman lower nets at night to catch anchovies and other baitfish. Whale sharks are attracted to the vessels and wait—with their remora counterparts— Triton Bay, indonesia for fisherman to throw some fish their way

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We do just that, moving reef left pinnacles, coral gardens, walls, Healthy shallow Island. I’d happily repeat either of shrimp cunningly camouflaged on a The shark takes a series of mighty, symbionts galore, including spindle to Aquarium, where the shallows drift dives, sand slopes, and mucky corals, crinoids, yesterday’s submersions, or try a sprig of black coral; and a butterfly cowries living on gorgonians, are choked with swarming fishes critter sites. All of which see less and branching new spot on the west side where nudibranch so small and transparent emperor shrimps riding shotgun on cup corals. sucking gulps, and then glides off into both sea cucumber and sea slug, —damsels, baitfish, and different than 600 visiting divers per year. Rarely-visited the soft corals are rumoured to be I just dumbly nod, dutifully smile, species of fusilier—and nicely Using my own brand of fuzzy reefs make beyond breathtaking. But that’s not and quickly snap a photo without the gloom, only to return for more and clownfish luxuriating in the plumped yellow and red soft corals math, I plug that number into an this corner of going to happen right now. “Pintu even trying to focus. We bottom stinging embrace of their anemone sprout from large boulders. There equation that produces billions of Indonesia a gem Arus. Means door to the current,” out at 66 feet (20m), and then find different colour morphs of life partner. are also lumps of pink-orange cup fish in residence. Quick calculation: amongst gems Jack explains solemnly, pointing slowly work our way back up the Bargibant’s and Denise’s pygmy coral, like big wads of chewing gum the odds of fish-rich dives like we at the surface slop and mini- slope where crab-eyed gobies and seahorses, including the charming Strategic symbiosis stuck to this sweet reef by the sea enjoyed this morning are all but whirlpools. The current is cranking, decorator crabs await, flatworms “Santa Claus” variety so named There’s another form of symbiosis gods. Meandering about monolithic guaranteed. Sea slugs, too. The pushing our boat sideways one squirm, tiger shrimp hide, and for its red suit with bumpy white on display. As a bonus, the players rocks are coral groupers, oversized gentleman seated next to me, a moment and then bucking us up and upsidedown jellyfish pulse against accents. For those possessed of are bigger and correspondingly blue-ringed angelfish, and a polka- hardcore “brancher” who travels the down the next. We’ll come back and the fine, tan-coloured sediment. the second sight so commonplace easier to spot. We’re up north near dotted, slope-headed barramundi world diving for nudibranchs, has try again later in the week, when the Nearby Jack’s Spot, named for among Indonesia divemasters, Namatote Island, 16.5 feet (5m) cod. Rather than retreating like most already seen 65 different species door isn’t wide open. you-know-who, proves another search for the even smaller Pontoh’s below the surface, hovering next of its shy kind, it glides nonchalantly here this week. Across the strait we turn into a productive critter hunt. and Satomi’s pygmy seahorses. to a whale shark of about the same past me while I gaze upward through narrow waterway with dead calm Our third dive of the day, an (Good luck, we’re talking less than size. It is pointed skyward, with dancing light beams and the sea’s Blow my mind water. The walls of the passage afternoon splash at Tangga, 0.4 inches (1cm) in length and cavernous mouth agape. Dozens of ceiling to the shimmering emerald Tucked into an idyllic bay on are limestone islets eroded at the brilliantly concludes the macro cryptic to boot.) They’re both here, remoras are stuck to its milk white mirage of ovherhanging jungle. I’m Aiduma Island’s northeast flank, base and topped with palm trees trifecta. South of the resort on the waiting patiently to be discovered belly. Baitfish rain down from the mesmerized. My depth gauge reads the beachfront resort is ideally somehow making a go of it on Aiduma side of Iris Strait, Tangga, in the algal turf. Without a doubt, heavens. The shark takes a series only 13 feet (4m), so narcosis is not located to facilitate exploration of the jagged karst. Think tropical which translates into “ladder” for Triton Bay’s species factory works of mighty, sucking gulps, and then the culprit. This is simply a beautiful the entirety of Iris Strait. We head fjord from the Jurassic period. We the shelving steps of the reef slope, overtime in the pygmy department. glides off into the gloom, only to little pocket of ocean paradise. north again today, and after just five gear up, roll back, and slip down carries another name, Pygmy Point. I also delight in the site’s return for more a moment later. Denise’s pygmy larger macro creatures—a white These spots are only two of many. minutes we’re alongside Saruenus to explore Froggies, one of the Purple, pink, and yellow sea fans seahorse is less We swim alongside the majestic Over a lunch of tasty bihun goreng premiere muck dives in the region. in 33 to 66 feet (10 to 20m) host a frogfish actively luring, white than one inch creature, stare into cartoonish eyes noodles to which I’ve added a bit too Pinnacles, coral gardens, walls, drift Vis is a hazy 20 feet (6m). Jack multitude of diminutive sygnathid leaf scorpionfish, solar powered long and is often way too small for its bus-sized body, much fiery sambal, Lisa English, co- goes to work immediately, finding superstars to challenge your powers nudibranchs feeding on leather coral well camoflauged and fill a 32GB memory card with founder of Triton Bay Divers, tells us dives, and mucky critter sites, all see things I never could on my own: of observation and strain your to recharge their internal batteries, amongst its pictures to preserve the memory of they have more than 30 dive sites in a pygmy cuttlefish masquerading skills of underwater photography. and neon purple dottybacks home turf of this special meeting. Iris Strait and Triton Bay, showcasing less than 600 visiting divers per year as a bit of algal scuzz; a tozeuma You (or in our case, our guide) will flitting under ledges—and uncover gorgonian coral We found this gentle giant not

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by random happenstance, but thereby learn more about their A whale shark are more species of fishes and thanks to the traditional bagan numbers and movement patterns, feeding on invertebrates in Indonesia than fishing platform looming above and as well as assess any effects anchovies anywhere else on Planet Ocean. under a bagan, the helpful fishermen onboard the burgeoning elasmobranch eco- The corner in which we currently a specialized strange contraption—a bamboo tourism may be having on the whale fishing platform. find ourselves is a microcosm of scaffolding extending out from sharks. Citizen scientists can aid in Whale sharks are outsized proportions, biologically both sides of the boat sandwiched the ongoing conservation efforts. attracted to the speaking. Preeminent ichthyologist in between. A clever, mutually The resort encourages guests to boats and often Dr. Gerry Allen counted a mind- beneficial partnership between share pictures and video to help suck on the full boggling 330 different fish species man, shark, and dive tourist has build CI’s database of identification nets attached on a single dive at Tanjung Papisoi been forged over the last few years. imagery. Our ninety minutes in the to the vessels. during an exploratory survey of Surefooted fishermen clamber presence of Mr. Big beneath the Fisherman often the Triton Bay aquatic frontier in throw fish back about the rickety structure to deploy bagan certainly ranks as one of the 2006. Twenty species of marine life in for the whale their nets at night, lowering them many highlights of this off the grid sharks, sharing were seen for the first time ever by down into the inky black. The nets expedition to Triton Bay. their bounty with scientists on that expedition. are hauled up early in the morning, the locals I met two of West Papua’s finest bulging with “ikan puri”—anchovies Centre of the bioverse right in front of the Triton Bay Divers and other small fish destined for Unless you’ve been living under a resort, a pair of charismatic critters sale as bait to different Indonesian rock far, far away from the big blue with undeniable star power in my fisheries and also shipped overseas whence all life came and into which book. On a late afternoon tank just for various uses. Hungry whale members of the dive tribe must outside of the house reef, I joined sharks are attracted to the oily, needs return, you’re undoubtedly battle with a certain flasher wrasse. smelly, scaly goodness. The aware of the many accolades The fading ambient light must have fishermen share a portion of their heaped on Indonesian reefs. The kindled some kind of pheromone bounty with the sharks, and are nation of more than 17,000 islands fire, because suddenly the three in kind compensated with a small owns the choicest underwater inch (7cm) male, overtaken by a “The nation of more than 17,000 stipend paid by the resort. Divers real estate in the celebrated Coral desire to impress the local ladies, reap the real rewards, ending up Triangle. This is the hottest of the energetically advertised its splendid islands owns the choicest with a much better than average marine biodiversity hotspots. There colours and spikey plumage. All chance to see the biggest fish in this while darting about at dizzying underwater real estate in the the sea. Science is also capitalizing speed in 360 degrees. Let me tell celebrated Coral Triangle. on this symbiotic relationship. There are more species of fishes you, it’s no small feat to create a Conservational International (CI) has and invertebrates in Indonesia than decent picture of this rakish beauty. This is the hottest of the marine a monitoring and tagging program This species was only recently in place to study the sharks and anywhere else on Planet Ocean described by science and is thought biodiversity hotspots”

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Good to Know: Getting there: Fly to Jakarta (airport code CGK) or Bali (DPS) and then onward to Kaimana (KNG). From Kaimana, it takes two hours to transit by small boat to Aiduma Island and Triton Bay Divers’ resort. Entry into Indonesia with no visa required is now offered to citizens of 140 countries (including Canada and the USA) whose total time in country is less than 30 days. When to go: late September through early June. Diving during the eastern monsoon between June and September is not recommended. Stay at/Dive with: Triton Bay Divers (TBD) dive resort is the only full-time diving presence in the region. Resort capacity is 12 divers. Standard diving packages include meals, accommodation, transportation to/from Kaimana, and either 2 or 3 boat dives per day for 5 diving days. Additional dives, including night dives, can be added. Weather permitting, one whale shark dive is included. Visit: www.tritonbaydivers.com Diving Details: Some dive sites regularly experience strong currents. Dive masters choose sites based on current conditions as well as guests’ skill levels and interests. Most of the diving is quite shallow, between 16 and 60 feet (5 and 18m) deep. Due to the extreme remoteness of the to live only in Triton Bay, nearby gang of spadefish. Flying high above A giant barrel translucent scooting gobies and fish. We drop into a choreographed current. We compose ourselves Jungle- location, all TBD guests must Misool, and Ambon. Aiduma Island my drone grants me sponge, soft scraggly fans are weighed down chaos of surgeonfish, rabbitfish, for a few moments in the calm, covered islets have dive insurance. Rental dive Another spectacular showpiece sight through the eyes of the sea corals, sea fans, with crinoids clusters more colourful bumphead parrotfish, and the uber then begin to drift reef left against and secluded gear is limited so enquire directly black coral, and a beaches in Iris emerging from the prolific West eagles and hornbills we admire than fireworks explosions. Donald ubiquitous fusiliers. Schools swim the flow of traffic. A never-ending with the resort in advance for any table coral on top Strait, West gear requirements you may have. Papuan species factory is an from below. Little Komodo’s ruby Duck shrimp waddle through high overtop and through each another. parade of goatfish and golden of the bommie Papua. Be one TBD uses 12 litre aluminum DIN endemic epaulette shark, which has red soft corals and shoals of fish - a veritable quality rubble at Kira Kira. Cuttlefish Hundreds of pinjalo snapper— snappers stream past us along a of the chosen valve tanks with yoke adapters. an even more restricted geographic are visible from hundreds of feet smorgasbord give us tentacled salutes that can silver one moment, brick red the slope overgrown with black corals few to visit this Hyperbaric chamber location: range than the aforementioned up. We pass surface intervals on of underwater only mean “take us to your leader.” next—thread between the seething, wreathed in clouds of glassfish. quiet corner of a The nearest chambers are in flasher wrasse. So far it has been secluded beaches with untracked beauties A clever octopus uses its built-in scaled biomasses. Predatory bluefin Picture making is easy enough diver’s paradise Manado and Ambon – both a long recorded only in the Triton Bay area perfect sand. At Engine Point I lose tentacled web parachute to catch a jacks harry the perimeter picking off at first, but steadily ramps up in way away. No decompression and Raja Ampat. Gracing t-shirts myself in my camera’s viewfinder crab dinner and a banded seasnake anchovies, while three-foot (1m)- difficulty as waterflow and fish diving is allowed. and drybags as the cute logo of while imaging soft coral trees methodically investigates coral long brutish giant trevallies suck freneticism increase. Anthias fly past Water temp: Water temps hover Triton Bay Divers, this famous blushing rose tangerine, until the crevices until a lightning fast lunge up larger prey. If you can pry your us, or—more accurately—we past around 79-84°F (26-29°C). Air temperatures, around 86°F (30°C). “walking shark” favours shallow unmistakable sound of a metal muck and victorious writhing signal the eyes away from the spectacle to them. Boulders smothered with a Expect rain at some point during rubble and reef habitat such as the stick excitedly banging against a end of some hapless prey. I struggle actually look downward, you’ll be kaleidoscope of soft corals whiz by. your visit. to process it all. house reef, where it can be seen at scuba tank calls me up the slope. treated to a terraced garden of table Then baitfish, then more snappers, Water visibility: Varies from 16 to night walking on its lobed fins along Jack has worked his magic yet corals festooned with cotton-candy two true stonefish, five species of 66 feet (5 to 20m) depending on the bottom in 6.6 to 16.5 feet (2 to again, finding a juvenile pinnate Kingdom of the fishes tufts of soft corals around which angelfish, and a family of humbugs weather, runoff from the rivers on 5m). Lisa tells us there are three batfish swooshing about elegantly All week we’ve been overhearing sweetlips, angels, and groupers hovering above their plate coral the mainland, and presence (or sharks in residence at present. I find as a flamenco dancer, black dinnertime dialogue among the gather to be cleaned. Wobbegong home. Surely all the world’s fishes absence) of localized upwelling. one of the little leopard patterned outlined in orange. We explore Dr. other guests concerning two spots sharks have also been known to lurk must be here, so completely are we The average water clarity is 33-40 beauties, about two feet (60cm) in Seuss seascapes with purple-grey that have been “very, very fishy hereabouts under the ledges. Open enveloped and pulled a tornado of feet (10-12m). Use an ATM in Jakarta length, by walking myself from our leather corals in concentric squiggly busy” of late. With our trip winding to the elements and regularly swept life. The reef has become a pleasing Top Tip: (or Bali) to withdraw local bungalow a short distance down the shapes, where spiraling whips are down, Melissa and I have to see for by swift currents, it’s not always blur, an abstract tableau of messy currency (Indonesian Rupiah moonlit beach and into a 82°F (28°C) highways for horned shrimps and ourselves before we’re forced to possible to dive here, but I’d return a perfection. Reaching terminal IDR). Cash is required for warm, dark sea, then meandering return to civilization. Batu Dramai, a hundred times in a row if I could. velocity, a strange euphoria grips domestic flight excess baggage around the staghorn and leather rock (batu) off the corner of Dramai Or maybe fifty times, saving me. This is living, giving oneself fees in KNG. Cash is also coral patch to the left. Regularly swept by swift currents, Island at the southern end of Iris half for nearby Christmas Rock. over to the breathing, churning sea. required to pay the 500,000 IDR Each dive enchants, each day it’s not always possible to dive here, but Strait, is a stellar site discovered Lisa takes us on a whirlwind tour To be in Ocean’s very cauldron (about CAD 50 / USD 35) marine overwhelms. Under Bo’s Rainbow by Triton Bay Divers, which gives starting at the islet’s northeastern of creation, wild and adrift in the park fee upon arrival at TDR. we become one with a gregarious I’d return a hundred times if I could us a whole new appreciation for corner, in the lee of the building Kingdom of the Fishes.

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