Indonesia’s RajaText and photos by Steve Jones Ampat The Four Kings 26 X-RAY MAG : 55 : 2013 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Raja Ampat Close encounter with a manta at Blue Magic, one of many premier dive spots in the Dampier Strait Swirling unicorn fish surround the current I’m distracted by a huge the reef and am greeted by the largest me and seem to have accept- school of jacks tempting me to aban- manta ray I have ever seen. Welcome don my plan. I resist, reminding myself to Blue Magic, a dive site that typifies ed me as one of their own. I that something greater may await. I the wonders to be found in Dampier can no longer see the surface pass a wobbegong posing perfectly Straight, one of the hotspots in Raja nor anything else, save for a under an overhang filled with colorful Ampat. wall of fish. Only four minutes soft corals. I rudely ignore it. At last, I reach the end of the reef, Diversity! into the dive and it’s already alone, and stare into the blue while I Over the past ten years or so, Raja evident that this site is living up calm my breathing down. As the min- Ampat has often been described as to its reputation, literally boil- utes pass, doubt creeps into my mind having some of the best diving to be ing with fish. Moments like this as to whether I’ve made the right deci- found anywhere, but what makes this sion. Everyone is enjoying the busy reef area so special? From my perspective, remind me why I dive. behind me and I am missing it all! As I it can be summed up in one word: am about to give up, I glance a dark Diversity! It is prevalent here, not only in All too quickly the fish blanket parts shadow before me in the blue, growing the habitats to be found, which in turn Schooling jacks at Blue Magic in the Dampier Strait (above); Crinoids and soft coral at Four Kings, and the moment ends. Pressing on into larger every second. I swim out from support the myriad of species, but also Wayilbatan Island (top right). PREVIOUS PAGE: Four Kings dive site in the Misool area is typical of the stunning reefs to be found in the south of Raja Ampat 27 X-RAY MAG : 55 : 2013 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Picture per- fect vista of Wayag in travel the north Raja Ampat WHAT’S IN A NAME The name Raja Ampat (Malay for Four Kings) is derived from the four larg- est islands that make up this archi- pelago: Salawati, Misool, Batanta and Waigeo. These accompany over 1,500 smaller islands and islets found on the northwestern tip of the province of West Papua, which itself forms part of Indonesia’s tenure of the west half of New Guinea, the second largest island in the world after Greenland. The east- ern half of the island forms the main- land of the separate country of Papua New Guinea. ■ Red sea whips in the Fam Islands, which lie to the west of the Dampier Strait (left); Pair of scorpionfish at Cape Kri, in the Dampier Strait (right) in the type of diving that can be experi- By land or by sea? only a handful of other boats during enced. There are two ways to experience Raja your whole trip. Vessels also generally Those who enjoy stunning fish-packed Ampat. If you wish to concentrate on co-operate and avoid diving the same seascapes that explode with colour will a specific area with a more laid back site at the same time as another boat, so struggle to find a better location any- approach, then a resort will be a good your group will always have the reef to where on the planet. Thrill seekers can choice. However, if you want to sample yourselves. north and south to be sampled. These enjoy high octane drift dives in those the full variety of seascapes here, then areas offer very different diving, so if you same currents that bring in manta rays. a liveaboard is the only way to sample North or south? have the chance, make sure you visit Those that enjoy the smaller things in what this huge 50,000 sq km area has to Shorter liveaboard itineraries will general- both. Many cruise directors choose to life, the critters, will find themselves in offer. ly follow either a northern route taking in round off the trips with dives in the cur- the most biodiverse area of the world. Around 40 vessels currently oper- the reefs of the islands around Waigeo, rent washed, spectacular reefs of the Indeed, there are no less than 42 species ate here, yet given the size of the Raja or head south to Misool. Itineraries Dampier Strait. of mantis shrimp in the area! Ampat, you will generally encounter approaching two weeks will allow the Incidentally, current is an ever 28 X-RAY MAG : 55 : 2013 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Raja Ampat Pygmy seahorse on sea fans in Anjui Bay; Hawksbill turtle cruising the Farondi Islands, near Misool (lower right) when there is a mild current, enough to concentrate all the Limestone islands of Wayag fish upstream, but not so strong that you are swept away from the THE GLOBAL EPICENTER “sweet spot”—the point where OF MARINE BIODIVERSITY the current splits around the reef Raja Ampat lies at the tip of a and where the most dense fish life densely forested peninsula that will be found. juts out from mainland West Papua. The region is known as The northern areas the Bird’s Head Seascape and Northern itineraries will often head runs from Triton Bay in the south, towards the spectacular lime- encompasses Raja Ampat stone lagoon of Wayag—without and rounds the northwestern doubt the most photographed tip of West Papua, deep into topside location in Raja Ampat. A Cenderawasih Bay. Located at 30-minute hike up the steep lime- the convergence of tectonic stone cliffs will allow a spectacu- plates, millions of years of geo- lar view of this stunning lagoon logical upheaval have carved and provide great photographic out diverse habitats—quiet sandy opportunities. bays, undersea mounts, drop- Wayag and the offs, mangroves, fast-flowing Stunning soft coral growth at surrounding islands channels, the list goes on, and Neptune Fan Sea, a channel full of are part of the Kawe these habitats, fuelled by nutri- sea fans in the south Raja Ampat Marine Protected ent-rich upwellings from deep Area (MPA) and the water in turn support the incred- present feature of the dives local village clans recover between harvests. These recover—all good indicators ible variety of marine species in the region and of course, that steward these traditional and effective steward- that conservation efforts in Raja to be found in this area. Over this is what makes the reefs reefs have adopt- ship techniques are ones that Ampat are able to turn words into 600 hard coral species and over so healthy. The common say- ed a traditional many western fisheries have been actions. 1,700 reef fish species have so far ing here is “no current, no life”. approach, known as unable or unwilling to adopt. One of the most stunning dives been documented in the Bird’s However, with good timing and “Sasi” where no-take Furthermore, on the nearby island in this northern region is Magic Head area, which is more than the right choice of site, you’ll zones are season- of Piai, a guarded turtle rookery Rock. Head to the north west side in any other region of this size on be able to see the reefs when ally rotated, allowing is helping the local populations and you will find a large archway Earth. This is the Global Epicentre they are at their best—that is marine life stocks to of green and hawksbill turtle to that leads into a hollowed out of Marine Biodiversity. ■ Pygmy cuttlefish in Anjui Bay—a haven for many critters 29 X-RAY MAG : 55 : 2013 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Wire coral shrimp found on the slopes travel of Anjui Bay Raja Ampat COUNTER-CLOCKWISE CENTER OF THE CORAL TRIANGLE FROM RIGHT: Giant It was not until 2001 that the area’s manta ray at Blue importance was fully realized when Magic, Dampier Strait; Conservation International sent an Wreckage of a World expedition to the region following lob- War II P47 Thunderbolt bying by renowned ichthyologist Gerry at Wai Island; Wobbe- gong shelters under Allen. This area lies at the center of the an overhang at Blue “coral triangle”, the region noted for its Magic; Sweetlips found supremely high marine biodiversity that at a bommie in deep covers the intersection between the water at Cape Kri Indian and Pacific Oceans and spans the rest of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Timor-Leste chamber. The floor here and the Solomon Islands. Leading sci- is filled with life and pro- entist Dr Mark Erdmann has described vides shelter from the this area as a “species factory” for the current, allowing you rest of the Coral Triangle. The majority to watch the masses of of fish species found throughout the fish that gather just out- Coral Triangle are present in the Bird’s side the archway.