The Four Kings

Written and sent from Uranie Island, North Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Raja Ampat was always one of those mythical places we had only heard reverent stories about. Fittingly, the name is the stuff of legend and means "four kings". It is now well known because of the tremendous species diversity that resides here both above and below the water. Raja Ampat's reefs have been referred to as "a species factory."

Even the rocks are alive in northern Raja Ampat. Jagged sharp limestone islands are undercut by the consistent presence of the sea all around them. Trees cling to whatever soil and rock their roots can find on the seemingly inhospitable earth. As the swell gently rolls in, the rocks breathe, gurgling loudly with the intake of water and hiss violently as it is caught in air pockets and pushed back out.

Under the islands' lips hundreds of fish gather in the nutrient filled water. Currents meet here, bringing with them vast amounts of nutrients. This is why there are hundreds of sweetlips big enough to be on steroids staring at use with pursed lips, while schools of bumphead parrotfish move as an organized unit, gorging on the abundance of coral. Juvenile turtles and sharks patrol the reefs and butterfly fish the size of salad plates lazily meander by.

It because of these currents and this life we chose to visit Kri Island and eco-resort to dive. We motored 40 miles north of Sorong past fishing boats with long arms, through pods of leaping spinner dolphins, maneuvering through boiling currents and whirlpool eddies to arrive in the early afternoon with a current pumping against us at 2.6 knots. We passed back and forth in front of the resort searching for a shallow spot. Yet, we were told to anchor in 35-45 meters (110-135 feet) 250 meters off the resort, really deep for us. We debated trying it or abandoning our diving plans for Kri. We searched for anything shallower and found nothing.

So we committed and dropped all 280 feet of our chain attached our 300 foot piece of mega braid line and let 100 feet of that out and waited. The current was racing past DK's hull and I stared wide-eyed finger on the line hoping she would hold while Gar backed down on her hard. We'd never anchored this deep before or in current this strong. She held. The anchor jumped a few times against the bottom and then stuck, the line quaked as the sea rushed by if it was mirroring my own nervousness.

We stayed and swung for four days back and forth on our anchor in front of the channel leading to the resort where we were welcome to make our new home. Diving three times a day and eating scrumptious meals in between at Kri eco-resort we returned to DK only after dinner and the tide would allow us to escape from the channel we parked super dingy in. Did I mention how lucky we are.

If you look carefully through the nutrient rich water there are wonderfully beautiful and startlingly ugly creatures that make Raja Ampat home. Nudibranchs of every size, color, and pattern imaginable can be found on sand flats, in the arms of branching Acropora coral, and under the edges of rocks. I saw a baby pink scorpion fish the size of my thumb and we have seen three species of pygmy sea horses, stealthily camouflaged in sea fans. Mantas appear literally out of the blue like phantom angels. Walls are plastered with corals, tunicates, sponges, fans, and sea whips with colors and patterns so wild they would make Dr Seuss grin.

Leaving Kri we headed north back across the equator and to the islands that first called to us up in Wayag. The surface of the water glows in an otherworldly aqua green and quickly changes to midnight blue as we search for anchorages beside the deep craggy islands. A sea eagle has just stretched her white wings and landed in a snag above us while red parrots pass by squack squaking until they find a good spot to roost. Small birds tweet tweet tweet in the mornings and evenings and something whack whak whaks early in twilight of morning.

We spend our days getting up early to sand and varnish DK's weathered teak and try unsuccessfully to hide from the heat of midday. In the afternoons, at high tide we slip into the sea to search for whatever she is willing to reveal. Swimming through a sea of mirrors, schools of thousands of silver blue sardines and fusiliers we see blue spotted rays munching on critters hidden under the fine white sand. Spanish Mackerel, barracuda and giant trevally make elusive quick passes hinting at what lives deeper in the channels. After hours in this other world we return to Dream Keeper water logged.

At dusk the rain starts. It is not a normal rain as no none hits our deck but one that bubbles up from the sea. A constant gentle pitter patter of rain drops begins reliably at dusk and continues into the night even when the sky is cloudless and sparkling with the stars of the southern cross, Orion and the dipper. Fish really are everywhere in Raja Ampat; the rain comes from them feeding on the surface.

But all is not well with the Four Kings. While there is incredible species diversity here and it has been recognized by some big NGO's and the Indonesian government as a marine hotspot well worth protecting it is not immune to human impacts. Thick trails of trash ride in on the currents and a nickel mine is planned on one of the northern islands. Illegal logging threatens to choke the reefs and gas and oil prospectors visit the region searching for liquid gold. Let alone the pressures from local subsistence fisherman cyanide and blasting the reef and international fishing fleets that threaten to leave this kingdom destroyed and empty.

With hope to be recognized as a World Heritage site and efforts being made to protect the 3,500 square miles of newly formed marine protected areas we hope the crown jewel can be defended and will remain sacred so that Raja Ampat will not only be remembered in myths.

Keeps on Giving

Palau keeps on giving. Last week our new instruments arrived. Dreamkeeper is getting a few upgrades. Gar successfully installed a new wind gauge and anemometer and tri-data giving us speed, wind, and depth, and he got to know our boat even better with his valiant but unsuccessful installation of our brand new autopilot. Why did we need new instruments? Sadly, neither the anemometer nor the autopilot can be fixed again. Both were serviced but without success and we like to be in control.

Our anemometer has been off and getting progressively worse. It must have been at least 7-10 knots low in high winds. So we apologize to all of you sailors we thought were telling tall tales with wind speeds of 38 knots rounding Tahuata, and, Far Niente, we definitely saw over 30 knots in the Pacific. What will I do now when I know the true wind speed? A wise man said knowledge is power. I hope he is right.

We have to get the gremlin off of our boat. The autopilot is possessed. It has a habit switching course 180 degrees at will or taking over completely when the wind vane is on. An out of control autopilot is dangerous let alone maddening. We replaced the old fluxgate compass and the "brains" were diagnosed once and they couldn't find anything wrong so we broke down and bought a new one. Unfortunately, after hours of trouble-shooting Gar finally called the service department and got one more test to do, nothing. This one's brains aren't working right either. So, they've been returned to be fixed or to be replaced by a new one. We're sitting on our hands. Fingers crossed.

It's been raining all week. We've both been on the Internet ordering last minute parts and goodies before Gar's parents arrive. I helped Gar run wires and a new topping lift when the clouds broke. The most rewarding part of my week was getting the satisfaction of winning the fight on mold on our salon cushions after soaking them in seriously magical Nappy San and scrubbing them with a soft brush. I don't think Nappy San exists in the States but you've got to find something similar maybe Oxi Clean comes in second. The stuff is magic on mold and is reputed to be good with wine too. Our cushions look brand new. Now I'm merely battling mold everywhere else it grows: on the fiberglass, our lines, the wood... The sacrifices of living in the glorious tropics.

Nothing is ever fast but we feel really lucky we are here where things are easy. It can't get much better. Sam's offers free moorings, free dingy dock, free mail service, free water, fuel and internet right at the end of the dingy dock, a bar to quench our thirst or dull the frustration and tasty eats to fill our bellies after a long day, let alone dive boats to take us away. Don't misinterpret, we haven't turned into bar flies yet.

We consistently broke our days up by paddling or swimming under rain-studded skies. One day we paddled around the headland of Pincher's and found 10 black and white banded sea snakes cozy in their holes. Usually we don't mess with nature but when we saw a baby sea snake being eaten alive by a crab tail first we had to do something. Paddling further around the undercut island we found a few more snakes tucked into holes in the sharp limestone cliffs. The consistent patter of rain was only broken by the swell being sucked under the cliffs and spit out gurgling.

We celebrated the end of our week with a day of diving with Sam's at Ulong channel and Siaes Corner. Slipping into the water everything seems to float away. These days when we go diving I feel like we are returning to see old friends and yet we consistently see something new on every dive or snorkel as long as we are looking at the world with open eyes. This time we saw 7 juvenile grey reef sharks no longer than 2 feet long. Also we spotted juvenile Pompano's, a silver fish with streamers we have been wanting to see since entering the Pacific. Turtles swam lazily beneath us and a juvenile spotted eagle ray flew by at the end of our day. Like I said, Palau keeps on giving.

Solomon sharkies

You don't find yourself swimming with hundreds of sharks in very many places around the world. But here, at Uepi Island in the Solomon Island chain, you do. Unfortunately, it is possible that sharks may not be around much longer in the oceans. They are being mercilessly slaughtered for their fins (to make Asian sharkfin soup) and because the demand is so high and the price so good, the decimation of this amazing creature reaches to the far corners of the globe. I don't know the exact figures, but it is extremely shocking and depressing when you realize how few sharks are actually left in the world's oceans. What will happen when we kill off the ocean's largest and most important predator?? No one knows.

But here, at Uepi, they are still healthy and active. There are big numbers of black-tipped reefsharks, greys, and I even saw my first hammerhead here. Diving in the flood current through Uepi Pass the other day, Nicole and I counted hundreds of grey reef sharks, the most we have ever seen. They were everywhere. They weren't alone either. We saw other big pelagic fish like giant trevally, schools of barracuda, dogtooth tuna, and wahoo. Huge schools of snapper surround the points where the currents carrying rich nutrients wrap around the rocky coral faces. On some of the nearby reefs and walls we have also seen crocodile fish, pygmy seahorses, beautiful nudibranchs, and many gorgeous soft corals. Even though the visibility has not been as good as many places we have been (only 50-70 feet here), the interesting underwater life we have seen here has made up for it.

We have been here almost a week. The little dive resort is run by an Aussie couple, Grant and Jill, and their son, Jason. They have been good to us letting us come diving with them and their handful of guests, as well as share in a couple of seafood dinners with the whole crew. It has been refreshing to see Grant and Jill still go diving everyday and fuel their passion, even though they are hosting all their guests.

We have been anchored in front of the resort in the beautiful Marovo Lagoon, a place James Michener labeled as "one of the seven natural wonders of the world". Even though we have not wandered to far from Uepi yet, it is obvious that this place is special and we will head out tomorrow to spend time in some of the local villages. We have met some nice people here and have been befriended by one of our dive guides, Robert, who has invited us to come to his village this week. We have also been invited to another village by one of the very talented local wood-carvers named Gary. Robert lives in nearby Chumbikopi village and Gary lives in the village of Telina.

The only down-side of our week is that Nicole has been fighting a cold. She only dove one day and has been snorkeling a bit, but still feeling under the weather. Bummer as we may not have the chance to dive again for some time now. But hopefully once she starts seeing some of the master carvers amazing wood carvings she will heal up again. Let's just say that she has some Solomon Island dollars burning a hole in her pocket and is not shy in telling me that she wants to fill our quarter berth up with carvings. Sorry friends and family, no room on the boat for you anymore.