Raja Ampat
There are 3 places high on my personal ‘hit list’… Antarctica, Galapagos Islands and Raja Ampat. The latter is still relatively unknown.
Otherwise known as the Four Kings, it is an archipelago located off of the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula, Southwest Papua province, Indonesia. This area is slowly opening to tourism. For me the problem has been how do I choose the perfect vessel for a trip to this area. I didn’t want a live-aboard; I still like my comforts and good food but I needed something small enough to get to these out-of-the way islands.
That is why this article caught my attention. It features a cruise company few people know: Rascal Voyages, whose priority is marine conservation, something very important to me.
Rascal Voyages has two ships - both 30-metre-long traditional timber Phinisi yachts. The one that interested me was Rascal Rebel’s inaugural voyage to northern Raja Ampat and its islands (Friwinbonda, Wagag, Batanta and Mansuar.) No, I’ve never heard of them either but from what I now know, the snorkelling and diving is world class.
On each journey, guests are joined by Rebel’s onboard Marine Biologist Lisa D’Silva, who delivers presentations on the likes of manta rays and the importance of coral reefs.
As part of the conservation series, guests aboard Rebel meet local NGO The SEA People (Orang Laut), founded by Australian-born Lynn Lawrance and her French partner Arnaud Brival. Visitors can assist in restoration projects including halting “the avalanche phenomenon” in which healthy reef below is being smothered by coral rubble.
Since it was established, The SEA People have transplanted 65,788 corals; restored 20,716 square metres of surface; participated in 671 dives including 81 monitoring dives; and supported 12 livelihoods, including seven coral gardeners.
But Rascal Voyages commitment to conservation doesn’t end there.
The interior design of the ships also has been carefully created in co-operation with local craftspeople, using traditional materials but applying them in a modern way. Shell and resin and crushed bamboo inlays; local textiles, art and carvings; handmade brass accents; and custom teak furniture…everything sourced and custom-made within Indonesia. All the carvings are from East Timor and they feature sea animals and birds
In keeping with its conservation commitment, wherever possible food is sourced locally from Sorong or Bali and includes everything from lobster omelettes for breakfast to a traditional Indonesian Rijsttafel feast for dinner.
If you would like to know more about Rascal Voyages, please give me a call OR you visit the link below.
https://www.rascalvoyages.com/
Both ships are available for private charter or as part of a cabin voyage.
To discover more about The SEA People or to donate or sponsor their conservation efforts go to theseapeople.org/