Our first impressions on arrival this morning at Wayag island in the north part of the Raja Ampat group exceeded all expectations. Beautiful. Stunning. Awesome. This place deserves all these and more superlatives. It's one of the most beautiful places we've visited on our travels and we hadn't planned to come here.
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| Jackster on mooring |
When we set off from Halmahera at dawn yesterday our plan had been to sail to Minyaifun which is 35 miles south. However SSW winds and a strong north setting current pushed us north of the rhumb line and on course for Wayag. It was easier to change our plans than fight the elements. It was still as close hauled as possible for us but still made it with just one tack 10nm north of Wayag to come into the island and find shelter from the 20+ knot winds within its labyrinth of passages. The official chart show Wayag as a blob of land. Satellite images reveal the true picture of extensive channels, islands and inner lagoons. It didn't prepare us for the true majesty and magic.
Raja Ampat is a group of islands on the west tip of Papua. The name means four kings named after the four main islands in the group. The topography is karst limestone; uplifted limestone which literally 'melts' when water is poured over it leaving sheer sided cliffs and dottings of islands which resemble mushrooms. The water is incredibly clear. The seas are one of the most, or possibly the most, biodiverse region in the world and a Mecca for divers. It's remoteness and difficulty to reach by public transport have meant it's not often visited being a long way from anywhere on the west end of Papua New Guinea.
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| Perfect beach |
When we arrived from Halmahera this morning the sea outside the protection of the island was rough, our charts hopelessly inaccurate and the satellite image not as clear as one would have liked but with diligence, or rather me, sitting in the bow, we motored in to a paradise of cobalt sea fringed with turquoise abutting near vertical tree covered slopes rising from the sea with an occasional white sand beach. An amazing first impression of the area we plan to explore for the next month or so.
We picked up a strong dive boat mooring in the southern bay and for a few hours were the only ones there. Four hours later we were joined by catamaran Emma Peel with Robert,Tess and their young son, Louis. Still not too many to spoil the tranquility.
Mooring 00 09.83N 130 01.45E
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