Join Dr. Lawrence Blair and Captain Mark Heighes for an UNUSUAL EXPLORATORY CRUISE off the West Coast of Indonesian NEW GUINEA and the Southern RAJA AMPAT ISLANDS, aboard The Seven Seas.
12 nights, from March 3rd to 15th 2019. Fakfak to Sorong.
Beginning in the remote region of the Bomberai Peninusula, we gradually head north and West to the Southern Raja Ampat Islands. The trip will include jungle walking, ancient cave paintings, kayaking, snorkeling and diving, with a good chance of both seeing Wilson’s Bird of Paradise and of swimming with whale sharks.
The Seven Seas is the Indonesian live aboard most frequently chartered by international marine biologists for scientific surveys, which enables her to break entirely new ground. Such a survey is taking place on the cruise prior to ours by Conservation International scientists to tag the recently discovered whale sharks in this region. Our cruise would be retracing their itinerary back to Sorong, amongst the worlds richest dive waters, with a good chance of swimming amongst these largest and most docile of the world’s fish.
Our cruise will be during a new moon, the optimal time for encountering whale sharks as they are attracted to the fish which in turn are attracted to the lamps of the local ‘bagan’ outrigger fishermen.
We will also be trekking on mainland New Guinea, behind the remote Momon waterfalls which plunge from the jungle straight into the Arafura Sea. It is here that we have seen large, black kangaroos, early tribal artifacts and rat-eating Nepenthe plants. We continue up to the southern Raja Ampat islands, the very heart of the Coral Triangle (with nearly 70% of all the world’s known coral species of and nearly 40% of its known fish species). In addition to spectacular diving, snorkeling and bird-spotting, we will also visit hidden caves with rock paintings dating back many thousands of years. Prior to arriving in Sorong we also hope to see Wilsons Bird of Paradise in the jungles of Waigeo Island.
Even by adventurous Indonesian live aboard standards, this trip is way off the beaten track, and highly recommended. For this 12-night cruise the cost is U$11,880 per double cabin (U$ 5,940 per person). The domestic airfare, Bali to Fakfak and Sorong to Bali, including one hotel night, is approximately U$685.
If interested in joining us on this Seven Seas adventure, please contact Dr. Lawrence Blair to sign up via [email protected].
You can also just contact Seven Seas and we will make the connection.
ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE BLAIR
Dr. Lawrence Blair has spent much of the past 40 years exploring and making films in Indonesia. In 2006 he wrote and presented, for SKY TV UK, the five-part series Myths, Magic and Monsters, which explores the stranger sides of both nature and the human mind.
He is also the writer, presenter and co-producer (with his late brother, Lorne) of the internationally acclaimed series RING OF FIRE, (PBS in the States, and BBC in the UK) which won two Emmy awards in l988.
In addition to having been Visiting Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Southern California, Dr. Blair has also been writer, field-producer and presenter on such Omnimax/Eyemax feature documentaries as “BARAKA“, and “RING OF FIRE – Volcanoes of the Pacific Rim”. His most recent is Bali – Island of the Dogs.
NOTE :
To reserve your spots or see available trips, please check out our schedule page :
Schedule & Availability
Please also don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] should you require any further information or need recommendations for accommodation or flights etc. Our reservation team would be more than happy to assist. Cheers!
