TRAVEL: Raja - Bird of Paradise, Pearl Farm (Day 5 & 6)

ALJUI & GAM ISLANDS

Another short transit during dinner and sleep and we all popped out of bed at 4:30am for a hike to see one of the world's most beautiful birds, and Indonesia's most famous: the bird-of-paradise.  About 15 travelers gathered at trail's end, quietly waiting until about 6:00am we heard squawking, something like a parrot.  At first elusive, we watched the canopy above us and watched as two males fake-fought over a female.  Their magnificent feathers rose around them as they skirmished. Bested, the winner spread his wings over the now-willing female, enveloping her. 

RL* Greater Bird of Paradise, near Sawingrai Village, Gam Island

Alfred Russell Wallace theorized a theory of evolution at the same time as Darwin, even writing him letters sharing his theories with him.  Darwin would go on to make a life work of evolutionary theory, while Wallace, supporting a family with no independent income, hunted for bird, insect and butterfly specimens all over Malaysia and Indonesia.  His books made for fascinating reading in-between our daily jaunts.

Alfred Russell Wallace, an illustration of  natives shooting birds-of-paradise so they can be taxidermied and  sold to  to Victorian collectors at high prices.

Christine said later she felt like the experience under the trees together was like a sunrise service - and so it was for me.  I gave a great prayer of gratitude for my privilege to see these things. 


Later that day, we visited a pearl farm.  This proved to be highly interesting. Atlas Pearls is an Australian company which runs a "pearling" operation.  The pearls are seeded in Bali, and then brought to remote Aljui Bay, placed in these mesh nets, and later harvested.

"... they are sent for maturation to Alyui Bay on Waigeo Island in Papua  Here, Atlas has some 2,500 hectares of water leases capable of supporting over one million adult oysters.

The remote Alyui Bay site offers secure and sheltered waters located on the equator outside the cyclone belt, relatively stable water temperatures and pollution-free and nutrient-rich waters ideally suited to the Pinctada maxima oyster. Atlas is committed to protecting this pristine environment and supports international conservation groups within the world recognised marine area of Raja Ampat.

The Alyui operation boasts a sophisticated and modern operations centre, three major pearl growing sites, jetties, boats and a range of support infrastructure such as accommodation, recreation, workshops and warehouses, not to mention the most stunning scenery ever seen." (Atlas website)  

Of interest also is this website, a field report about the challenges of establishing a business in a remote and undeveloped area: http://www.mcatoolkit.org/Field_Projects/Field_Projects_Indonesia_2_Atlas_Pearl.html

In the photo below, we see the small operation in which the pearl foundation sphere is being inserted into the oyster.  

From what I could see, not many pearls are recovered perfectly round, explaining why they are so valuable.  For me, they remain the preferred jewel.  I love their live biological origins, although I did consider whether or not pearl farming is moral.  The oyster can only grow a few pearls before it is "repurposed", usefully, I must say. 

 But I couldn't help thinking of the film Never Let Me Go, based on the book by Kazuo Ishiguro, about humans bred for organ harvest.

Later that day, cruising around in the tender, we saw an older woman fishing with a hand line in a traditional prahu, carved from a log.  This photo, by Gina Ruttle, captures the essence of the Indonesia for me.  I saw these boats in the museum in Jakarta, imagine, here is someone who lives like this.  

We walked through the small village returning to the boat. So modest, so simple…how astonishing to see these lived lives: a small baby, delivered without a doctor, whose mother died, tiny children with no toys, running on the beach at play…I bought candy and gave it to them.  They accepted shyly with broad smiles.  And how they all loved to have their picture taken! 

I felt like I'd been washed by a giant wave - not a description in a book, not a documentary, not Nat Geo.  Real.  All for real.  

TRAVEL: Raja Ampat, Night Dive (Day 5/6, 10-27)

The days run together, so busy we stay. We have crossed the dateline and it's a day ahead, adding to my pleasantly confused haze.  I have found I cannot eat spicy food or a lot of it without getting sick.  No desserts are served and so I manage with rice, chicken, and there's always soup.  Losing weight. Still cloudy and I've skipped another snorkel to catch a nap. 

RL* Wobbegong shark ,   his camouflage hides him so magnificently.

Nudibranchs - who knew?  Look at these fabulous creatures.  They look soft like chenille and tiny stuffed animals, and the colors!      

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RL* Juvenile Oriental sweetlips  - the juvenile has is black and white with spots and wriggles around comically like a puppy. It's actually a warning behavior; they are poisonous.

RL* Oriental Sweetlips  - the dominant sighting on the reef, along with rabbit fish and butterfly fish.

RL* - what is this?  Egads, it looks like The Fly come back to life, but Pete tells me it is not, it is a mantis crab.  It's eyes are placed close together for better vision

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I think this is a crab eating a lobster, but it is not, it is actually a hermit crab that has placed 3 anemones on itself for protection,

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As the sun set, we entered the water around a jetty equipped with flashlights for a night dive.  I wasn't afraid of being in the water at night, but the jetty area was narrow and there were 11 of us diving.  Pete said it was mostly about getting kicked in the face with people's fins.  Whatever there was to see I didn't, not wanting to risk being kicked. These are Ron's photos:

TRAVEL: Raja Ampat, Coral and Orchids (Day 4 10-26)

WAYAG ISLAND

The weather continued cloudy, with a morning rainshower. The morning bird boat found us orchids, and a pristine beach, with a willie wagtail sighting. I missed the morning snorkel, struggling with fatigue, but the afternoon was fresh for me. Lots of current to swim through.

wasps very different looking, larger

another scorpion fish, I think, amazed at the opalescent effect the little Olympus captured here

Chinese dragon - a worm which Dalton, the Indonesian dive master, found for me

 Regal angelfish - I am thrilled to have made this photo of it - they swim somewhat deep and are very skittish - they can be quite large, like a dinner plate

nudibranch

Nudibranchs are my new favorite critters - they are quite appealing and come in fabulous colors.  So glad John and Jo brought my attention to them so I could learn about them.  This picture is a bit blurry  but the colors are true.

RL* trumpetfish

rabbitfish

This velvety coral glowed with light green irradiation around its edges

Astonished at the forms of the corals - surely Peter Voulkos, would have loved these.

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RL* - some kind of grouper

RL* - grouper?