West Papua, the western half of the Island of New Guinea, was until recently known as Irian Jaya. We fly into Sorong Airport at West Papua's westernmost end and head off by speedboat in a northwesterly direction into the Raja Ampat archipelago to the remote and uninhabited island of Kri. There can be few places in our oceans that have remained undiscovered by scubadivers yet this, to all but a few adventure travellers and liveaboard divers who have been lucky enough to call en passant, the Raja Ampat archipelago has been left virtually unexplored.

The island group's location enjoys plenty of shelter and we travel at a time of year when both sea and weather conditions are expected to be favourable. During our 11-day stay with Irian Diving we will experience world class diving on reef slopes, ridges, coral gardens and wrecks.

Sardine Reef, the photographers' favourite, and close by Cape Kri, have coral bommies and slopes covered with soft coral, sea fans, sponges and crinoids. Here as everywhere we dive, the corals are in pristine condition. On his last visit to the area Malcolm Hey made a note that he had "never seen so many fish before". Shoals of sweetlips, shoals of batfish, shoals of fusiliers, shoals of snappers, shoals... shoals... shoals... Along these reefs we can expect to spot Wobbegong sharks sheltering in many hidey-holes and sometimes resting in the open on dish corals.

Manta Reef is a regular feeding ground for manta rays. Although it can never be guaranteed, dozens of manta ray sightings are generally made on every dive. Giants with 4-metre wingspans, some white-bellied, some black-bellied, feed near the surface and cruise along the reef.

After all the colourful reefs and abundance of fish we can have a muck dive! In just a few metres of water near the Old Jetty on Wai Island we can spend a happy hour or so amongst the sand, rubble and seagrass. Sea hares, bamboo shark, several unusual species of urchin, cornetfish, saddleback anemonefish, humpback scorpionfish, mantis shrimp, upside-down jellyfish, and the rare double-ended pipefish, the same shade of green as the blade of seagrass it shadows.

Even when resting from diving we can observe sea mammals. Eagle rays have been known to swim in close to the shore in just a few feet of water and dolphins and whales are occasionally spotted from the end of the jetty.


Although planned primarily for photographers the expedition will also appeal to other divers who enjoy observing marine life. This is a rare opportunity to join an expedition to explore this remote and exotic destination and enjoy world class diving.

Cost: £2295 includes flights, transfers, accommodation and diving.


Contact Divequest for further information and bookings

Divequest
Tel: 01254 826322
Fax: 01254 826780