Loading...

Komodo Topside, the Pet Family and The Seven Seas

6 – 18 August 2009

A panoramic shot of the upper deck of the Seven Seas

A panoramic shot of the upper deck of the Seven Seas

We spent 12 wonderful days diving with the entire Pet family and their friends onboard The Seven Seas, a super luxurious dive live aboard operating all over the best sites of Indonesia.

Phinisi schooner The Seven Seas proudly waving our WWF flag in its front mast. Now this time, our flag does not seem sooo big!

The Seven Seas – a traditional Buginese schooner proudly waving our WWF flag in its front mast. Now this time, our flag does not seem sooo big!

It was Lida Pet-Soede’s much awaited vacation and it was perfect to share this time with her. Lida is the engine behind the WWF Coral Triangle Programme. She coordinates activities with strategy, communications and policy teams to achieve the programme’s goals. A mammoth task but one this lady is quite capable of doing it.  We made fast friends with their kids, 11-year-old Eva and 7-year-old Laura, and the trip was a double milestone — Laura’s 3rd-5th dive and Eva’s 100th !

Here’s a little gallery of images of the Pet Family sharing the underwater world together:

The diving family - Eva, Lida, Laura & Jos Pet with The Seven Seas

The diving family – Eva, Lida, Laura and Jos Pet with The Seven Seas

6 going on 7 year old Laura confidently diving with a pony tank.  Daddy Jos closely watching nearby

6 going on 7 year old Laura confidently diving with a pony tank. Daddy Jos closely watching nearby

11 year old Eva Pet makes her hundredth dive

11 year old Eva Pet makes her hundredth dive on a night dive with us. Here’s her on a day dive surrounded by bubbles!

Laughing Lida with her beautiful family

Laughing Lida with her beautiful family

Lest we forget why this incredible place is so named, we had our close interaction with Komodo dragons, Varanus komodoensis, on the beach of Horseshoe Bay, South Rinca.

Komodo dragon with bacteria filled saliva coming out of its mouth

Komodo dragon with bacteria filled saliva coming out of its mouth

They may look large and awkward but these guys can run!

They may look large and awkward but these guys can run and bite you if they wanted!

I certainly kept my distance as these reptiles are dangerous and extremely venomous creatures with a taste for meat.

Yes, I was scared.

Yes, I was scared.

The crew of The Seven Seas was top notch. Diving was pure pleasure with these guys helping us get in and out of the water. And the food! Oh, where do I begin?

Jon with a Spanish mackarel. Outside the national park, Jos, Jan & Jon caught us our sumptuous sashimi to accompany our sunset drinks!

Jon with a Spanish mackarel. Outside the national park, Jos, Jan and Jon caught us our sumptuous sashimi to accompany our sunset drinks!

The fantastic crew of the Seven Seas all coming from different parts of Indonesia

The fantastic crew of the Seven Seas all coming from different parts of Indonesia

Sunset and The Seven Seas

Sunset and The Seven Seas

We couldn't end the trip without this required group shot

We couldn’t end the trip without this required group shot

About the Author:

Stella was born in Manila, Philippines in 1965. She studied anthropology but ended up in advertising, producing radio and TV commercials for 7 years. After quitting advertising, she ventured into the freelance world in Manila producing video documentaries for a publishing house, government agencies, non govenmental organisations, and the academe. She moved on to producing books and had a stint at working with foreign production companies visiting Manila. Stella, now based in Cairns, produces photo stories with her husband Jürgen Freund.