26 March 2010 Today, I received a birthday greeting from our dear Paul Sunters, the Managing Photo Editor of the WWF Global Photo Network! It is my one year blog anniversary since writing my first entry! Imagine that! I went back to that first entry and thought, "where has the time gone?" And yet we've done so [...]
9 March 2010 Sometime August last year, during our trip on the Seven Seas diving around Komodo National Park, we met Jack Shargel, an animated American jeweler based in Bali. Jack, upon hearing what it was we were doing, showed us a somewhat different coral triangle! He opened his magic jewel pouch and brought out beautiful looking [...]
8 – 28 February 2010 Sorido Bay Resort A panoramic view of one of the most comfortable and elegant lounge and dining areas we've been to here in Indonesia! High end Papuan art of tapa bark cloths, woven Papuan bags and intricate highland wood carvings tastefully decorate this place giving off a feeling of [...]
8 - 27 February 2010 While we were in North Raja Ampat, we were incredibly fortunate to have professional photographers and videographers Claudia & Leon Joubert document our stay and experience in what is arguably the epicenter of marine biodiversity. Claudia Pellarini-Joubert and Leon Joubert of the Bittenbysharks.com fame work with Max Ammer to manage and market Sorido Bay Resort. [...]
27 February 2010 After days of grumbling about the weather, Yogi finally found his smile again. Max Ammer was bringing him along as co-pilot to his truly photogenic yellow aircraft. Yogi finally smiling from ear to ear. Finally sunny after overcast days with heavy rain Conservation International needed to do regular surveys to [...]
8 - 26 February If I may, I would like to lift a few bits and paragraphs written by Dr. Mark V. Erdmann, Senior Advisor Conservation International Indonesia Marine Program in his introduction of a new fantastic coffeetable book The Raja Ampat. "Reefs on Steroids", "The Kingdom of Coral", "Heart of the Coral Triangle", "The World's Richest Reefs" [...]
8 - 25 February In 1526, Jorge de Menses, the first Portuguese governor to the Moluccan "spice islands" was swept ashore by a storm to the Bird's Head Peninsula (West Papua) even before he reached his post. He named the country Ilhas dos Papuas (Islands of the Papuans) derived from the Malay term "orang papuwah" meaning the [...]
8 - 23 February 2010 Manta Sandy Manta Slope How do you describe the feeling of utter happiness you have to pinch yourself underwater to remind yourself it's happening? Our artist friend Robert Strachan sees me as a hobbit about to be engulfed by a ringwraith . . . There are [...]
16- 30 January 2010 MER Full moon night scene of this wonderful resort in Batbitim Island. See the milky way on the right sky? Loads of divers dream of owning a resort in an island paradise in the tropics surrounded by pristine coral reefs and lots of fish. When out at sea, palm [...]
25 January 2010 Yellu Island What originally started as a 200 square kilometer no-take zone has now been increased to 425 sq. km. Misool Eco Resort MER take their conservation work very seriously. They have set up a UK charity called the Misool Conservation Centre to raise funds for the all important work of taking care of these waters. [...]
