Sorong with a stopover in Manado was once again our destination, and due to the large amount of luggage we had booked the
Premium Economy Class from Singapore Airlines again. This allows 35 kg per person plus a slightly improved seating quality,
but you can't really sleep there either. Our Stop-Over-Hotel in Manado was the Novotel, which can be recommended. However,
the next morning at 6:00 a. m. we continued with Garuda in the direction of Sorong, where the pick-ups of the MSY ILIKE were
already waiting for us.
And who asks himself: Why all the effort, especially the long journey to the end of the world? Raja Ampat was the target, this
time in connection with a shootout of the company Seacam, in the period from July to December 2017 one could sail on a new diving
ship, the ILIKE through Indonesia's waters, dive there and participate in the photo competition at the same time. Sounds like a
lot of work - it was - but at the same time a great pleasure. Raja Ampat - the Four Kings - is always worth a visit: On every dive
we found lushly flowering gorgonian fans, intact table corals and colorful soft corals. Various flocks of fusiliers stood above the
reefs, emperor fish pecked at the sponges. Everywhere reef perches, lip- and triggerfish, the guides searched for tiny shrimps,
nudibranchs and pygmy sea horses and from time to time a lazy carpet shark, the "Wobbegong", was found in a reef crevice. The
biodiversity of Raja Ampat is truly unique.
But we also had big-fish sightings, at Misool we met again the famous and really huge Oceanic Mantas, at the dive site "Anti
Chovy" the Manta Mobulas offered us a great show. In between we met occasionally blacktip reef sharks and again and again Napoleon
Wrasses and bumphead parrotfish.
We experienced a dive of a special kind at the jetty of the island Arborek. Near mangrove forests lies this Maldives-like island,
we were lucky to experience a Baitball of golden striped mackerels, a great experience not only for the present underwater photographers.
The last sunset on board was over much too fast. After 12 days we packed our gear with the help of the crew again, for us we
went to the Lembeh Strait to our dear friends of the Kungkungan Bay Resort for a few days.
Last but not least, a big thank you to the ILIKE crew, they all did a really great job, especially briefing, guiding and the
many helpers around diving were r.e.a.l.l.y great, but of course we shouldn't forget our beloved "Tempo Tempo" (Michael).
Also the short detour to the KBR was worthwhile, because of the off-season in the Lembeh Strait we had our own boat during
the 4 days of diving and each of us had a private guide. This was another successful end to a great time in Indonesia.
We have already mentioned it several times, Indonesia for us is simply a top address for diving. A few destinations would
still be missing on our wish list - Ambon, Forgotten Islands, Triton Bay. If only the long journey would not be.........
