Raja Ampat
Jakarta
INDONESIA
WORLD APART From top: diving, Raja Ampat; Chef Andre making sambal; cabin, Rascal Rebel
once I put my mask under the turquoise water, that this place is unlike anything I have experienced before. This is what it looks like to be in one of the remotest oceans on earth. There are fish everywhere, and after an hour I had to practically be dragged out of the warm water, so transfixed was I by what lay beneath. It was there and then I decided I had to go further and finally advance to scuba diving. Rascal Voyages offer diving from the age of 10, so it’s perfect for families. They also provide a ‘Discover Scuba’ option for those without a PADI certificate, which means you can have the full experience and descend to 12 metres. So the next day, with some trepidation, I set off with one of my fellow travellers and Yeri, the dive master on the Rascal. It certainly helps to do the first 30 minutes of instruction in knee deep tropical water off a remote beach, versus, let’s say; a swimming pool in Swindon. Before long we were scuba diving: three metres; then five; then eight. Our first dive was 45 minutes, with Yeri close at hand at all times, and my confidence increasing with every minute, soon I had forgotten all my fears and was immersed in another world. After a BBQ lunch on the beach, I was ready to go again, with marine biologist, Lisa, as my guide. The Rascal team ready the tender, check the equipment and we are off to our second dive site of the day. This time I ventured to 11 metres and began to feel completely comfortable in the water. Of course, knowing Lisa was right there and that the tender was directly above helped my confidence levels, but I was a diver. And it was abundantly clear that my long-time love of ski holidays now had a serious rival in my annual calendar. As the week went on, we discovered yet more beautiful islands, beaches and jungles. Excursions, hikes, dives or snorkel trips are not mandatory. It is perfectly acceptable to stay on board and enjoy Rascal’s wonderful deck areas and relax with a book: this trip can be enjoyed in many ways. However, I would suggest the night snorkel/dives and a trip to Shark Island is another must. I also particularly enjoyed the tender excursion up a remote river mouth to then drift back with tubes through deep, indigenous vegetation. Of course, at the end of your swim the Rascal team are there with towels, “THE RYTHM OF DIVING BECAME A LESSON IN MINDFULNESS”
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