Katali: in Indonesia

There are a few very rare places in the world which can only be reached after you have shown perseverance in the energy, the determination and the madness needed to get there. Situated at the western tip of Papua, Misool, in the Raja Ampat, is without any doubt one of those places. For the past few weeks, we have been anchored in the middle of some sumptuous scenery, straight out of the imagination of a fantasy comic book artist. Massive cliffs, covered with tropical vegetation, twisting and turning in all directions, delineating deep blue pools, ringed by multicolored coral plateaus. Too deep to anchor, so we stretch lines to the pandanus hanging from the cliffs, to keep the boat well away from the rocks. Once set up, nature is ours, almost ours alone, as access to this area is difficult. Just a few boats pass, with divers who only venture outside their boat to go underwater, but they never approach our remote anchorages. Moreover we also go underwater. Every day, a wonderful dive. In the heart of the ‘coral triangle’, Misool is constantly fed by a strong easterly current, coming from the Pacific, carrying a quantity of food appreciated by fish of all sizes. And here, it’s like an explosion! Thousands of fish accompany us during each of our dives. We are enjoying this part of the world, which is so well protected from everything and everyone, to the full. No lights interfere with the night; no noisy fishing boats. Every anchorage is hard to leave, but the next one is just as incredible as the last. Certain people will say that I am exaggerating, certainly true, but we feel that this place is a kind of ‘result’ of our 13-year voyage, a concentrate of everything we are looking for, so far from the ‘civilized’ world.

Who: Soizic, Matthieu, Lola, Timéo and Mael
Boat: Looping 50
Where: Indonesia, Indian Ocean
Blog: www.atoursdumonde.com/katali