We’re into day number five on the scuba dive liveaboard. Today is a day of unusual excursions.
This morning we “dive” with dolphins. Not as cool as it sounds. Local fishermen use large nets to scoop up squid through the night. In the morning, they pull in the net, sort through the wildlife to keep the squid and throw the unwanted fish (dead, I think) back into the water. The dolphins have realized that they can get an easy meal of fish by hanging around the boats. We divers attach ourselves to lines at the back of the boat and watch the dolphins eat and frolic. The dolphins come within a few feet of us, so it is quite cool.
Our second excursion to day is to a small lake to swim with jellyfish. Apparently, the jelly fish got trapped in the lake and have been there a very long time. Since there are no predators, they have lost their sting. Crazy tourists now swim with these orange beings. It is interesting but I did not intentionally touch any of them.
The other day, we go on a land excursion to view a heart shaped bay. We must climb up a million (at least) stairs for a bird’s eye view. It is a unique shape and very colourful. By the time we are working our way down the stairs, sweat is dripping off my face and my clean shirt is now not so clean.
By the time I am posting this, we have gone on another land excursion. It is to a lookout in mid Raja Amat, in the Dampier Straight. The view from the lookout is a classic for Raja Ampat. Small islands surrounded by clear blue green water. We drink coconut water right from the coconut after sweating up and down the climb.