Exploring Indonesia’s New Diving Frontier with Dr Richard Smith

On a latest expedition, marine biologist Dr Richard Smith took an intrepid group of marine life–loving divers to discover the brand new must-visit space of Indonesia – Triton Bay

In Greek mythology, the god Triton is normally depicted as a merman with the decrease physique of a fish.  Son of the god and goddess of the ocean, it appears becoming that Triton Bay, a mysterious ocean wonderland in far-flung Papua, be his namesake.

I’ve needed to go to Triton Bay since listening to in regards to the first scientific expedition to the realm in 2006. However, not lengthy after the realm was found, there was some native discord and divers haven’t capable of go to till comparatively just lately. As quickly because it reopened, I organized back-to-back liveaboard charters, assured that it will be definitely worth the wait.  

Enroute

Some liveaboards select to begin and finish in Kaimana, the gateway to Triton, however we determined to sail down from Raja Ampat, about 300 miles northwest. I really like crossing journeys, comparable to this, as we experiencedthe full gamut of dive websites and ecosystems that the tropics can present. When a location is as completely different as Triton Bay, I believe it helps to place this into context.

During our journey south, we spent a day round Misool in south Raja, taking in a few of the iconic websites within the space. These are a few of my favorite locations to dive on the planet, so it was definitely an added bonus that we have been capable of embody these on the itinerary. We had a good quantity of mileage to cowl over the subsequent couple of days, however we visited some fascinating websites alongside the brilliantly named Fak Fak peninsula.

We explored a little-known seamount and inshore islands, discovering a manta cleansing station on the former. Being so distant, we additionally loved dense faculties of trevally and batfishes, plus vibrant corals. A pair of Pontoh’s pygmy seahorses and a blue-ringed octopus mating quartet on an inshore island saved the macro lovers completely satisfied.

Book of Momon

Sailing down from Raja additionally allowed us to go to Momon Waterfall, 150 miles north of Triton. This is certainly one of only a handful of waterfalls in Asia that circulate straight into the ocean and it may be noticed miles from shore. We spent a few hours having fun with the surroundings, taking part in like kids within the turbulent circulate and in true Indiana Jones-style went into the key cave behind the waterfall itself.

This was our final cease earlier than heading additional south nonetheless, previous Namatote Island and into the Iris Strait, between Aiduma Island and the Papuan mainland.This is the place the majority of Triton’s dive websites are situated. There could be very little habitation, and only one small resort, Triton Bay Divers, braves the wilderness. The lush forests appear to ooze down from the impenetrable New Guinean highlands to the water’s edge like treacle. As quickly as your face hits the water, you realize you’re diving someplace very particular, which might be thanks partially to the dearth of individuals. The fish listed below are bountiful and big. Giant grouper, the biggest bony fish related to coral reefs, are ordinarily very uncommon, even in Raja Ampat I’ve solely seen a pair. Here I noticed two or three on a number of of the websites.

Special Triton

As are all reefs, Triton’s reefs are a results of the environmental circumstances. The bay is bathedin massive quantities of freshwater circulate from thelargerivers to its north and south. This brings with it a lot of vitamins, plankton and sometimes fairly poor visibility. This hinders the expansion of arduous corals, which want clear water and lightweight to be aggressive and dominate. 

In their place, tender corals, gorgonian and sponges of each color are widespread. Since the freshwater typically sits atop the salt, there’s generally a milky layer a number of metres thick, and a transparent, but shadowy dive website beneath. It’s fairly thrilling and never one thing I’d skilled earlier than. As a consequence, I’d say that is in all probability an areafor divers which have maybe been to Raja Ampat and Komodo already and want to broaden their horizons additional nonetheless.

Triton Bay was first explored in 2006 by scientists who had been titillated by different areas of the Bird’s Head and on the lookout for its subsequent organic hotspot. They discovered this to be one other endemic-rich space, with a number of species discovered nowhere else on Earth. Jamal’s dottyback and Nursalim flasher wrasse are two of the most-charismatic, found in 2007 and 2008 respectively. 

Jamal’s is a small, however domestically widespread species that mimics the black bar chromis, whereas the Nursalim is as flashy and beautiful as you’d count on for a flasher wrasse. Another dottyback that was solely named from Triton in 2008 is the zippered species. They are discovered on the very limits of leisure diving.  It has been advised that two massive river outflows on the boundaries of the bay act as freshwater obstacles to the unfold of those marine life species and has pushed their evolution.Two years after the scientific expedition in 2006, a 6,000 sq. kilometre marine protected space was declared.

Supersized, or tiny and flashy

The whalesharks of Cenderawasih Bay, on Papua’s north coast, have develop into world famend, and lots of wonderful images have emerged from there. An analogous group has just lately been found simply exterior Triton Bay, which similarly to these in Cenderawasih are additionally given a small providing of fish once they come to fishing pontoons within the mornings. They are thought-about good luck, which has confirmed to be true, as us divers can now go to these behemoths and add to the fisher’s revenue. Having additionally been to Cenderawasih, I’d say that the visibility is definitely higher within the former, however it’s by no means a nasty day when swimming with the biggest fish within the sea.

Also exterior the Iris Strait is one other website with bountiful ichthyological delights. Flasher Beach has beautiful arduous coral growths within the shallows, which give option to rubble with depth. This makes the proper habitat for flasher wrasses. As effectively because the domestically endemic Nursalim, clouds of yellowfin and blue flashers, I used to be very excited to see my first sailfin anthias. I had by no means even seen a photograph of those uncommon fish earlier than, that are related in form and measurement to different anthias. When displaying, nonetheless, males erect an enormous and hanging silvery-white dorsal fin. They have been exceedingly quick and tough to {photograph}, much more so than the flashers! 

Like the anthias, displaying male flashers actually exhibit the species’ magnificent colors. With such a density of flashers, the inevitable frenzy of sexual exercise has led to some accidents.  Different species find yourself mating, and are so carefully associated that they produce hybrids. Some hybrid adults have been noticeable among the many others and actually, some have been much more beautiful than the true species.

Two of my favorite websites, Little Komodo and one other we referred to as Hole in One, sit on the northern and southern mouths of the strait respectively. The circulate of water previous these websites and into the strait brings extra vitamins and big faculties of fishes to feed on them. At Little Komodo, in addition to mantas and large grouper, different massive grouper, batfish and silversides added to the eerie feeling of the big black coral timber. In the south, Hole in One off Dramai Island has an enormous swim-through that goes underneath the island. On sure tides, it is stuffed with massive surgeon fishes. Just exterior the cave, the rocks are coated in thick and vibrant progress that makes this an excellent website.

You snooze, you lose

I’m not a dedicated evening diver, it have to be stated, however the promise of some animals will get me again within the water. Triton Bay has certainly one of these animals. The Triton Bay strolling shark was found in the course of the first scientific expedition in 2006 and I used to be wanting to see it. Like its cousins, the Raja Ampat and Cenderawasih Bay species, it walks round on sturdy pectoral fins in shallow water at evening. I turned obsessed and did varied speedy assessments of dive websites at evening to search out it (principally swimming round frantically to search out the fish). Of course, the evening I missed the dive, the others noticed it. But I did handle to catch a glimpse of a shark sleeping underneath a desk coral in the course of the day.  Obviously, I left it to its personal units and there’s sadly no photographic proof.

As tales of Raja Ampat’s riches unfold past diving circles, increasingly travellers are reaching its distant reefs. Triton Bay provides another that is still firmly off the crushed path.  Perhaps not one of the best place for brand spanking new divers, however positively one for these desirous to expertise a brand new vacation spot whereas it stays largely unknown.

Photographs by Richard Smith /OceanRealmImages.com

FAQ

Q: Where is Triton Bay situated?

A: Triton Bay lies in Papua, Indonesia, as a part of the Bird’s Head Seascape. It’s a distant and pristine diving vacation spot, round 300 miles south of Raja Ampat.

Q: What makes Triton Bay distinctive for divers?

A: The bay’s mixture of freshwater and saltwater creates nutrient-rich, low-visibility circumstances that favour tender corals, sponges, and gorgonians. It can be residence to a number of marine species discovered nowhere else on the planet.

Q: Which marine life is Triton Bay well-known for?

A: Endemic species comparable to Jamal’s dottyback and the Nursalim flasher wrasse, plus large grouper, manta rays, pygmy seahorses, and whale sharks. The uncommon Triton Bay strolling shark is one other spotlight.

Q: Can divers see whale sharks in Triton Bay?

A: Yes. Like Cenderawasih Bay, whale sharks go to native fishing platforms and could be seen up shut, typically when supplied small quantities of fish.

Q: Is Triton Bay appropriate for newbies?

A: While beautiful, Triton Bay is best fitted to skilled divers who’ve already explored areas like Raja Ampat or Komodo. Currents, visibility, and remoteness could be difficult.

Q: What are a few of the greatest dive websites in Triton Bay?

A: Popular websites embody Little Komodo, Hole in One, and Flasher Beach. These supply mantas, large groupers, black coral timber, flasher wrasses, and even epic swim-throughs underneath islands.

Q: When was Triton Bay first explored scientifically?

A: In 2006, a scientific staff recognized it as a biodiversity hotspot. Soon after, a 6,000 sq km marine protected space was established to protect its distinctive ecosystem.

Q: How can divers attain Triton Bay?

A: Most divers go to through liveaboard from Raja Ampat or by travelling via Kaimana, the gateway city to Triton Bay.