I am very excited to announce that I will be joining forces with dive guide extraordinaire, Wendy Brown, to lead a couple of trips aboard the stunning Dewi Nusantara next year. DOWLOAD THE TRIP FLYER AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE!
As subscribers to my blogs will know, I have spent a lot of time aboard Dewi exploring some of Indonesia’s best diving areas. Wendy has been cruise director there since her maiden voyage five years ago, but has now taken the decision to scale back her time at sea. We decided to do these special charters in a couple of areas we really wanted to get back to, giving us the opportunity to tailor the trip for our guests and include a nice mix of exploration, revisiting our favourite spots and share the best these areas have to offer.
Trip 1: Alor, Eastern Flores & Wetar – 13-24th August 2014 (Maumere – Maumere)
The eastern isles of the Nusa Tenggara archipelago are rarely visited; yet host many amazing dives. A fantastic mix of reef and muck dives offer something for everyone at the heart of the Coral Triangle. Here, stunning topside scenery meets unique underwater environments found nowhere else, such as the famed ‘Clown Valley’ where anemones smother the entire reef. The outstanding muck dives of Alor are some of the most reliable for finding the rare Rhinopias scorpionfish.
Trip 2: Flores to Wakatobi – 25th August to 5th September 2014 (Maumere – Bau Bau)
This trip offers two rich and distinct areas: the muck sites and unique reefs of Flores and Alor, followed by the bustling coral expanses of the Wakatobi region in Southeast Sulawesi. We will visit many of the best areas in Alor, before sailing northwards to the Wakatobi region. During both trips, as we enjoy our evening meal safely aboard Dewi, we will have the opportunity to watch Kumba volcano whilst it erupts approximately every 20 minutes. In the Wakatobi chain we will dive sites, almost never visited by local operators thick with colourful soft and hard corals.
A bit about Wendy…… Wendy Brown was born and raised in Sri Lanka, swimming before she learnt to walk. She has been diving for 30 years and has spent the last 10 working in Indonesia sharing her passion and enthusiasm for its wealth of marine life. As one of Indonesia’s most experienced Cruise Directors, she is renowned for striving to deliver the very best customer care, making every guest’s trip unforgettable.
A bit about Dewi…..Dewi Nusantara is an elegant and genuinely spacious 5 star vessel, sailing to the faraway corners of the Indonesian archipelago. At 57 meters, this three-mast topsail schooner moves with a grace and stability that only larger sailing vessels can offer. The ‘Goddess of the Archipelago’ was designed to be totally independent for long periods at sea, while offering unparalleled comfort.
Eight spacious, air-conditioned staterooms can be adapted to twin or double occupancy, each with an en-suite bathroom. The stunning Master Suite is the size of a large hotel room. Four dive masters complement her discreet and attentive Indonesian crew of eighteen. The name Dewi Nusantara has become synonymous with the ultimate live-aboard diving experience in Indonesia.
Why dive with us?…….With over 20 years experience and thousands of dives in Indonesia between them, Wendy and Richard are some of the best qualified to share the country’s rich and varied marine life. This wealth of knowledge allows them to tailor their trips, providing well-planned, safe, exciting and unique expeditions, all in a relaxed ‘friends among friends’ atmosphere. They will be on hand to teach and mentor throughout the trip. Be it fish identification, marine biology or photographic tips.
Together we will discover new and unexplored dive sites, as well as revisiting firm favourites. We will be hunting for exciting critters, experiencing the cacophony of jam-packed reefs whilst also learning about them from Richard’s evening talks.
Richard will be conducting a series of evening lectures during the cruise, exploring the fascinating species, behaviours and ecosystems we encounter. Both Wendy and Richard assert that the more you learn about the reef, the more you will get from your diving experience. Not to mention improving your photography through knowledge of the subjects and where to find them.
Get more from your diving by allowing us to share Our Beloved Sea….
Bookings…. If you decide you’d like to join us, a 25% deposit will hold your spot. In addition to the trip itself, we can also arrange domestic flights, hotel stays before or after the trip, transfers, fast track visa on arrival (Bali only) and any pre/post tour extension that might take your fancy.
For more detailed information about Dewi Nusantara you can check out their website here, or download the ship handbook here.
For more information about either of these trips please contact either myself (click here for link to my contact page) or Wendy – wendyfishface@hotmail.com
Attachment: Our Beloved Sea Expedition – Indonesia August:September 2014.pdf