Kirsten Treais on board the Dewi Nusantara
March 2014
The trip started with beautiful weather and lots of anticipation for what lay ahead. Some of the guests had travelled with each other before but now everyone was coming together for the first time. After a stay in Jakarta we boarded the Sirwijaya flight via Makassar to Sorong. We were met by Risko, one of the dive team, with a big smile and a warm welcome. Our bags were loaded into the waiting bevy of taxis and we all split up for our trip to Je Meridien for our 3 hours wait to board the boat. We could help ourselves to the buffet breakfast and got to mix and mingle and get acquainted with the people we were going to be spending the next 10 days.
Finally we loaded into the taxis again for the trip to the harbor and tender ride out to the Dewi Nusantara (Goddess of the Archipelago). Dewi is pronounced “Day-Wee”. She is a beauty and that is for sure. At 170 foot and taking only 18 guests there is so much space that it really doesn’t feel like a typical dive boat but instead a floating hotel. The cabins are huge with beds that can be twin or pushed together to make a King Bed with lots of storage for clothes.
Upon arrival we were met by our fearless Cruise Director, Wendy, and her team of amazing dive guides, Yan, Hendri and Risko. The guests were anxious and enthusiastic with anticipation for phenomenal diving which was equally matched by the entire crew. The warm, friendly and most importantly knowledgeable dive staff gave us a great sense of the adventures and discoveries we were going to be experiencing over the next 10 days. Each day was met with fantastic underwater surprises.
Once back topside, the crew had sumptuous meals, snacks and an assortment of drinks prepared for us. Additionally, the warm towel and neck massages provided after each dive was a very unique treat. A special warm drink prepared by Henrick awaited us after each night dive.
The phenomenal underwater life exceeded our expectations due to the supreme diversity of life forms encountered. Hard corals, soft corals, enormous schools of fish, manta rays, nudibranchs, gigantic bumphead parrot fish, woobegons, Epilite (walking sharks), black, white & grey reef sharks and, of course, the elusive – amazingly adorable – pygmy seahorses. The sea life on display for our photographic, video and viewing pleasure routinely resulted in sensory overload for us. The unanimous agreement amongst the divers aboard the Dewi is that we will be back to enjoy the spacious first class accommodations, pampered treatment and spectacular diving opportunities offered by her fabulous crew.
Besides booking the Dewi for interested divers, Kirsten is leading another exclusive charter on the vessel in 2015! With over 1,500 dives under her weight belt, Kirsten has been everywhere and is a valuable agent in the dive travel world to make sure your dive trip is the perfect fit.
All of Raja Ampat onboard the Dewi Nusantara / Dates: January 21 – February 1, 2015
Price: $5,775 – $6,775 per person, double occupancy, cruise only
Contact: Kirsten Treais
59 Shell Road, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Toll Free: 888 76-AMAZING (762-6294)
Phone: 415 462-1311
Fax: 415 901-2624
Dive Industry Association, Inc. 