It seems like a lifetime ago when Delos was in the cool, calm waters of the Pacific Northwest. I remember sitting on the deck layered in my Patagonia thermals and wearing my smart wool socks with sandals. Sometimes when it was really chilly I’d cover up with one of those blankets with armholes. I really wanted to swim. I couldn’t though- the water was 55 degrees (about 12C) and I would have a case of hypothermia in no time.
I’d gaze up at the sheer cliffs, massive trees, and clear blue skies and wonder if it would be possible for anchorages to have babies. What if you could mate Princess Louisa Inlet in Desolation Sound with Tahiti? Would it be possible to have super awesome views, sheer cliffs, and millpond calm anchorages, then throw in a sandy beach, replace the pine trees with swaying palms, and make it all warm enough you wouldn’t dare dream of wearing socks? Of course, you’d also want to sprinkle in the best parts of the Great Barrier Reef while you’re at it.
Welcome to Raja Ampat, Indonesia! Here just a few miles south of the equator the stunning blue water is dotted with limestone islands that form part of the largest archipelago in the world. What looks like a solid land mass on the chart is in reality a maze of protected inlets and waterways that run for miles and miles. Secret spots are literally around every corner and with a good eye for the shallows you can really find some special spots here.
Anchoring in Raja Ampat is a little trickier than some places, much more than just dropping the hook in the shallows and backing down. First off it’s very, very deep right up until it’s very, very shallow. It’s typical for the depth to go from 250ft to 10 feet within a boat length. A trait obviously from the Desolation Sound side of the family- where it’s normal to let out all 300 feet of your chain then slowly back towards a cliff face until it hooks on something deep down below before tying your stern off to a tree..
Most of the anchorages we’ve found in Raja Ampat are deeper than they are wide. There’s just no way to carry enough chain to anchor properly, and even if you did the slightest breeze or current would swing you into a boat smashing limestone wall. So we use the same tactic learned so many years before. Drop the anchor in deep water and stern tie to pretty much anything we can get our hands on. In a few real cozy places we gave up on the anchor all together and tied both the bow and stern, creating a spider web of lines to hold us in place.
Being a stones throw from the equator means it’s warm, a trait obviously from the Tahitian side of the family. Actually, the water is warm but the air is downright hot. With daily temperatures approaching 100F (38C) and water temps hovering near 85F (29C) you find yourself wanting to spend as much time below the surface as above it. Which turns out to be a really good thing because the bio-diversity of fish and coral here is by far the best we’ve seen in nearly 4 years of sailing and diving across the South Pacific. Obviously from that long lost cousin The Great Barrier Reef (in it’s better years). Snorkeling and diving off the boat is really intense, with dozens of coral and fish species occupying every square inch of the reef. Seriously, it’s like swimming in an aquarium. Except it’s massive. And your house is floating in it.
We’ve been in Raja Ampat for about a month now and have seen some amazing sights- both above and below the water. And best of all there isn’t a blanket or sock in sight.
Carefully maneuvering Delos into the back waters of Raja Ampat.
Delos securely tied up amongst the limestone cliffs. All this appears as one solid mass on the charts.
Awesome diving and snorkeling right off the stern!
Hey guys, it looks great over there, my envy is at it's peak right now, lol. There is a question I have been meaning to ask as I continue to mull over boat choices. Of the 2 boats I favor, one (my favorite) has a 7 foot draft, and the other has a variable draft keel. Being in a 50+ foot boat, I'm assuming you are carrying at minimum a 8-9 foot draft on the keel. In your honest opinion, how many times have you been in situations where you wished you could get into some of the places where catamarans or variable keel boats can anchor? Or would you share the opinion that, it's such a big freaking ocean, and enough to see and do, that the places you cannot access become a non issue? In other words, if you could do it all over again from the beginning, would keel draft be a sticking point for you on your choice of boats? It's rare that I get to ask this of someone who is actually out doing exactly what I plan to be doing, so hopefully you can share with me the realities of your beautiful sailing vessel.
ReplyDeleteHey Troy! Thanks for the comment and for keeping up with our travels! Delos has a 2.1 Meter Draft so about 7ft. To be honest there have really only been 2 times over the past 4 years where we couldn’t get into a spot we really wanted to. Once in Autitaki, Cook Islands, there was a really sweet protected lagoon we couldn’t get into because the depth was about 6ft. The other was in Vanuatu, another protected lagoon.. We were able to find safe comfortable anchorage at both spots but of course you always want to go where your boat can’t! That being said I think the draft should definitely be part of your decision in choosing a boat but not the top priority. Your right, it is a big freakin ocean and you can find countless sweet anchorages that you can fit into with a 7-8 ft draft. We often look at each other when we are dinghy exploring and say “oh man, what if we had a cat”. But to be honest Delos is usually anchored just around the corner from these places and is safe and in deep water. So in our opinion a boat with a 7 foot draft would be, well, just like us. And we wouldn’t change a thing!
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