The Forgotten Islands - More Adventures on the Seven Seas

Trip Report by Elaine Brown
Photos by Carsten Dankemeier, Christine Beulow, Richard Zundritsch, Christian Hoerl, Linda Johnston and Karl Klingeler

When I started thinking about a return dive trip to Indonesia (last visited in 2009), I wanted a unique experience: beautiful diving, comfortable accommodations, healthy and delicious food, some land excursions/interaction with the local people in a place far and away from cities, traffic congestion, highrises and noise. After doing some research and reading very positive reviews on the Seven Seas, I opted for this 14 night Forgotten Islands itinerary.

I was intrigued by this itinerary: East Nusa Tenggara and the South-eastern Moluccas. We would begin our adventure in Kupang (Timor Island) and it would conclude in Saumlaki (Yamdena Island). This stretch of islands from the Savu Sea to the Banda Sea is remote and sparsely populated. But would this adventure live up to my high expectations?

(...) The dive sites were simply outstanding. We enjoyed fabulous walls bursting with colourful corals and marine life.

We drifted over amazing fields of pristine coral, stretching far and away. Telang Island was unlike anything I had ever seen or experienced. Pulau Limtutu was rich and dense with corals. The consensus among the divers in our tender was that this indeed was an incredibly special place.

We enjoyed melon-headed whales, spinner dolphins and Frasier dolphins as they surfed the bow wake. From a distance, we could see water buffalo on the shore. One morning, we spotted the carcass of a water buffalo - perhaps the result of a mishap in transit. Pods of pilot whales were viewed on several days.

At the end of one particularly stellar dive, we spotted two blue whales cruising the waters. Our tenders followed them as they zig-zagged through the water, leaving their massive footprint at the surface. I thought it ironic that our dive ended with the spotting of a pygmy seahorse (thanks to Susan, a sharp-eyed guest) on the reef in shallow water. Once in the tender, we were tracking two giants of the sea. From pygmy seahorses to blue whales - our amazing adventure continues.

Testimonials

"Don't despair as the Captains navigate around Nil Desperandum. Better enjoy the Bikinis and Atolls as we enjoyed the atolls and the light swimwear instead of warm duffle and raincoats. We love this hot region (the Ring of Fire), the hot weather, the hot meals and the hot music. And, of course, the hot crew from Little John to Big John!!! All the little fish and the big fish! We took thousands of beautiful photos, remembering rule number one: always use your MACRO! There aren't just pilotfish for airplane pilots or doctorfish for doctors, Goliathfish around the big rocks, bumphead parrotfish, butterflyfish and angelfish but beautiful nudibranchs and critters of all sizes and colours. That we didn't take a picture of the dead water buffalo floating by was a huge mistake but for compensation we got huge mammals in the blue water: melon-headed whales, sperm whales and blue whales! Every morning at around 6 o'clock we got up with a smile on our faces spotting dolphins leaping. But there were also fish jumping: big tunas - not all of them landed back in the water :) SASHIMI! 1 bell, 2 bell, 3 bell ........ the forth means we have to go home ..... Many thanks for a wonderful and unforgettable trip! It is with a heavy heart that Boat 2 says Goodbye!"

Caroline, Richard, Gerhard, Anke, Carsten, Susan, Elaine (Forgotten Islands, November 2014)

"Dear crew of the Seven Seas: After diving many different oceans and seas around the globe through the last years, and sailing on the same amount of different liveaboards, THIS was a new highlight! Thanks for being around at all times and making everything perfect already before we've asked for it. Awesome dive sites, great crew, fabulous ship (I love the water pressure in your showers!!). And, of course, new NUTELLA every time we needed it :)"

Christine B. & Volker S. (Forgotten Islands, November 2014)

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The Forgotten Islands, November 2014

Testimonials

Forgotten Islands - Book your 2016 & 2017 cruise NOW!