in the Spice Islands. The once rare nutmeg trees that dot this
verdant idyll lured Dutch traders who brutalized the residents
and built a thick stone fortress in the 1600s. Now, locals sell the
spices in fragrant markets.
Most of the time, however, we are in the water. Among the
great delights of diving is never knowing what will appear.
One day, floating after a dive, Tanya spots what look like
dolphins. “No! Pilot whales!” she yells. “Come on!”
We scramble into the dinghy and race over to them. I’m not
sure if these toothed whales are safe to swim with, but before I
know it, Tanya is slipping over the side of the boat like a seal. My
husband and I look at each other and follow suit. When I gaze
down, my fear evaporates. Hundreds of sleek whales undulate in
unison around and below us. I have never felt at once so present
and alive, as if the boundary between human and animal thinned
for just a few minutes. On the surface again, Tanya tells us that
they were in fact melon-headed whales, an elusive oceangoing
relative of the pygmy killer whale. Even the Pindito’s owner
and captain had never had the opportunity to swim with them.
Some places can surpass even the greatest expectations.Raja Ampat, Indonesia, is a
diver’s dream, with whales,
sharks, and schools of fish,
such as yellowstripe scad.
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WOMEN & ADVENTURE: TRAVEL LESSONS