We leave the Agusta Eco Resort shortly after 8:00 a.m. Today will be a truly special day: in addition to diving, the waterfalls on Batanta Island await us.
The first dive is dedicated to macro photography. We descend to a depth of twenty meters on a gently sloping sandy seabed with some small coral formations. At first glance, it seems lifeless, but then Roky, our guide, points out a small ghost pipefish ( Solenostomus cyanopterus ) that readily lets us approach and photograph it. In fact, it almost looks like it's posing like a supermodel!
A little further on, we find another, much more beautiful one: an ornate pipefish ( Solenostomus paradoxus ), all yellow and red, perfectly camouflaged on a small gorgonian. Once we've run out of sand, we reach the reef. Perched on a sponge, we find a leaffish ( Taenianotus triacanthus ), which looks at us a little sleepily without moving an inch.
The surprises keep multiplying. It's impossible to remember them all: nudibranchs of various shapes and colors, flatworms, razorfish, sponges, and corals of the most unpredictable shapes. Back on the boat, tea or coffee and biscuits await us as we head out for the day's excursion. At the Agusta Eco Resort, diving is often combined with splendid excursions, allowing us to discover this wild and pristine land, so diverse and so different from the rest of the world.
Raja Ampat
We idle along the mangrove river, trying to make as little noise as possible. The forest around us seems magical, and we expect to encounter Legolas and the elves from The Lord of the Rings at every bend in the water. The mangrove roots emerge from the seabed and become inextricably intertwined, the trunks rise high, seeking the sunlight, and the silence is broken only by the occasional cry of a mysterious bird hidden in the thick branches.
We finally land at a jetty, and from there, a ten-minute walk through the jungle takes us to the first waterfall. For those who want to continue, the second waterfall, much larger and higher, can be admired in just under an hour. Back at the first waterfall, the Agusta Eco Resort staff has another surprise in store for us: everything is ready for the rappelling descent. The gear—harness, rope, helmet, and descender—is all set for the adventure. In complete safety, after a few simple tips from Marco, an expert mountaineer, and Stefano, a speleologist, we begin the descent amidst the splashing water that cascades into the lake at the foot of the waterfall. It's truly easy and exhilarating! An indescribable feeling that ends with a refreshing dip in the freshwater. I never thought I'd have such an exhilarating experience, one that's usually enjoyed in the mountains, in a diving paradise and at the world's center of marine biodiversity, just steps from the equator, and which only the Agusta Resort offers.
Soon we're back on the boat and off to our island where we relax by the pool with a cup of tea and vivid impressions of the adventure we've just had, waiting for our night dive.
