Into the Wild

The new issue of Yachts International magazine includes my article about the increasing popularity of crewed yacht charter in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Above is my favorite underwater photo from the trip, and below are two from among many on-land favorites I was able to snap.

Getting to Raja Ampat, by the way, was the longest travel experience I’ve endured in 15 years of covering yachts worldwide. It took five flights from New York (JFK to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Singapore, Singapore to Bali, Bali to Makassar, and Makassar to Sorong) and then, from Sorong, a 16-hour cruise on a boat to reach Raja Ampat. Yacht owners are going there because it is unspoiled territory. Given the distance from everything else, I’m pretty sure that will remain true for quite a few years to come.

I’m most proud of the underwater image above, which I captured during my first time out with a GoPro Hero4 Silver camera attached to my wrist while hovering less than a foot above a reef in a current. It didn’t hurt that the snorkeling site was filled with more fish than I’ve seen anywhere else, including yacht assignments in the Caribbean, Central America, South Pacific, Indian Ocean and Galapagos Islands. Raja Ampat really is an incredible travel destination for anyone interested in untouched nature.