A tiny dot in the middle of the Banda Sea, the Lucipara Islands were our destination for today. In full expedition mode, we were heading to this mysterious little speck on the charts. We knew that no one lives there, but there was little other information except that the islands looked idyllic. A series of small atolls, with reefs plunging directly into the abyss, sounds perfect?
At sunrise, we approached what looked like the perfect spot for our day. Small islands, surrounded by shallow lagoons, and then a distinct line. Deep blue, signifying that the island and reef plunged directly into hundreds or even thousands of feet of water – this would be a perfect place to explore. Whether it was by snorkel, SCUBA diving, or even glass-bottom Zodiac, no one could be disappointed by these islands.
In our explorations of the reefs here, the clarity of the water was astounding. On one side, it would be five to ten feet deep. Then the reef would make a 90 degree turn, and plunge into oblivion. A wall of blue filled one side of our day. The other side, a world of a rainbow of color. Pink soft corals were clinging to the wall, sticking out into the world of blue. Meanwhile, this edge was swarmed by fish, mostly fusiliers of blues and greens and yellows. Swirling masses of anthias, with many hues of pinks, purples, and oranges, added to the mix. Once in a while, a turtle would pass by, nesting on the islands and feeding on the massive barrel sponges that lined the wall. And every so often, a visitor from the world of blue would come to the reef. A tuna, or jack, or rainbow runner would visit to make a meal out of the myriad of colorful fish that lived on the edge.
Our tiny dot was paradise.
