Pindito Itinerary

Whale - Macro Cruise (SOQ) 11N

The whale-macro trips are guided by Dr. Heike Vester, an ecologist specialising in social behaviour and bio-acoustics of marine animals. In addition to her constant visual watches from the upper deck, Heike also uses hydrophones to locate the whales and dolphins by picking up their unique sounds. The crew is organised into "observation teams" and also keeps a sharp eye on the water surface for blows or other signs of whale activity, as some species can't be located by acoustics alone. Heike knows the areas which are preferred by these large marine mammals (including sperm, Bryde's and orcas, or killer whales), and her long experience and a trained eye do the rest.

The tour departs from Sorong and heads towards Waigeo before it leads to Batanta. As dolphins and whales are the focus of this cruise the itinerary is laid out to maximise the encounters. From experience, we know that most whales are sighted in the Dampier Straight near Batanta. Because it often has strong currents you cannot only see Cetaceans. Manta rays are also frequent visitors.

On this cruise we offer approx. 24 dives. Macro enthusiasts will love it: A whale in the morning, a sea horse at noon. And of course, you will be diving Raja Ampat's famous and beautiful reefs.

At the beginning of the journey Heike Vester will present a special briefing to inform the guests about the process. When animals are sighted, Heike will give us detailed information about the species and the occurrence, its routines, and hunting behaviour. Morning until noon will be planned for whales and dolphin tracking and monitoring. In the afternoon and evening, Pindito offers "normal" dives - if you can call diving here normal. As we deal with nature, this sequence might be reversed, i.e. diving in the morning, whale watching in the afternoon. With a little luck, you can snorkel with the animals (Heike decides if it is suitable). Guests of the first-ever tour in march 2011 reported an incredible snorkelling experience with orcas.

During prior tours the following species were located: Bryde's whale, Sperm whale, Pygmy sperm whale, Killer whale (also known as Orca), False killer whale, Pygmy killer whale, Short-finned pilot whale, Risso's dolphin, Long-beaked spinner dolphin, Dwarf spinner dolphin, Pantropical spotted dolphin, Indo-pacific Bottlenose dolphin, Common Bottlenose dolphin, Fraser's dolphin and Dugong.

As we deal with wild animal sightings cannot be guaranteed. The chances are very good to be able to observe different species of whales and extremely rare species of dolphins.

Dive 1: Early morning (around 7:30 AM)

Dive 2: Late morning

Dive 3: Afternoon (around 2:30 PM)

Dive 4: After dinner – an exciting dusk or nighttime dive

Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.