November 23, 2024

Champagne Reef

This popular dive and snorkel spot is well known on the island because of the unique bubbles that rise out from the reef, caused by thermal vents escaping from the nearby (5 Miles away) volcano. When you dive / swim in front of bubbles, you can feel their warmth. The reef is a little treacherous accessing as the beach is covered in rocks, and rocks are also all along the shoreline a good 5 to 10 feet out, before the water deepens enough to swim. I hired a guide to get me in and out safely because so many were getting beaten up on the rocks. Worth every penny. Donny turns out to half fish and knows every crevasse of the reef. He stayed with me for an hour and was constantly free diving down pointing out all kinds of things on the reef. So many fish and coral and saw a whole family of turtles. He would dive down to the thermal vents and fill up his snorkel pipe with the warm mineral water, then pour it in my hands for me to rub all over my face and head - said each washing, would erase 10 years! I gained 30 years back! He did for my friends too! One guy wanted a gallon for his bald head! Parts of The Pirates of the Caribbean movie was filmed here. There was a rope bridge scene done here and remnants remain up on the hill, above the cove, of the bridge.    

Trafalgar Falls

After the reef we drove out to the Morne Trois Pitons, National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site to see the twin falls nestled within. After about a 15-minute hike in, we got to see the twin falls in all their glory. People were swimming in the pools below each fall, we opted to return to the Ship having already swum at the reef. My Cabin Stewart Harry decided to treat me to more wildlife. 

By Pat Patrick April 7, 2026
Monday April 6th is another travel day for us on our destination to remote Raja Ampat . We started the day at 5am to make our 7am flight from Denpasar, Bali to Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in South Sulawesi for our brief layover to connect with our flight onto Sorong, Indonesia.
By Pat Patrick April 6, 2026
Easter turned out to be a travel day for Bosco and I as we were extremely limited in when we could be seen by the Australian Border Control to disembark from the Ship, for a scuba diving adventure in Raja Ampat that I have had reserved, for over 18 months! We flew from Perth to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on Easter afternoon.
By Pat Patrick April 6, 2026
I have been really excited to get to Fremantle / Perth for my first time. I have had a few friends live here over the years and I have a second cousin, James Murphy, who I have only ever spoken too briefly, over the last 35 years and that I would love to meet in person. Jim is the older brother of Paul who I met up with in Melbourne a few weeks ago.