On a liverboard in the middle of the Banda Sea,
we are on our way in one of the least explored regions of the world.
Ahead of us are 700 nautical miles of open sea depths of more than 6,000 meters and tiny
islands which are nothing else but the summits of gigantic underwater mountains.
We have left Ambon which belongs to the central Maluku Islands and follow the southern coast
in south-easterly direction, heading for our first important destination on our way across
the Banda Sea, the Banda Islands.
From there we intend to turn south-west in the direction of the remote Lujipara and
Penyu Islands.
After having dived there, we will try to reach Gunung Api, another underwater volcano in
the vast Banda Sea and home of extremely poisonous sea snakes.
Until then, we will reach bigger islands again, Weitar, which is part of the southern Malukan
island group, and further west the islands Arlor and Flores, which belong to the Nusratengara
island group.
In central Flores, in the port of Maumira, we will at last leave our ship.
Our ship on our voyage across the Banda Sea is Amira, a traditional Indonesian motor and
sailing vessel, constructed totally of wood and well resourced with modern navigation
and delivery.
We are sailing in the center of marine biodiversity.
In respect of the number of species, the coral reefs of Indonesia are the ocean equivalent
of the rainforests.
Only here, in the center of the coral triangle, scientists have identified more than 1,400
different species of coral, and every year new until now unknown species are added to
this list.
Also, the number of fishes is much higher than in any other part of the world.
Divers often count on coral reefs in this region, not much longer than a football field,
more marine species than in the whole Caribbean.
Our first destination during this adventurous trip are the Banda Islands.
This tiny group of islands in the Banda Sea, actually nothing but a fly spec on the world
map, were in the 16th and 17th century the object of desire of the world powers of that
time, Portugal, Holland and England.
All of them were in search of the place where the spices came from.
At the Banda Islands, in the heart of the spice islands, were the only place in the
world where the most expensive among the spices, nutmeg, was cultivated.
Back in Europe, traders could make a huge fortune selling the spices they brought back
from the voyages to the other side of the world.
No wonder that there was much fighting among the colonial powers with the aim of controlling
the spice trade to Europe.
We start our next day with climbing up Banda's Gunung Ape, Banda's mountain of fire.
It is a steep climb up to the summit in 660 meters, especially the last part is a hard
struggle upwards on wet and slippery rubble.
On the top, we are rewarded with a fantastic panoramic view over the whole Banda archipelago.
Deep down below us, in the natural sheltered harbour of Banda, we discover our ship Amira,
and far away to the west, we can see the offshore islands Ai and Run.
Both islands play an exceptional role in Banda's history, but more on that subject later.
In the small museum of Banda, we can admire some remnants of the time when the Dutch
colonialists were in power here.
Our local guide, however, also shows us the horrible downside of these 300 years of colonial
suppression.
Nearly the total population of the Banda Islands was either killed or enslaved.
Today, less than 5% of the whole population of the Banda's are native Banda needs.
The majority of the inhabitants of the Banda Islands today are descendants from people
who have been brought here by the Dutch to work in the nutmeg plantation.
Banda near our other capital is a sleepy place where there is tort for Belgica and old colonial
houses which still be a witness of the wealth of the former colonial masters who lived here.
In a nutmeg plantation, we at last can see real nutmeg on nutmeg trees.
Yes, we even try delicious nutmeg chutney sitting on a nutmeg tree.
For us, today it is difficult to understand that this root was the cause of bloody wars
and that unbelievable profits could be earned.
Nutmeg was sold for 300 times the purchase price in Europe in the 17th century.
After our visit of Banda Town, we cool down during our next dive at a dive spot called
Lava Flow.
Here, in 1988, during the last great eruption of the volcano, blowing lava flowed into the
sea and destroyed all the coral.
We are amazed by the richness of the corals in the water which have only grown here during
the last 23 years.
Just surfaced.
We are greeted by friendly bandonese in their dragon boat who join us into a race.
These dragon boats can reach a very high speed and were used in wars centuries ago.
Let us have a look.
You
