About the Voyager

Annual Dry Docking January 2007

In our January edition, we spoke about annual dry docking procedure for our vessel at the Port of Surabaya in Java.

This year’s dry docking was carried out under the management of local specialists plus our fully qualified Russian Marine Engineer, Rozmat and Kararu partner Sascha Dambach were on hand to make sure everything was up to International Standards.

This yearly inspection and maintenance period is required to keep the safety measures on board the Voyager in compliance with International Safety Standards and is also required by our Insurer.

Not only did we make sure you can travel safely and smoothly on board but we also added a new cabin on the saloon level, our new ‘double’ stateroom. The new stateroom has two separate sections offering over 18 sqare metres of space!

Other Upgrades

We also renovated the covered seating area on the bridge deck and equipped her with beautiful locally crafted sofas and cushions. The Voyager can now seat up to 45 people comfortably on the top deck alone!

And we upgraded our dive tenders plus added a new E6 processing lab for an upcoming full boat charter catering to slide film photographers.

You can rest assured that when you travel on board the Voyager that she is the only fully equipped specialized liveaboard dive vessel cruising the far reaches of the Indonesian Archipelago with all certified International Safety Standards in place. In fact, and unfortunately, she’s one of the few with two main engines, complete safety equipment and International emergency communications.

New Team Members

Kararu gives a warm welcome back to Adong who became famous in years past for his insatiable desire to serve his guests with excellence. The many guests that had the pleasure of sailing with him on the Sea Safari in past years will agree with us that he is excellent ‘re-addition’ to our team! Not only does Adong play a mean guitar, he is now starting to assist with critter spotting on various dives. Go Adong!

Next we welcome Adnan, the newest member of our expert team of Indonesian marine critter finding experts and local dive masters, Seno and Gusti.

And in the onshore support department, Kararu welcomes Stein Zahl as General Manager. Originating from Norway, Stein is a PADI Course Director (Instructor Trainer) with many years experience in the dive industry and in Indonesian liveaboard reservations. Stein's web site and profile is at www.idc-bali.com/coursedirector.htm

Stein will be the friendly face behind the computer screen and the voice on the phone answering all your questions and booking your berths.

2007 Cruising Season

On February 18th the Voyager departed from our home port of Benoa in Bali for the long steam North West to one of our favourite and most popular dive destinations, the Rajah Empat islands of Irian Jaya (Papua). www.kararu.com/destinations-itineraries/irian-raja-empat.html

With a boat full of divers and underwater photographers we started off this year’s cruising season with a newly renovated ship, a great dive destination, a new monthly newsletter, some very exciting group trips booked and some great seminars scheduled plus the welcome additions to our team.

The Kararu team and management looks forward to welcoming you on board the Voyager for the liveaboard scuba diving expedition of a lifetime. Please feel free to contact any of us at any time or see the 2007 and 2008 cruise schedules at our web site. www.kararu.com/schedules

About Irian Jaya (Papua)

The Raja Empat Islands of Irian Jaya (West Papua) is currently one of the hottest diving destinations on the planet.  Amazing marine biodiversity and untouched landscapes combined with world class scuba diving make these largely uninhabited islands the world’s last diving frontier.

Irian Jaya’s Raja Empat islands boast an enormous variety of creatures on the reefs and have recently become a world heritage site. Marine biodiversity is evident everywhere rivaling any tropical rainforests in species density.

Twenty percent of Irian Jaya's land and marine parks are designated conservation areas yielding the highest fish and coral count of any sea.

“There are more marine species to be found on one remote Indonesian reef than in the entire Caribbean.”
David Attenborough, Planet Earth Documentary

Scientists Believe Bird's Head Seascape Is Richest on Earth

“Sept. 18, 2006: Not far from the Foja Mountains, where a CI team recently discovered a "lost world" of rare plants and animals, another CI-led expedition has found a new trove of extraordinary marine biodiversity in a region known as the Bird's Head Seascape, off the coast of Indonesia's Papua Province.” www.conservation.org/xp/frontlines/

Seminars, Group & Charter Trips in 2007

Each year, Kararu Dive Voyages hosts some of the world’s top group leaders, agents and dive company owners who escort groups of divers to Indonesia, and who trust us to take them to some of the planet’s best diving on Indonesia’s premier liveaboard dive vessel.

For anyone interested, the following escorted group cruises still have spaces available. If you are interested, act fast and don’t miss out!

Fathoms Full Boat Charter
May 12 - 26, 2007
14 nights Sorong - Maumere

Join Andrew Solomon and Fathoms Magazine on this special expedition across the Banda Sea. Andrew is a freelance underwater and nature photographer specializing in images of marine life and the marine environment. His love of the sea has taken him all over the world looking for ways to capture dynamic portraits of its creatures large and small.

Andrew’s work has been featured in hundreds of books, magazines, calendars, posters, catalogs and advertisements. In addition, some of his images are on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and at the Smithsonian Institute. Andrew is a veteran underwater photo professional and an experienced photo expedition guide.

For more information go to www.reefrainforest.com or contact Jenny Collister at jenny@reefrainforest.com

Komodo World Films Charter
July 6-13, 2007
7 nights Bali - Bima

Join Bruce and Steve of World Films & Travel on an exciting trip from Benoa in Bali to Bima in Sumbawa diving the Komodo Marine Park and visiting the Komodo Dragons.

Not only do Bruce and Steve lead great trips, but they are also award winning Videographers who are always happy to offer a hand and share their vast experience and guidance with anyone from novice to advanced video shooters.

For more information please go to www.worldfilmsandtravel.com or contact Bruce Robison at hbrobison@comcast.net

Komodo Video Workshop
August 7-18, 2007
11 nights Bima - Bima

Join Light & Motion video experts Dan Baldocchi and Michael Topolovac for an underwater video workshop. Learn essential UW video skills while diving the rich waters of the Komodo National Park.

The goal of this workshop is to make you a better underwater videographer. By learning these skills "in the field" you will be able to apply what you learn right away. Daily classes and hands on help from the pros will be sure to take your video skills to the next level.

Nightly critique sessions will review your work and help you determine what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong. You will have the added benefit of seeing what your fellow shooters are doing as well. We will all learn from each other, come and join the fun.

Never shot video before? Give it a try with the use of our free demo gear. We'll show you how much fun it can be.

For more info go to www.underwatervideotrips.com or contact Dan Baldocchi at dan@lmindustries.com

Kissimee Dive Center
September 8 - 15, 2007
7 nights Bali - Bima

Join our friends at the renowned Kissimee Dive Center for an incredible seven night group trip to dive the Komodo Marine Park and to see the dragons on Komodo Island.

For more info call Kissimee Dive Center on +1 407 933 5090 or e-mail kisspro@aol.com

The Kararu Team and management looks forward to welcoming you on board the Voyager for the expedition of a lifetime. Please feel free to contact any of us at anytime. www.kararu.com