Technicolor Dreams Fully Realized

Balbulol to Daram Islands: Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Tanya G Burnett and Kevin Palmer

Located within the South East Misool Marine Protection Area is a small group of islands that are truly the stuff of diver’s fantasies. We all have had those land-locked musings: “Someday I want to roll off a boat into a sea so wondrously pristine and lush that I surely must be the first diver to ever blow bubbles there…” Hard to find in this day and age, but waters of the Daram Islands are not far off that mark.

Of course there have now been a few divers visiting Daram’s reefs, but the experience is so spectacular, it certainly seems like being awarded the keys to an underwater kingdom that has been secreted away from rush of dive travelers and the pressures of tourism in our modern age.

Dive site names like Love Potion #9, No Contest, Candy Store, Warna Bernarna (meaning Very Colorful), Andy’s Ultimate and Andiamo (Let’s Go) only hint at the wonders that dance beneath the surface. The reef’s scenic topography is a wide angle photographer’s dream. Of course there is spectacular macro to be found, but just try and turn away from the cavalcade of shimmering marine life pulsing amid the carnival of riotous hues encrusting every surface within sight – almost impossible and utterly intoxicating!

Tanya and Kevin photograph and pen regular travel articles, lead exotic photo expeditions to areas around globe and frequently exhibit fine art photography. To view more of there work, visit: ISLAND EXPOSURE.