Magnificent Pelagian

Karen Stearns · Issue 85, Jul/Aug 2015 · pp. 62–65

Products mentioned: Pelagian, Wakatobi Dive Resort

A cruise aboard the dive yacht Pelagian is a ticket to some of nature’s most memorable underwater experiences The setting sun ignites the western sky in shades of orange and red as you step into the dive tender, ready to embark on a long-anticipated adventure. As always, the crew has your dive kit secured, and all you need do is make final adjustments during the short ride towards shore. Adjacent to a concrete pier, you roll overboard to discover a shallow coral plateau that slopes gently downward from a depth of five meters. You level off a meter above the bottom, and begin a slow swim along the underwater structure of the pier. At first there’s nothing, just a few unremarkable coral heads scattered among the rocks and sand. Then you see them. Though scarcely 6 cm in length, there’s no missing the half dozen small fish that hover over a pile of coral rubble. They display a riot of color…