By the owner of Jakare Liveaboard
“Wow, wow, wow as the amazing Cruise Director Audrey says! This trip on Jakare was possibly one of the most amazing trips of my life at 55! Pretty travelled and have dove at least a dozen areas in Caribbean and also Great Barrier reef Australia! To say this trip was mind blowing is an understatement! The coral and fish life so healthy and staggering fish numbers! … Yes there are a few rafts of some garbage and maybe one patch of bleaching!!! Go now!! Go go go and book Jakare! Trip of a lifetime awaits!!” —David, Idaho, USA
We couldn’t have said it better. David’s review is full of life, full of truth—and also, a quiet warning. Yes, the reefs in Raja Ampat are still some of the healthiest in the world. Yes, the marine biodiversity here is beyond belief. And yet… if you look closely, something is shifting.
A plastic bottle floating between two islands.
A patch of bleached coral that wasn’t there last year.
Warmer water. Slightly different fish behavior.
Signs that the ocean is speaking.
This Earth Month, we want to listen carefully.
This is personal—for me, and for all of us
As the manager and owner of Jakare, I carry two strong intentions:
To offer an experience that is luxurious, beautiful, and deeply nourishing.
And at the same time, to be fully aware of our impact.
Let’s be honest. We can’t greenwash reality. Traveling to a remote region like Raja Ampat comes with a carbon footprint. Our guests come from far away. Their flights leave a mark. And so does ours.
But here’s the thing:
The very people who come to experience these fragile marine ecosystems are also the ones most likely to become their strongest defenders.
Because once you’ve seen a manta glide over a coral wall, or a baby blacktip shark dart through the shallows, you don’t forget. You don’t un-feel it. You start to care, deeply.
The Big Picture: What’s Happening in the U.S. & Why It Matters
This year, Earth Month comes at a time when the United States is once again debating its climate priorities. Some leaders are pushing for stronger action—net-zero targets, clean energy investments, ocean protection. Others are trying to roll back regulations and rekindle fossil fuel production.
Why does this matter to us here, halfway across the world?
Because the U.S. is one of the world’s top carbon emitters. Its decisions ripple globally. The warming that happens on land affects our oceans—raising sea temperatures, increasing acidification, bleaching reefs, and altering the delicate balance of marine life.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, sea temperatures in parts of Asia are rising three times faster than the global average. That’s not just a number—it’s something we feel directly in our dive masks.
The ocean is changing. And we see it. We feel it. We dive it.
We see it on every cruise. Not in dramatic ways, not yet—but the signs are there:
- Water temperatures rising year after year.
(In some parts of Asia, they’re increasing 3x faster than the global average.) - Coral reefs suffering sudden bleaching events.
In December 2023, almost 90% of the coral in Bondalem, Bali, suffered bleaching due to elevated water temperatures (Reuters). That’s just one example of what’s happening across the Coral Triangle. - Fish that used to be abundant now scarcer.
- More plastic in the water—even here, in this remote paradise.
- Changes in migratory patterns.
- Fish populations moving to cooler or deeper waters.
- More marine debris arriving with the tides, even in remote corners.
These aren’t statistics in a report. These are our dive logs. Our photos. Our daily conversations on deck.
And as divers, we listen differently. We feel the pulse of the ocean. We see when something is off. And that makes us powerful witnesses.
Diving in these waters, you realize something important:
We are not separate from the ocean. We are part of it. And the ocean is trying to tell us something.
The Interconnection Between Ocean & Human Life
The ocean isn’t just scenery or playground. It’s life.
It absorbs more than 90% of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gases. It produces over half of the oxygen we breathe. It regulates the climate, stabilizes weather patterns, feeds more than 3 billion people globally, and supports the livelihoods of millions.
In Indonesia, the ocean is everything. The Bugis people—our crew’s ancestors—have been navigating these waters for generations. Their identity, economy, food, and spirituality are intimately linked to the sea. When the ocean suffers, they suffer too.
What happens under the surface affects every single one of us.
So what do we do?
We’re not perfect. But we try—honestly, consistently.
On Jakare:
- We use a low-consumption engine
- We run on solar panels and batteries
- Our generators are off most of the time
- We have no A/C in open spaces—only in cabins, for rest and comfort
- We collect the rain water to reduce the use of water filter and therefore reduce the energy consumption
- We sort all our waste
- We’ve said goodbye to plastic bottles and plastic straws, for guests and crew alike
- We offer environment friendly soap and shamppoing onboard to our guests
- And we work with our guests to dive responsibly and travel consciously
Local Conservation Voices: Hope in Action
Despite the challenges, there is hope. And it comes from the people working on the frontlines that we are supporting.
🔹 Raja Ampat SEA Centre
Established by Papua Explorers Resort, this initiative conducts scientific monitoring, community education, and coral restoration. They partner with researchers to understand and protect the region’s unique biodiversity.
🌐 rajaampat-seacentre.org
🔹 The SEA People – Yaf Keru Project
This community-led reef restoration program, in partnership with Yayasan Orang Laut Papua, has already rehabilitated nearly 6,000 square meters of reef and trained over 30 local youth in coral gardening and marine stewardship.
🌐 smilo-program.org
🔹 Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre (RARCC)
Dedicated to combining research, conservation, and sustainable livelihoods, RARCC empowers Papuan communities to be guardians of their environment while benefiting economically from eco-tourism and innovation.
🌐 stichting-rarcc.org
These organizations remind us that protecting the ocean isn’t only about science—it’s about culture, resilience, and community.
What Can You Do?
It’s easy to feel small in the face of global climate challenges. But action—real action—always starts with people. With choices. With you.
💧 Travel consciously
Choose operators committed to sustainability. Jakare has banned single-use plastic where possible, uses reef-safe cleaning products, and supports local conservation efforts.
🪸 Dive responsibly
Observe without touching, photograph without chasing, and share your love of the ocean with humility.
📣 Raise your voice
Whether you’re in Idaho or Jakarta, vote for policies that protect the planet. Support climate science. Challenge greenwashing.
🌱 Reduce your footprint
Offset emissions. Eat mindfully. Say no to plastic. Use reef-safe sunscreen. It all adds up.
So yes—go now, go go go!
Come and see these wonders while they’re still here. Let them move you. Let them change the way you live.
Earth Month isn’t about guilt. It’s about choice.
It’s about staying awake to what’s happening.
It’s about remembering that the ocean is not infinite.
And it’s about deciding what kind of presence we want to be in the world.
So yes—come and dive with Jakare.
Let it change you. Let it remind you of what’s worth protecting.
And after the manta rays, the laughter, the sunsets, and the coral walls—take that feeling home. Let it ripple outward.
Because the ocean is talking.
And if you’ve ever put on a mask and slipped below the surface, you already know how to listen.
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