Two Old Friends, an Island, Before Kids of My Own

Merapas Expedition

A hired fisherman's boat, a storm that caught us out on the water, and days spent snorkeling reefs as clear and healthy as any on this coast.

I sailed for years with Kiko — from a Venezuelan fishing family — aboard the Heraclitus, across the Atlantic, the Red Sea, through Sulawesi and Australia. Kelly, his wife, I'd met the same way, years earlier on board the ship. Long before I had kids of my own, the three of us came back to this coast together, Kiko and Kelly's two kids in tow. We hired a local fisherman's boat and set out to explore Merapas.

Two old friends sitting on the beach, Merapas — Old friends, Merapas

Camping on the Island, and a Storm

We slept on the island itself rather than sailing back each night. Partway through the trip a storm rolled in and caught us out on the water — the kind of afternoon that stays with you longer than the calm ones do.

Fisherman mending nets in the hired boat, Merapas — The hired boat

Caught in a storm on the way to Merapas — Caught in a storm

A rustic shelter on Merapas island — Camp on the island

Merapas island seen across open water — Merapas, from the water

Clear, Healthy Coral

Most of the days, though, were spent in the water. Merapas' reefs were some of the clearest and healthiest I've snorkeled on this coast — hard coral cover as good as anywhere, the kids included, masks down for hours at a time.

Snorkeling over the reef at Merapas — Masks down, hours at a time

Snorkeling in the shallows, Merapas — Into the shallows

Healthy hard coral colony, Merapas — Hard coral cover, close up

Coral colony, Merapas reef — A reef in good health

Branching coral formation, Merapas — Branching coral

Vivid gold coral head, Merapas — A single coral head

Fish schooling over staghorn coral, Merapas — Fish over staghorn coral

Wide reef scene with fish and coral, Merapas — The wider reef

The Full Expedition

All 147 photographs from these few days on Merapas live in the full gallery on Michel's personal site.

View the full gallery ↗