23 Oct 2022

Dolphin and Police Escorts at Jayapura and Lake Sentani

Another day another celebrity-style welcome - first a megapod of Spinner Dolphins guiding us to Papua's capital Jayapura, then a police escort through the bustling heart of Jayapura as we made our way to Lake Sentani by bus.

With all guests enjoying a well-earned sleep in on board Heritage Adventurer this morning, it was a leisurely and delicious brunch before part two of Rod Morris' Island Magic lecture which was cut short after we encountered a playful megapod of Spinner Dolphins. The hundreds strong pod enjoyed riding the surge off our bow and delighted all on board with some incredible acrobatic displays with many guests getting good views of calves.

Having navigated the streets of Jayapura we find ourselves on the shore of picturesque Lake Sentani in the Cyclops Mountains Strict Nature Reserve where we board local boats and are skipping along the peaceful lake surrounded by verdant hills as we pass wooden homes on stilts and the rhythmic sound of our Kundu drum welcome grows.

Arriving at Assey Village, one of 22 islands in the middle of the lake, we're greeted by huge smile and elaborately-costumed dancers singing our welcome including many young children learning their village's rich history. On shore they shared an incredible dance of their ancestral snake, which has brought all the people of Lake Sentani to this region. Afterwards it was time for shopping, as we perused their local artwork, which was predominantly composed of intricate paperbark paintings featuring traditional motifs of fish, lizards or Birds-of-Paradise and had a whole range on sale, along with many finely polished stone axes used as "bride price".

On our way back from the lake we were able to visit the Loka Budaya Museum, home to a fascinating collection of cultural artefacts including painted shields and carvings from the renowned Asmat region in southern Papua. Later this afternoon, Heritage Adventurer leaves Indonesian waters as we cruise along the coast towards Vanimo in Papua New Guinea towards tomorrow's destination - the mighty Sepik River.