Excerpt:
In the biodiversity oasis of Raja Ampat, cyanobacteria poses a serious threat to the region’s abundant coral reefs. Is tourism to be blamed?
Imagine Earth about 2.8 billion years ago. Silent seas shimmer beneath a dark-peach sky and the air is thick with volcanic gases. Life as we know it has yet to be born. There are no trees to provide shade, no animals to stir the Earth or glide through the Ocean.
But while the land lay stark and calm, life was stirring beneath the surface of the mineral-rich oceans. Tiny microorganism architects were about to perform a groundbreaking trick: releasing a molecule of oxygen with every ray of light they absorbed. Cyanobacteria, the first organisms to perform photosynthesis, triggered a biological revolution, slowly introducing oxygen to Earth’s atmosphere and laying the foundation for all modern life.
In northeast Indonesia, the equatorial archipelago of Raja Ampat teems with life. It is home to more than 550 coral species and over 1,500 fish species. Dolphins, manta rays, Omura’s whales and even orcas roam these waters. In the heart of this region, between the islands of Mansuar and Waigeo, lies the small island of Arborek. About 200 people – along with a handful of dogs, cats and chickens – live on this coral-fringed island. Life here is simple: electricity is only available between 6pm and 6am, showers consist of buckets of rainwater; and the only food markets are a two-hour boat ride away.
Of my ten years in Indonesia, I have lived half of them on Arborek. When I first arrived, in 2017, I was uncertain I could endure a week in such raw conditions, let alone the six months I had signed up for. I arrived in a harrowing storm, and when shown my accommodation, I was met with squadrons of scuttling cockroaches. Light pierced through the holes in the leaf-woven roof, illuminating an old, sagging mattress. Everything was damp and smelled of mold. But the next morning I was greeted by the island’s true beauty: turquoise seas lapping at white shores, sunlight dancing on coral gardens, and palm trees swaying in a gentle breeze. By the end of the day, I’d extended my contract to a year.
When I returned in early 2021, Arborek was largely unchanged. Tourism was low key, with a few homestays – family-owned, eco-friendly accommodation offering simple huts on stilts – dotting the coastline. Some islanders rented out snorkel sets, and if you trained your eyes on the horizon, you might have seen the occasional liveaboard. But over the past four years, the island has undergone a rapid transformation. The post-pandemic surge in travel demand has propelled Raja Ampat into overdrive. Now, Arborek’s coastline is taken up by 12 homestays. In high season, a dozen liveaboards circle the island, ready to offload their passengers for diving and snorkelling tours. Often ignorant of local customs, tourists wander around this devout Christian community, taking selfies with children, consuming beer (forbidden to the community), and strolling through private gardens in swimwear…
