Normally, asking someone, "How old are you?" might be considered a little rude. But when it comes to the creatures of the reef, the answers are simply too intriguing not to ask. We've all had those moments while snorkeling when a wrinkled, barnacle-encrusted sea turtle glides gracefully past, making you think, "That dude has seen some things.". Or perhaps you've drifted over a coral colony stretching for tens of meters and found yourself wondering, "Were you alive when the dinosaurs still roamed the Earth?". Well, in this blog, we're going to ask that nosy question "How old are you?" to some of our favorite residents of the reef. The answers might just leave us all feeling a little younger. Giant Barrel Sponge On tours, every now and again, I encourage our guests to swim towards deeper water and peak over the edge of the shallow plateau we are snorkeling over. One of the most prominent things you will likely see are these giant barrel sponges that can grow to be so large that you could easily fit inside one. When it comes to age, these sponges absolutely knock it out of the park... and right into outer space. Giant barrel sponges tend to grow anywhere between a few millimeters to a couple of centimeters a year. Depending on their position on the reef they will have more or less nutrient rich water flow through them which correlates with their growth rate. By taking repeated photographs of their growth over time scientist have estimated that many of these sponges are 100s of years old. And most impressively, the oldest giant barrel sponge measured to date is over 2000 years old!!! If this has you wondering how old your favorite sponge is, Dr Joseph Pawlik has made it easy for us to
Normally, asking someone, “How old are you?” might be considered a little rude. But when it comes to the creatures of the reef, the answers are simply too intriguing not to ask. We’ve all had those moments while snorkeling when a wrinkled, barnacle-encrusted sea turtle glides gracefully past, making you think, “That dude has seen
This trip is a story with two different chapters: Triton Bay in Kaimana, followed by Papua Explorers Resort in Raja Ampat. I was lucky enough to have taken this exact trip in 2025, so I arrived knowing exactly what was coming. I’m not sure that made me calmer, and if anything, I was probably more excited than the other lucky snorkelers. We were heading into the heart of the Coral Triangle, home to over 75% of the world’s coral species and more reef fish species than anywhere else on the planet. And yes, mantas, wobbegongs, and whale sharks were all on the cards, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Triton Bay - West Papua The journey is not short. A group dinner in Jakarta, a night flight to Sorong, followed by a quick transfer to Kaimana, and breakfast at a hotel while waiting for the boat. Then the final transfer across calm water toward a thin line of jungle that slowly becomes your home. The arrival at Triton Bay feels cinematic, landing on a small private beach with eight rooms, a restaurant, and a snorkel center, all surrounded by lush green foliage. Limestone islands rise out of still water in every direction. It is everything you hope for when arriving at a remote beach resort. Day Zero is technically for settling in with lunch, orientation, and unpacking. We lasted about an hour before someone asked, “Can we get in?” The house reef was the obvious answer. For those who had never snorkeled in Indonesia before, that first drop is a special moment. Hard corals stacked in layers hosted anemonefish tucked into their homes. A tight school of jacks spinning like a slow underwater tornado right off the beach. Butterflyfish and angelfish were everywhere we looked. Bluespotted rays
This trip is a story with two different chapters: Triton Bay in Kaimana, followed by Papua Explorers Resort in Raja Ampat. I was lucky enough to have taken this exact trip in 2025, so I arrived knowing exactly what was coming. I’m not sure that made me calmer, and if anything, I was probably more
For sure is an absolute bucket list adventure, to be able to swim with the world's largest shark. Considered the holy grail by many. Even though the world's largest shark sounds a bit scary, they are in actual fact harmless. Gentle giants is a name affectionately given to them and suits them well. They are ocean nomads crossing great distances all over the world. Fortunately for us we know a few areas where they like to congregate. Here in Indonesia we have Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay in West Papua. I recently just explored Gorantalo in the north of Sulawesi. While in Mexico you have the famed La Paz area in Baja. These are places we visit on our Snorkel Venture tours, and while nothing is guaranteed this is our best chance to snorkel with whale sharks. Though they can turn up anywhere on any one of our trips. Just got to be lucky. So let's jump into some quick facts about the whale shark. As mentioned before it is the largest fish (Shark) in the ocean, With the largest specimen measuring at 20 meters. Most weigh between 15 and 20 tons when mature. If you think of a big bus, that’s about the size of a whale shark. Whale sharks can live up to about 60 years with some reports believing they can reach 100 or even 150 years old. Whale sharks give birth to live young that develop from eggs inside the mother. They can give birth to up to 300 pups, measuring between 35 and 70 cm in length. Whale sharks have a vast area they populate. With the majority living in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, with a small percent living in the Atlantic. Whale sharks have been spotted as far north as New York. Whale
For sure is an absolute bucket list adventure, to be able to swim with the world’s largest shark. Considered the holy grail by many. Even though the world’s largest shark sounds a bit scary, they are in actual fact harmless. Gentle giants is a name affectionately given to them and suits them well. They are
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