The squall hit and the water spout appeared dead ahead. We were down to two and a half knots, and we were worried and panicking. We wondered what the chattering noise coming from our engine was.
Yes, there are storms (there always are in the tropics) and there were problems with the engine (there usually are on a sailboat). But far away from anywhere, in the middle of the Gulf of Tomini, is the Togean Archipelago. It’s a place to forget your troubles and really get away from it all.
The Togeans are protected by the arms of Sulawesi. Set in a deep basin, the pristine volcanic islands have some of the clearest water we have encountered in 16 years of world cruising!
Like the Anambas, another unknown Indonesian archipelago, this place is difficult to get to, even on your own boat. A combination of planes, ferries and cars means it takes determination and plenty of time to vacation here.
Wild life
Intrepid travellers make the journey for quiet relaxation because it’s an opportunity to get away from unnecessary fripperies like the internet and ringing phones. And if nature is your thing, on land and beneath the waves, it’s a place to immerse yourself in the sounds, smells and colours of remote island life.
The highest diversity of coral species in the world is in the coral triangle, and the Togean archipelago’s 56 islands and islets are right in the centre of that triangle.
Within the coral reefs, mangroves, rainforest and seagrass beds, you can find:
- Dugong, hawksbill and green turtle breeding grounds
- Nearly 600 fish species
- The idiosyncratic Sulawesi Red-knobbed hornbill, fruit bat and bear cuscus
- As well as the endemic Togean macaque, babirusa, hawk-owl, white eye, monitor lizard and Neimeitzi tarsier
For more detailed information about the place, the people and the wildlife, check out the Togean Conservation Foundation’s website
But first, let’s get past that water spout…
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