Kaleidoscope

Overview

La Galigo Liveaboard places Kaleidoscope at the western tip of Pele Island and describes a sloping coral wall that leads to an underwater ridge. The Jakare cabin-charter brochure similarly puts it on the north-west side of Pele, and Cruising Raja Ampat lists it in its Pele area, which it spells Peel. The sources describe the wider setting differently: La Galigo calls this the southeast Misool region, while Cruising Raja Ampat places the Pele area in the southwest of the Misool archipelago. La Galigo's Misool Explorer itinerary calls it one of the owners' favourite sites and describes a ridge with a slope on one side, where harlequin pipefish can be found, and a wall on the other that is frequented by tuna and other large pelagic species.

Corals and marine life

Jakare's brochure says the site is well known for its black coral, multicoloured soft corals and gorgonian fans, and that manta rays have been spotted in the area. Cruising Raja Ampat describes multicoloured soft corals covering the reef along an underwater ridge, and says the chances of meeting manta rays and mobula rays rise considerably when the current is strong. It also suggests watching the blue for passing pelagics such as dogtooth tuna. La Galigo's site page reports mostly soft corals and coral bommies, with yellow-banded sweetlips, Napoleon wrasse and barracuda arriving as divers move toward the ridge and its swifter currents. It lists ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, shrimp and pygmy seahorses among the small species living in the coral.

Conditions

La Galigo says tidal movements directly affect diving conditions at Kaleidoscope and describes reef hooks as a must for this dive. Its site summary gives the typical current as variable, ranging from mild to strong, and a maximum depth of 34 metres, and marks the site as not snorkeller friendly. La Galigo adds that although the site slopes down to 34 metres, most of the dive is likely to be spent between 10 and 25 metres, and that the calm, sheltered side is a good starting point. The Bird's Head Seascape Misool map gives a GPS position for its Kaleidoscope pin.