Above and Below…tasty
Without question the diving below is rich and diverse. But onboard the Duyung Baru the culinary sea is ruled by our chef Yani.
One part Javanese, one part VoVo’s wife, three part Indonesian beauty Yani spends her day creating dinning masterpieces as we explore the underworld below. All local and always fresh she has benefited from the many cultures that have come to dive on her boat over the years
Sushi, Indian, Indo, American, French. It all comes together each day in a never ending display after each dive. Most afternoons a short spear fishing trip quickly develops and within an hour the evenings dish is presented to Yani like a blank canvas to a painter.
Around the dinner table each day we share culture, language, friendship, and humor.
Because of our group diving experience a comfortable friendship has developed in shared experience and trust. It comes flowing out over meals of fish and pasta, pastries and pancakes.
Vovo’s perspective of America is filtered through his favorite American show “Sons of Anarchy”. You can only imagine how we try and convince him it is not that way in real life. We trade stories of home and family. Jorgan speaks little English but understands well. Claudia is quick to help him when we get excited and talk faster than he can comprehend.
The evenings end with a toast and a hint of the next days dives. Each progressing in splendor and difficulty. The Cauldron, Batu Balang, Castle Rock, we check them off our list like mountain peaks in the Himalaya. Each with different challenges and personalities, coral species and fish.
As our dive logs fill quickly with our new achievements we look forward to a day on shore to walk with the dragons.
