Misool With Erin, 2028

March 6, 2028 - March 19, 2028

| $13390

6th March – 19th March 2028 (Sorong-Sorong dates). Full.

Scuba Travel is proud to announce the highly anticipated 2028 underwater photography event: an underwater photography workshop taught by Alex Mustard and Erin Quigley at the incredible Misool Resort, Raja Ampat – staying for their longest package (12N in resort), right in the peak season for photography.

Contact Caroline@scubatravel.com for further information and waitlist.

Alex says “Misool is my ultimate dive destination. It is an incredible, exclusive resort, fully booked from now to way beyond this workshop. Misool Resort is located on a private island at their heart of their own Highly Protected Marine Reserve, in the far south of Raja Ampat slap in the middle of some of the world’s most stunning coral reef diving. It is location famous for lush reefs, masses of fish, mantas, sharks, turtles and, well, loads more because this is the heart of coral reef biodiversity. It is a perfect place for underwater photography. Whenever I have agreed to run workshops there, I have always insisted that they are a step above and I am very excited that I am teaming up again with Erin Quigley of Go Ask Erin fame! I am certain Erin needs no introduction, but suffice to say she is globally recognised as THE leading expert and teacher for post processing underwater images. Erin is generous and a natural teacher, who loves sharing her knowledge, using her huge experience to make the complexity of processing incredibly straightforward and simply helping you come home with loads more thrilling imagery. This will be my sixth trip with Erin, and our third time jointly hosting an event at Misool. Our last March workshop at Misool was truly spectacular with stunning reefs and mantas upon mantas, we’re so excited to be going back at the same time.”

MISOOL RESORT

Although very remote, Misool Resort lies at the heart of the world’s most spectacular coral reef habitat. The resort elegantly balances luxury (there are 4 staff to each guest) with active environmental protection to create an unforgettable and adventurous holiday experience in a truly unique destination. Take some time to look through the Misool website to appreciate what makes the place so special: the island, the food, the rooms, the diving, the people…. It is no surprise that the resort has a waiting list running years into the future (our Workshop are the only spaces remaining for 2028)! And we’re the only ones who take the place over for a photography workshop. We also go for their longest stay (12N in resort) and right at the peak time for images. You can watch the video below to understand why this place is so, so special:

“Misool is my photographic paradise,” says Alex. “Lush coral reefs grow right beneath the rooms, green turtles feed right off the beach, reef sharks swim beneath the wooden walkways and fish schools and colourful blooms of soft coral gather just beneath the dock. On one workshop we counted 18 pygmy seahorses on the house reef. The island also has its own manta cleaning station, flasher wrasse spawning spots and is, of course, within minutes of some of the most famous dives in Raja Ampat. And rather than diving them with a liveaboard load of dive buddies, Misool runs small boats and even smaller groups, ensuring you dive some of the world’s best reefs in a very exclusive way.  All the famous local dive sites are in Misool’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) and the resort controls the dive rota for all the liveaboards, ensuring we have the best access the sites we want. It is a place to immerse yourself in underwater nature and in your photography. This is also an incredible place to stay, and since the resort usually attracts a lot of non-divers, it is common that people bring non-diving partners on this one, as there are plenty of staff to look after the non-divers with a full program of experiences and world class snorkelling for them to enjoy while we are out snapping.”

PROTECTED PARADISE

Alex continues “I first visited the Misool reefs in 2006, before the resort had been built and it was obvious that these were the best hard coral, best soft coral and fishiest reefs I had ever seen. What is perhaps even more remarkable is, that returning there down the years, the diving actually is better today. Many new dive sites have been discovered and we now know of a lot more manta cleaning stations (I can name 10 different manta cleaning sites close to the resort and the guides know many more than me!). Above all there are a lot more fish, a lot more turtles and a lot more rays and sharks. Species we’re used to witnessing vanishing from the oceans are blossoming here. It is very uplifting place to visit.”

What’s the secret formula? “There’s no magic trick, just sound marine conservation. Misool has been an ecologically minded resort from the start – a 300,000 acre MPA is an integral part of the resort and is funded and staffed because we visit. Scientific studies have measured a 250% average increase in the amount of fish inside the reserve over a 6-year period and by 2018 there were 25 times more sharks here than when I first visited. And the biomass is still growing.” By visiting Misool Resort you will be directly contributing to the Misool Foundation and supporting this conservation work and protecting the future of these amazing reefs.

THE DIVING

Raja Ampat has some of the most spectacular reef diving in the world. Diverse and dense gardens of hard corals, walls stuffed with gaudy soft corals and fans, tonnes of bright reef fish and a water column filled with schools. There are lots of macro subjects, but with such spectacular diving most people focus on wide angle, especially because of the regular encounters with turtles, sharks, manta rays and more. We might even be able to visit a jellyfish lake (if they are blooming). This trip is timed in March which hopefully brings the combination of good visibility and lots of fish action. Our last March visit to Misool was incredible for mantas, with both oceanic and reef mantas being encountered dive after dive on 9 different local dive sites.

Alex adds “although the resort is surrounded by famous dive sites, the ability to snorkel and dive on the house reef has been incredibly popular on our previous trips. It is such a privilege to be able to visit repeatedly and at your own convenience on these remarkable reefs. Getting to know a site and repeating it gives such a different perspective and imagery. Typically the Resort offers three boat dives out on the celebrity sites and then one on the house reef, each day. There are also particularly excellent split level opportunities possible when snorkelling. The small dive group size also means we can visit incredibly rich, compact pinnacles that liveaboards groups just can’t fit on. And of course, the resort has the local knowledge and dozens of dive sites that the liveaboards just don’t visit.”

THE WORKSHOP

Alex and Erin will naturally divide the teaching of the workshop into their well-known areas of expertise. Alex presenting the main teaching on underwater technique suited to Misool’s subjects and Erin sharing her mastery of post processing techniques each day. Alex will generally run the evening sessions that will take place in the dining room at the end of dinner, with talks on shooting techniques (Erin usually gives a talk too on one evening). The evening sessions will blend increasingly into review sessions as the workshop continues. While Erin will run her late-afternoon “Office Hour” (aka “Happy Hour” – as refreshments are often widely enjoyed at the same time) in the Hive, giving you the chance to get those golden processing tips on your images (in time for the evening’s Image Review!). Misool is a wonderful place to indulge in creating sensational images and the workshop is focused on enhancing this. The conditions will be highly suitable for wide angle and this will be a major focus. But there is also excellent fish photography and macro.

BOOKING INFO

This trip is organised by Scuba Travel, UK, who organise most of Alex’s workshop trips. For reservations and further information, please email Caroline@scubatravel.com (noting that they mainly work UK office hours for replies). Please note that the trip is priced in US Dollars. Places are offered on a first come (first email) first served basis. Have a look at our tips for booking page, if you have questions about the process (but send your email first!).

A deposit of 35% of your package price is required to secure your spot, followed by an interim payment on 20th August 2027 of a further 30%, and the final balanced paid on 26th November 2027.

VITALS

Dates: 6th March – 19th March 2028 (Sorong-Sorong) – includes 12 nights in resort + one in Sorong.

Note you need to be in Sorong early morning of 6th March to catch the speedboat transfer to the resort (shortly after the Garuda flight from Jakarta arrives). Please check with Caroline at Scuba Travel before organising your flights (given the remote location it is very difficult to reach Misool resort if you miss the official transfer), Scuba Travel are always happy to help in booking your internal flights etc.

Price: (depends on accommodation option, subject to availability)

South Beach villa                    USD $13390 pp (based on 2 sharing)

Water cottage                         USD $14190 pp (based on 2 sharing)

North lagoon villa                   USD $15000 pp (based on 2 sharing)

Included: full board accommodation at Misool, Workshop with Alex & Erin, 35 dive package (currently quotes at 2027 rates, see below), 12lt Nitrox tanks & weights. 1 night post in Aston hotel in Sorong, speedboat transfer to resort, Contribution to the Misool Foundation, Sorong Airport transfers.

Not Included: Raja Ampat Marine Park fees, souvenirs, equipment hire, non-diving excursions, spa visits, bar purchases, addition dives beyond package.

The resort is well suited to non-divers. The non-diver rate is $2800 USD less than the diver rate. Non-photographer, occasional divers can book a non-diver rate and pay for dives locally. Single supplements are available on all rooms.

DIVING PACKAGE NOTES

Please note there will be a compulsory 2028 diving rate adjustment payment required in August 2027. You package includes 35 dives at the 2027 rates, you will have to pay the difference required for the 2028 rates, if there is one. Scuba Travel could have just added a margin to cover this, but instead rather than overestimate the amount, they prefer to ask you to pay the exact difference when Misool confirm the diving price. (We are the only Misool guests allowed to pre-pay a diving package, and this time we have been caught out because Misool have not fixed this price yet. This is because fuel is their main uncontrolled cost, which for geopolitical reasons, currently has a very volatile price. Misool want to wait until August to confirm the 2028 season diving price).

Please also note that Misool has a very limited number of large (15L) tanks. These cannot be pre-booked and will be allocated in resort based on real needs, not wants. If you consider having a larger tank is essential for your enjoyment of a trip, please consider another destination where they can be guaranteed.

And finally here is a glimpse behind the scenes of the March 2024 event:

My Instagram Feed

The SS Thistlegorm sank 85 years ago today. A casualty of World War 2 and taking with her 9 lives. The ship was carrying military equipment and vehicles including trucks, motorcycles and locomotives, many of which can still be seen. Many of these vehicle types have disappeared and the Thistlegorm remains the only place you can see them, making it a fascinating and emotional experience. As time passes so World War 2 wrecks are slowly degrading, but this Thistlegorm still offers amazing spectacle along with a chance to reflect. All but one of these photos I took this summer.
Some pictures of the nature of the Cayman Islands, all taken this year: spinyhead blenny in star coral Some pictures of the nature of the Cayman Islands, all taken this year: hickatee turtle Some pictures of the nature of the Cayman Islands, all taken this year: Caribbean reef shark Some pictures of the nature of the Cayman Islands, all taken this year: Cayman parrot Some pictures of the nature of the Cayman Islands, all taken this year: cusk eel Some pictures of the nature of the Cayman Islands, all taken this year: Grand Cayman blue iguana Some pictures of the nature of the Cayman Islands, all taken this year: spotted drum Some pictures of the nature of the Cayman Islands, all taken this year: green turtle and scads
Excited to heading back to Lembeh. Always a treat to see the incredible marine biodiversity there, try and take decent photos and see lots of old friends.
World Dolphin Day was created as a memorial to almost 1500 dolphins that were killed in just a few hours - on this day, five years ago, in the Faroe Islands. The oceans loose a lot of these beautiful creatures each year through hunting and as by-catch and entanglement in other fishing nets. Today is a great day to celebrate these amazing creatures, which are always a thrill to see.
Been catching up with my photos from this summer’s Red Sea trip. To accompany yesterday’s post, here is some more Red Sea beauty - but vertical shots!
Finally had the chance to look at my fishy photos from June in the Red Sea. I shot the new Sony A7RVI on the second workshop week - and because of the excitement around that new camera I’d focused on those photos until today, when I looked at the shots from week 1, taken with the less exciting Sony A1! Anyway, I was pretty excited to process these ones today. All taken with Sony A1, Nauticam housing, Retra Pro Max 2 strobes and either Sony 28-60mm or Sony 100mm with FCP, EMWL, FCP, MFO-1, EMWL and nothing!
The Fiji archipelago in the tropical Pacific is something of a roadblock to the South Equatorial Current, which is squeezed and strained through the islands. Add to this local currents generated by tides flowing through the coral reefs and you have ideal conditions for bringing a rich supply of nutrients and plankton to the reef life. The front face of these reefs is like a wall of mouths, from tiny polyps on sea fans and soft corals, which to great gangs of plankton picking colourful anthias fish. The result, as a visitor, is a richness of life, movement and colour that is quite simply an assault on the senses. Bula!
Something a little more cheerful today. We’re very used to the idea of anemonefish having a mutualistic relationship with anemones. But similar relationships occurs with the related damselfish and hard corals. We’re used to seeing damselfish sheltering from predators within the spiky branches of corals. But increasingly research is showing measurable benefits to the corals too. Dascyllus damselfish can provide nutrients to the corals (yes, in the way you are thinking), chase off predators, flush away sediments and increase water flow through the coral, and in this latest research help coral damage heal – all of which creates a mutually beneficial symbiosis.
The most recent Status Of Coral Reefs Of The World study was published this week. It’s the 7th of these reports and it’s grim reading. Global temperature is increasing faster and reefs are bleaching more frequently, giving less and less time for recovery. And it is not just corals at stake. This is the world’s most concentrated reserve of wildlife biodiversity. 25% of the world’s marine species are found here. And with a strong El Niño building the next few years could be even worse. The report only covers up to 2025 - all the pictures I’ve shared here are from 2026!
Celebrating sharks! It is always a treat to see a shark and clearly remember the moments and my feelings around taking each of these pictures. One of the favourite shark facts is that sharks are older than trees! Which is true - but not these species, of course, which are all reasonably recent. But shark ancestors predate the first true trees. Trees do live longer than sharks, when we give both a chance! Sharks (450 Mya) are also older than dinosaurs (252 Mya), the North Star (less than 70 Mya) and Saturn’s rings (less than 400 Mya). So as they say respect and appreciate your elders!
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