About TJI 01
The sun wasn’t up yet, but the deck was already warm underfoot as we throttled out of Sorong’s harbour just after 06:30. The captain cut the engine briefly near the edge of the bay, letting the silence settle — a pair of frigatebirds circled above the mist-shrouded mangroves on Kri Island, barely a kilometre off the port bow. That moment — still, expectant — defined TJI 01’s rhythm: fast when needed, still when it matters. This isn’t a vessel built for lounging through afternoons; it’s tuned for covering ground between Raja Ampat’s far-flung atolls without sacrificing comfort.
We reached Arborek Jetty by 08:15, slipping between coral heads only a seasoned local pilot would trust. TJI 01’s shallow draft and responsive handling meant we could tuck into tight channels near Pianemo’s lagoon without circling wide. The crew had the dinghy in the water before we even unzipped our cabins, already setting up a shaded snorkel entry point off the back platform. Later, when we stopped at Mike’s Point on the northwest side of Gam Island, they timed our arrival with the tide shift — the current brought the wobbegong sharks and blue-ringed octopuses out just below the drop-off.
The layout is simple but smart: two private cabins below, each with twin beds that don’t creak when the boat heels slightly in a chop. There’s no wasted space — the ventilation grilles are positioned to catch forward motion airflow, so even at anchor in midday heat, there’s a steady breeze. I noticed the cushions on the upper deck were slightly thicker than usual for a vessel this size, and the handrails along the side are welded steel, not plastic — small things, but they made standing at the bow during transit from Wayag to Kabrey feel secure, not sketchy.
Our longest stretch between sites was just under two hours — from Cape Kri to the entrance of the Dampier Strait — and even then, the ride stayed smooth thanks to the deep-V hull. The crew served fresh pineapple and chilled towels mid-transit, not from a galley, but from a compact prep station near the helm with insulated bins and a freshwater rinse tap. Lunch was grilled mahi-mahi with sambal matah, plated on melamine but still warm, eaten at anchor off Yenbuba’s limestone arches. No silver service, but everything arrived when promised, and no one went hungry.
This is a day-boat that thinks like an expedition craft. There’s no entertainment system, no AC in the cabins — you’re here for the water, not the amenities. But what it lacks in luxury finishes it makes up for in precision: dive gear storage is dry and segregated, rinse tanks are ready on return, and the crew know which side of the boat gets afternoon shade at each site. We finished back in Sorong just before 18:00, the sky streaked with gold over the ferry terminal — a full circuit through Raja Ampat’s heart, pulled off in a single, seamless day.
