Hand-Picking Corals in Indonesia

[PacificEastAquaculture]

Every month I go to Indonesia to hand-pick corals, it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it

BTW, we do sell wholesale and retail.

Here are a few pics from my most recent trip, some of these will be available soon on our site.

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

These are pics I took while at one of our suppliers in Indonesia, some of these corals will be coming in later this week.

There are four exporters I regularly visit, each has a different mix of stock. One has all cultured corals, another has mixed Pieces of the Reef and standard corals, and two others specialize in high-end corals. So, each trip brings different surprises.

The trip is about 25 hours of flying time, which means about 2 days of real time. I arrive there about midnight and that means to reset my body clock I stay awake the entire time going there so I can sleep when I get there since Indonesia is 12 hours ahead on my time at home. Often I'm on the ground there just 1.5 to 2 days, occasionally as long as a week, but usually just a couple days. It's a mad scramble to pick and sort through thousand and thousands of corals and prepare them for export. All the paperwork and permits are prepared beforehand, so these trips require lots of coordination and planning. I'm either traveling or planning and preparing all the time, one trip ends while plans are already well in the works for the next, usually a schedule is made up for 6 months or more in advance.

While I'm there its a challenge staying healthy and alert. My body clock is struggling as is my immune system. You can't drink the water unless it's purified bottled, and most of the food is very challenging as well. It's gotten to the degree that prophylactic antibiotics are needed. On the trip back I try to sleep as much as possible because I return in the morning and my body is saying I'm on Indo time 12 hours ahead, it's a whirlwind.

All in all its a challenging ordeal, but something that become a routine. Some think it crazy and others think it glamorous, but it's just what I do.

 

[Broadfield]

I look forward to seeing what you brought home this time!

 

[delv2323]

Fascinating. I didn't realize your degree of dedication! Is it you solo or do you bring assistants or hire a handler when you get there?

 

[Tyreef2016]

interested in some of those red and yellow zoos if you grabbed them

 

[Cjp63]

I live some of those zoas. When will they be avalible.

 

[FishLipz]

If that red/orange Indophyllia in the 2nd pic is coming stateside I’m calling dibs! Let me know please!

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

Fascinating. I didn't realize your degree of dedication! Is it you solo or do you bring assistants or hire a handler when you get there?

Just solo, not sure others would keep up or adapt. Once there it's all work, not there for sightseeing, etc. So, it's hotel to exporter's facility and back. Whatever supplier I'm working with will pick me up at the hotel and on the last day drop me at the airport.

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

There is a certain calm spending so much time in the sky.

I enjoy watching the progress of the flight and catch up on all the movies I never go to a theatre to see. Depending upon who has the lowest airfare I'll either fly on Qatar Airways via Doha or American/Japan Airlines via Tokyo-I love Sushi breakfest in the Narita airport!

But my thoughts are usually filled with my prizes, these are some of my latest gems:

 

[delv2323]

Not to sound like a philistine, but the corals are the sightseeing!

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

A few more:

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

Not to sound like a philistine, but the corals are the sightseeing!

Indeed!

 

[Overboard]

Beautiful corals!,

I would be very happy to carry your luggage on one of these trips! Sounds rough, but I have managed to keep up with three kids at Disney World, so I have experience.

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

Beautiful corals!,

I would be very happy to carry your luggage on one of these trips! Sounds rough, but I have managed to keep up with three kids at Disney World, so I have experience.

No luggage, I've learned to travel light

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

The travel can be a pain:

The corals can be nice:

But it's the relationships that really count:

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

Okay, I know, enough with the foolishness, it's corals you want to see!

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

 

[jsker]

Now you have really peak my intrest