Well howdy sailors,

How are things for all you land lovers? We are fine and have enjoyed a pleasant day at Bonerate Island, a little detour on our way to Komodo. We headed out in the early hours of the morning and watched as the sun rose up across a open ocean. At around 9.00am we had land in sight and the glow of the mid morning sun revealed the small island as we approached. We are starting to notice a change in vegetation, as things become a little dryer, the island itself is rimmed in salt mash shrubbery along with a row of palm trees outside the village of Bonerate. A very hospitable village that happens to be home to the pinisis boats of Indonesia.

Finally dropping anchor we prepared the tender for a shore visit; Michael, James, Jan, Cornelius and myself all ready to go and meet the people of Bonerate. We spent a little time navigating the shallow reef that was the doorstep to the village. We pulled into the beach to have men poke their heads out form inside boats and at least one hundred children line the shore. I found out after talking with one of the only English speaking gentleman on the island that it wasn’t very often that they had foreign visitors.

After a all the excitement died down we found Hafidz, a 23 year old man who lived on the island with his mother and father who were a part of the pinisis boat building trade. He kindly offered to show us about the village which had been approved by the local authority who were pleased to welcome us onto their island. Within five minutes of chatting they asked if I would remove my headscarf so they could see my hair. It was unusual for them to see hair of a golden colour. After that was over we began to take a look about with Hafidz doing his best to translate and answer our questions.

We walked maybe 100m / 340ft or so before coming across the boat yard ... if you could call it that. A very precisely laid fence of coral rubble coated in cactus trees opened its arms to us and welcomed the group in. We seemed to have gathered a following along the way and inquisitive children created a cloud around me as I asked questions and simply gazed about the surroundings. The village was very clean and had an interesting display of architecture. Some of the buildings having a very Mediterranean feel to them with balconies and flower boxes all about.

A Bonerate boatyard.

Within the yard itself were scattered wooden beams and woodchips carpeted the sandy floor. I established that the local name of the wood used in the boat building was called it Kau Wande. It is not found on Bonerate but instead Kalao Island, which sits just to the northwest. It was yet another amazing experience to view these artists, as you might like to call them, constructing each boat piece by piece and using very little but wood in the construction. Instead of nails they used traditional methods of wooden dowls (wooden nails) to hold the pieces together. Laying on the ground a carved wooden pulley caught my eye amongst the scattered wood scraps. We took a closer look at one of the pinisis at the invitation of the builders. Excited children shouting Indonesia words at us seemed overjoyed by the day’s activity. Onboard the pinisis you get detailed look at just what is involved in the making of such a vessel. Down to the intricate windows gently carved to allow character to seep from the sky. They have a very elegant shape and look to be at one with the sea.

It was difficult to establish if the boats were sold locally or exported to other parts of Indonesia as a part of island-to-island trade. Hafidz was able to tell us that some of the boats were used to carry freight so I suppose that would suggest that they might be exported. The boats take 500 days to complete with work being carried out each day.

I spent a little time fascinated by a man possibly in his 60’s working away at the side of one of the boats. He had only a machete-like tool and was unrelentingly working at smoothing the wood so that the next beam wood fit with precision. Dedication to one's work is something to be admired and more so due to the tools they have to work with. I guess because this is what their lives offer them they grasp every moment. This dedication only gives me an added admiration for the strength of the human spirit.

After we then spent time walking through the streets of the mystical village and saw some of the simple pleasures that people here get to enjoy. We bought some bananas from a small path side store and continued on our way.

Local face paint.

Many of the girls wore a yellow and white powder on their faces. Dave mentioned a few days ago that the white powder was for sun protection but the other is supposedly to help them whiten their faces. Amazing that people as beautiful as this are not satisfied with their appearance. It seems a common occurrence in societies all over the world that we want something other than what we have been given. I hope that the future brings everyone to be happy with how they are and not try to be something else. Hafidz tried to explain where the powder had come from and how it was applied. He demonstrated on his own face with some of the balls of powder and water. It wasn’t till later as we walked about the streets that I noticed him trying to remove the powder from his face. Blushing he admitted that it was only worn by girls and he applied it simply so I could see the process, what a nice gentleman.

We walked about a little more before making our way back towards the wharf, where we said our farewells. Two young girls had been by my side all morning and slowly we taught each other the names of things English and Indonesian. One of the young girls took me by the hand and placed a plastic bracelet on my wrist. A very friendly gesture I thought, she asked me for some of the paper I had been writing on and I was only to happy to give it to her. They all looked on with curious eyes each time I wrote something on the small pad so I drew a smiling face with wild hair, showing them they all laughed. It is amazing that how even without the ability to communicate with words you can still learn so much and experience contentment from a shared laugh.

The proud owners of a carefully crafted coconut sailing boat.

After lunch Jan, Michael and myself entered into the aqua marine water just in front of STARSHIP to take a closer look at what lay just beneath the surface. A few specials. A Pinnate Batfish at an intermediate stage of change from juvenile to Adult the striking orange band against the black still slightly visible and contrasting to the bands of white sneaking through to show the adult form. Some speedy pipefish moving about almost too quickly to notice. It was nice to be just beneath the surface and share with Jan the underwater experience that he seems to have become hooked on. I find it only humbling to be able to share my love of the ocean with others and it is more so pleasing to see them awestruck by it.

After returning to STARSHIP the boys prepared to head ashore for a soccer match. It wasn’t until they arrived that they found the soccer field surrounded by at least 3000 people! There are only 4000 living in the village so it was a big social event. From a sound system they announced the members of each team and then began the game. At odd moments musical tunes such as the SPICE girls were being played and enjoyed by the crowed. The teams blazed across the field in fiery blue jerseys with glistening white stripes, were it not for the location you would have imagined yourself at the World Cup. At half time Jan and James were asked to join the game and both played well and enjoyed the opportunity. Jan even managed to score a goal, which put the team in good form with a 5 to 1 score at the sound of the final whistle. Hafidz our guide for the day was the center half and from the sound of things was a star player.

What a surprising day with lots of wonderful people. It is time to leave and continue on our journey south, we should arrive off the coast of Flores in the early hours of the morning. As we depart from Bonerate Island some of the locals gather their fishing nets in the setting sun and cast them into the wind. Ripples form on the water where they hit. The sun has now slid beneath the sheet of the horizon. Trevor told us about this morning's sunrise with a blazing moon in the sky as the light slowly began to rise and grace the day.

STARSHIP is softly bouncing in the water as we are pushed along by a generous current water lapping at the hull and the gentle idle of the engine as it purrs, passage.

Safe sailing to you all,

Lou

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