Banda Islands
Fleck
Mon 2 Aug 2010 03:28
|
Todays date, after much thought, and corrections,
2nd August, 2010.
Recent Location 04:31S 129:53.9E. Anchorage
between Pulau Neira and Gunung Api
Current position: 3:48.3S 128:04.5E.
Approaching Ambon.
We are motoring accross flattish seas with zero
wind, but a long swell sufficient to roll the boat and slide the computer about!
It ain't harf hot, Mum. Cockpit shades and curtains drawn, but little air moves.
Our washing from yesterday (see below) lingers damp in the humidity. Hope
to arrive with the last of the remaining fleet in Ambon ths
afternoon.
Banda was great and with hindsight well worth the
discomfort of getting there. We were relieved to find
that the everyone that we spoke to admitted some sea sickness, and
several boats had considered 'jacking in' the Banda Islands trip and retreating
to downwind Kupang. As only between thirty and forty boats ever showed up
here I conclude that many others perhaps chose the easy option. One
near miss: a yacht lost some of its mast rigging in the worst of it,
and the skipper went up the mast to try to fix things. The boat was then
dismasted, and the skipper thrown from aloft into the sea. Somehow it was
possible to recover him, and the crew were then able to cut the remaining
support wires so that the mast could be allowed to sink (alongside in a
big sea, a damaged mast can puncture the hull like a battering ram). They
proceeded under engine, but the gearbox failed a few miles short of the
Islands, and they somehow got a tow for the last bit. Our friends on Orono
1, a huge cat, have now very kindly towed the striken yacht to Ambon where they
will at least be able to get mechanical repairs done, once the spares have been
flewn in, and luxury goods import duty paid!!
The anchorage off Bandaneira was deep indeed,
and we anchored in thirty metres of water. Once our thirty three metres of
chain was let out, we had to detatch it from the boat and insert another
fifty metres of rope warp, to allow the anchor and some chain to lie
horizontally on the sea bed, and dig in. Carelessly, and also perhapsbecause we have never done this manouvre
in anger before, I caught my right hand between the forks of the bow roller and
the chain. I still don't remember just how we extricated said hand, but Hannah
was very cool and helpful, despite a lot of blood! Quite miraculously there was
no significant damage, just several areas of torn/sheared skin which so far are
healing well Secondary infection is apparently a real risk in tropical salt
water, so I am watching for the gangrene! Good also that it was my right
hand, I am left handed. Interesting aside, the Indonesians don't use toilet
paper, they wash with water and their left hands. Greeting handshakes are
therefore always conducted right hand to right hand!
We were boarded by sweating Officials, Hannah says
that there were six: that constitutes a crowd in our cabin, certainly. At
this point our decision to join the rally seemed to pay off: very
straightforward officialdom, just a gentle telling off for not having prepared
eight copies of my crew list, and some sideways glances at my little drinks
store. Ashore then for another round of officialdom, and we were in, no charge,
no bribary or corruption. We had not secured the boat, or thought ahead, as we
went ashore with the Customs guys, but onshore we were just in time for the end
of the welcome ceremony: traditional dancing in the old fort, and fireworks.
Just time to fall into a cafe (plastic stools, plastic tablecloths), but managed
to order fried chicken and vegetables and some rice which even Hannah could pick
over quite effectively: the Nutmeg Cafe became our favourite!. At the dancing we
were seated just behind the dignitaries, including the self styled 'King of the
Bandas' The important people arrived via a four wheel drive Toyota, the only car
that we saw on the Island. Mortals walk,a chosen few have motorbikes.
Pedestrians suffer as a result! The streets are packed volcano ash, with some
metalling here and there. There are of course no pavements. 6,000 population,
and lots of small shops selling foodstuff and other basics. The buildings
reflect the Dutch Presence on the Islands for so many years, some are original,
others have been restored. The traditional dancing was at times quite sombre,
retelling the atrocities of the Dutch in former times.
Next day off to P Banda Besar, the largest island,
and where the nutmeg comes from. The trick is the climate, and the fact that the
nutmeg trees thrive if grown under the shade of huge root butressed 'almond'
trees. The almonds are not the european type but distinctive and tasty: a local
dish is aubergines with almond sauce: delicious. They also grow cinamon and
cloves. I had no idea that the cloves we buy in Morrisons are dried fruit. We
watched the process: the farmer lays out the picked cloves in the sun, and sits
down beside them. Job done! So spice farming is quite simple, it was just that
for a couple of centurys after the Europeans discovered the Islands and their
trade to the East, no one could figure out how to do it in other parts of the
globe. Meal that evening with friends Nancy and Commodore (its a long
story) from the US at perhaps the best eatery on the island. UK prices, but
a delicious buffet. Day after was 'school day'. Hannah and her friends Heidi and
PJ were set before the local school, and songs were sung and halting
questions posed in English. The visit had been proposed by one of our
guides who had been seconded from her job as English Teacher to help the influx
of sailors. During the lesson the headmaster sat to the side of the room, chain
smoking and flicking his ash out of the glassless window! Hannah gave an
excellent and entirely improptu rendition of 'replay' to great applause. So, an
interseting incursion into island life. In the afternoon, Hannah was off
swimming with her new friends. In the evening supper at the Nutgeg, and an early
bedtime: we had a 05.30 date onshore next day to climb the 2,000 foot volcano.
The climb is at first light, you get to the top in time for breakfast and
sunshine photos, and you are back down for elevenses. However pouring with rain
at 05.30, and our guide anounced that it would be best to put off the trip for
at least a day. Instead we visited the Dutch Fort, Bentang Beligica, built more
to repel the English that to quell local trouble makers who were rounded up,
beheaded, and quartered! Cleared out with the Harbour Master for departure the
next day (very unusual to be allowed to do this, you normally depart at once).
So, our last evening and just time to take the dinghy out to the northern
tip of Gunung Api, where recent hot lava had fallen and promoted some impressive
new coral. I had not been swimming since New Caledonia, two years ago, and it
was delightful, but still cold after 20 mins with white fingers. Hannah came
along and really enjoyed herself, her previous swims over coral have not allways
been 100% sucessful. Next morning up at 05.30 as usual, but frustrated to find
no sign of the guide, despite clear skies, and the tip of the volcono free from
cloud. Back to the boat in a bad mood to doiscover that the clock was wrong: we
had been half an hour early. I have never in my life been half an hour early for
anything. Just got back to the shore in time to make the climb. It was truly a
grim affair, very hot, and very steep, with loose shale and scree everywhere.
The Guide kept us going, and his presence may have prevented a mutiny!
Finally the trees gave way to bracken and then just hot smouldering rocks as we
approached the precipitous summit. Fissures have opened, and clearly the summit
will soon fall into the crater below. Indeed our guide would not come up the
last 100 yards, but other parties were already there, and we were not detered.
Great views, not ideal photo light, but a great sense of achievement. Going down
was worse. Hannah went for most of the 2,000 feet on her bottom, but she has
outgrown her jeans, so not a big problem!. We met Nancy and Commodore going up:
They looked just as I had been feeling, drenched in sweat, but worse, they were
in shorts, and had forgoten their mossie repellant: Boy, they were sure glad to
borrow out bushwhacker spray!!
Back down on the dockside we were so busy getting
ready to leave, that we didn't realise how whacked we were. We did get our jobs
done, and washed our filthy clothes, and followed the fleet out of the Islands
at 15.00 hours. The anchor came up a treat, thank goodness for the electric
windlass, and nothing slipped, and I kept me fingers out of harms way. Our
passage to Ambon has been pretty windless as predicted, and we have motored for
most of the distance. I hope we don't have to motor all the way to
Bali. Hannah fell asleep last night even before Jane Eyre had been opened,
I slept quite well, although there has been some fishing boat activity to keep
an eye out for. We should be in there by four o'clock. Keep you
posted!
|