Halfway Around! - Kilo, Sumbawa Island, Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Mon 13 Sep 2010 07:36
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08:19.543S 118:23.230E
September 5th we left Komodo behind and found wind -
enough to sail a big four out the ten hours it took us to travel 70 miles
west along the north coasts of Komodo and Sumbawa Islands. It was good
while it lasted, but when it stopped, we sweltered. We sweltered in a
big way. Just breathing caused sweat to roll down our faces and drip off
our chins. Not attractive. We sat on towels to keep from sliding off
our vinyl cockpit cushions in a sweat slick. We watched the temperature in
the cabin increase to an all-time high of 92.3F. It was hotter than what
we like to call Panama hot. Hotter than even Ecuador, the capital of
all hotness. The thing is, we are still 8 degrees of latitude (480 miles)
from the equator, so we are pretty sure there is more heat to come. The
humidity is good for our skin though so we have a nice healthy glow going on
underneath the sweat slick and sun block. It adds a nice curl to our hair
too, so who can really complain? We've taken to wearing fewer and fewer
clothes when we can't be seen by locals. This tactic keeps the laundry
pile from exploding beyond its designated space under the vanity table in the
stern cabin.
Ok, but this blog entry is not supposed to be about the
heat. It's about patting ourselves on the back for achieving half our
goal. When we crossed 119 degrees, 14 minutes east longitude, we crossed
our official halfway around the world mark. At that longitude, we were
exactly 180 degrees from the easternmost point we've reached in our travels
- rounding Nova Scotia back in August of 2007. So, if you miss us and
don't feel like braving the 28 hour flight, drive to Nova Scotia and start
digging. Contrary to popular belief, you won't end up in China.
You'll end up in Indonesia. If you hurry, you can meet us in Bali for a
giant tropical drink with chunks of fruit and a floating umbrella. We'll
be there in about a week.
Now back to Sumbawa...
We anchored off the small town of Kilo on Sumbawa Island
and stayed only overnight, leaving early the next morning for points
further west. As we arrived, the rain clouds moved in giving
a slate gray tinge to an already dark place with its black sand beach
and impossible to see brown reefs. With the rain clouds came
four outrigger canoes stuffed with kids clamoring for "Book!
Coca-Cola! Shirt! Pen! Pencil! Paper!" It was the
first time canoe kids blatantly begged for things. Thinking it was a
small village and there couldn't possibly be more canoe kids
headed our way, we stuffed a plastic bag with notebooks and colored pencils and
handed it to the only adult in the group as the canoe kids squealed excitedly in
the pouring rain. As soon as the booty was handed over, they paddled back
to their village. Five minutes later, a fifth canoe full of little girls
arrived chanting the same mantra, "Book! Coca-Cola! Shirt!
Pen! Pencil! Paper!" We had nothing left to give so did
our best to placate them with the usual stunted conversation. When
that petered out, we slithered down into the cabin and out of
sight while the girls hung on to the side of our boat for another
five or ten minutes before finally giving up and paddling home,
disappointed. We were the only boat there, so they had no other
prospects. We heard later that a fellow rally boat stopped near
the same village and when they refused to hand anything over to the begging
kids, the kids decided it was only fair that they take what they could reach and
remove from the boat's deck. Hmmmm, as much as we don't like to cave in to
begging, we were glad we gave something to the kids so
they didn't feel the need to strip our decks of fun and exciting things
like bungee cords, winch handles and man overboard safety
equipment.
Picture 1 - One of the many old volcanoes we passed along the
Komodo and Sumbawa Island coasts.
Picture 2 - The retreating canoe kids - paddling home with
their loot.
Picture 3 - Not the best photo, but it should help you
to visualize the scene...Just after sunset we were surrounded by fishermen
in canoes, each equipped with a lantern to attract fish. They didn't
complain, but we must have been anchored smack in the middle of their night
fishing ground because there were about twenty canoes encircling us
for nearly the whole night. It was a cloudy, dark night with no moon so
all we could see was the glow from their lanterns. Small circles of light
floating over the very still, black water, and not a sound to be
heard. Twenty fishermen methodically doling fishing line into the
water by hand, then gently pulling it out as they maneuvered their
canoes around us. Occasionally a shout would go up and we could only
assume it was an indication of a catch. We didn't hear many
shouts.
More on the rest of our trip across the top of Sumbawa Island
later.
Anne
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