December 15: Now that we’re in a hotel with good Internet access, it’s time to catch up.
Monday, December 4, Continued
We were scheduled to be picked up at 9:00 to be taken to the Bugis-built schooner Ombak Putih. Because they hadn’t finished with the logistics — water, fuel, food, etc. — on Saturday, and Sunday there’s no official help, the boat wouldn’t actually leave the harbor until 5:00.
The boat’s tour leaders picked us up at the Swiss Bell Hotel. Most of us had stayed there; others were hit with the kinds of weather-related delays that we experienced earlier and met us there. Since the boat’s departure was delayed, the tour leaders took us off on a tour of the island. We started off at the military cemetery (again), and then traveled to the farthest point on the island. The plan was to have the boat meet us there at Noon, for lunch. Turns out they were still tied up in red tape. So, after about 1 ½ hour drive, touring the old Dutch fort and church, and the oldest mosque on the island, we had travel back the whole length of the island to the docks.
It’s a beautiful boat; sweeping lines, all wood. The Bugis are an ethnic group who specialize in building these wooden boats. The use no written plan, no math; they just build it! Amazing. Mary was disappointed that we couldn’t go swimming the first day, but there was no time left in the day to reach swimmable water.
After getting settled in our cabin, and having a nap, I did some drawing, and we were surprised to find that we were not on a relax-and-swim cruise, but a naturalist tour, “Wallace Trails and Sails” actually meant that we were following the trail of Alfred Russel Wallace, a contemporary of Charles Darwin. (How’d I miss that!?!) This cruise ship featured a naturalist on board who would give a lecture each evening before dinner, a refresher course on the history of the theory of evolution, as Wallace was not just a contemporary, but a sometime rival and collaborator with Darwin. He worked in the Maluccas just as Darwin did in the Galapagos Islands.
But first, here are some of the sketches from the excursion into Kalimantan/Borneo:
Traveling up the river on a slow boat. Dark water with thick vegetation crowding both sides.
Ink and wash gesture study
Tuesday, December 5
The next morning we awoke offshore of Manipa island. In keeping with this naturalist/discovery aspect of the cruise the crew organized a trip to the nearby village to see how they decocted eucalyptus oil. Four of us decided it would be better to go snorkeling, and the crew set us up with equipment, and three of them accompanied us to a nearby reef. The water wasn’t perfectly clear, but enough so that we had a great time. When we returned to the boat I set off to write this and Mary went right back into her element — first on a paddle board, and then just swimming off the boat.
Staying on the boat was uncomfortable. It was very hot, with heat and humidity in high 90s. While the description we were given promised A/C in the salon, that was just a falsehood. Our cabin did have A/C, but it had a funky toilet smell, and nowhere to sit: though we were promised a double bed, it also had a bunk over it.
Wednesday, December 6
First stop today was at a small island with a little fishing village that faced a large, shallow lagoon.
Our guide, Arie (pronounced “ari”), provided certain kinds of gifts to the villages the boat visits — soccer balls, school supplies, sometimes medical supplies. This time he planned to distribute printouts from photos from his previous visit. The islanders had been shown their image on visitors’ cameras but were disappointed they could not open them up to get them, hence Arie’s surprise gifts.
Steve had his sketch pad with him, and soon set about doing numerous faces and scenes. Mary was surrounded by children, and she lead them on an inspired march up and down the beach, whistling as they jumped over ropes and around goats and roosters.
The rest of the afternoon was spent swimming and snorkeling around a beautiful, uninhabited island, through spectacular coral reefs and clear, clear water.
Thursday, December 7
Early breakfast this morning, then off on a trek. We anchored off the island of Seram and the boats brought us into a tiny village at the head of a bay, Sawai.
We climbed up a steep slope through a thick forest, ending at a parrot rehabilitation center. It was a tough climb through high heat and humidity. We were sopping wet from sweat when we arrived. Nothing much to see along the way: A few giant spiders. Nutmeg growing — one guide split one fruit in half to reveal the red casing which dries and is sold as mace, and the nutmeg seed. A tiny orchid(?) [picture] Also saw cocoa pods and durian growing, and a coconut sprouting. [picture]
The rehabilitation center had quite a number of cages with parrots being rehabilitated; mostly cockatoos and a few larakeets. It buys birds that were sold illegally, confiscating them if they see they were mistreated. (If the owners refuse, they can be liable to stiff fines in Indonesia.)
In the town itself Mary noticed a child with cleft lip. She told Arie that we would pay to have his condition treated. We had learned that Arie had helped people with medical conditions before, on an individual basis, so we hope that he will follow through and help us help the little boy.
We returned to the ship filthy and dehydrated. After the bird trek, snorkeling in very clear waters offered some welcome relief.
Tomorrow: Raja Ampat