These photos shows the pollution this morning and you will note that the sun is well up (the first photo), but I can only see 50 m ahead. The tug boats use their horn all the time as they move up and down the river. I can't open any windows, to avoid getting the ashes inside the boat. OK as the sun can't shine through the smoke, it is less hot, so I have 30° C inside instead of 33° C. I use a mask when I am outside and suffered from that as well when I did some boat jobs yesterday. Not sure how long time I can stand this pollution. Will call around today about the Monkey trips and then decide if I move out to clean air again. You can Google the Orangutan and Tanjung Putting National Park to see why I came here and possible what I will miss.
The smoke lifted a bit as the wind direction changed a little, so I went to town. It is the usual messy and dirty place, but people are friendly and smile and say hello. It seems being blonds attracts a lot of attention from not only the kids but also from adults. When I meet the people, they all start to ask "where are you from" and most don't know Denmark, nor Europe. The second question, which I don't like is "how many are you on board"? To the latter I lie and say we are 5 and then they loose interest. Why that question? I have now had it since I arrived over a months ago.
I quote below a small selection of emails I had with a Danish sailing friend, which might give some information on the situation:
QUOTE
Hello Sven.
.................... but I thought you should know what I have found out of so far?
I had several talks with these tour chaps and a long phone conversation with Harry. I think that Harry sounds the best and the others are a little doubtful and messy.
From Harry, I can tell you the following:
- Smoke: some of the worth ever. Schools are closed and he worry for his staff and himself. A women died of it last week and many have breathing problems. He was surprised that one boat had come in these conditions. He thought it best to leave. One need masks to be worn all the time and he also suggested something to protect the eyes. The town is full of smoke, he said. he is very concerned about it. I start to cough, eyes are watery, have some pain in the lungs and the boat is closed like a WWII bunker.
- Monkeys tours: He still things that one can see them and that the smoke is less in the park. But there will be smoke there as well. Prices, all in and including a boat boy to watch (none smoker, if we want), are: 1 person for one day 1.8 m from 07:30/08:00- 16:00/17:00 and one can take a speed boat. Or more relaxed and comfort a Kotok(?) which is much slower and one can then only see one of the feeding platforms at 14:00. If we would be 4-5 persons it would cost for one day 1.5 m/person, all in.
- He listed to CH 72 and 77, when in town. He has an office there, but live 9 km away. There is a dinghy dock at the Park office and it is safe; its where there are a few Kotok. I am anchored right in front of it at: 02° 44.237 S and 111° 44.097 E.
New Dawn: I am debating with myself if the tour is worth the health risks? Should I leave once I can see the river, or stay the few days more but I start to feel the pain in the lungs, so I might leave. It would be a pity to miss the Monkey trip now I have come this far. Will see in the afternoon how I feel. A difficult decision.
What will you do and if you come what will be your ETA?
Mph
Paul
---------------
Hi Paul,
Thank you very much for your mails and information.
The smoke situation is really very worrying considering the health risks,
and makes me reconsider my options. Do you know if Harry believes that the
smoke will be less in the near future?
As you may know we are sailing together with Lazy Lady, and I will share and
discuss your information with them.
If I decide to go I would most likely go with Harry, and my originally plan
was then going on a 2 or 3 day trip, and maybe stay in a resort hotel as
well.
Our plan is to leave Bawean Sunday morning at 6:00 and ETA in Kumai is late
afternoon Monday, where I believe we can pass the bar with high tide.
Is it an option to anchor outside the river mouth and wait out a couple of
days for better smoke conditions?
Best Regards
Sven
----------------
Hello Sven.
Many thanks for your email and I am glad that you find the information useful. I will below answer your questions. No problems sharing them with Lazy lady; I have CC them this email.
Smoke situation: Harry and others believe that this will persist many days (weeks?) to come. Apparently the park rangers are today on a tour to evaluate the situation. Also rumors has it that they have a Russian type helicopter that will try to put out some of the fires, but with bush fires, even after putting out the fires, the roots and lower parts are likely to continue to smoke. These fires are caused by two things, apart from the dry weather, namely, some people are careless and start the fire accidentally, or on purpose. But the worth thing is that the big Palm Oil farmers set the jungle on fire to clear it for their plantation. It seems this situation is normal each year during the dry season. So it looks like the problem will persist for some time and at least the coming days/weeks.
Health risk: Yes it is present and for me my hands, feet and legs are swollen. The throat hurt and my today's sandwiches were difficult to eat. I cough and feel uncomfortable, with eyes running in water. I have not yet been in town, but contemplating trying it. Otherwise apart from a repair on the D400 and some other boat jobs outside, I have stayed inside New Dawn. I am told that most of the population here have these health problems. As I write this New Dawn is still a WWII bunker and I wear a mask; not funny.
Coming here: Had I known this, I would have avoided coming here. No one told me, except the email you had that stated the heavy smoke. They could have been more detailed, as this might have helped me, at least. Off course it would be a pity to miss an opportunity to see the Park and its monkeys. What did Aquamende say when they returned to Medana Bay?
Anchor outside: As you know there is (are) 1 (-2) place(s) where it is shallow. When I entered Friday at 09:30 the most shallow place I noted was about 3.3 m (see below), if I remember correctly, and I arrived on a "medium low water". Yesterday the low water had 2 lows of different structure and I came in on the highest of the two. The other one was, I believe, 30 cm lower was late evening. The whole bay is shallow, mostly 7-12 m, and as you approach the river it is, I think, 5 m. Thus, you can easily drop anchor everywhere. But as you are likely to have SE wind and waves of say a good m, it will be a bit lively anchorage, but differently possible. I think it is mud. There was a cargo ship yesterday being loaded from barges and the tugs are all over the place, as far as I can see. The river is filthy and has brown water. If you use seawater for your WC, you will be in doubt if you have forgotten to flush.... But, personally, I would not sit out there for days, especially as the smoke is not f'cast to go away all that quickly.
Coming in: When you come in, you have to get the Green (well not much green paint left on it) high mark (not what is shown on the charts) on SB and it is not quite at the place as indicated on C-Map and Open CPS, so find it with the binocular and you follow along the beach, say at a max of 200 m distance until the end of the sand spit and then a sharp left turn for a short while and then a sharp right turn for a bit longer; that part is where the shallow is. The Open CPS is not accurate all the way up, but the WP I have from the pilot book is OK. I can't remember your draft, but if you are over 3 m, you will need to time for the raising tide and come in half way+ up. The tide is only about one m. If your draft is under 3 m, you should be OK most of the time. Go slowly, depending on the current. I use my FLS (Forward Looking Sonar) and two conventional sonar, which helped in my situation (my draft is 2.5 m).
Hope helpful?
MVH
Paul
----------------------
Hi Paul,
Thank you very much for this valuable information.
I have no information from Aquamante or Alaris from their trip except that
they were caught, I think for 1-2 days, and could not leave the airport as
scheduled due to the smoke and bad visibility.
Based on your latest info I am inclined not to aim for Kumai, and will
discuss it with Lazy Lady later today.
I will let you know what I decide as soon as the decision is made.
Best Regards
Sven
END QUOTE
PS: CNN ran on 29 October a report on the situation and it does not look good. See: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/29/asia/southeast-asia-haze-crisis/index.html
I quote below a small selection of emails I had with a Danish sailing friend, which might give some information on the situation:
QUOTE
Hello Sven.
.................... but I thought you should know what I have found out of so far?
I had several talks with these tour chaps and a long phone conversation with Harry. I think that Harry sounds the best and the others are a little doubtful and messy.
From Harry, I can tell you the following:
- Smoke: some of the worth ever. Schools are closed and he worry for his staff and himself. A women died of it last week and many have breathing problems. He was surprised that one boat had come in these conditions. He thought it best to leave. One need masks to be worn all the time and he also suggested something to protect the eyes. The town is full of smoke, he said. he is very concerned about it. I start to cough, eyes are watery, have some pain in the lungs and the boat is closed like a WWII bunker.
- Monkeys tours: He still things that one can see them and that the smoke is less in the park. But there will be smoke there as well. Prices, all in and including a boat boy to watch (none smoker, if we want), are: 1 person for one day 1.8 m from 07:30/08:00- 16:00/17:00 and one can take a speed boat. Or more relaxed and comfort a Kotok(?) which is much slower and one can then only see one of the feeding platforms at 14:00. If we would be 4-5 persons it would cost for one day 1.5 m/person, all in.
- He listed to CH 72 and 77, when in town. He has an office there, but live 9 km away. There is a dinghy dock at the Park office and it is safe; its where there are a few Kotok. I am anchored right in front of it at: 02° 44.237 S and 111° 44.097 E.
New Dawn: I am debating with myself if the tour is worth the health risks? Should I leave once I can see the river, or stay the few days more but I start to feel the pain in the lungs, so I might leave. It would be a pity to miss the Monkey trip now I have come this far. Will see in the afternoon how I feel. A difficult decision.
What will you do and if you come what will be your ETA?
Mph
Paul
---------------
Hi Paul,
Thank you very much for your mails and information.
The smoke situation is really very worrying considering the health risks,
and makes me reconsider my options. Do you know if Harry believes that the
smoke will be less in the near future?
As you may know we are sailing together with Lazy Lady, and I will share and
discuss your information with them.
If I decide to go I would most likely go with Harry, and my originally plan
was then going on a 2 or 3 day trip, and maybe stay in a resort hotel as
well.
Our plan is to leave Bawean Sunday morning at 6:00 and ETA in Kumai is late
afternoon Monday, where I believe we can pass the bar with high tide.
Is it an option to anchor outside the river mouth and wait out a couple of
days for better smoke conditions?
Best Regards
Sven
----------------
Hello Sven.
Many thanks for your email and I am glad that you find the information useful. I will below answer your questions. No problems sharing them with Lazy lady; I have CC them this email.
Smoke situation: Harry and others believe that this will persist many days (weeks?) to come. Apparently the park rangers are today on a tour to evaluate the situation. Also rumors has it that they have a Russian type helicopter that will try to put out some of the fires, but with bush fires, even after putting out the fires, the roots and lower parts are likely to continue to smoke. These fires are caused by two things, apart from the dry weather, namely, some people are careless and start the fire accidentally, or on purpose. But the worth thing is that the big Palm Oil farmers set the jungle on fire to clear it for their plantation. It seems this situation is normal each year during the dry season. So it looks like the problem will persist for some time and at least the coming days/weeks.
Health risk: Yes it is present and for me my hands, feet and legs are swollen. The throat hurt and my today's sandwiches were difficult to eat. I cough and feel uncomfortable, with eyes running in water. I have not yet been in town, but contemplating trying it. Otherwise apart from a repair on the D400 and some other boat jobs outside, I have stayed inside New Dawn. I am told that most of the population here have these health problems. As I write this New Dawn is still a WWII bunker and I wear a mask; not funny.
Coming here: Had I known this, I would have avoided coming here. No one told me, except the email you had that stated the heavy smoke. They could have been more detailed, as this might have helped me, at least. Off course it would be a pity to miss an opportunity to see the Park and its monkeys. What did Aquamende say when they returned to Medana Bay?
Anchor outside: As you know there is (are) 1 (-2) place(s) where it is shallow. When I entered Friday at 09:30 the most shallow place I noted was about 3.3 m (see below), if I remember correctly, and I arrived on a "medium low water". Yesterday the low water had 2 lows of different structure and I came in on the highest of the two. The other one was, I believe, 30 cm lower was late evening. The whole bay is shallow, mostly 7-12 m, and as you approach the river it is, I think, 5 m. Thus, you can easily drop anchor everywhere. But as you are likely to have SE wind and waves of say a good m, it will be a bit lively anchorage, but differently possible. I think it is mud. There was a cargo ship yesterday being loaded from barges and the tugs are all over the place, as far as I can see. The river is filthy and has brown water. If you use seawater for your WC, you will be in doubt if you have forgotten to flush.... But, personally, I would not sit out there for days, especially as the smoke is not f'cast to go away all that quickly.
Coming in: When you come in, you have to get the Green (well not much green paint left on it) high mark (not what is shown on the charts) on SB and it is not quite at the place as indicated on C-Map and Open CPS, so find it with the binocular and you follow along the beach, say at a max of 200 m distance until the end of the sand spit and then a sharp left turn for a short while and then a sharp right turn for a bit longer; that part is where the shallow is. The Open CPS is not accurate all the way up, but the WP I have from the pilot book is OK. I can't remember your draft, but if you are over 3 m, you will need to time for the raising tide and come in half way+ up. The tide is only about one m. If your draft is under 3 m, you should be OK most of the time. Go slowly, depending on the current. I use my FLS (Forward Looking Sonar) and two conventional sonar, which helped in my situation (my draft is 2.5 m).
Hope helpful?
MVH
Paul
----------------------
Hi Paul,
Thank you very much for this valuable information.
I have no information from Aquamante or Alaris from their trip except that
they were caught, I think for 1-2 days, and could not leave the airport as
scheduled due to the smoke and bad visibility.
Based on your latest info I am inclined not to aim for Kumai, and will
discuss it with Lazy Lady later today.
I will let you know what I decide as soon as the decision is made.
Best Regards
Sven
END QUOTE
PS: CNN ran on 29 October a report on the situation and it does not look good. See: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/29/asia/southeast-asia-haze-crisis/index.html
This was my lunch restaurant. Mie Going and two Coca Cola, all for EUR 2.00.
They invited me to this wedding. All very friendly and the food looked good. I declined as I was not representing myself well with dirty shorts, T-shirt and sandals.
No comments:
Post a Comment