Jefry’s Fish Restaurant

We had heard of this place and seen the pictures but didn’t really know what to expect.

Located just off the coast of Ambon, Jefry’s Fish Restaurant – otherwise known as Rumah Makan Apung Emas Biru – is a unique place. We haven’t encountered anything like it anywhere else in the world so far. Not only does it have its own fish farm, but it also provides docking facilities for visiting yachts. And Jefry offers that at no charge, on the assumption (a safe one) that crews will want to eat at his restaurant.

Jamala docked at the fish farm.

However, my priority was not trying out Jefry’s culinary treats; that could wait until later. I needed to get to the eye clinic.

Fortunately, Jefry has a ferry service that shuttles guests between the restaurant and the shore for just 50,000 rupiah—about £2.40 round trip. So I hopped onboard one of his boats and, within two minutes, stepped ashore at the quayside to start my walk to the clinic.

Wainitu beach

I was too focused on getting to the eye clinic, battling traffic, potholes and huge open drain holes to think about taking photographs. So the only one I have of Ambon, the one above, I took at the waterside near Jefry’s restaurant before I nearly went arse over elbow over a hole in the pavement.

After a 20-minute walk through what felt like a Turkish bathhouse, I arrived at the Klinik Mata Utama Maluku in a contradictory state and sweaty mess —relieved but baffled by the contrast between the clean-looking building and the not-so-clean streets. I felt the welcome blast of air conditioning as I walked through the door, followed by a mild disappointment when I saw the crowd waiting for treatment.

Fortunately, and this probably has more to do with me being a novelty rather than an urgent case, I was seen quickly. Many forms and preliminary eye tests later, each conducted under the close supervision of at least four people, I got to see Nia, the ophthalmologist who pronounced all was well after a thorough look around my eye (observed by another three people). I was given a small care pack of eye drops and sent on my way after paying the bill – 590,000 Rupiah – £28.44. Not bad.

Jamala at the restaurant

That evening we had dinner with our fellow dockees on Windsong: Frank, Olivia and Tim. Coincidentally, they, too, are at the Sail 2 Indonesia rally, and they, too, diverted here due to a problem. Theirs was nothing to do with eyeballs, though.

The menu at Jefry’s is as you might imagine at a fish restaurant: fish and some seafood. But it is all good.

Fishes and a pet ray

On the second night, I felt a sharp pain in my right shoulder. I looked behind to find one of Jefry’s elbows burrowing into the knots in my upper back. I don’t know his job in the army, but he certainly knows where the pressure points are (it might be interrogation). After he finished working me over, he treated Frank and Tim the same way. I have to say, though, that whatever he did worked.

Jefry administering a massage.

And making it count

A special kind of massage for Tim

Nerve stretching

Pure agony

Then, with my eyeball diagnosed as OK, we were free to leave and head to Raja Ampat.