Hoga
The wind was light and blowing directly into our eyeballs as we left the marina at Wanci. So, rather than risk arriving at Hoga in the dark by attempting to sail by doing a thing called tacking, we used Yanmar-san to get us there by the direct route.
If there were any doubts about whether to motor or not, the deciding factor was the entrance to Hoga. The narrowish pass to navigate on the way into the anchorage looks a bit tricky on the satellite images, but it is decidedly sketchy when you see it for real. Like anywhere in Indonesia, you never know if there is going to be one or a combination of FADs, fishing boats, floating ropes, moorings, logs or other stuff floating in the water. Arriving in the dark would almost inevitably lead to a miserable ending.
Fortunately, we had folks in the know. Richard and Ella on the yacht Waypoint had been anchored off Hoga island for several days and were able to tell us exactly where to go before we got there – and we talked about what to do over dinner with them that night onboard Jamala.
Kaledupa
The next day marked Indonesian Independence Day, so we made our way to Kaledupa – one of the three islands here – to watch the festivities.
Securing the dinghy to the dock and getting onto land, which involved a bit of inelegant dockside parkour up a slippery dock wall, presented more of a challenge than anticipated. But despite our farcical exploits, we were fortunate enough to catch the tail end of the parade – watching it from a café, with a coffee, where we enjoyed the celebrations alongside an Australian woman who has been exploring Indonesia for many years and local people who, judging by the photograph below, felt a duty to be there.
After the parade had finished (it’s much more of a formal event than the others we experienced at Wanci), we headed back towards the dinghy. But just as we turned the corner from the parade, we were summoned by a soldier and told to follow him to an official building. The purpose of our arrest was so that he could give us a drink of something like Milo with bubbles from bubble tea in it.
Mandatory photo-taking followed.
After taking the required photos with the locals, Richard set off to snorkel on the opposite side of the island, and we returned to our boats to gather our snorkelling gear and explore closer to home.
We were greeted at the reef by Kundang, a resident of Sampela who has excellent English skills. He directed us to the prime snorkelling spot on the reef. The experience was breathtaking, revealing a pristine underwater world that felt entirely untouched.
Sampela
We made plans with Kundang to come to Jamala in the morning and take us over to Sampela for a tour of his village and to have lunch.
He said he would pick us up at 0800, but we heard the unmistakable noise of a single-cylinder diesel engine clonking away at the side of Jamala at 0730 while we were having breakfast. Kundang had arrived early with a large and rather dubious-looking boat together with two locals. We welcomed them all aboard and gave Kundang a tour of Jamala before setting off on our trip to Sampela.
Why would you want to get on an iffy-looking boat with some people you hardly know, you might ask? Good question, and I shall do my best to answer.
Sampela is one of the homes of the Bajo people – also known as Sea Gypsies – whose principal activity is fishing. They are excellent free divers, having evolved over the years to be able to hold their breath underwater far longer than the average person; this, in part, is believed to be due to their unusually large spleens, which can store oxygen-carrying red blood cells and release them when needed during a dive. Researchers also found that their body density negates the need for weights, and their eyesight has adapted to see better underwater.
So, we wanted to meet them.
The journey over to Sampela revealed why there was a driver and mate. While the driver drove, his mate continually bailed out the boat.
The homes in Sampela are uniquely constructed on wooden stilts, arranged in irregular rows, and are connected by pathways made of concrete, wood, and bamboo.
Kundang’s daughter guided us through the village, helping us navigate the bamboo streets – patiently waiting while we shuffled across the more dodgy parts.
Kundang, his wife Sofia, and their three children live with very little, yet they find ways to make ends meet and are incredibly generous. Lunch was simple, but there was great variety. We sat on the floor in his home and had lunch whilst we chatted about how he often thought about his trip to England over 20 years ago when he’d had a visa supported by a London University who was interested in his life in Sampela. At the same time, Kundang’s 3-year-old was splashing about in the water below the house. He taught himself to swim and dive.
What isn’t obvious from the photographs is that not long ago, Kundang couldn’t walk. He contracted a bacterial infection in his spine that rendered him immobile. At the time, he worked at the dive resort in Hoga. Surgeons had to insert pins into his spine, and Kunpang then set about on a mission to walk again. Through exercise and determination, he has almost achieved that goal.
We came back to Jamala with more of a crowd. To say thanks, we presented Kundang with a brand-new snorkelling mask and two warm coats. He said it gets cold while fishing at night.
Hoga – the Island
That evening, we made our way to the local resort on Hoga, where Ella had reserved a table for dinner. We reached the dock just as around 50 locals were boarding their boats to return home. They appeared to have spent a day at the beach, but one woman was crying as if mourning. Once the boats were filled and departed, we managed to dock and walk along the beach to the restaurant. Later, we learned that the woman’s husband, who had brought supplies to the island the previous day, had not returned home, and the people we saw were the search party. Hopefully, he will turn up soon.
The next day, we pulled up the anchor and headed to the Island of Flores.
Kundang has asked me to share his contact details and to encourage other people to visit Sampela. He can be contacted on WhatsApp on +62 822 82966768.
Hopefully, I have painted a picture of Sampela as more than just a village on sticks. It is a way of life and a privilege to visit. There is an interesting video on YouTube about Sampela called Living 7 Days with the Bajo Tribe. I encourage you to watch it.
How fortunate to be welcomed into their village and shown such gracious hospitality. Kundang sounds like quite a guy – amazing resilience. No whining.
I know. Incredible isn’t it? There are many lessons to be learned from the people here.