Year 2- 6th October 2025 –Boom Marina -Banyuwangi- Java-Welcome Party etc.

After I had written and posted yesterday’s blog I went to rest for an hour and then the guide came to pick us up about 11.45pm. I have been in t-shirts and shorts for a long time and so we had to prepare for cool windy temperatures of about 8 degrees so we were told. I had to get out some long trousers and get out some jumpers, the light rain jacket and even a woolly hat!! I also got out my walking boots which I brought with me from the UK and have not had out since I do not believe.

We were 7 for our trip namely me, Mark, Steve, Keith, Janet, Ruth and Jane (from Dilemma), Once we were picked up we drove to the ATM so we could get out some money. We then had to go to a health clinic – where they checked our blood pressure, pulse and weight. We all passed and so we then drove for about an hour to the base camp on Mount Ijen where we would start our hike. The road was quite windy and we meandered slowly up and we were passed by other cars and motorbikes.

 We eventually came to base camp and decamped into a café and we all had a cup of tea. We had two guides who were taking us up namely Leo and Shi. They explained about the hike and that we would be walking up to the top, which was about 2,400m. Then if we wanted to see the blue flame we would have to climb down into the crater some 600 feet where the sulphur was coming out and the gas being ignited. In addition this was next to the largest highly acidic crater lake in the world which is about a kilometre across. The best time to see the blue flame is between 4-4.30am otherwise it will be too late as the day starts. There is sulphuric smoke come from the bottom and so we would be provided with a gas mask and some goggles for the eyes. We were to be called the Leo Group and we would try to stick together.

 The gates do not open until 2.00am and so when we finished our tea we checked our masks and clothing. It was already quite cold and there was the odd fire burning. Once we were ready we put on our rucksacks and headed for the track which led up passing the entrance. It was quite busy and we walked as a group to start with. It was dark and we had been given head torches as well which we could put on to show us the way. There were a load of carts and you could pay a fee to be wheeled up to the top – they called them “Lamborghini” or “Ferrari’s”. In fact we saw on our route a number being wheeled up where there was some poor chap pushing at the back and two, depending on the weight of the person, hauling up. My god looking at it they earn their money.

The flattish track came to an end and it began to go uphill and quite steeply. This started to become hard work and we had to stop from time to time to catch our breaths. The steepness continued and it got even steeper and I had to stop more frequently but decided to do this by steady progress. It was black apart from the moon and head torches and all we could hear was talking of the other hikers and the odd guide VHF radio. The track was about 20 foot wide to start with -dirt with the odd stone poking out. We stopped as a group from time to time and then continued but It was slow progress. This steep section eventually I would estimate after about 2 km came to narrow and then it became a narrow track with a few steps and it meandered its way up the mountain. Unbeknown to me the group had stopped at a café but I did not see them or they see me. I carried on and assumed they were ahead of me. By this time the wind was up and it was getting colder. Luckily we had a good moon which gave us some light. I kept to the narrow path and to the inside as although I could not see I suspected there was a sheer drop down. This proved to be correct when it got light and I saw the sheer drop on the way down.

 I continued on up following my torch light on the ground step by step and listening to my breath. If only I weighed a bit less…..!!!  However, I made steady good progress and as I got to the top Shi the guide caught up with me and said they had been waiting and that I must have gone fast. The top was a largish area where people congregated and the Lamborghini’s parked waiting for their next ride.  We therefore waited for the others to catch up there was some wind chill. I put on my rain jacket and woollen hat. I checked my gas mask and goggles so when I needed to use them they were ready.

 The others caught up some 20 minutes later and we regrouped and the guides explained about going down the crater. This was a narrow rocky path with room for one or two hikers and it was steep and crumbly. You could see ahead the snakelike lights of the hikers and looking over the crater you could see the little lights twinkling below. The smoke area as they called it is at the bottom and the smoke is toxic and so as we neared we should put on the mask and goggles. If we got smoke coming over us then we should push our masks to our face and close our eyes even if we had goggles on and turn away from the smoke. He asked us to follow him.

 We walked up to the start of the steep narrow path which was crowded and it took some time to start and down we went snaking around and round like a street lit procession and this took a good 30-40 minutes. The issue was that some people were trying to come up at the same time and this delayed our passage. In addition there were miners carrying lumps of sulphur in two baskets with a yoke over their shoulders. My goodness they earn their keep. They have right of way and so there would be a shout of “miner” and we all had to get out of the way as they slowly climbed up past us. What a hard life.  They only get about 1.500 IDR per kilo which is about 67 pence and they carry about 60 -70 kilos per trip.

 We eventually came to a large rock area which was above the blue flame and the people we could see below. You could see the smoke emanating from the sulphur which blew across below. We put on our masks and googles and descended and then came to the area of the blue flame. There were quite a few people around which was a shame but I did manage to see it – a blue purple area of flame – quite odd really. However, suddenly I was engulfed in smoke and it had a horrible chemical taste and I shut my eyes and turned toward the smoke. It was awful so I moved away as it was overwhelming. We all had similar difficulty and some saw more of the blue flame than others.

 Our guides took us up higher again and I noticed that I could see more and this continued as the day began to break. We could see the face of the yellow sulphur from which the smoke came and with the wind the extent of the spread varied. We could then begin to see the outline of the lake and it sort of emerged from the blackness. We then were suddenly overwhelmed by smoke from our higher vantage point and we had to move. We had seen enough and so we started to climb up. This again took time as the people who we had followed down were now coming up. As we climbed we could look down and around and could now clearly see the crater and the sulphur and the lake.

 t took us 45 minutes to an hour to climb up and we then rested at the top. The day had dawned and we could see all around. We had a snack and took pictures of the crater and views from the top of the mountain. We then started to descend which is quite hard on the knees. There were lots of “Lamborghini” or “Ferrari’s” taking people down. Most of the people using this transport were Japanese or Korean.

 The walk down took us about an hour and a half and we could see the mountains around us and the lovely scenery around us of mountains and hillsides. It is quite hard going down for that long. When we got to the bottom there were lots of vendors selling fruit etc. We had done it. We were all tired but happy but would not rush to do it again tomorrow. We had a quick cup of tea and piled into the minibus and were brought back to Stormbird arriving about 8.30am.

 We all went to bed for an hour or two and when I got up I looked at the weather and thought we should leave that afternoon so we could arrive at Bawean our next destination some 200nm away in the day. We then had a bacon and egg wrap brunch which was good and prepared to leave about 4.00pm. In fact we were ready by 2.40pm so I thought we would get on our way and so we slipped the mooring and went out of the channel to the marina. We then headed across the strait to the Bali side. We had current against us of about 2-3 kts but when we got over to the other side we had a back eddie helping us. We carried on up the Bali side and then entered the narrow strait between Bali and Java and over an hour or so later we got through the channel. There were a whole load of tankers anchored off the Java coast. I decided we would motor past them before getting out the genoa which we did and we sailed on a broad reach. The wind was not that strong but we were sailing and managing some 5 plus kts which was fine as we were not in a rush.

 Steve and I were on the 4-8.00pm watch and we sailed on and it was so much quieter than the engine. There was little traffic which was good. The hours passed pleasantly and then it began to get dark at about 4.45pm. By 5.30pm it was dark and we were into dark mode. Keith cooked a fish risotto which was nice with broccoli. It was supposed to be chicken but what looked like chicken was actually fish!!. We handed over to Mark and Ruth at 8.00pm for their 3-hour watch and it was time for bed and I was ready for it.  

  The picture of the day is a picture of the blue flame which is actually lit gas at about 600c.

 Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Chagos, Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.  I am looking for crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town and from Cape Town to the UK. If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com