Year 2- 8th October 2025 –Bawean -Java Sea
Steve were on 11.00am to 2.00am and we had to motor as there was no real wind. We had lights of various vessels around us and there were so many it was like the points on a watch. There were also looms of light appearing over the horizon waiting for us to get nearer. This was very busy and we had to be on the lookout. There were also ferries and tankers which we had to avoid and we motored on adjusting our course as required. The fishing boats were odd as they did not conform to the regulations regarding lights. They would have white, flashing red, green or even blue – I guess as long as we could see them. We had our steaming light (motoring light) on as well as our Tricolour (strictly speaking this really only for sailing but I thought we would be seen further away as a result). The previous shift had experienced the same level of traffic. We also came across some FAD’s which were like some submerged platforms but at least they were lit at night which is rare in Indonesia.
Our shift went quite quickly and we noticed there was a large oil field and platform area on the chart over to our port. The wind did not get any stronger and we continued to hand over to Mark and Ruth. They experienced the same levels of traffic as did Keith and Janet who took over from them. Steve and I went to bed and I woke again about 6.00am. We had made good progress and were passing along the North coast of Bawean. There were a few off laying little Islands and rocks. There were also lots of fishing boats going about their daily business. These fishing boats were different in that they had two long rods either side from which they hung nets and I have not seen this in other areas.
We motored on and at about 6.30am we came into the bay where we were due to anchor. This was opposite Tanjung Village. We came into the bay and there was a tug anchored but no other rally boats. We saw the reef either side of the bay and we had motored forward when it suddenly went quite shallow. I reversed out and we anchored in about 10m of water. We had arrived and had travelled some 206nm since Banyuwangi. It was a lovely still day and we sorted ourselves out.
I made berry smoothies which everyone enjoyed and we then had coffee with toast using up the last of Ruth’s bread. I had contacted the agent and had asked about tours and we had agreed to meet the agent at 11.30am as she was a teacher. We got the dinghy down and when doing this I noticed a white bag hanging from the propeller. It was a sort of ripped builder’s bag. We decided to have a swim anyway and Steve swam on the propeller and with a bit of a twist he freed it. There was also a bit of plastic stuck in the rudder which he also pulled out. We had seen lots of plastic and rubbish in the sea so I suppose it is hardly surprising that we caught some of it as some point. We all enjoyed cooling off in the sea.
Bawean (Indonesian: Pulau Bawean) is an island of Indonesia located approximately 150 kilometres (93 miles) north of Surabaya in the Java Sea, off the coast of Java. It is administered by Gresik Regency of East Java province. It is approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) in diameter and is circumnavigated by a single narrow road. Bawean is dominated by an extinct volcano at its centre that rises to 655 meters (2,149 feet) above sea level. Its population as of the 2010 Census was about 70,000 people, but more than 26,000 of the total (that is about 70% of the male population) were temporarily living outside, working in other parts of Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. As a result, females constituted about 77% of the actual population of the island, which is thus often referred to as "the Island of Women" (Indonesian: Pulau Putri). The 2020 Census revealed a population of 80,289, while the official estimate as at mid 2024 was 85,320.
The island's name is believed to originate from the Kawi (or Sanskrit) phrase ba (light) we (the sun) an (is) – thus: "having the sunlight". According to the legend, Javanese sailors wandering in the mist in 1350 named the island because they saw a glimpse of light around it; previously the island bore the Arabic name of Majidi. During the Dutch colonization in the 18th to the 20th centuries, the island was renamed Lubok, but the locals and even the Dutch continued to use the name Bawean. The Dutch name fell out of use in the 1940s.
During World War II, large-scale battles between the Japanese and Allied navies occurred in the vicinity of Bawean island, especially during the Dutch East Indies campaign of 1941–1942. On 25 February 1942, the island was captured by the Japanese troops. On 28 February, in the first Battle of the Java Sea, the Japanese sunk several Allied ships, killing the commander of the East Indies Fleet, Rear Admiral Karel Doorman, on the light cruiser HNLMS De Ruyter. The Second Battle of the Java Sea, also known as the Battle off Bawean, was fought on 1 March 1942. It resulted in sinking of all the participating Allied ships, including the heavy cruiser HMS Exeter and effective termination of the Anglo-Dutch resistance in the region. In August 1945, the Japanese garrison on the island surrendered to the Anglo-Dutch forces.
Most of the island is hilly, except for the narrow coast and a plain in the southwestern part; it is therefore also called locally as "island of 99 hills". The highest point (655 m; 2,149 ft) is at the hill Indonesian: Gunung Tinggi (that literally means "high mountain"). The greatest heights are in the central and eastern parts of the island. Here are a few caldera lakes, the largest being the Lake Kastoba (Indonesian: Danau Kastoba). It has an area of about 0.3 km2 (0.12 sq mi), depth of 140 m (460 ft), and is located at an altitude of about 300 m (980 ft). There are several small rivers and waterfalls, the highest being Laccar and Patar Selamat, as well as hot springs such as Kebun Daya and Taubat.
We motored over to the beach near the village and there were some flags and tents which was the welcoming point for the rally. We were met by Asia and welcomed. We had to sign some paperwork and write on a board our names. We discussed going on a tour tomorrow which she said she would arrange. She suggested we walked with her along the road.
We walked along and noticed paddy fields on the left which ran for about a mile to the hills which rose up quite steeply. It looked a beautiful agricultural scene with the odd chicken around. The road was made up of bricks in a zig zag fashion (not tarmac or concrete) rand was mostly used by motorbikes with the odd car or track and they all waved at us. There were various houses with the odd Indonesian shack type shop. We said hello and were very friendly.
Asia led us along to a restaurant but not as we know it. We could smell barbecue fish and as we arrived they were being cooked on a barbecue. We were led into a building which just had slatted wood as walls. There was just a some very low tables and we had to sit on the floor. I noticed there were a number of local people eating but they were eating with their fingers and had no knives or forks.
We ordered chicken and fish which came with rice. The chicken was either with satay on skewers or as a piece. The fish was delicious and we had various drinks, water, iced tea, chocolate etc. I asked for some forks and they gave us some plastic forks and spoons. We had asked about Bintang but it was clear there is not really any here. The lunch was tasty and we chatted with Asia and her two assistants.
After lunch we walked back to the beach and then back to Stormbird. We then had a celebratory beer as we had arrived. We then swum, chatted, rested and chilled and then at 5.00pm I made rum daiquiris as a sundowner. The sun went down again ruby red and the sky remained pink for some time after.
We then had a light supper using up things we had left. It had been a good day and we had arrived. We look forward to exploring more of the Island tomorrow.
The picture of the day is us with our welcome party.
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