Year 2- 9th October 2025 –Bawean -Java Sea -A Day Out in Bawean
We woke to another lovely morning and it was quite still. We had to be ashore by about 8.00am as we were going on a tour of the Island. Rather oddly the local person mentioned that we could join in the gymnastics- why on earth would we do that? We thought we would watch. We had breakfast and got ready. We went ashore about 7.45 am and there was a great crowd on the beach ready to welcome us. They helped us bring up our dinghy on to the beach and they took our laundry that we wanted washing.
They had got all the local children on the beach and before long they lined them up in lines and put us at the front- we could not get out of it. The music started and there was a lady in front who led and it was about 15 minutes of aerobics. We joined in and it was quite fun. We then had lots of photos with the locals and students and they were all very friendly. We then had some water and coffee and some snacks which was nice.
Once we had many photos we got into two cars and Wayne and Jenny from Ali Cat joined us. We headed off East on the one road which circles the Island, not made from tarmac but brick pave. The scenery here is quite stunning as there are rising hills full of jungle and all of the flat parts have been turned into agricultural use – mostly paddy fields with palm trees all around and little shelter huts scattered here and there. It is the sort of scenery you see in documentaries or nature programmes about the tropics etc. The road passed through this scenery and lots of little villages. There are very few wooden houses here and most are brick or breeze block built and there is very little corrugated iron at all. I think as it is part of Java – it has more resources than other Islands that we have been to. It still looks a bit shabby.
We motored on up and down and then turned off into some hot springs at Kolani Pemandian which they has encapsulated into a building. There were 3 different pools -very hot, hot (very hot) and coolish (bearable). The hottest was too hot and the second was too much more me. Mark, Steve, Janet and Ruth went in but Keith and I decided it was not for us. They relaxed for a bit and then we decided to move on. It was a shame there was quite a lot of rubbish hanging around.
We drove on we went to see the endemic Bawean Deer, which were in fenced off pens and were quite shy. We got some pictures through the fence. They were quite small.
The Bawean deer, also known as Kuhl's hog deer or Bawean hog deer, is a highly threatened species of deer endemic to the island of Bawean in Indonesia. Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size and limited range, the Bawean deer is evaluated as critically endangered on the IUCN Red list of Threatened Species. It has few natural enemies except for birds of prey and large snakes such as pythons. A typical height for males of 60–70 cm (24–28 in) has been reported. Males have three-tined antlers. Their fawns are spotted at birth, which separates them from the best known western population of the related Indian hog deer. Their pelage is short, smooth, and soft, and generally a light brown in colour. There are few distinctive yellow markings which are limited to the head and neck. There is also a light throat patch or 'bib' and a whitish eye-ring. Infants have white spots on their backs when younger. They live in woodlands and upland forests with dense undergrowth, which is used for shelter, providing a refuge in which the deer sleep and rest during the day. They live in small groups of four or five deer, usually one female, her infant, and two males. They are herbivores and consume grasses, herbs, leaves, twigs, corn crops, and leaves of the cassava plant. Females will have one offspring at a time per year. The gestation period is 225–230 days, and the majority of births occur in February to June.
Males can be very aggressive towards other males that approach their small families, and will spray other males and predators in the face with their glandular secretions. They also mark their territories with this as well. When fleeing, the Bawean deer carries its head low and runs with a trotting gait. Their spine also curves high towards the rear when fleeing from predators. When fleeing from predators the males will run in front and the infant, if there is one, will be behind the males. The female will run in the back. This is effective in order to protect the infant from predators.
After the deer we decided to go to a waterfall which meant going down the East side of the Island going through a number of villages before we turned off on to a narrow concrete sort of road which was no wider than a car. We meandered up and round through the rural countryside and villages before coming to a stop in one village.
We then had a short walk along a walkway and across a number of bamboo bridges and we came to an area which was the base of the waterfall. We could then walk up to the waterfall which was about 100 foot high. It was a great waterfall cascading down slowly but regrettably the pool at the bottom was not deep enough to swim in. However, it was a beautiful location and in the middle of the jungle with palm trees and other jungle bush. We saw in the water some fish and believe it or not some crabs. It was a shame we could not swim/dip but as it was so lovely we did not mind.
Once we retraced our steps we got into the cars and headed over to a small restaurant which overlooked a number of paddy fields. The food was ok but the mango smoothies were fantastic. We then returned to the beach where the dinghy was moored. We were offered some more refreshments and thanked everyone.
We returned to Stormbird and had a swim and then a sundowner on the rear deck and there was another fantastic sunset – orange red as it disappeared below the horizon. Mark and Ruth cooked a tomato and aubergine supper with couscous which was nice.
We look forward to the opening ceremony tomorrow and to seeing more of this rural beautiful Island.
The picture of the day is the line up on the beach before we started out aerobics.
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