LETI TO ROMANG ISLAND

The sailing distance from Leti to Romang (07-35.1 S x 127-22.0’ E) is about 43 nm.  It’s an easy broad reaching sail with the wind on the port quarter.  We can average 6 kts using only a poled-out 120% genoa without the mainsail.  This makes it very easy to change tacks.  We were wrapped around some coral in Tombra so it took us an hour to free ourselves and didn’t get underway until 1000 hrs.  We anchored in a bay on the western side of Romang at 1800 hrs.  In the last of a beautiful sunset, one could see a small village and church that started at the seashore and ascended to the top of a very steep hill.  As we were to find out the following day, this village is protestant.  These islands are part of the famous Banda Islands that were sought after and occupied by the Portugese, English, and Dutch.  They produce cloves and nutmeg, and other spices.

On Friday, August 15 we got a tour of the one street town.  All along the street people were preparing and drying cloves.  These are gathered in the jungle forest and mountains about 5 km from the village.  Apparently, the harvesting of cloves is labor intensive and difficult.  We had a lady guide that worked for one of the mineral exploration companies and spoke English.  There was very little to buy in the village and the locals were busy preparing or “Independence Day”.  Once again, there was a large church that the locals had spent 15 years building with very limited funds.  We found out that there is a high incidence of malaria on this island.  We made a donation to the church for mosquito netting for the poor that couldn’t afford it.  It’s a clean village with a certain amount of charm but a little more reserved that Tombra.

They make a palm wine which is interesting but isn’t going to win any rewards.  The best I can find out is that it is made from fermented hearts of palm, cloves, cinnamon and tea.  It has some resemblance to a mild sweet sherry.  Those that have over-indulged have suffered!!

In every Indonesian harbor with a population center, there is a harbormaster.  It is the responsibility of the yachts to bring in their “clearance papers” from the last port of call and receive a new one to the next port of call.  There is no charge for this service.  It’s one of the many bureaucratic procedures that exist here.  The harbormaster of Romang wanted to charge an exorbitant amount for “clearance papers” to the next port.  No one argued, we just picked up anchor and left the following day.

Romang is a wind factory!  It generates katabatic winds funneling down the hill that reach 35 kts.  This is never pleasant when you’re anchored in coral and hear the grinding and crunching.  Also, Romang is another one of those deep water anchorages.  We dropped anchor on a 20’ patch and ended up with 115’ of water under the keel.  You need a prayerful attitude that the anchor won’t slide off that 20’ patch: it didn’t.