These days, sailing in Indonesian waters is no pleasure cruise. As unrest and poverty spread, fishermen are looking for more lucrative employment. Some join the pirate syndicates; others just go after shiny yachts and speedboats. “Indonesian waters are not for the dumb and gullible,” says Hans Otto, a German skipper who has run charters between Java and Sumatra for almost three decades. “Any fisherman can turn pirate if you’re too nice and friendly. To him, you’re just a big fish.”
For centuries, Sulawesi has been known for piracy; in the 19th century, entire villages specialized in the trade, attacking British warships and trading vessels sailing for the Spice Islands. Today, things have gotten so bad east of Sulawesi that the annual race between Darwin and Ambon, an old nutmeg trading port, has been canceled. Recently, Christians and Muslims have been fighting. “The area’s a bit on the lively side at the moment,” says Bruce Maxwell, publisher of Asian Boating magazine. Many sailors also enter a regatta in Ujung Padang in southern Sulawesi. Scheduled for next month, the event hasn’t been canceled, but “there won’t be too many visitors this year,” says Maxwell.
And that’s not the worst of it. In 1995, an entire Indonesian village set upon a 120-foot European luxury diving yacht south of Ambon. As a maitre d’ in a tuxedo served dinner to the 22 guests, fishermen boarded. The village chief wanted $10,000. The European owner took off his shirt and prepared for a fight. A fisherman charged him, then a crew member threw the villager overboard. Soon 1,000 villagers, armed with spears and knives, lined the shore, chanting, “Kill them! Kill them!” In the end, the boat got away with paying about $500.
You want a quiet sail? Then do your homework, and avoid danger spots. Waters around Bali seem to be safe, and well-patrolled areas like Jakarta Bay aren’t bad either. Or you could just stay on the beach. Duller, for sure. Safer, too.
