A STORY FROM LITTLE PARADISE AT KRUI

My friend and I going to the harbor of Kuala Stabas, Krui, Pesisir Barat region, Lampung Province to get a boat to Pisang island and I'm having a conversation with a random guy.

Fisherman boat at Kuala Stabas harbor, Krui

Me : I need a boat to going to Pisang island, which one will depart first?!
Guy : That one!
(Pointing a boat with the named Pulau Carita written on it)
Me : Thank you.
(Then talk to the sailor and book a seat at that boat) (Return to the place where I met that random guy)
Guy : So, why do you wanna go to that island? The season is not good for sailing, you know. Big wind and wave.
Me : Really?!
Guy : Yes, 2 days ago my boat was flipped in the ocean and all the passenger (30 people) was falling to the ocean. Lucky they were all a good swimmer. No one died. They floating for 2 hour before another boat pick them up and my boat could be pulled out and back to this harbor.
Me : OMG! I think i will need a live jacket because i'm not a good swimmer. I could only floating for maximum 15 minutes at open water like that.
Guy : Don't worry.. it's gonna be just fine. At that time i have to admit it was overload. Your boat will contain less than 10 people.
Me : so, which one is your boat?
Guy : the one that you going to sailing with. Okay, I have to go now. Need to pick up something at local market. Have a safe trip.
(Then he walk away)
Me : ( extremely flat face and then shocked!!) What????

This is the first time i am regret having conversation with the local. I mean, really??? I'm going to sailing with that boat??? OMG! What the heck i just dreamed last night that make me have to have this kind of experience? God, please protect me.

So, I didn't have another option because there are only 2 boat heading to this island today. Beside that, this boat has the bigger size and bigger engine. The other one was smaller. Then, I thinked, "Hey, there will be only 6 passenger on this boat, so we will be just fine, right?!"

The boat that will take us to the island

Right?! Absolutely no. While waiting to the time to sailing, i saw more and more stuffs was getting in  and packed on boat, and that's not a small and light stuffs. Half of it was heavy, like 25 liter of cooking oil bottles, or a 50 kg rice sacks. All that stuffs were the island villagers needs. "Today we packed a lot of stuffs because for the last 2 days, no boat were sailing to the island because of a heavy wind and wave" said a villager who sitting next to me. Unbelievable. Yes, there's only 6 people on boat, but with a hundreds of stuffs like that, it's still overload for sure. *Breathe in, breathe out*

In 30 minute, My friend and I was sitting on the boat, while the boat slowly leaving the harbor. The sailing will take time approximately 30 - 45 minute. I've been sailing before, hundreds times maybe and for days, but this one was probably the most stressful sailing I ever had. I felt like that's the longest 40 minute in my life. Seeing this big wave, approx. 1-2 meter surrounded this tiny little boat was officially scary, especially because i'm not a good swimmer in the ocean, and there's no live jacket at all. Breathe in.. breathe out.. keep it together, girl!

After "a long sailing" here there are, appearing in the horizon, an island with line of coconut tree. Kind of relief a little bit that we will approaching those island. Getting closer and closer, i started to amaze by its crystal clear water and white sand beach. I mean, WOW! The green Tosca ocean and the white sand was unbelievable beautiful. My stressful thought was suddenly disappear or swiping away and there is a happiness come. I can't stop smiling from ear to ear when I see that beautiful scenery.

Finally could smiling again

Walking around this island, my friend and I looking for a spot to build our tent. When we circling around this island, we got a warm welcome from all of the villager here. Just give them a big smile and you will get invitation to stop by and talking with them. I stop by at one of the house near the harbor because of the drizzling weather start to dropping off. We have a long and nice talk with the lady and the old man and then they offer us to stay at her house. They worried about the rain and hurricane will coming tonight and destroy our tent. That's so sweet!!! So we stayed at Mr. Tuzakki and Mrs. Nurwahdani house.

Too bad we didn't have much time to circling around this island. We only be able to walk on the main street of this island for 1 hour. This island has 6 village. 3 village was at the highland of the island, ant the other 3 was at the low land or near the beach. The villagers mostly stay at 3 village near the beach. The 3 village above were being abandoned by its villagers and more than half villages was empty.

a corner of a village in the highland

a corner of a village at the lowland

The electricity on this island was powered by a small engine with fuel for the entire house at these island. So, the electricity power only exist from 5pm to 10pm everyday. Make sure all of your electronic device were fully recharged and bring some extra power like power-bank or and extra batteries for your electric supply.

After walking a round, the rain start coming again, so we rushed to Mr. Tuzakki and Mrs. Nurwahdani. We talking and hear their story about living in this island. Mr. Tuzakki was a fisherman and a clove farmer and Mrs. Nurwahdani was an ordinary household. Talking for hours with them was the best moment I have on this island. Too bad, early morning in next day at 7am we have to make  our way to go back to Krui. Staying for less than 24 hour on this island wasn't enough for me for sure.

I still want to see and hear a lot of story from this island. Mr. Tuzakki and Mrs. Nurwahdani said that we were always got a warm welcome at their house if we ever go back to this island again, someday. Of course I will do. Mr. Tuzakki give me an instruction that if I want to visit this island again, the better season was at March until September every year, when the wind and wave were very friendly. Noted that, Sir!

A part of the island with the heavy wind and wave

A part of  the island with the calm wave and wind

Listening to Mr.Tuzakki story about clove on this island

It's really sad to said goodbye to both Mr. Tuzakki and Mrs. Nurwahdani. When the boat slowly leave the beach, I saw Mr Tuzakki wave his hand to me as a goodbye and suddenly, there's a tears in my eyes. Then, I promised to myself, it's a not a goodbye. I will visiting them again someday. Goodbye for now, and I will see you again next time. (EKW)

Pisang = Banana
Pesisir Barat = West Coast
Pulau Carita = Carita Island