Shipwrecked Clean up on Padang Padang (5th REPORT)

Report to ISC, ....No 5.......Bali Island.............to Tipi ..........Padang Padang Ship Wreck and Reef Clean Up 
Monday 21th July, 2008.......................Role Foundation

7 am.................Checked out the wreck. The swell was up.........3-4 foot......The wreck held tight right through the night and through the high tide to 1am today. Little had changed from the day before. There was still oil and diesel drifting out to sea, but only small amounts compared to previous days.
10am...............meeting between Mod Mike, Chris More, New York Johnny and Clemens Berger by phone. We would take the 6-7 cubic meters of rubbish and the 44 gallon drums and several jerry cans of oil/sludge to the top of the cliff and get it carted away, clean up any extra mess around the wreck and reef, and move 2 large steal railway tracks covered in thick resin away from the take off zone. (These steel tracks were originally lined the very bottom of the hull.) We would meet at 4 pm as the low tide was now getting on toward evening. We would soon be looking at early morning to do our work on the wreck.

12noon..............the word got to me that the water policeman still had another agenda,and that efforts to get things happening and this wreck away from threatening the lineup once and for all were futile. I put out a cry for help in desperation, to the captains of industry around Bali. We needed to get the Indo Tourism Dept, the Environment Dept, Bali and Jakarta ministers involved. We needed some heavy hitters.This guy was holding all concerned groups to ransom. After all this was a crime scene, a environmental crime scene.

4pm............Mod Mike and Chris Moore along with the Role staff, the GUS Foundation Staff, Steve Palmer's construction staff, all turned up on time. We started the heavy physical task of carrying all the rubbish, heavy ship parts and oil/sludge drums and jerry cans all the way to the top of the cliff. I do not know how high or far it is from the staging area at the back of the Padang2 back beach, to the top of the cliff, but I can assure you it was a REAL ball breaker. Even for the girls helping! Gus had their truck there and it sure was good to see the end of that crap.

5.30pm............We turned our attention to cleaning the wreck, the reef and rocks again of rubbish and ship parts that had loosened over the last day. Surfers Girl staff turned up with drinks and a helping hand, lead by Georgina Barnett. What a bonus!! Also they rolled their sleeves up and did their stuff. Real good workers, no question.
We also moved 2 large pieces of steal covered in resin that was in the front of the lineup. This was another ball breaker. With 8 guys, we could not lift these things, and they were so long we could only push one end forward 5 meters, and then push the other end 5 meters. Eventually we got them over nearer the wreck and out of harm’s way.

6.30 missions completed. Johnny arrived at the watering hole and with Chris and I, we held a meeting.
Obviously stage 1 was over, we had cleaned the wreck of sludge and rubbish, the rocks behind the reef, the front, top and back of the reef and carted it all away, but we still needed to get rid of this toxic wreck that would always threaten the line up as long as it remained.
It was with deep concern that we realized that if we were going to cut up and remove this wreck, once and for all, and get some closure, we must get involved with the political side of things and try to move some arsis. As surfers most of us go to great length throughout our lives to keep clear of such issues and persons.
We agreed to form a committee. We would try to get some heavy hitters on our side.

After all, surfers and their family inject $100's of millions of dollars every year into the Bali/Indo economy. There must be some leverage, one would think?

Big THANKS to all the above persons. Still no serious injuries.

Stage 2 begins................Politics......cut up and remove the wreck???
By consensus..........The best way to get rid of the oil on the reef is by human hair and a saltwater heavy scrub??? Hair cut derby on the cards???
Closure please. Hindu Cleansing Ceremony???


See You tomorrow,
Best...............Mike

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Help us play a Role.…………..If you could please help us finance these programs; together we CAN restore the balance. You may donate to R.O.L.E. by direct deposit: Account Name - Yayayan Role, Bank Permata, Branch – Sanur, Bali, A/C No - 5801231804, Swift Code – BBBAIDJA; by cheque/check: To - Yayasan Role and post to Jl. Celagi Nunggul 101, Sawangan, Nusa Dua, Bali 80363, INDONESIA, or by Credit Card via our website at www.rolefoundation.org . Please feel free to contact us at info@rolefoundation.org. Also, you are most welcome to visit our Women’s Vocational Training Facility, our Marine Revival Program and our Eco-Learning Center, check out the programs and meet our team. Just drop in to the above address or give us a call on 62-361-807 8805.