Shipwrecked Clean up on Padang Padang (8th REPORT)

Report No 8.....to ISC CEO Tipi..........Bali Island...............Padang Padang Ship Wreck and Reef Clean Up

24th July, 2008.....Thursday 

7.30am............Chris and Mike met at the Role office to finish off the report, plan and Info pack for the DPRD,  Badung Government President/Chief Pak Gde Adnyana. This was important to get the story right in Indonesian and NOT offend anyone. Chris had lived here since he was a teenager and even he said the politically correct Written Indonesian was tricky.
I called to the Taiwan Embassy's contact Mr. Sherlock (This must be his undercover name.......a Chinese guy named Sherlock??? Undercover brother !  But also a very helpful and sincere guy.) to get the Insurance guys info. He said he would call back in one hour. Adriana our Brazilian can do Capacity Builder/Fundraiser Lady, and Wayan our secretary arrived at 8.30 and we put the final draft together along with all the photos so they could have a visual. Together with other Foundation info, we separated them into there 3 packs. One for the Badung Gov, one for the Bali Gov and one for the Dept of the Environment. Chris sped off for his 9 am meeting. All hands on deck.

9am-12noon............. Chris's report: - I arrived at around 9.30am to hand deliver Role's reports and plans, to the head of DPRD Badung. I had to wait for almost 2 hours. I finally got to meet with the Badung Chief  Mr Gede Adnyana, and to my pleasant  surprise Mr. Nyoman Sujastra was also at this meeting. He is a Padang-padang local and is an elected official, working in DPRD in  the Tourism and Economy Dept. He also owns the Ayu Guna Inn at Padang-padang. He was interested to protect his people's jobs and the Environment of the Bukit. Great stuff!  
The Badung Chief Mr. Gde read through the Role report and plan, and then assured me that,  we have his full support and that he would meet with Bupati (the Bali Government) and the Environment authorities and push hard to get permission for Role to coordinate the salvage efforts , so as to contain and prevent any further environmental damage.

1pm...............At last, we received a call from Mr. Sherlock from the Taiwan Embassy in Jakarta with the info on the Insurance company. They had an office in Jakarta and the guy handling this case maybe in Bali now. Chris called and tried to line up a meeting. No answer. We needed to know the status quo on the insurance gig as soon as possible. We were also trying to get through to the Taiwan owners and find out what had been hand over so far.........to you know who.

4pm..............Stealing/Pilfering of the engines..................We had uncovered a plot to steal the engines and generator. The only pieces of real value left, except for the metal railing and other metal parts. The large percentage of the wreck, the fiberglass hull was virtually worthless. We needed to keep the engines with the wreck so we could control the eco-damage that would come from them being cut up etc. for removal. Also we needed to keep some value in the salvage, or no one would want to touch it. This crew had already stripped most of the wiring and whatever else they possibly could from the engines etc.. These guys were connected to.......you know who.........through the go between who was aiming to get her share of the golden eggs already laid. Chris called our new contact at Padang Mr. Nyoman. We needed to get some security on this vessel. Wasn't that the you know who's...........JOB?  This was a crime scene! Shouldn't they be securing the site??? There had been No security at this supposed crime scene after the first inspection by the .......you guessed it. This was all now completely arse about face and backwards.

Shipwreck Condition Report...............Large chucks was breaking off this huge rock, mid way up her side where she was wedged. This rock was slowly but surely shafting the middle of the wreck. Chris, thoroughly checking every part the wreck and tightened up the forward ropes. He reported she would most definitely break in half at this mid shafting point if an attempt to move her was made. He also said that now, one would see right through to the reef and there was plenty of light coming through the bottom of the hull. Chris ordered over the phone the 92 meters of 4-5 centimeter heavy rope he could find and secured a water pump for the next day. The shipwreck was becoming unstable. We would tie more ropes and fill her freezer compartments full with water as soon as possible, on Friday. Hopefully keep her in one piece while we got approval to oversee her controlled demolition. The Ghost ship was losing its spirit. She was now becoming our old friend and it was a bit sad to see her suffer. Like an old dog, she needed to be put out of her misery. Then we and her could have closure and a peace rest after the finale of a much needed Hindu Cleansing Ceremony. Presently, that seemed like a pipe dream away.

 6pm................Meeting at the watering hole with the middle lady's/You know who's salvaging guys led by Eric. The You know who's were still planning to remove the wreck by tug, just so they could easily get at the engines. (Simply amazing seeing as the tug had been coming for nearly 10 days now. They were planning to float the wreck on oil drums. Sure, really! Fill them with compressed air. Chris told them that not to forget this is a tricky, high wave zone and the vessel would probably break apart and the nightmare scenario we were trying to prevent could take place. If it did, they would become the scape goats for the You know who's. Chris talked long and hard about the environment and over a few beers that we laid on, they admitted that Indo was in a Full On Eco free fall. We assured them they could keep everything they had been promised, plus more from us, if they would help us control the eco-damage of the shipwreck. Whichever way it goes. Chris and Eric the salvages leader, exchanged telephone numbers. He agreed we would all try to work together.
They were from Pekalongan, north central Java. We discussed the beautiful motifs and colors of the famous Pekalongan Batiks. They were not so bad guys, trying to make a living for their families, the best they could. They said they hated the Environmental disasters happening around Indonesia on a daily basis, but said the rich controlled everything and they and their families were surviving on the scraps.
Surely given the chance they would be eco-friendly. But where do you put all the crap, anyway. There is very limited recycling, especially for industrial rubbish in Indo.

If you drop it all in the ocean...............out of sight, out of mind. Like magic, it all disappears.

Everything is going into the oceans. It is estimated there over 200-300,000 ships and boats dumping their crap into the oceans EVERYDAY ! Wow.

"Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 1970's."......... That was 36 years ago. (Neil Young)

Thanks to everyone for the huge help and interest. We are trying corresponding with everyone concerned. Please be patient with us.

See you tomorrow..........

Mike O'Leary
International CEO and Founder
R.O.L.E. Foundation
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