Role Foundation

The removal of the metal from the toxic wreck has been long and hard work for the salvage team sent in by the water Police. They burned the remains of the wreck many times as it broke up.

(Thou environmentally misdirected, these guys are victims of their own financial situation. Unskilled, and on the bottom of the food chain, they are prepared to do anything to survive, make a living and feed their families. There isn’t any social security funds, health insurance, retirement benefit etc here. Work in the middle of toxic fumes, oil and diesel……..anything to survive. The unskilled poor and needy cop it both ways. They need the work, even thou it is environmental damaging. Then after the environment is damaged, they can not make a living. Management of resources is the main issue.)

Read more below the images

On our last survey yesterday there are the 3 engine blocks, and the propeller shaft with most of the propeller attached, two or three large 2-3 meter pieces remain. Some of the tackle, that the salvage team were using is still there.

Our 11 man Role Team did a fairly extensive clean up. The final clean up is now not far away.
Chris Mason Parker, Role’s new marine Biologist dived and did a small survey of surrounding reef to check the health of the Marine life and also check the line up for dangerous wreckage.
The line up except for a few pieces he removed is clair and the marine life appears to be on the rebound.

Mike O’Leary
International CEO and Founder
R.O.L.E. Foundation Inc
Help play a role……
in creating a world without poverty
and reviving the health of the environment.

(Please help us educate and re-skill the needy of the bukit. With 4-5000 villas and houses scheduled to be built over the next 2-3 years, and extremely poor infrastructure some needy Balinese and Indonesians are economically falling behind. They are at risk of becoming the coolies of the bukit. They need skills to create new businesses and jobs. Check out our programs.)

Friday 22nd August, 2008

Selamat Galungan……………….We have just completed 4 days of holidays. Independence day, last Monday and then 3 days of Galungan. Galungan is the Hindu celebration of the victory of good over evil, or light over darkness. I am assured that, good will always prevail. This is reassuring news.

Chris Moore has been communicating everyday with the Salvage team that was sent in by the Water Police.
They should complete their task to cut up and take all the metal parts away, over the 4-5 days.
They have been burning off the wreck as they go, to get at the metal parts.
We have been inspecting the ever reducing wreck on a regular basis and have pulled off the reef, as much as possible, any hazardous parts, that are near or nearing the line up.
But as the wreck has not been secured since first fire and is being broken up into ever smaller pieces, it is near impossible to stop larger pieces from floating around on the high tides.

We are in constant contact with the Salvage team’s boss and will send the Role team in for a final clean up of the reef, rocks and back beach as soon as they are 100% finished.
Yesterday, Role’s new Marine Biologist Chris Mason-Parker arrived in Bali and immediately checked the wreck over. He is going to do an environmental assessment for Role, as soon as the salvage team has completed their task.
best……….Mike

PS…………Marine Revival and Ocean Recourses Management Program………..Check out the Abalone Farming report on the website. In Roles role to create Eco-Friendly jobs and businesses for the Coastal Communities of the Bukit and Southern Bali, Role has been helping the Geger Beach Seaweed Association, Nusa Dua, establish Abalone Ocean-farming business. This is to help secure the future of the Seaweed Farmers, who are under threat from Coastal Developments, as property prices spiral upward. The shell from Abalone farming will replace over time the destruction practices of wild shell attainment off the reefs for jewelry industry. The fresh abalone meat will be served in local restaurants. With the arrival of Role’s new Program Manager, Marine Biologist Chris Mason-Parker, Role is committed to helping create a sustainable future for all.

Role is now waiting on the a salvaging team from the you know who, to cut up and take the metal pieces away.
We are communicating on a daily basis with the Teams boss. We plan to clean up the parts and rubbish off the reef on Wednesday or Thursday.
Here is the latest photo update.

Best………..Mike

Now that the shipwreck has half burnt, the contractor for the you know who are in with the hot knife/oxy to cut up the miles of cooling pipes, the engine and the 2 generators and various other metal objects. Cut out only items left of any value.

6th……….6.30am…… Mike and Chris arrived on the scene and went down the Padang Padang back beach cliffs and along the beach to the still burning wreck. We quickly surveyed the still burning wreck and departed back up the cliff. After just half an hour Chris and I had a headache from the toxic fumes, the fumes were everywhere.
Thou the resin epoxy had burnt, the fiber glass mat had not burnt so well and was everywhere in small pieces and in clusters of strands for up to 500 meters away toward Ulu’s . The toxic smell was reported from Nyang Nyang to Balangan, even thou the winds were light southeast trades.
We tied the remainder of the Rp. 5 million worth of ropes on to the propeller as best we could in an attempt to stop her from moving on the high tide.

By 3 pm, that afternoon the subcontractors arrived and actual put out the fire with sea water, so they could start work on retrieving all things metal.
There were 3 men sitting in amongst a toxic smolder with oxy gear cutting up the metal. They had NO masks or gas filters. How the oxy bottles did not explode is a mystery. The toxic fume must be a sure killer.

After many calls to the Local Government Chris was told that the Government could do nothing and had no control over the Water Police.
Hands up……we were on our own. What a waste of so much time.

7th………….6.30am… We surveyed the smoldering wreck again. This time no flames. We climb on her side.
She was being disemboweled amongst charcoaled fiber glass.
No there was dead sea life everywhere. It appears that the fumes and burning fiberglass had killed off any life that survived the oil/diesel mix from 2 weeks before.

Met the subcontractor for the you know who and discussed his mission. His mission was to cut up and take away all things metal and leave the rest. We asked him to try to hurry up and do his things, so we could organize a final clean up. He said he would, but he missed most of the morning low tide and his staff arrived around 9am……….banker’s hours

We clean up the burnt ropes and the large pieces of fiber matting.
We really now need to wait until these guys finish and have a final clean up. It could be huge.

Talked with the locals………..they are not happy.

“Mother Nature is sailing toward Eco-Disaster Reef on a Ship named GREED.”
An estimated 200-300,000 ships throw their crap over board, EVERDAY.

Best………..Mike

Three truck loads of engine parts, God knows how many gallons of gasoline and up in smoke she goes, on fire. Up she goes. Supposedly, the Chief says the advice to burn came from Australia.

all photo credit of Brian Firth

6.30 am Chris speeds out to Padang Padang. He proceeds to inspects the wreck and tightens all the ropes securing what is left of the vessel. The day before they had cut off most of the metal railings, half way through the propeller and hammered small holes into and around the hull.

all photo credit of Brian Firth

We prepared for our meeting with the middle person. We needed to know what was going on. Little did we know!!!
We decided it would be better for Chris would meet alone with this person. It turned out to be more than the one normal middle person. They were an hour and a half late. They arrived at 9.30 am.
They showed Chris the papers from the owner giving them the rights to the wreck.
Of course we had no way to see if they were the correct papers or not, and they would not give Chris a copy or let him handle them.
Chris asked to see the release papers. They said they needed none. They said they would cut up the wreck and take it away. Chris hinted we would come up with some funds, if they could assure us, that the wreck would be demolished and taken away in an Eco-Friendly manner.
They wanted money up front. But from experience, this was not a good idea. (He was to be proven correct, later in the day.) Three times currency had been past over in the past and tree times promises were broken and nothing done. 11 am the meeting was over. They were only interested in money.

all photo credit of Brian Firth

Chris called to Mr. Wayan Puspa at the Local Badung Government. He was in Jakarta. He called to the Chief and was told the wreck would be cut up and not to worry.
7pm…………..Reports came in from Padang Padang that the wreck was on fire. Tim Russo raced over there to find the Chief standing there oversee operations. The huge volume of toxic smoke was heading out to sea and over to Java. It was hard to see in the fading light. The wreck was ablaze.
Around 9pm……… 3 truck loads of goodies went past the observation point and were on their way to Benoa harbor.
We will get to the wreck site early in the morning to inspect the environmental impact of the blaze, and start the clean up.
We presume they will not be finished scavenging, or whatever you call it, so the clean up may take some time.

This is just one example of what pressures; the people of Bali are under. All this Environmental Damage/Disaster can go on, right under everybody’s nose and we/they are powerless to do anything.
So sad.

Best…………..Mike

The ASP, WCT, Ripcurl Pro SOMEWHERE contest was barely over, when at first out going low tide in the afternoon, the following day, drilling and cutting had begun in earnest to free the huge engine, the 2 generators and cooling pipes/system, etc., from breaking wreck.

Our worst fears could be coming true, we thought………….They would take the only things of value left and leave the toxic fiberglass wreck to break up and spread around the Padang Padang/Ulu’s/Impossibles, line up and beaches.

The Surf Contest was scheduled for completion on the 10th August. These thieves had inside info. We will call them thieves because when questioned, they had NO release forms from the Water Police.
These guys don’t surf, so how come they knew so quickly that the event was over? Especially since the Surf Contest was scheduled for completion on the 10th August. These thieves had inside info. We will call them thieves because when questioned, they had NO release forms from the Water Police and were there at the request of a middle person.

Chris called the Insurance Company in Taiwan. They had paid out in full to the owner and now the wreck was now the concern of the owner again. The owner was in Taiwan and obviously did not want anything more to do with the wreck. It was a nightmare for him and if he closed his eyes long enough, it might just go away.
I asked Chris to telephone the middle person, and hint we could pay some more funds if the wreck was cleaned up and taken away properly. She agreed to an 8.30 am meeting the following day. More $$$$$$, yeh baby, she was on to that.
Chris telephoned the two, local government offices, but both guys were out.
We must push to get some Water Police security on the wreck and make sure the whole thing is taking away in an orderly Eco-Friendly fashion, with written approval from the authorities.

Role Foundation will see this Padang Padang Ship Wreck Clean Up through to the end.
We have now released projections and funds needed. They are posted on the website along with the donors.

Best…………..Mike

Report No 12…..to ISC CEO Tipi……….Bali Island……………Padang Padang Ship Wreck and Reef Clean Up

28rd July, 2008…..Monday

To Tipi……….CEO, Indonesian Surfing Competition

Wreck Check …………………….Ropes and vessel secure. Security posted and all appeared tight for the Rip ASP WCT surf Event.
Surf 1-2 foot sets.
I Wayan Ganti dropped in to the Role Office with his 7 year old boy, Nyoman. Ganti is arguably one of the best surfers, Bali has produced. He is the ruling Indonesian Legends Champ for the last 2 years. He has taken on huge Nusa Dua, huge Padang Padang etc., and master all.
He was one of the first to donate money, for the clean up. Questioned what was his favorite surf break in Indo and he said with NO HESITATION……….Padang Padang.

The Chris Moore report
Pursuing the wreck removal………………

I was on the phone most of the morning to our newly introduced Government contacts. It was becoming clear that nothing was going to happen without the insurance company giving the green light. I am pursuing these guys relentlessly! Who was stopping the Insurance company?
Called the middle person, but NO response. Something was very fishy here. The engines, two generators, cooling system etc were being prepared for extraction but there was no release by Water Police or the Insurance Company.
Quick Response Strategy and budget…………………..I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon putting together a budget and strategy for future ECO-DISASTER QUICK RESPONSE for Ocean/Surf Environmental Catastrophes. This meant sourcing and pricing dispersants, equipment and a list of necessities.
This was needed to post on the web, so all donors could see our plans and costs.

Afternoon high tide Wreckie
Mid afternoon I flew out to Padang Padang for a “Wreckie”, sorry Reccy, excuse the punn………..Took the kids along for a ride to hopefully start the education process for the next generation.
Security was tight. So tight that, they wouldn’t even let me in. “Who are you and what do you want?” the burly Security Guard demanded. “I’m, aah nobody, just the dude who has been wrestling with the shipwreck clean up for the last 13 days.” I replied casually!!!
I managed to convince them my good intentions and finally they smiled and gave me the nod and let me into the Rip Zone.

I was greeted by a chuckling Olivier, from the Lestari Group.
With a big cheezy grin on his face he said “Did you see that chick in the pink spiderman outfit”?
After arriving at the viewing area, I finally figured out what he was on about.
With disbelief, there was this Czech lady in pink spiderwomans drab, down on the wreck. Her name was Dashenka and she had just finished painting her artwork all over our friend the Ghost Ship………….“SAVE MOTHER OCEAN“………… was her signature motif, with lots of pink love hearts and smiley faces.

It looked quite odd, but fun, and made me observe our “lovechild wreck” in a new light.
A message not in a bottle but on a boat! OUR WRECK HAD BECOME A POSITIVE SIGN BOARD with a touch of flower power.
The penny dropped, this wreck could be the start of something bigger, much bigger than I had imagined. Global SURFER awareness and a platform of change.
There was hope after all. ……………..Chris Moore

Together we can restore the balance, for future generations.

Please don’t forget, as well as the clean up and containment, we are trying to purchase water testing equipment, clean up equipment and materials such as dispersants, and organize the political muscle, so we are prepared for the next Surf Environmental Disaster, so it does not turn into a Eco-Crime like this one has.

Mike O’Leary
International CEO and Founder
R.O.L.E. Foundation Inc
Help play a role……
in creating a world without poverty
and reviving the health of the environment.

(Please help us educate and re-skill the needy of the bukit. With 4-5000 villas and houses scheduled to be built over the next 2-3 years, and extremely poor infrastructure some needy Balinese and Indonesians are economically falling behind. They are at risk of becoming the coolies of the bukit. They need skills to create new businesses and jobs. Check out our programs.)

Report No 11…..to ISC CEO Tipi……….Bali Island……………Padang Padang Ship Wreck and Reef Clean Up

27rd July, 2008…..Sunday

Aim…………Secure and maintain the shipwrecked vessel, so there would be little or no pollutants in the line up, during the Rip sponsored ASP WCT event, up to the 11th August. Keep the pressure up, so to get rid of the wreck’s toxic body and remaining oils/diesel pollutants once and for all, in an orderly manner.

……..8 am……….Low tide morning check……………Chris raced out to do the morning maintenance check, so he could get back and spend some relax time with his family on Sunday. God knows he needed it. Adjusted some ropes, and was a bit concerned about the two ropes that show wear and tear. They may need to be replaced over the couple of days or week.

……..4pm………..High tide afternoon check………….Mike did the afternoon check.
The shipwreck was solid and not moving even when hit by sizeable amounts of white water rolling through, under her hull. I felt that partial filling of her freezers with seawater may have helped, as it seemed solid on the high tide. Not even lifting a little with the ever closer waves.

Security had been placed at the top of the Padang2 back beach stairs that lead down to the wreck by Ripcurl, so hopefully any attempt to steal the one huge main engine, two big diesel generators, cooling systems and other various equipment, would be stalled at least, until after the comp. A Major Tourist Event.

Tomorrow……………….Get onto Local government, the Federal Government, the Insurance company, and the go between, and the Water Police, and try to get the written permission to take it away, environmentally safely.

“Never be afraid to fight the good fight”

Best……………….Mike

Please don’t forget, as well as the clean up and containment, we are trying to purchase water testing equipment, clean up equipment and materials such as dispersants, and organize the political muscle, so we are prepared for the next Surf Environmental Disaster, so it does not turn into a Eco-Crime like this one has.

Mike O’Leary
International CEO and Founder
R.O.L.E. Foundation Inc
Help play a role……
in creating a world without poverty
and reviving the health of the environment.

(Please help us educate and re-skill the needy of the bukit. With 4-5000 villas and houses scheduled to be built over the next 2-3 years, and extremely poor infrastructure some needy Balinese and Indonesians are economically falling behind. They are at risk of becoming the coolies of the bukit. They need skills to create new businesses and jobs. Check out our programs.)

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
Help play a Role…
in creating a world without poverty
and in the revival of a healthy environment.

(Please help us educate and re-skill the needy of the bukit. With 4-5000 villas and houses scheduled to be built over the next 2-3 years, and extremely poor infrastructure some needy Balinese and Indonesians are economically falling behind. They are at risk of becoming the coolies of the bukit. They need skills to create new businesses and jobs. Check out our programs.)

Report No 7…..to ISC CEO Tipi……….Bali Island………….to Tipi ……….Padang Padang Ship Wreck and Reef Clean Up

23rd July, 2008…..Wednesday

Firstly,……..I would just like to say to the Journo who made some unkind remarks about our man, N.Y. Johnny……….; Johnny was amongst the Fish Guts, Oil/ Diesel, saltwater mix, swimming through that crap and sliding all over the death at any moment 45 degree angled ship’s deck, and dealing with the highly volatile Marine Police in a desperate attempt to get that Ghost ship off the reef while it was still in one piece before the first big swell hit. Jonny also initiated and managed the wire, line and net , battery and other assorted crap, snorkeling clean up out of the reef and lineup. This action alone will probably save someone’s life. He is an important part of our team.
We ain’t running any wet t-shirt comp here bro. Good luck to you sir!
Never be afraid to fight the good fight.

Secondly……..It is what you can not see at Padang Padang beach that is important……… ..next time you are going a surfin’ at Padang2 or Impossible, and get your beach babe a roasting to a lovely brown color on Padang Padang beach, have a look around. It is still as clean as it was before the wreck hit. I wonder why??? Because the team made the ball breaking decision to protect Padang2 Beach at all cost: to clean up the oil/diesel, rubbish, maggots/fish heads//bait and every other piece of crap off the ship, reef and rocks and take it the LONG way around and up through Padang Padang back beach. An extreme effort. Also you could not see the wreck and our work from the Padang beach or properly from the cliff, and so unless one climbed down the cliff or came around on the extreme low tide you wouldn’t have seen our hard work on a day from day basis. All being said we have received approx 99% positive support to only 1% negative. At the same time we are far from perfect and have learnt a lot. Thanks for the support.

6.30 am…………Chris heads out for the morning reccy of the shipwreck.
The hole which is slowly but surely being punctured through the middle side where the wreck is resting against a huge rock is getting bigger and the holes in the hull had opened a little more.
The ropes had become slack and two ropes had half worn through already, without a major swell having hit, since they were tied. (Not a good omen.)
We would need to tighten and adjust all the ropes on the afternoon low tide.
The vessel was obviously weakening and was possibly getting ready to spill its guts and fall apart over the next one or two big swells. As long as we keep up our surveillance, with a workforce on call things should be ok. We decided we would source more stronger ropes just in case.

8.30…………..Role Office…….Replying to 1 million e-mails and authorize the payment of urgent bills: office is in turmoil. Put a cap on that.
Try to make contact with the Taiwan insurance agents. They have the rights to the shipwreck. Talked with the Taiwan Embassy connection. He promises to get us the info. He promised the same yesterday. Need to get the Insurance guys on board. We can save them money, by getting this environmental disaster out of the way. For some unknown reason they seem reluctant to join us. Maybe it is just our paranoia??? Call Tim Russo, Oliver at Lestari Group and Reef Check, looking to find more contacts in other Government Departments and persons with power.

9.30……….Chris Moore and I sped off to our meeting with the Badung DPRD and Mr Wayan Puspa Negara. He is an elected member for the Badung Government. …..(Badung Gov Area includes Kuta, Legian, Benoa Harbor, Nusa Dua and Bukit area with Padang-padang and Ulu’s) We practiced our presso along the way as we needed to get our message of urgency through.
The new Local Government buildings were huge. They were built out of contrasting hand cut stone, in tradition Balinese Architecture: 10 kilometers north, north east of Legian.
Wayan greeted us with a smile and an outreached hand. Before we started our spiel, he ordered up some ginger teas and told us……… Bali Tourism was opened by surfers in the 1970’s, that Bali was the Hawaii of Asia and that surfers generated substantial jobs and income for the local and federal economy. Also Bali must promote a clean environment moving into the future. Wow, here was a man we could work with and what a breath of fresh air. This was a young energetic, new age Balinese guy who had lived and worked around surfer etc all his life.

He lead us to the Chief/President of the Badung Regency Government, Mr Gde Adnyana, S.Sos.
We broke our presentation into three parts…….1……..Outline the events so far, the environmental disaster and the eco-dangers that could happen in the near future……2…..The situation with the water police…….the goose and the laying of the golden eggs situation……3…….How and why we planned to get rid of the wreck. We needed to supervise the cutting up of the vessel and haulage so it was done piece by piece with no eco-disaster to the break or the beach.

They said we must prepare a written report and plan with three copies…..One for them, one for the Environment Dept and one for the Government of Bali.
Gede and Wayan were very receptive and after the two bombs and all the hurt Bali had been through I felt a wind of change with the Local Government. These guys wanted Environmental change. We discussed turning Bali back into a garden state over the next ten years.

On our departure, to our amazement Wayan called the holders of the goose and gave them curry about the Environment. No mixing of words here. The holders said that the wreck could not be cut up, as this was now an insurance issue. (The vessel was falling apart and would break up anyway.) This was just stalling tactics. Also this meant more chances for golden eggs for the holders of the goose. (The Goose is the wreck and the Insurance co. The holders of the goose are…….you know who………the guys with jurisdiction. No names please.) The insurance company had been there all week with the owners, the vessel was worthless to them now, the sooner they got rid of the wreck the better. (There will be a Salvage Charge and Environmental Damages charge to the Insurer from ………you guessed it !……so maybe the more environmental damage the better, for the holders of the goose.) Also the holder said that the tug was on its way from Benoa Harbor, Bali. Funny, yesterday it was on its way from Surabaya. It was on its way a week ago too. We have been assured by the experts there was no way a tug was getting that wreck off the inside of that reef anyway. Maybe three tugs and helicopter. What a joke.
Now the Coast Guard was involved also??? Coast Guard??? Wow, really??? Funny we have not seen any of these folks at the wreck since the first days, nearly 10 days now. Greed ruled supreme.


1pm………..Chris wanted to double check again with the professional salvage guys, so he called Chris G. He is a professional salvage guy from Australia. They went through the position and condition of the vessel. Chris G had seen the wreck, knew the area and the closeness to Padang2 beach, seen the photos of the condition of the vessel etc and agreed that with the resources available, cutting up the vessel and hauling the pieces away in a controlled manner over land WAS the most environmentally safe and effective way.
He would not get involve, but at the same time this gave Chris the professional stamp of approval for his plan and the peace of mind we were not pushing for the wrong solution.
1.30pm…………Back in the office. Chris writes his report and plan in Indonesian. must be official and he must be VERY careful NOT to offend anyone, especially the keepers of the goose. This goes the same in any country.

4pm……….Chris and the Role Team head down the cliff along the back beach track to the wreck. Spend an hour retying the 10 or so huge ropes that were securing the vessel. Cleaned up a couple of bags worth of electrical wires and gear that must have fallen through the hull or were the leftovers of scavengers after some money to feed their families. These wires would be dangerous on the reef and in the line up. It was important to keep on top of this slowly breaking wreckage.

6.30………Bintang time at the water hole near the Rip contest area……and a quick meeting. This time he had ice….you beauty mate !

……..Role plans 2 reccys, and one clean up per day on the wreck to keep up to speed on the breakup.
……..We plan to get more ropes and possibly fill the hull with sand and the freezers on board with water……if we can get permission from the holders of the goose. ……..Also we have quick response team ready. Need to get some new tires for the old Kijang just in case.
And now thanks to Coca Cola, Quiksilver, Jason Childs and other donors we can attain some much needed equipment.

Thanks again to the crew and Wayan da man. Thanks to Tim Russo, Olivier at Lestari and Reef check for your assistance trying to round up the Heavy Hitters.

Chris Moore has now joined Role Foundation as the full time, Indonesian CEO.

“Mother Nature is sailing on a ship named Greed toward Eco-Disaster Reef”

See you tomorrow………..

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