South Along the West Sumatra Coast

After the Sabang Festival concluded, it was time to get headed south down the west coast of Sumatra.
Finally Underway, Headed South
The Rally had defined a schedule for several stops between Pulau Weh/Sabang at the north end of Sumatra, and heading into the Sunda Strait at the southern end of Sumatra. We didn't HAVE to make the scheduled stops, but we want to get to the Sunda Strait, 1,030 nautical miles away, by early May when the SE trades start really picking up (wind in our face). Another scheduling factor was that we had to be in the Nias islands, where there is an Immigration Office, in time for our visa renewal. Raymond, the Rally organizer, planned to fly in for a couple of days to facilitate the Visa renewals, so that was a firm date.

The Rally list of boats had 9 officially signed up for the Rally, but due to several circumstances, we ended up with only 4 boats who travelled together as a Rally group. One boat, the captain got COVID and actually passed away in Thailand just before he had planned to set out for Sabang. 2 boats dropped out while in Sabang due to equipment issues (watermaker, etc). A 4th boat never really planned to join the rally, but was "signed on" to get information and perhaps help with visas and check-ins. The 5th boat did participate in the Sabang activities, but declared they weren't "Rally People" and set out for points South on their own. So it was a small group, but for traveling in company, 4 boats is about right. It turned out to be a good group.
Our Primary Buddy-Boat, SV En Dian from Singapore
Our first stop was supposed to be Simuelue, a lightly-inhabited offshore island with some gorgeous beaches. But we avoid overnight sails as much as possible in SE Asia, due to the proliferation of unlit fishing boats, nets, and FADs. So we spent 2 days coast-hopping south during daylight hours, and stopping in small bays overnight. (Note, our anchorage list, satellite charts, and GPX waypoints are all posted on our website, here: https://svsoggypaws.com/SatCharts/index.htm#indo )

Then we set out for an overnight sail to do the ~120nm to Simuelue Island. Based on the forecast wind and current, it seemed like we could make it in about 22 hours. So we had a leisurely breakfast and got underway aroundn 10am. Of course the wind petered out and the current ended up very strong (2 knots) against us for much more time than we had planned for. By midnight we were worrying whether we'd make it in to any anchorage before dark the next day. Thankfully, the current eventually petered out and we got enough wind that we could motor-sail at a pretty good speed, and made it in to our planned anchorage at Lekon Island by mid-afternoon, right off a nice beach. Following us was Tan and Rose on the 50 ft monohull En Dian. The other two boats had decided to go down the east side of Simuelue, while we opted for the west side (beachier anchorages). En Dian has a ~7 foot draft, so they were really happy to have a ~3 ft draft catamaran as their "look ahead depth sounder".

This picture shows our track into (and eventually out of) the anchorage on the NE corner of tiny Lekon Island--when time permits, we like checking out all the possible anchorages for depth and bottom type. The satellite chart is crucial for cruising in Indonesia, as the available regular charts are not very good--not very detailed, and sometimes off position by as much as a half a mile.
Lekon Anchorage, Simuelue
We had a pleasant night and moved further south the next day to another small island off Simuelue coast. We had seen this gorgeous bay with a gorgeous beach and it looked like it was well protected from the SW swell. What we didn't know was that this "uninhabited island" (on the satellite photo) was now an Indonesian Army Outpost.

We went ashore (sending Dave in first to ask permission) and they gave us a quick tour of their small camp. There were a couple of people who spoke pretty good English. They are there to occupy the island to make sure that no one else occupies it (ie like China has done with some Philippines islands), and possibly interdict any people-smugglers. (This part of Indonesia has a problem with human trafficking people from primarily Myanmar, which is only 350 miles north of Sabang).
Checking Out the Army Camp on Simcut Island
The officers in charge were curious about what we were doing, and asked to come "check our papers". So we invited them aboard for a look around.
The Friendly Officers Come Check Us Out

We did get a chance to jump in the water for a snorkle, but were disappointed that the beautiful looking water was not very clear (due to wave action from the large Indian Ocean swell breaking on point nearby).

However, we did manage to send the drone up.
The Beach Makes a Great Backdrop

The next day we moved on to Ranu's Surf Camp, another 25 miles south along the coast. The anchorage is a bit sketchy there, unless you go all the way in the bay (way further in than the Surf Camp that's on the point). Then you are almost out of the swell. The shore that Ranu's Surf Camp is on get breaking waves, so it's not possible to land a dinghy there (at least not in the conditions while we were there). Ranu directed us to a small pier on the opposite side of the bay, and came over and picked us up. (He's an official "rally stop"). We had a nice afternoon hanging out, and dinner ashore. Ranu's would be a good stop if you needed fuel or provisions, as he will arrange what you need from the town on the other side of the island.
The Anchorage at Teluk Gosong
Ranu's Services
On a Windless Day, Not Much Surf (May-Sep is surf season)

More in the next installment, as we keep working our way down the West Sumatran island chain...

Other Things to do in Sabang

In addition to the Sabang Marine Festival, which is only happens a few days a year, Pulau Weh has a few other interesting things to do. (Nomenclature: Sabang is the major city and one of two harbors on Pulau Weh. Pulau = Island in Indonesian)

Diving

First, we had a couple of days to kill before the Festival, so we moved Soggy Paws over to Pulau Rubiah (Rubiah Island), and did a couple of days of diving with Rubiah Tirta Divers. Several people, including Budi, recommended this dive outfit. One of the first in the area, and still run by the guy who developed diving in the area.

The Dive Center
The weather wasn't the best for diving--pretty breezy and some pretty big wave action--but we had a fun couple of dives.
A Nice Spotted Moray
A Chromodoris Nudibranch (Goniobranchus kuniei)
A Ribbon Eel (Wikipedia)
Puffer Fish
A Bright Red Crown of Thorns Starfish
Soggy Paws Anchored off Rubiah Island in the "Mined" Area
Being strategically placed on a major ocean highway, Pulau Weh was occupied by the Japanese during World War II. The chart still shows the area between the Pulau Weh "mainland" and Pulau Rubiah as a "mined area" on modern charts. We were assured that the mines were LONG gone, and it was safe for us to anchor there.

Tourists Going Out to Pulau Rubiah
Touring

Budi arranged for an all-day tour in a van that took us to a bunch of interesting places on Pulau Weh. If you want to self-tour, which some of the yachties did, you can rent a motorcycle and Budi will tell you where the highlights are. But we were happy being chauffered around by someone who knew where to go and could explain the background. I actually did the tour twice, once with Dave and Linda before they flew off to see Orangutans, and once with the group of yachties that were part of the West Indonesia Rally.

Dave, of course, is always stoked to see remants of World War II activity. But there are other interesting things--a bit of volcanic activity--a beach or two--the ferry port to the mainland, and a waterfall.

Our first stop was along the north coast, to look at the Japanese coastal fortifications.

A Signpost at the World War II Memorial
The Japanese Coastal Fortifications
One of a Number of Bunkers Along the Coast
The Large Cannon that Once Occupied the Bunker
Has Been Removed
One of the Cannons
All the Cannons are Now Lined Up Here
An Anti-Aircraft Gun in Someone's Back Yard
A Beautiful Mosque
The Local Hospital
(Established in 1912 as a Mental Hospital)
A House Built in Traditional Style, Now a Guesthouse
More Fortifications
The Big Gun at Anoi Itam
The Ferry Harbor on the South Side of Pulau Weh
Gunung Api Jaboi = Jaboi Volcano
(Now just a smoking sulfur pit)
Jaboi Volcano Remnants
Smoking Sulfur Pit
It is clove season in Pulau Weh. Everywhere we saw tarps laid out in the sun to dry the cloves.

Cloves Budding in the Trees
Cloves Drying
Driving along the coastal road toward the northernmost point, we stopped to take pictures at this pretty overlook.

What a Pretty Bay!
We Reach the Kilometer Zero Marker
(the northermost (almost) point of Indonesia)
As the next-to-last stop of the day, we hike into a waterfall for a swim.

Hiking in to the Waterfall
Finally at the Swimming Hole, with a Small Waterfall
The last stop of the day was at a little restaurant overlooking the Sabang Harbor anchorage. Sadly, no beer here! But we sampled some "rujack", an Indonesian fruit salad with soy sauce and spices. :p I like my fruit salad, au natural, thank you very much. But the view was stunning!
The Overlook from the Rujak Restaurant
Budi also helped the Rally group arrange a trip to Banda Aceh, to see the Tsunami Museum and the Banda Aceh museum. (Ferry to Banda Aceh and then a driver to take us around for the day). We covered the Tsunami Museum in our last post.

Tsunamis, Orangutans and Old Volcanic Calderas

Since we had a few days in Sabang before the rally moved on, and our crew, Linda, had still not seen Orangutans, Dave and Linda took off on a 6 day trip to see some sights in Sumatra. I stayed and watched the boat and hung out with the cats (and the other cruisers, here for the rally).

Budi helped them plan the trip... a ferry to the mainland, a car arranged to show them the Tsunami Museum in Banda Aceh, a nice lunch, and then to the airport at Banda Aceh. From Banda Aceh they flew to Medan in central Sumatra. There, they were picked up by Putra, a tour guide, who would take them on an Orangutan adventure in the jungle.

Dave's Account of the Trip...

Since we had arrived in Sabang almost a week early, Linda and I decided to go see the nearby Sumatran highlands, which included orangutans in the wild and Lake Toba, the lake I had seen on a chart 50 years previously.

The Tsunami Museum: On Budi's advice, we allocated enough time in Banda Aceh to spend an hour at the Tsunami Museum. At 8 AM on 22 December 2004, a major seafloor earthquake with a magnitude of 9.3 struck with an epicenter only 100 nm south of Banda Aceh, off the west coast of northern Sumatra. In less than 20 minutes, a massive tsunami with waves up to 30 m high started to devastate communities along the nearby coasts and eventually across the whole Indian Ocean. It turned into one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, killing at least 228,000 people in 14 countries.

The Museum had hundreds of pictures of the devastation to the large city of Banda Aceh from the tsunami.
The Banda Aceh Tsunami Museum
The City was Flattened for Miles Inland
Incredible Devastation
Gunung Leuser National Park: After a short flight from Banda Aceh to Medan, Putra, the owner of the very basic but entirely adequate Fun Family Guest House in Bukit Lawang, picked us up at the airport. He was our exceptional guide for two amazing days in the jungle seeing many animals, including several types of monkeys and, of course, orangutans close up at a waterfall, and twice at our riverside campsite. Even the food was outstanding, produced by our own camp chef. From there, instead of hiking back to Bukit, we took Putra’s hour-long ‘local transport’ river trip. I can’t imagine there being a better, more enthusiastic guide. Contact Putra on WhatsApp at +62 813-7087-6718
Dave and Linda Ready for Hiking at the Park Entrance
Trekking Through the Jungle
The River that Attracted the Animals
And We See Orangutans in the Wild!
A Momma and a Baby
Our Little Camp by the River, Simple but Adequate
Taking the Easy Way Out of the Jungle
Our Cost for the Transportation and the Jungle Trip

Lake Toba: After three days in Bukit, Putra’s cousin drove us to Lake Toba, stopping along the way at viewpoints and to drop off a fellow traveler to do a volcano hike. Lake Toba is the 100km by 30km by 500m deep caldera of one of the world’s largest super volcanoes.
Beautiful Lake Toba
Lake Toba was formed by a massive volcanic eruption about 73,000 years ago, the largest explosive volcanic eruption the Earth has experienced in the past 25 million years. It triggered global climate change and had a major impact on early human populations worldwide, killing most humanoids alive at the time. Fortunately it didn’t erupt again while we were there!

A short ferry ride took us to Samosir island in the middle of the lake, where we stayed at an upscale guest house and ate at their restaurant on the water, both of which Putra had recommended. Nearby, a ten-story hotel was being built, evidence that Lake Toba has been ‘discovered’ and is no longer the remote destination it was 50 years ago.

We took a private day tour around Samosir island to see the usual tourist cultural sites – a market and an old local village and homestead – then over to the western shore to a waterfall and hot springs. The waterfall was impressive, the hot springs and restaurant were not. On the way back to our accommodations we drove over the sparsely populated center of the island where there were spectacular views, small lakes, forests, few locals and no tourists. We had refreshments at a small café high up on the cliff rim overlooking the lake.

Other highlights for younger explorers with more time might include a boat trip on Lake Toba, a climb to the rim of the volcano for sunrise and a multi-day trek into the jungle.

The drive back to Medan in a local van the next morning took us via a rural road over the far less populated center of Sumatra and into the countryside. From Medan a reversal of our outward journey got us back to the boat in one long day. After the festival, fueling, provisioning and a few dives at nearby Pulau Rubiah, we were ready to head south.