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I survived a shipwreck.
Saying that feels unreal – like it happened in a dream, or a really bad Lifetime movie. Seriously, did this actually happen to me?!
But it did happen, and I survived. This is my story.
The Beginning
I was invited to join Perama Tours’ Hunting Komodo by Camera tour as a guest. Perama is a well-known tour and transportation operator in Indonesia. In exchange for a complimentary trip, I was to write about my experience on AdventurousKate.com.
The five-day Hunting Komodo by Camera trip departs from Lombok. The tour then visits several islands off Lombok and the north coast of Sumbawa before landing on Komodo Island for a dragon-spotting hike.
After docking on the island of Flores for the night, the tour visits Rinca to see more dragons, then sails back via Sumbawa and Lombok.
The first day of the cruise was pleasant, if slightly drizzly. Rainy season in Nusa Tenggara, this region of Indonesia, lasts roughly from November to March. The sky cleared up just in time for a breathtaking sunset over Lombok.
The next day, we spent the morning swimming and snorkeling on Satonda Island off Sumbawa, then returned to the boat for lunch.
By the time we arrived at Sumbawa’s Kilo Beach, our afternoon stop, rain had begun to pour down.
“Do you want to stay here, or do you want to keep going?” our cruise director, Nardin, asked us.
I shrugged. I didn’t care either way, nor did most of my shipmates. Was there a point to staying at a beach when it was pouring?
We left the beach and sailed on.
At the time, I remember thinking that Nardin’s question was strange. Did he really just ask us what time to leave? Weren’t the trips timed so they’d sail the right areas at the right times?
The seas were quite rough that evening. I get seasick from time to time, and I usually just watch the ocean to feel better. But with two-meter swells and rain coming down, the windows and doors were closed, turning the covered deck into a box of torture.
During dinner, one of the girls gave me a motion sickness pill. I took it, curled up, and fell asleep right on the bench.
I opened my eyes briefly as everyone was getting ready for bed at around 10:30, then fell asleep again.
The Shipwreck
At 2:17 AM, I heard a deafening groan and felt the boat slam forward. The curtains flew open and I was drenched in rain. I scrambled from the bench down to the floor, crawling between my shipmates.
And then the lights turned on and the crew ran in.
“Everybody, put your lifejackets on.”
No statement has ever frightened me so much in my life.
I jumped to the benches and tried to grab a life jacket. The mesh divider was holding them in. For several minutes, I pried and pried, my heart beating wildly in my chest, but it was no use. I began undoing each knot and managed to pull a life jacket, little by little, out of a narrow hole in the mesh.
The jackets were knotted together. I discarded the first unusable jacket and grabbed another. It didn’t zip, but its straps weren’t tied together. It would do.
Lifejacket on, I surveyed my belongings. In the drybag next to me, I had my iPhone, camera, and the mini-purse I was using as a wallet. I ran to the luggage storage room, grabbed my little green backpack, and ran back to the deck.
Inside my green backpack were the rest of my valuables: my computer and my big purse, which was filled with credit cards and my passport.
I unlocked my bag from its Pacsafe and held it in my lap, sitting on the bench. By this point, the boat was jerking irregularly, throwing us all over the place.
That’s when I lost it.
“Please God, please God, please God, please God, please God,” I chanted between sobs, tears pouring down my face. “PLEASE, JESUS!” I yelped after being thrown particularly hard. Alicia from Canada, sitting between me and her boyfriend, Matt, put her arm around me and comforted me.
All along, the boat was speeding toward land. Soon, we were told to come outside onto the bow. The lifeboat would be waiting to take us to shore.
The rain stung bitterly. I was ready to jump into the lifeboat, drybag and backpack in hand, when we got an unpleasant surprise:
“The lifeboat is not working right now,” our tour leader, Gerry, told us. “You must jump into the water and swim to land.“
By this point, the starboard (right) side of the boat was rapidly sinking, putting the boat at a sharp angle. Gerry directed us to jump from the port (left) side, several meters high in the air.
At this point, I should probably mention that we had a baby on board.
This little Danish baby was only ten months old. It was a surprise to have a child on board, but everyone fell in love with this adorable, Woody Woodpecker-coiffed cherub right away. The Indonesian crew were especially crazy about her.
So knowing that she was still on board, that she would have to jump, made me hysterical.
With so few life jackets on board and life boats that didn’t work, obviously, there was nothing for the baby. Her father tied a scarf around her and tied the other end to his wrist. He jumped into the rocky ocean, holding her high above his head.
I later found out that her father was 26 – the same age as me.
Could you imagine holding your child and jumping off the end of a sinking boat, not knowing what you would land on?
I can’t even begin to imagine what her parents went through.
At that point, something in me snapped. Emotions left my body – it was time for business.
I hurled myself over the edge of the boat and landed in the water, the two Danish girls following me moments later. The water was warm despite the chilly rain, and in no time flat, I had dog-paddled around the boat to where my feet touched slippery rocks.
This was Komodo Island — yes, one of the two islands in the world filled with komodo dragons, animals that can kill a human with a single bite. Previously on this site, I said that Komodo Island was one of the five places I would never visit because the dragons terrified me.
Now, here I was, waves slamming me face-first into rocks, washing up on shore in a Vang Vieng tubing t-shirt and hippie pants with no guide and no defense against the giant lizards.
As we climbed up the shore, an eerie sense of calm came over us. Even the baby was silent as we watched bursts of lightning illuminate our sinking boat, the crew frantically trying to salvage the engine.
I had to do something.
“Does everybody have their partner?” I yelled.
“Yes,” a few people called out.
That’s when I realized that solo travelers are at a disadvantage when it comes to disasters – nobody is looking for them. I had to make sure the four of us were safe.
“Is Tree here?” I shouted.
“Yes, I’m here. Right behind you.”
“Is Betti here?”
“She’s over there.”
“Is Jens here?”
“Everybody!” a crew member yelled out. “You cannot stay here. You must climb the rocks!”
The tide was low, but it wouldn’t be for long. The crew directed us to follow the coastline in the hopes that we’d get to a safer location.
We spent the next thirty minutes or so climbing and climbing. I was thankful that I had worn my good sandals; many of my shipmates were slicing their feet open with each step.
The Rescue
After what seemed like hours, a speedboat showed up. A live-aboard dive boat, the Moana, had answered our distress call, and we could go there right away.
I was so excited, I let out a whoop.
I charged back into the water and flopped onto the speedboat face-down, doing a Tobias Funke-esque roll in the process. “Graceful as a swan,” I cracked.
Humor. It’s always been my defense mechanism.
Captain Ingo, from Germany, welcomed us aboard the Moana. If Perama was supposed to have the “nicer” boats, this dive boat could have been the Titanic. Comparatively, it was pure luxury. No sleeping on the deck here!
The crew immediately brought us towels and t-shirts and served us steaming mugs of coffee and tea. Meanwhile, a young German passenger kindly offered his cabin to the baby and her parents.
I used this time to quickly make a video documenting the scene:
We had arrived on the Moana at around 4:15 AM, two hours after our boat had hit the reef.
There was nothing to do in the meantime — the rescue boat wouldn’t be there for hours.
Eventually, I went into the back closet with the Danish girls, collapsed on top of a giant bean bag, and fell asleep.
A few hours later, I woke up to sunshine. Everyone was in better spirits. We ate breakfast; we talked; we planned the stories we’d post all over the internet in English, Danish, German and Spanish.
And adorable baby Ellen, now wearing diapers fashioned from towels, continued to charm us all.
At around 9:45 AM, the rescue boat arrived, complete with the Harbor Master. This boat would take us to Labuan Bajo, Flores, which was the original midpoint of the cruise.
Though we tried to get them to sail to the wreckage, just so we could see if our luggage survived, the crew said it wasn’t safe.
To our delight, they said that they were able to save some bags, and that they’d go back for more later.
Let me tell you something – after being shipwrecked, the last thing you want to see on your rescue boat is a HIGH SMOKER sticker in the captain’s cabin.
Three hours later, we landed in Labuan Bajo and got some lunch — and our first WiFi access in days.
Most of my shipmates decided not to tell their families about the shipwreck. I knew mine would find out immediately due to Twitter and Facebook — so I gritted my teeth and sent them an email, assuring them I was fine and begging them not to worry.
The Aftermath
Late that night, our salvaged luggage was brought to Labuan Bajo. Immediately, we went down to the pier to see if any of our belongings had survived. I was still praying for my passport.
And it was there. All three of my bags were there, and my passport was still snugly in my purse, albeit waterlogged! I kissed it. Unbelievably, my credit cards had survived as well.
But my happiness was short-lived –
Our bags had been ransacked.
How did we know?
Zippers were unzipped – hidden, random, inner zippers – and valuables were taken out, the pockets were refilled with Anker beer cans and Ritz cracker tubes, and then they were zipped up again.
There is NO WAY the water did that.
My shipmates believe that they were robbed by the Perama crew.
While I make no comment about this allegation, let me ask — what would YOU think?
Pandemonium erupted as my shipmates and the crew yelled back and forth at each other. Through all this, the attending police officers, who didn’t speak English, joked and smoked with the crew.
By then, I had had enough. I took my putrid, petrol-soaked, empty bags – everything was gone except for my pair of Nike sneakers, my purple long-sleeved shirt, my Boston Celtics keychain, and my waterlogged computer – and went back to the car.
Over the next few days, police reports were filed. Sarongs and toothpaste were purchased. Thrillingly, I was interviewed for a story in the Bali Times.
My parents each emailed me with the message, “It’s time to come home!” When your divorced parents send you identical messages, you KNOW it’s serious.
I told my parents that I had a month and a half of travel left and wasn’t going to let this stop me. I would take it easy — no more boats in Indonesia — and I had friends who would watch over me in Thailand.
Through all this, I was emailing Perama’s manager, Diana Perama Aryati, asking for help getting back to Lombok. Diana responded that I should have empathy for the company, saying they were going through a difficult time.
You can imagine what my response to that was.
Perama eventually refunded the cost of the trip and paid for two lunches, two dinners, and two nights’ lodging in Labuan Bajo. We were not offered transport back to Lombok.
I flew back to Bali on my own dime two days later.
Here’s the truth: Perama Tours has a reputation as the “safer” cruise from Lombok to Flores. But people need to realize that “safer” in this context does not mean “safe,” nor anything even remotely close to “safe.”
Half the life jackets on the Perama boat were unusable. Had we had a full boat, people would have had to go without. Additionally, both life boats malfunctioned as soon as we had an emergency.
Boats sink all the time in Indonesia – including tourist boats. Safety standards are far worse in Indonesia than in other Southeast Asian countries. For Perama to be a “safer” option is virtually meaningless.
Small boats and fast ferries are often the boats that sink. The fast ferry to the Gili Islands sank twice last year.
Had I known the reality of how dangerous Perama boats are, I never would have set foot on board.
Do you want to visit Komodo Island? There are safer ways than going with Perama.
A much safer way is to take a cheap flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo, Flores, and to do a day trip to Komodo Island or Rinca.
This way, you’ll avoid dangerous night sailing and you won’t lose all your belongings in the event of a shipwreck. Yes, it might cost a bit more — it’s worth it. Your life is worth the extra dollars.
Additionally, do not take a boat in Indonesia during the rainy season. The rainy season runs roughly from November to March.
I am incredibly grateful that everybody survived the shipwreck and that nobody was seriously injured. I am particularly grateful to Gerry, the only Perama crew member who helped us get off the boat safely. Gerry is only 18 years old, but his maturity is far beyond his years.
I am making it my mission to inform travelers of how dangerous it is to travel Indonesia by boat.
It is far, far more dangerous than other countries in Southeast Asia.
Do you know anyone traveling to Indonesia? Please forward them this post. There’s not enough information out there, and people need to know the risks.
I was lucky. You may not be.
I received a complimentary five-day Hunting Komodo by Camera tour from Perama Tours. As you can see, it turned out quite differently than we both envisioned. All opinions, quite obviously, are my own.
Whopper of a story! So glad it ended well (or at least safely). Indonesia + boat= sinking in my mind , and this just reinforces it, even though I went to Kura-Kura resort (n the Java Sea) by boat, without incident.
I’ve also had a bad experience in Thailand which luckily ended well.
Me and my friends were going back to Bangkok from Koh Phangan. First we’d have to go to the main land by boat. We were travelling at a very busy time: the day after the full moon party. The boat was overloaded with people, way more than should be allowed (all for the money I guess). I was sitting outside when I saw a storm coming in, so I warned my friends to get our backpacks which were laying outside as well. So we went inside when it started pouring rain. It got very busy inside as no one wanted to stand in the rain, a moment later the boat began to tilt to the right and water from the sea started to enter the boat. People from downstairs started to run to the deck as the water was floating in. But there was no room for everyone to get upstairs and people were starting to get scared. I tried getting outside because if the boat would sink I wouldnt survive it. There were closed windows which could not open and only two doorways to get outside. I couldn’t get outside as there were too many people blocking the way and thats when I started to get scared. Eventually a crew member told us to stand on the left side of the boat so it would be laying straight in the water again. So we started yelling that everyone had to go to the left and it worked. Luckily not much later the storm ended and everything went back to normal. Dont want to think about what could have happened.
I recommend everyone not to enter a boat in Thailand, either Indonesia, which is overloaded. Please take more time and get the next boat. There is ‘nothing worse’ than getting in a situation where you cannot get away because there are waaaaay to many people in your way because they took more people on board than they can manage.
Very helpful tip, Loes, and I’m sorry that happened to you. I would have been a wreck!
Really awesome story. I haven’t visited Indonesia yet, but as someone who can’t swim too well, I’m always sure to stay away from boats.
I thought one of the cruises I went on in Ha Long Bay 4 years ago was a little bit dangerous, but doesn’t compare to this!
That’s some scary stuff. Good to know your safe and well. Have to watch the safety standards and practices of all companies in South East Asia, they are nothing like the stringent requirements we have in western countries.
Great adventure really and very detailed! It all sounds pretty mental but glad all ended up well.
Thanks for sharing it!
ps.pity all that praying to the invisible man in the sky was kinda waste of time… 😛
Thank you for sharing. Now I have this build-up fear of taking the ferry from Gilis to Bali… by Perama. 🙁
Anyway, these lines got me smirking –
“My parents each emailed me with the message, “It’s time to come home!” When your divorced parents send you identical messages, you KNOW it’s serious.
What a story, Kate!
Im glad that everyone were just fine. I think that you were just unlucky that time.
Im Indonesian, and yes some of our boats aren’t in the best standard.
I was from a trip from Krakatoa, islands hopping, we went in the night and I guess
the weather was as bad as yours in that time, and definitely my boat was a lot worst that the one in Lombok, also there were like more than 50 person on board. Luckily we had great captain who can safely brought us to the Krakatoa.
So I think people didn’t need to be afraid of taking boat in Indonesia, they just need to be careful.
Although most of the area in Indonesia are separated by sea, so it could be the only way to go to the other islands if there’s no flight that could reach the location.
Though I also had a less than great experience going to Lombok, I was also on a boat trip from Ternate to Bacan and It was really great. The trip back was on a different boat, a slow boat and it was shall we say pretty primitive but it was smooth sailing. In fairness the ocean was almost smooth with hardly any waves, but the locals take this trip on a regular basis.
Ah Kate!
I remember reading this article a couple of years ago, Having just booked this tour I had to come back an re-read it again to remind myself I am stupid!!
Hopefully I have a better trip than you did. So glad everyone was safe and unharmed
Dude, why would you book this trip AFTER reading this post?! At the very least, this post shows you what a dysfunctional company they are, even if your boat survives the trip.
Hi Kate,
Actually even flying is not very safe in Indonesia. Indonesia is known to be the most dangerous country to fly in the world- with the highest number of crashes every year. I have just returned from a trip to Raja Ampat in Indonesia’s West Papua region, and I can’t tel you how grateful I am to be alive after reading your post right now. Sorry about your experience.
This is the first time I have read your blog, actually first time I have read any blog. I was in Indonesia in Oct and Nov 2014 and had a bit of a downgraded scare compared to you on a fast boat from Bali to Lombok. First we sat on the boat at the pier cooking in the heat while they tried to fix the boat, air conditioning was one of the problems, they don’t really tell you what is going on. Finally they switched us to another boat and we were off across the Lombok strait. The waves were starting to get a bit large and they closed the windows on the right side of the boat so the waves didn’t come thru. I was trying to have a bit a humor and thinking about Gilligans Island and the Minnow and all of a sudden the engines stop. There are at least 6 engines in back, so I’m thinking we ran out of gas or ?? With the waves going over the boat and the boat not being able to steer, I’m thinking about how to exit the boat if it rolls and get the life jackets at the same time. Luckily after about 10 minutes the engines started up again and we were on our way. On the way back, yes I took the boat back, we stopped at the Gili islands to let off some people and I decided to go on top of the boat where other people were. Unfortunately all the people up top got off at Gili and they closed the door to the bottom and I was stuck on top by myself as we went thru the Lombok strait. Luckily the waves weren’t as bad that day, but I did roast since there was no shade on top. I guess I could of crawled thru a small skylight if it really got bad but I survived.
Goosebumps!!!! That is my only response to this article. And at least the water wasn’t freezing. Thank you so much for writing about this!! People need to know the risks and alternative options. Thank you Kate!
The bigger picture: Jesus loves you.
“If one is not born again, he will not see the kingdom of God.” – Jesus (John 3:3)
Was in Indonesia when this happened. You convey the drama of the situation very well. In my experience the attitude of Indonesian males who deal with tourists all the time is very often one of “familiarity breeds contempt”. Sorry to hear that people were robbed after such an experience but not surprised. Perama have a lot to answer for. But they are expanding as far as I can see. Pity.
I travel by motorcycle all over NTB/NTT and have been published in a number of motorcycle mags. If you have an idle moment ….
Thanks for the read. I really enjoyed it.
I am so glad I stubbled upon your blog. My heart is racing after reading this post, how absolutely terrifying! I find it rather disgusting that the Perama crew robbed you all after such a traumatic ordeal. I really want to travel to this region this summer and after reading this I will be sure to stay away from any boating excursions in Indonesia. Look forward to exploring your blog and reading more about your adventures!
Holy crap Kate! I did this exact same 5 day trip, deck class, a few months ago! I picked Perama, because, yes, it was supposed to be “safer.” Thanks for the warning! When crafting my blog about my experience, I will make sure to mention this possibility! I hope you managed to dry out your computer!!
interesting reading, to say the least!
i’m planning my indonesian journey for june and this has proved helpful! so thanks for that. hope all is going well, whatever it is you’re up to presently.
I was browsing your “Best of the blog” page so I eventually came across to this post. It’s an extraordinary stuff. Much more different than any other regular traveling stories. Thank you for sharing your adventure with us. Altough it was scary, everybody unharmed after all, which is happy ending.
I read this after reading the five years since the shipwrecked post. You are a brave woman and a great story teller. I hope this will not happen again
Just found your blog post now. Shocked but then realised there so much things to improve in safety and precautions in a boat tour like this. I live in Bali and know this tour company by name only. Next time you come to Indonesia, must try our Relaxing Orangutan River Cruise, you’ll be pampered 🙂 Cheers!
Wow, this is unreal. As terrible as an experience it may have been, I’m sure looking back on it really put things in perspective for you. They say those near-death experiences really help you find yourself.
Oh, by the way – that baby Ellen’s hair is awesome haha! I love that people are taking their kids for adventures, it really opens them up to the world!
Keep being awesome! Cheers,
Bill
Oh my gosh! this sounds so scary! glad you all looked after each other, there are times like this where solo travellers have to come together!
I LOVE YOUR BLOG!!
https://rachydare.wordpress.com/
Just reading this now. Wow! Totally insane! I’ve been to Indonesia five times now and haven’t had an issue with a boat. But my boats are usually diving live aboards with reputations to uphold, so they obviously have higher standards. I have to say though, I am very surprised to hear that things may have been stolen by the crew. Seems very un-Indonesian. But it sure seems like it, doesn’t it?
Glad it all turned out well in the end.
Thanks so much for this honest review! This is why I love blogging!
What an adventure! Glad to hear you made it out of that OK.
Well, that was a really nerve-racking story. I am glad that everybody made out safely. Thanks for sharing your story. It means a lot. God bless you and stay safe. Lots of wishes from Bhutan.
Thanks for your story
Hiii Kate, thank you for sharing your amazing story…
Thank you so much for sharing this. I was going to go with Perama since they were the safest. And to be honest it wasn’t so much the shipwreck that got me to get a flight instead of go with them- it was the fact that your things had been taken AFTER you survived a shipwreck. I can’t support a company that does that. I hope Perama sees they lose business when they disrespect humans.
I’m so glad you didn’t go with them, Hannah!
So, did Jens make it? The story never tells, only that you call his name… and then nothing.
Oh, and thanks for helping me decide on whether I should visit Komodo by overnight boat 😉
I’ve just re-read this. I first read it aaaaages ago way before I even thought of going to Indonesia and by the time we got there it was gone from my brain. We took the four day boat with Wanua Adventures, I was actually considering paying the extra to go with the same guys as you because of their reputation. The crew tried to rob us and didn’t even have the excuse of a shipwreck ? I’m sort of half glad I didn’t remember this article before we went because despite the robbing scumbag crew it was awesome, but reading it back we were well lucky!
It’s good to hear that everything ended ok for you Kate! I’m planning a trip to Asia and Indonesia next year and will keep in mind this post so I don’t take boats like this, definitely not the experience I’m looking to get from my trip. Wish you safe travel Kate and you got yourself a new reader of the blog!
Hi Kate. I just follow your blog and antusias to know about your travel experience in every country, especially in my country Indonesia. And I am happy that all of you was safe from shipwrecked. I know that my country have to learn a lot to make our tourism better so it will be comfortable and safe for tourist to travel to my country.
Omg, glad you survived! We were also in Indonesia and we were by ferry from Lombok to Bali, that was big ferry so we were safe. But from Lombok to Gili Air, omg, that was super old and small boat, we where only 2 europeans there. The rest of the crew (about 5 people, because there were no more place for more people) were the old, carrying big baskets on their heads, holding huuuge fishes in their arms… We were super frightening about this sail. Cause captain tried to go fast, it was really dangerous and that boat wasnt able to go as fast as he thought.. So we were jumping through big waves – miracle that we didnt roll over! All the crew was totally waterlogged, including our luggages. The oldies absolutely didnt care about some water.. 😀 Sooo nothing dangerous do not happend, otherwise all the cruise was super dangerous… 🙂 R.
Thanks for this story, Kate. I only wish I had seen it before my wife and I took a three-day trip out of Flores to see all the sites on a less than luxury boat just after Xmas this year. We survived without incident, but I had no idea about the low boating standards in Indonesia.
Grateful you and the others are safe. I’m not a swimmer and would have probably died that night. I can’t even doggie pedal. The grace of God kept you and all the passengers on board. Thankfully, it hasn’t stopped you from doing what you love.
Thanks for sharing, glad no one was seriously injured. I did a overnight tour from Labuan Bajo, but we anchored overnight in a bay which felt quite safe. Thinking about Komodo dragons near the shore would have been hectic!
Interesting experience, though I could have done without the overly dramatic retelling.
Thanks God you’re safe! I Gerry is truly a hero of the team. Thank you so much for sharing such a valuable experience. This is the most impressive experience I’ve read that was written by a blogger. Real Stories, Real People.
That’s actually so terrifying. I’ve been dreaming of going to Indonesia, and while this post has not soured that dream, it does make me nervous. Thank you for informing us!
Came upon your article about Tokyo and found this Indonesia horror adventure. I am an Indonesian educated in Pennsylvania and San Francisco. It was definitely one scary adventure you had. The ocean crossing from Lombok to Komodo Island takes you through a treacherous waters where currents from the Australian waters meet that from the Indonesian water. I’m not an ocean expert but I know it’s a bad route.
You did mention toward the end about the best way to visit Komodo island, take a direct 1.5 hours flight aboard a 737 or A320 from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo or from Bali on a much shorter flight. You have two options there, to either take day time cruise or 3-4 days cruise. I recommend taking the day time cruise as it covers the entire Komodo islands hot spots which typically last for six hours starting from around 7am. If the weather is not friendly do not board the boat. Do something else on land.
Avoid taking boats that take you through open ocean. Cruising along the shores is the safest. Make sure that your boat looks serviceable, the crews wear uniform and there are lifejacket on board. WEAR LIFEJACKET WHILE ON BOARD, JUST AS WEAR SEATBELT WHILE DRIVING.
Labuan Bajo is the only destination where you can meet real dragon! The views of the islands are breathtaking and the water is crystal clear. How about swimming along giants stingray? You can do that in Labuan Bajo as it is one of its breeding and feeding ground. So be safe and enjoy!
That’s an insane experience. Probably pretty awful when it was happening, but at least it made for a great story to tell for the rest of your life.
This sounds so scary. Glad you survived 🙂
It’s quite shocking when you start digging deeper into maritime safety on many tourism operations. I would be happy if our story had ended with shock and some lost luggagw. But ours ended with the loss of three souls including our late father whom we desperately tried to rescue from the flames, explosions and waves. We lost a beloved family member, all our belongings and faith in humanity. It seems like most insurances and operation licenses are not even worth the money they are printed on. Today, almost 6 months later, we have not received a single penny for all our expenses. From burned technical equipment to the repatriation and funeral. Nothing.
https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-10-13-lake-jozini-boat-fire-survivors-prepare-to-repatriate-body-to-germany-amid-pending-legal-action/
I am deeply sorry for your loss, Alex. How awful.
I enjoyed reading this blog – what a story and I am sure it really turbo charged your travel blog! But I also can’t help feeling that perhaps the apocalyptic headlines are a tad overblown? I’m sure it was a horrendous experience, but it looked like the boat went down right on the rocks and so you had maybe 20m to swim to shore?
These boats continue to sail day in and day out, including boats far more densely packed in with 40+ people on them (it didn’t look like there were many people on your rescue boat?). To say blanket, don’t sail on overnight boats, seems a bit extreme – if you sail in the dry season the chances of a major storm like this are really very low. I hope people reading this are not all scared off taking a boat trip in Indonesia because there are many reputable overnight operators now for multi day Komodo trips.
It’s also quite crazy in my opinion for someone to take a baby on a super budget backpacker style boat trip! Of course the boat should not sink and this is terrible, but really who does that?
Glad you survived the experience and a great story for sure.
Nothing in this is overblown, David.
Your comment reads like someone who hasn’t gone through a traumatic experience like this. I’m glad you haven’t. I don’t want anyone to go through this! But please lean back from mansplaining how overblown my own personal shipwreck was.