Making the journey from the peaceful and protected Lake Sebangau to Palangkaraya, even though by road a rapid car trip of only 15 minutes, was expected to be a 3 or 4 day marathon journey by river.
Initially taking us down the glassy waters of the peat stained Sebangau River past tangling rushes, and tiny fishing settlements, we would have to face the big challenge of taking our remodelled river boat on a short sea journey. Only a few hours, but this is the storm season, and with increasing deforestation, come bigger winds.
After only an hour from our departure point, we were stuck in a huge clump of river weeds, and were pulled free by a passing klotok or long canoe taxi. We were aiming for arriving at the mangrove river mouth before midnight in order to begin our projected 6 hour journey to the Kahayan River mouth at 5 am.
Gliding down the Sebangau in an irridescent atmosphere and chugging through one of the best sunsets ever, it was easy to shelve our worries about the sea trip. When finally we reached the mosquito infested mouth, registering with the coast guards, and waiting nervously until dawn, we bobbed alongside other huge sea craft waiting to see the weather conditions as well.
All seemed well enough, not mirror calm, but slightly choppy, so we took off. Heading straight into the waves, we took a course of least resistence, and distant from the treacherous sandy shores and winds and waves driving into our side. Once in sight of the wide muddy mouth of the Kahayan River, we turned our stern to the winds and hurried ashore.
Our boat boys looked sea sick, but the retired captain, used to much worse on the Java Sea, just kept going on coffee and noodles until we entered the port of Bawan. Reputed as a hive of pirates, all we saw were a bunch of very friendly and surprised kids, a riverside stonemason with a display of tombs, and many tall concrete buildings with tiny swallow holes (their custom built nesting sites by enterprising villagers).
The final days on the broad muddy Kahayan were marked by rain and more rain. But it stopped long enough for us to visit a traditional longhouse in the Governor's village of Buntoi.
Limping into Palangkaraya, sodden and sick of noodles in any shape or form, we bid farewell to our crew from the Sebangau and began the task of making final repairs and finding a new crew.
