I hopped on a motorbike with Ketut during a warm yet pitch-black night. The dog watch was coming to an end yet everyone was still sleeping. Only our engine was echoing in the adjacent hills below Mount Agung, one of the still-active volcanos on the island. As there were no lights, no road lamps, the only thing that could be seen was what the bike's headlight choose to direct its attention to. The local dogs of Amed were slowly awakening. Surprised by anything moving at this time of day they continued laying on the sides of the road or porches.
A couple of turns later we arrived at the beach. It was already crowded with flashlights and headlamps. Local fishermen were preparing their vessels for the black vastness of the Bali Sea. The narrow, canoe-like, boats with double outriggers were being pushed by groups of men to the sea. As the wind was not strong enough near the shore they started the engines and disappeared one by one into the darkness.
We were next.
The green water was escaping from the bamboo skids. It seemed as if we were racing with hundreds of others on a glowing highway. This feeling combined with a sky dotted with thousands of stars, unseen in cities, was almost unimaginable, raw, vivid and exhilarating. I couldn't stop gazing and admiring. There was not much space to move on the vessel as the width of it was roughly half a meter. This spectacle would last only until the second act and that was to happen in around one hour or less.
The vessel was a traditional Balinese Jukung. In Amed it's used mainly for fishing yet there are also different variations. For instance, one of them (Jukung gede) is dedicated to transporting cows between Bali and Lombok. Jukung's canoe-like shape coupled with double outrigger and a sail gives it exceptionally interesting looks. The boats are famous for their stability even on a rough sea. The modern versions are made from HDPE pipe containing sealed air which makes it unsinkable. Jukungs became famous to the wider public with a 1980s race called "The Great Jukung Race" ranging 1000 nautical miles from Bali to Darwin across the Timor Sea. The race was to take two months through ancient sailing routes and was photographed and filmed by National Geographic. Jukung itself, as means of transportation, dates back to around five thousand years. Its introduction has led to a significant development of local islands, trade and civilisation in general. But I digress..
The more time has passed the larger were the waves. The glowing plankton was still ubiquitous as if trying to match the stars above in number. We were sitting on a wooden "deck" concealing the fishing nets as well as other necessary equipment that would help to catch one of three popular local fish - Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi and Red Snapper. As the equipment was hidden below the deck there was not much depth to where one was sitting. This meant that one false move could lead to landing in the black water without any light to support a successful rescue mission apart from the small flashlights. We were slowly arriving at the end destination - waters in between the islands of Bali and Lombok.
The sun rays were modestly displaying themselves on the horizon showing the outline of the island of Lombok. Slowly but steadily more boats appeared around us. Many of them with their sails up. Ketut together with Made stopped the engine and set sail as well. It was around 5 a.m. We wouldn't see the sun in full for something short of an hour. Normally the fishing would start at this point. Using either a hook or a net and being at a distance from other boats so everyone can make use of the natural resources. Yet the sea has constantly proven us otherwise. That day the water was too rough and it was not possible to start the regular drill.
Ketut was not always a fisherman. Before the pandemic started he was a driver and a guide for the tourists that frequented not only Amed but the whole island. He was the guy who could organise anything you needed as well as take you to any place on the island. I got to know him as a polite man with a sharp, witty sense of humour. After COVID took over the world and Indonesia closed its doors for tourism he needed to divert his actions to something that would bring food to the table for his family. What struck me is how he humbly accepted the new harsh reality and started re-learning the craft of fishing saying:
"Life is hard, just follow the wind"
When Ketut was 15 years old he followed his father footsteps and got up each morning at four or five. They walked from their home close by to the beach and started preparing all the necessary tools for fishing. Few quarters have passed as they went to the sea.
During the golden hour, we could admire some of the things that were unseen during the day. Lombok looked majestically dotted with sails of other fishermen as well as some of its own collection of volcanoes. This view is only visible in the early morning and, sometimes, during the evening due to the weather and characteristics of this latitude. Behind us, Mt Agung presented itself in orange and the sea became somewhat gentler, less demanding of us.
"Fishing is like gambling"
It was then when he learned that: "Fishing is like gambling, some times you catch something, sometimes not". In that light, being a guide is much more predictable and sustainable. Over many conversations, I had with Ketut after we've met I saw this in practice. Every now and then I'd ask him about the morning routine. Sometimes he'd bring 100 fish back with him (usually mackerel), other times three to none.
The practice of fishing is always a mix of using a net (around six bags, 600 meters long in total) and line (with many hooks). In our case, the weather was no good for any one of those. We needed to hold tight to the deck as the Jukung was jumping even more so on the waves closer to Lombok.
Due to the COVID situation, Ketut needs to fish every day. There is no break during the week as one can never be 100% sure about the sea as well as luck. Also different fish require different preparation. For example, Mahi-Mahi you need to use big hooks and big lines (the fish can reach a meter in length).
The whole area of Amed, consisting of multiple villages on the east coast of Bali, is famous for fishing the traditional way. Each fisherman's goal is to catch as much as he can to earn for his living. They don't sell the fish themselves but do it through a middle man. There are many buyers (over 50) in the area who then resell in bulk to other places. Ketut is also working through a proxy and sells his catch to a supermarket in Kelungkung regency.
All in all, this is a temporary situation yet nobody knows what "temporary" really means. Bali was to open 4-5 times already throughout the last 1,5 years. Everybody was looking forward to July 2021 yet instead of opening the island it had been affected by the hardest lockdown since the beginning of the pandemic. It does not even help that, allegedly, 60% of the population is vaccinated when the cases are on the rise and the government is closing down shops, restaurants and more.
It was close to 7 am and the sun was already over the horizon. At this latitude, the rays are very strong since the very sunrise. For everyone, even the locals, too long exposure can be unhealthy, to say the least. That is why everyone is fully dressed most of the time to avoid being badly burned. When the sun was up it was time to head home. In front of us the majestic Mount Agung and around us - dozens of other Junkungs doing the same. Some were in luck, others were coming back empty-handed. Yet another day of gamble has come to an end.
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Due to Bali entering the strictest lockdown from the beginning of the pandemic I was not able to revisit Ketut for another sea voyage to show you dear reader how things look in practice. I hope to add some more details to the story in the future. In the meantime, when tourists are allowed again to Indonesia and you plan your trip to Bali - visit Ketut's website, his TripAdvisor account, give him a call (+62 81236402264, also on WhatsApp) or write (pasekk42@gmail.com). You won't regret it and it will help him provide better for his family.
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