25
June 2006: Introducing Lucy, our very own Sawmill! |
by
Marit Wechsler
Andrew
is still in Sorong, waiting for the delivery of our brand spanking
new speed boat and engine from Jakarta. Sianiri, the cargo ship
carrying our goodies, broke down en route. The latest news is that
the cargo is all safe and Sianiri is being towed from Ambon to Sorong
by a tugboat - ETA is tomorrow! |
| Although
frustrated by the delay, Andrew, Tuta and Thorben have been making
the most of their time in Sorong, which is quite possibly one of
the dullest port towns in the world.
They
caught up with some of our friends from Conservation International,
who filled them in on the latest news in Raja Ampat. An agreement
has been reached with the local communities around the island of
Kofiau, which sits to the north west of Misool, to create another
Marine Protected Area. CI also is planning start patrols of
the region, including Misool. This will help to deter illegal fishing
and keep this area in its pristine state.
They
also completed the necessary training course on MER's new portable
saw mill. This Australian-made sawmill, affectionately dubbed 'Lucy,'
is ideal for MER, as it will allow us to salvage the huge fallen
trees which are found on the beaches surrounding the resort. We
plan to use this timber in the construction as well as to build
gorgeous furniture. This will help us maintain our commitment minimize
the environmental impact of construction.
|
Thorben
getting to know Lucy. |
| 
Tuta
waiting for his turn. |
Being
delayed in Sorong turned out to be a stroke of luck in other ways
as well. After a tip-off from a friend and a whole lot of leg
work, Andrew has managed to purchase a second-hand speed boat
named Firebird. Made in Europe to very high standards, this boat
has hardly been used. She was donated to the Airports Authority
of Sorong as a rescue boat, and shortly thereafter beached. With
a wee bit of tinkering and some mechanical TLC, she'll make an
excellent transport and dive boat.
|
|
For
the technical ones among you, she’s 9.5m by 3.5m and runs
on twin 215Hp turbo diesel engines with jet drives at up to 30 knots.
For the rest of us, that means a fast, safe, comfortable ride.
The
jet drives are perfect for a dive boat as there is no external propeller,
and she's got a platform on the back with a ladder for getting back
onto the boat.
|
| Assuming
the missing cargo ship arrives with our speed boat from Jakarta,
Andrew, Tuta, and Thorben will be heading down to the island this
week to set up the base camp and begin recruiting a team of construction
workers. |
|
