JP\/19\/SUB1<\/p>\n
Submarine surfaces as tourist attraction in Surabaya<\/p>\n
On Dec. 5 the Indonesian Navy celebrated its 60th birthday in
\nSurabaya.<\/p>\n
There was a parade and other events to mark this important
\nday, though most were for VIPs at the docks.<\/p>\n
The closest ordinary people get to a warship is alongside a
\nMcDonald's restaurant. The Jakarta Post contributor Duncan Graham
\nreports:<\/p>\n
What do you do with a weapon of mass destruction when it has
\npassed its use-by date?<\/p>\n
Fighter aircraft and artillery are often turned into
\nmemorials. Warships are cut up for scrap unless the vessel is in
\na high-cost labor country where the expense of demolition is more
\nthan the worth of the metal.<\/p>\n
Australia is such a nation. The Down Under answer is to sink
\ndecommissioned craft near popular beaches where they become
\nrecreational diving spots and a fish refuge.<\/p>\n
The Surabaya solution has been to turn a killing machine into
\na tourist attraction.<\/p>\n
In the heart of Indonesia's second-largest city and alongside
\na major shopping mall squats Pasopati 410. Once a pride of the
\nIndonesian Navy, this massive submarine is now a quietly rusting
\nhull looking like a sad beached whale far from its aquatic home.<\/p>\n
Certainly incongruous, absolutely grotesque, bizarrely
\nfascinating.<\/p>\n
Ten years ago it began its slow journey from undersea to
\nparking lot. Cut into 16 slices, the 1,050 tonne steel sausage
\nwas trucked inland piece by piece, reassembled and renamed
\nMonkasel.<\/p>\n
This is an acronym constructed from Monument Kapal Selam, or
\nsubmarine monument.<\/p>\n
The idea, floated by the then regional governor, was to
\nencourage tourism, preserve the nation's maritime history, stress
\nnationality, honor heroes and the \"motivate the society to love
\nthe sea.\"<\/p>\n
Built in Vladivostok in 1952, it entered the Indonesian Navy's
\nEastern Fleet 10 years later when then president Sukarno
\npreferred communist arms suppliers. It saw service in the
\ncampaign to force the Dutch out of Papua, but to the great good
\nfortune of all mariners enjoyed a passive life.<\/p>\n
It seems that Pasopati 410 (named after a traditional Javanese
\narrow) was employed as an intimidator rather than destroyer, for
\nthere is no record of the monster firing any of its 12 torpedoes
\nin anger.<\/p>\n
Visitors who pay Rp 5,000 (US 50 cents) may get a guided tour
\nof the interior if they wake the dozing pseudo sailor girls in
\ntheir saucy uniforms.<\/p>\n
Sadly their mumbling presentation is unlikely to honor heroes
\nor inspire a love of the distant sea. They certainly don't
\nwelcome visitors and their ability to answer nonstandard
\nquestions is zero.<\/p>\n
There are no brochures or signs in English so anyone without a
\ngood knowledge of Indonesian will find themselves adrift.<\/p>\n
Despite these annoyances, a visit repays the effort. The 63
\ncrew who drove this 76 meter metal fish were certainly brave men
\nand the tour worthwhile just to see what they had to endure. The
\nexperience is not recommended for the claustrophobic.<\/p>\n
Negotiating the engine room, bridge, crew quarters and other
\nchambers is hazardous as the interior bristles with head-high
\nvalves and hip-level levers, all designed to crack skulls and
\ntangle bag straps.<\/p>\n
Imagine what it was like in action on a swelling sea, the
\nthumping, stinking diesel engines sharing the same cramped space
\nwith men working, eating and sleeping.<\/p>\n
Then there was the ever-present fear of a leak or equipment
\nmalfunction while deep underwater. Russian subs have a poor
\nreputation for safety, even now.<\/p>\n
The official histories don't tell the full story. After the
\nfall of Sukarno in 1965 all things Soviet were off-limits, and
\nthat included spare parts for the former Russian ships (see
\nsidebar).<\/p>\n
Pasopati was one of 14 Whiskey-class submarines bought from
\nthe Russians. This underwater fleet rapidly surfaced and
\ndiminished as vessels were cannibalized to keep their sister
\ncraft operational.<\/p>\n
Surabaya is a major naval port and exhibiting an old submarine
\nhelps keep the past alive. Where else can you find such an
\nattraction outside your hotel window? Other major cities have
\nsubways; Surabaya has a sub.<\/p>\n
Kiosks and cafes have been built around Monkasel and alongside
\nthe murky waters of the misnamed Kali Mas (Gold River). The area
\nhas become Surabaya's substitute for lovers' lane, a popular
\nweekend spot for young couples who need time to themselves away
\nfrom prying eyes and puritanical parents: \"We're just going to
\nthe mall, Mum, have a bite at McD then do a history assignment.
\nWe won't go outside the area. No need to worry.\"<\/p>\n
Maybe it's better this way. The submarine was preserved to
\nhelp stimulate nationalism, but most visitors to Monkasel now
\nprefer to make love, not war.<\/p>\n
(Monkasel is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and to 10
\np.m. on weekends.)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp19sub1-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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