The ebb and flow of life along Pontianak's rivers

The ebb and flow of life along Pontianak's rivers

Text and photos by P.J. Leo

PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan (JP): The buzzing sound coming from the engines of motorboats breaks the silence of mornings along the River Kapuas, a river that divides into two the municipality of Pontianak, the only municipality in the West Kalimantan province and also a provincial capital.

The River Kapuas -- between 300 to 400 meters wide and 12 to 16 meters deep -- is busy with activities, especially from morning to late afternoon, offering unique sights when one is Pontianak.

One can see various kinds of water transportation moving along the River Kapuas: small rowing boats, motorboats, medium-sized cargo vessels that look like floating houses -- called Kapal Bandung -- sailing into the hinterland of West Kalimantan and express vessels that look like small extended U-boats with a capacity of some 200 passengers. These express vessels carry people out of town.

As the River Kapuas is wide enough, many Pontianak residents use water transportation services to go to the other side of the river. If they take the overland route, the journey is much longer and involves crossing a bridge that stretches over the river. That's why water transportation plays an important role in this equatorial city.

Apart from being used as a means of ferry transportation for the local community, small boats are also used for fishing, for the transportation of small goods or just for playing around their homes, in the case of the community dwelling along the riverbank.

"I often take my children along the river in this boat," said Rohana, pointing to a boat tied under his house. "If I want to visit a neighbor, I rarely walk along the planks that form a makeshift bridge. I simply row this boat instead," she added.

Some people in Pontianak are still reluctant to use the Kapuas bridge, which stretches hundreds of meters, to get from one side of the river to the other. They prefer to take boats.

"I take a boat to get to the other side of the river and pay Rp 500 every time, much more often than walking along the bridge to get there," said Agustina, a senior high school student. "I cross the bridge only once in a while when I go home with some friends of mine," she added.

People who use rowing boats to cross the river usually feel somewhat nervous and worry because the small boats are tossed from side to side when sailing along the wide and deep Kapuas river.

"These boats are rocked by the movement of the water caused by speeding motorboats. However, they sail calmly enough if there is nothing else passing," said Suwarno, a boat rower from Central Java who has been in West Kalimantan for over a decade.

There are fewer activities on the river at sunset. Only a small number of medium-sized vessels can be seen sailing into the hinterland of West Kalimantan.

If the vessels are equipped with electronic equipment and a disk antenna, like what you have on board Kapal Bandung, passengers can savor the dark and quiet atmosphere prevailing on the River Kapuas.