The wind to Benoa
The wind to Benoa
By I Wayan Juniarta
BENOA, Bali (JP): For fifty-year-old Pierre Guillaume and his
six sailing companions, the supposed-to-be tiring nine-day sea
voyage from Singapore to Bali on a 20-meter long yatch was simply
a fun cruise.
Pierre, for example, looked astonishingly fresh and relaxed.
He emptied his glass of chilled local beer in one gulp before
making his comments.
"Bali is very much like my hometown Saint Tropez, with
beautiful landscape and stunning ocean. That's the reason why I
sailed back to this island," he said with a wide grin on his
well-tanned face during an interview on Friday.
Pierre is the proud owner, and also the accomplished skipper,
of the white yacht Kriss, which, according to him, is not only a
strong boat, but also one that was designed to race around the
world.
And, traveling around the world was exactly what preoccupied
Pierre when he sailed out from Saint Tropez some three years ago.
Since then he has sailed to New York, Cuba, Panama and
Galapagos.
"My father owned a boat, my brother is in the navy, and I have
been acquainted with boats and the ocean since I was a child. So
it was very natural that I spend most of my time on a deck of a
ship in the ocean," he said.
On that hot Friday afternoon, just half an hour after Kriss
was securely docked at one of Bali International Marina's piers,
Pierre, and his sailing companions, was sitting around lazily,
while gulping beers and talking to other sailors.
This time Pierre planned to stay in Bali for about a month
before starting on the last leg of his three-year sea voyage.
From Bali he will sail to Madagascar, Cape Town, Rio de
Jeneiro and French West Indies before heading back to Saint
Tropez.
Currently, six people have committed themselves to
the voyage.
"I estimated that the total cost of this voyage will be about
US$100,000. Not so much, isn't it? I do not charge my passengers
to cover the cost, instead we share-financed the voyage. Because
they are all my friends, and I doing this (the voyage) for
myself," Pierre stated.
With its beautiful and lush underwater marine life, Bali,
according to Pierre, could become a hot spot for many yacht-
travelers like himself. But, first there are several things that
need to be attended, paper work for instance.
"There are a lot of paper work that must be completed before
we can set foot on the island legally.
Well, of course it only takes patience to complete it. But, if
the process can be made a little easier, we will be very happy,"
he told.
And if Bali is serious about becoming a prime yacht traveler's
destination, then it surely needs a bigger and better equipped
marina than it already has.
Although the 1994-built Bali International Marina, has
sufficient facilities and infrastructure, it has limited berthing
space.
At the most, the marina can accommodate only 40 to 50 boats.
"If a better and wider marina is available, I believe more and
more yachting lovers will put Bali on their map," Pierre said.
The Bali International Marina is located in Bali's main
seaport of Benoa, some 15 kilometers south of Denpasar.
Attended by friendly staff and workers, the Marina provides
basic necessities for both the boat and its passengers, such as
fuel, electricity and fresh water.
Some of the yachts at the marina are available for chartered
cruises with prices ranging from around $400 to $700 per cruise.
"The cruise's route usually includes the small remote islands
south of Bali, such as Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida, and also
Lombok, Sumbawa and even Komodo Island," said a marina staff.
For example the 15-meter yacht Shangri-la, operated by Daisy
and Reinhold Schulz, takes passengers on two different types of
cruise packages.
The first package is a 5 to 8-day cruise from Benoa to Nusa
Lembongan, Nusa Penida, Lombok, Gili's island and Crystal Bay,
before heading back to Benoa.
The package cost between $450 and $650, depending on the
number of passengers.
The second package is a 9 to 13-day cruise with slightly
different destinations, costing between $430 and $630.
For those who love catching big fishes, several high-speed
fishing boats, fully equipped with satellite-based fish finders,
are also available, with charter prices ranging from $500 to $660
per day.