Hello fellow travellers,

I hope you are doing well. Today, I want to share with you the squid fishing boats in Indonesia.

As we sailed from Bali to Belitung Island, we travelled through the night and experienced some of the brightest nights imaginable. Squids are attracted to light, so the fishing boats operate exclusively after dark. As a result, we were surrounded by bright lights all night long, making it difficult to discern just how many boats were in the area.

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In the morning, we realised just how many boats there truly were, and it was quite shocking. The boats were not only to our port side but all around us. The only way we dodged them during the night was by using our radar. Fortunately, once we navigated through this minefield, we arrived safely.

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They also didn't use chains for their anchors, which meant we couldn't pass wherever we wanted. It was crucial to know the direction of the current, especially since there was no wind in this case.

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With a population of 275 million, many people in Indonesia seek jobs, and fishing is a common occupation. Overfishing is prevalent, and when fish are scarce in local waters, fishermen venture to more remote areas further east.

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They use very bright light bulbs that can be seen for miles, attracting many squid. Indonesian squid fishing boats usually travel in packs of 20-30. This is done because they venture so far from land that if one ship's engine fails, there is always someone nearby to help.

I hope you enjoyed this little blog. If you want to follow my adventures, feel free to follow and upvote.

Paul