Babi Island Superstition and Lost in the Flores Sea

For 20 minutes, the boat sailed in the fog and shaking waves in the middle of the Flores Sea. Babi Island which should have been far behind instead appeared on the left.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

Roni, the driver of the motorboat on which Kompas journalist Pati Herin boarded on Saturday, December 18, 2021. The boat was sailing from Babi Island to Flores Island..

The sunny weather suddenly became overcast. The black clouds coming from the east seemed to stop and hang right above where we were. It was Saturday afternoon (18/12/2021).

It did not take long before droplets of rain the size of a green bean fell over Babi Island, which we were visiting. "Come onboard," shouted Roni (46) from the motorboat.