Other sources refer to the wreck as the “slave ship”.Traditionally, the shipwreck is known locally as Kapal Budak. “Kapal” meaning “ship” and “Budak” meaning “slave”. It is true that by 1815 there were 13,300 Balinese slaves in Batavia. It is also true that the Buleleng Regency in north Bali was the center of the Balinese slave trade which operated out of Celukan Bawang harbor, the main Dutch port in Singaraja during the 19th. century. In the book “Diving Bali: The Underwater Jewel of Southeast Asia” the author, David Pickell playfully writes that it was his co-author Wally Siagian who "dubbed" the ship “Kapal Budak”. The tone of the writing and the lack of an explanation suggests that this may be purely an arbitrary and fictitious name, based on a play of words, that somehow stuck. I shall therefore perpetuate the myth by continuing to refer to the shipwreck as the "Kapal Budak"
The list of 18th. and 19th. century Dutch East India VOC ships that plied the waters to the north of Bali is known (Dutch East India Company: Notable VOC ships). The list provides no tangible evidence that would identify the Kapal Budak. There does not appear to be any primary evidence to link the slave trade in the region to this ship. Until there is, the Kapal Budak and what she was used for, will remain somewhat of an enigma. That does not however, mean to say, that the ship is not a significant or uninteresting vessel.
The content of the Kapal Budak's “cargo” is certainly worthy of investigation and note. The presence of copper sheeting especially towards the bow and stern of the shipwreck may seem odd at first but does not necessarily suggest that copper sheets were carried as cargo; although it may be that the ship was carrying the sheets for repairs to other wooden hulled ships based in Celukan Bawang. There may be a more logical use.
It is well known that copper sheeting was used extensively in the maintenance of wooden hulled boats in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is still used today in the preservation and restoration of wooden hulled water craft. Copper sheets are used to protect wooden hulls from woodworm and marine growth. The technique was developed by the Royal Navy in the 18th. century, to effectively extend a ships life at sea, allowing it to remain at sea for extended periods of time without needing to dry-dock for hull maintenance. The sheets were tacked onto the hull below the waterline, using smooth shanked nails or tacks so that they could be easily removed when the copper sheets needed replacing every 15 to 20 years.
The presence of copper sheeting in such small quantities on the Kapal Budak and their location towards the bow and stern of the ship suggests that it was used by and for the ship itself. If this is the case then it is possible that the ship was plying these waters for a very long time between maintenance periods, which indicates that the ship was used as a work-horse and by implication, it owners could not afford for her to be dry-docked too often. The presence of these sheets also indicates that the owners intended to keep the ship in working order. It is entirely possible that the Kapal Budak is where she is today, because she sank despite being well maintained.
The fact that most of the bottles have been removed by divers as souvenirs is perhaps unfortunate because we will now never be able to ascertain of what type, quantity and quality these bottles were; which would give us an indication as to where the bottles came from, whether or not the bottles were part of the cargo or used by her crew and indeed how significant this ship was. It may also have given us an indication as to where the Kapal Budak plied between and even possibly where she was built.
The location where the Kapal Budak sank also tells us something about the ship. Unless encountering catastrophic destruction; in which case there would be no shipwreck to discuss and dive to, most ships do not sink at the same location where the damage to it has been done. We don't have to look too far. At 04:15 on the 11th. January 1942, 19 kilometers southwest of the Lombok Strait in the Java Sea, a Japanese Submarine, the I-166 torpedoed the USAT Liberty at approximately 08°54'S 115°28'E, Her final resting place is at Tulamben off the east coast of Bali at location 08°16'S 115°36'E, Where she went down and where she was torpedoed are quite far apart. Although it has been suggested, there does not appear to be any evidence to support the statement that the Kapal Budak was sunk in-situ by the Japanese during World War II.
What seems more plausible is that the Kapal Budak attempted to seek shelter at it's present location but sank in that attempt. If this is the case then it is also likely that the ship probably sank in July or August when heavy winds to the south of the island are common, Even to this day, most vessels that ply the south side of the island during these months do so with care and seek shelter in the north of the island if they need to. Anyone who has dived off a boat from POS I to Bat Cave along the southern reef of Menjangan at this time of the year will testify to the conditions of the sea.
Caught in these waters, probably around POS I or even above Eel Garden, probably damaged as a result, the Kapal Budak may have attempted to sail around to the back of the island to seek shelter from the choppy seas and sank due to the damage that was caused in waters south of the island.
Regardless of how the name of the ship was derived, what she represents and how she came to be in that location, it is certainly a good site for both recreational and technical divers.
To mark the location of the Kapal Budak, there are two coral encrusted anchors, one of them at 5 - 6 meters at the top of the reef:
The anchor at the top of the reef is a reference point for three dives conducted at this site. The dive choice depends on two factors, the current and whether or not the diver has the skill and inclination to dive to the wreck itself.
Diving the Kapal Budak - first impressions
As with most things, the only way to understand the wreck is to dive to it yourself. However, do not attempt this dive if you are not qualified to dive to the depth at which the ship is located. There is a very valid reason why guides are reluctant to take recreational divers down to the wreck even though it seems almost achievable.Because the wreck is so interesting you will probably want to spend some serious bottom time at between 45-50 meters, even for a cursory survey. Hence, to be worthwhile, your dive is almost certainly going to need to be a decompression dive. A no-decompression dives is possible but only to the second anchor and only for a very limited time. To attempt to reach the bow on a no-decompression dive, without proper training is to risk injury. Diving to 40 meters on a recreational dive is strictly an emergency procedure. To do so when there is no emergency is to undervalue any hard earned training. The effort and risk is insufficient to make the dive worthwhile at all because the wreck itself would be so near and yet so far and therefore be disappointing frustrating if not downright dangerous.
Even diving down to the second anchor with any measure of safely requires at least a PADI Deep Dive Specialty and Nitrox qualification, not to mention an experienced local guide who will take you down to the anchor safely without wasting time getting there.
Given that you are qualified and equipped to do so, in order to reach the wreck itself, following the traces of the anchor chain from the top anchor, down the steep terraced coral slope in a north-north-westerly direction to the second anchor buried in sand at about the 32 meters.
If you are qualified and have planned to go deeper, the dive can continue from the anchor to the bow at 35 meters. The stern lies between 46 - 50 meters further out to sea:
Given the age of the ship, certainly the bow, the port side from the bow to the stern and especially the quarterdeck are well defined and appear to be in good shape. No evidence of lining off could be seen due to the accumulation of sand inside the boat. So the overall shape of the ship cannot be clearly articulated without excavation. However, given that the shape of the ship is reasonably well defined on the port side and given that a ship is symmetrical along the longitudinal axis, this indicates that lining off was used when the ship was built. The longitudinal axis of the ship was not straight. There appears to be a convex bend on the starboard side and a concave bend on the port side. It is quite possible therefore that the ships keel was either damaged or even broken.
At the bow, the breasthook, bowsprit, and upper part of the stem are the most articulated part of the visible architecture of the ship. This perhaps indicates that the ship did not collide with anything above the waterline. The outline of some of the copper sheeting appears just above the sand behind the bow.
On the port side, from bilge strake to the sheer strake up to the waterline amid-ship appear to be intact but buried under sand. This could be possible because the ship may have been lined with copper as described before, which preserved this section. Amidship, evidence of a substantial frame is highlighted by the presence of strong stanchions on the port side. This perhaps indicates a heavy lapstrake design for boat. Most of the ship's upper decks above the waterline and bulkheads, from the forecastle to the quarterdeck have either disappeared or is buried in the sand. Their presence is only evident by the occasional appearance of a couple of cambered deck beams amid-ship on the port side. However, amidship on the starboard side, the ship looses some definition. If I were going to look for damage to the ship, this is the side that I wold inspect more closely.
Aft, there appears to be evidence of some freeboards in the proximity of the quarterdeck on the port side. Their height indicates that this ship was designed to sail in the water that she was found in, which perhaps adds to the evidence of an accident. Traces of the poop deck and galley are still visible but not yet accessible for inspection due to their present depth. It should be examined in further dives.
Like any deep dive, the rewards are incredible. You will most probably have the Kapal Budak all to yourself as few divers venture to these depths. In the darkness, at this depth, you have left the current as well as most of the colours way above you so things are quite still. It feels like being in outer space. You become quite conscious of your weightlessness. Suspended thus in both space and time, with everything around you so unchanged as though your are part of an animated fame, The old water logged timbers stand out in stark contrast against the white sand and a dark background that is penetrated only by your torch.
Up close and personal against the wall
For most recreational divers, myself included, there is plenty to do and see at this site as the wreck is not really considered the main attraction for most who come here. There are two other wall drift dives possible, centered at the first anchor at the top of the reef. The area around this junction in both directions is known as Dream Wall. These two dives are far more tangible and visceral than diving the wreck as what you see is what there is and it is saturated in color, not mythology, conjecture, superstition or even sorrow that permeates of the real world. You are present and part of the moment.
One dive points in a westerly direction with the wall on your left shoulder, that takes you towards just north-east of Eel Garden. Due to the current flows, the second wall dive starts at the Jetty, where the main temple is (sometimes called POS III). Like the first dive, you drift in a westerly direction with the wall on your left shoulder, gradually climbing to end at the first anchor point in the shallows, making this a good safety stop and ascent point. Air permitting, you can keep going deeper and westerly until you reach the western tip of Menjangan.
Marine life at the back of Menjangan from Eel garden to the main temple is similar. Both look out towards Java and the Bali Sea. There is an abundance of steep slopes and walls, teaming with marine life, all drop off into splendidly deeper waters of the open Bali Sea:
Strong currents generally run along the back in one direction or over the top of the reef. If you stay close to the wall away from the current and watch your depth, the drift dives are usually taken at a leisurely pace ending in a pickup by the boat captains who know these waters like the back of their hands. Regardless of where you ascend, you will always have a smile on your face on the surface:
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