The first season of Dreamcatchers was filmed while sailing aboard our boat Dali around Indonesia. This exciting journey was full of thrills! Here are the 5 surprising discoveries we will never forget:
1. The Mystical Shores of Lake Toba
During the 8 months of our trip we only left our boat once, in the city of Sibolga on the West coast of Sumatra. We rented a car and drove up into the mountains to discover the magical Lake Toba, created thousands of years ago by the biggest volcanic eruption the world has ever seen. The cool air of the mountains, the lovely Batak people and the Tugu graves surrounding the giant lake give this area of Sumatra a very special feel.
2. The Engine Failure
As we reached the most remote island we had visited, Pulau Sanding off the West coast of Sumatra, our engine broke down. We were on a deserted island with no possible outside help, and to make matters worse, our satellite phone and SSB radio stopped working: a tribute to the expression “when it rains, it pours”. Luckily, our boat has sails. We had to dig deep in our mental resources, change our plans and sail towards Jakarta against the strong wind and waves.
3. The Encounter with an Orca
We left Pulau Sanding, with no communication and no working engine, the boat healed on its side and hitting the waves. Our moral was low and we were starting to have enough of this trip. The following might seem hard to believe but it actually happened: 10 seconds after I said out loud “I would love to see a whale to cheer us up” a giant fin came out of the water and headed for the boat. As it got closer, it turned to its side and the black and white body of an Orca came out of the water. Iva and I looked at each other in disbelief. This supernatural event gave us the strength to continue our journey.
4. The Power of Krakatau Volcano
As we dropped our anchor in front of the active volcano of Anak Krakatau, we realized we had discovered our favorite anchorage to date. On one side a perfect black sand beach and on the other, the permanent cloud of smoke forming over the volcano. We had this place all to ourselves, no one around for miles. As we hiked up the black slopes of the living mountain, we could feel the power of nature and witness the passing of time.
5. The Friends We Made On The Way
We spent eight months just the two of us, living on Dali and constantly on the move, travelling from one remote place to the next. This makes every encounter very special. The Indonesians are very open and warm people and we felt welcome every place we went. The times we spent with our Dreamcatchers, sharing their daily routines and collecting their stories, brought us close together and we built true friendships that will last for life.