YBDXC yb land dx club: YF1AR/5 OC-215 Siberut Island

http://www.yf1ar.com/2014/05/yf1ar5-oc-215-mentawai-island.html

YF1AR/5

ARLHS IDO-379 Tanjung Sigep LightHouse

IOTA OC-215 Siberut Island - Mentawai Islands

May 24 - Jun 1, 2014

LAT: 00° 54' S LON 98° 54' E Gridsquare NI99kc

Tanjung Sigep

Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; white flash every 5 s. Approx. 40 m (131 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, but Bing has a satellite view of the station. NGA lists the focal plane as 14 m (46 ft); 46 m seems more likely. Located at the northern tip of Pulau Siberut. Site status unknown. Admiralty K0875.7; NGA 23153.

Mentawai Island: The Ultimate Diversity Of The Hidden Paradise

Take a trip into the wild with an adventure to the Mentawai islands. Be surrounded by tropical rainforests and immerse yourself in the traditions of the local people. While the physical distance between the mainland and Mentawai is not great, this remains one of the most isolated places in Indonesia, and was only subject to outside influences at the start of the 20th century. A long way from the world of shopping malls and theme parks, this is where travellers come to get a truly off the beaten track adventure.

Located off the West coast of Sumatra, the Mentawai archipelago includes four municipalities, Siberut, Sipora, North Pagai and South Pagai. is the biggest of the Siberut islands and remains largely covered with tropical rainforest. From the moment you arrive on and see the white coral beaches, ancient rainforests and hear the cheeky black gibbons playing in the trees you’ll find it hard to resist falling in love with the place. This Siberut island is home to a rich array of bio-diversity which has earned it designation as a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

The remote location of these islands means that the Mentawai people have had very little contact with the outside world. The archipelogo is thought to have broken off from the rest of Sumara about 500,000 years ago and it is only since the 20th century that outside influences began to have an impact on the local people. Today, the Mentawai still abide by traditional practices and live largely off the land. Local people have a strong spiritual relationship with the forest with a belief system that emphasizes harmony with creation.

It is believed people first came to inhabit these islands at least several thousand years ago. Most anthropologists classify the Mentawai people as Protomalay which means they have a mostly Neotlithic culture but have not been effected by Buddhism, Islam or Hinduism.

Tatoos are an important symbol in Mentawai culture and reflect maturity, manhood and status. The art of this body painting has been inherited from ancient ancestors and the ink is made from natural fibres.

The biggest town on Siberut is Muara Siberut on the southeast coast. This is the major point of entry for tour groups from the mainland. From here, you can travel with a with a local guide and trek inland to some of the Mentawai villages. If your bahasa is good enough, chat to the locals and enjoy their hospitality.

The other big attraction for visitors to these islands is the world class surfing. With some of the best surfing conditions in the world, monster waves and swells that remain all year round, this is ranked by serious surfers as a must visit destination.

Pulau Siberut: Home to the Mentawai Tribes

There are not many places in the world where you could find all packed into one small island some excellent world class surfing spots, exotic tropical forests, local tribal experiences, and rare exotic plant and animal species. Among the Mentawai islands lies a small, but unique and, not only naturally but also culturally beautiful island.

Pulau Siberut is the largest of the Mentawai chain of Islands, located in the Indian Ocean, approximately 100 km. off the west coast of West Sumatra, and separated from the main island by the Mentawai Strait. The island itself lies some 155 km from the province’s capital city of Padang. You will not reach this spot without much time spent travelling, however, the adventure and experience of all the natural beauty this island has to offer make it more than worthwhile. Pulau Siberut invites the adventure thirsty to come and explore all the wealth it possesses, including the rich culture, customs, and exotic tropical environment.

Siberut is home to the Mentawai tribe of approximately 30,000 people, who live isolated from the modern community. The Mentawai tribe is said to have migrated to the Mentawai islands from Nias island to its north, living an isolated life here for centuries until “discovered” by the Dutch in 1621.

A closer look into the inner workings of the life of the Mentawai is one of the main attractions for a visit to Siberut. The Mentawai tribe still maintains the lifestyle and traditions passed down from their ancestors from thousands of years ago. They live in houses locally called ‘uma’, made from wooden scaffolds which house several families each.

The tribe has its own language, culture, customs and some still profess a belief in animism. Their clothing is also very simple: Mentawai men wear only a loincloth made from the bark of the gum tree, while women only wear a simple skirt made of palm or banana leaves. Besides clothing, they also recognize a certain "timeless clothing", - the characteristic Mentawai tribal tattoo, - which sometimes entails tattooing the whole body in the traditional way, following a variety of tribal rituals. It is not uncommon to see Mentawai people covered from head to toe in tattoos. Their main food is sago and they raise pigs and hunt monkeys for their daily food.

Besides witnessing the Mentawai tribe’s isolated life, trekking in the protected tropical forests is very much recommended, while, enjoying the scenery around the island is another interesting adventure to be had. Approximately 2/3 of the island is covered with rain forest that offers trekking adventures which are not always easy but physically challenging and will be sure to get your heart pumping.

Much of the island is protected by and has been set to become a national park since 1993, known by the name of Taman Nasional Siberu . The Siberut National Park is one of the Biosphere Reserves working in conjunction with the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB).

The Siberut National Park is home to four types of wildlife primates found only in Siberut, these being Bokkoi (Macaca pagensis), Lutung Mentawai / Joja (Presbytis Potenziani Siberug), Bilou (Hylobates klossii), and Simakobu (Nasalis siberu concolor) . In addition to these endemic primates, there are also 4 different types of endemic squirrel species, 17 mammals, and 130 species of birds (4 of which are endemic).

A visit to the Siberut National Park is an adventure package with a combination of activities, such as boating, rowing, trekking through the (sometimes muddy) forest paths, enjoying the beauty of the rainforest, as well as observations of the rare species of both plants and animals. To explore the charm of Siberut, there are a number of service travel agencies, and tour guides can be found in Padang or Bukit Tinggi.

Pulau Sipora : Mentawai’s Continuous Huge Surf barrels

Whether you are an experienced surfer, looking for a challenge, a solo backpacker with a more adventurous side, or thinking of just getting away from your routine daily life, this island is a haven of activity. With its challenging surfing spots, white sandy beaches with exotic fish and colorful corals, Pulau Sipora offers a little something for everyone.

Strategically located in the Mentawai Islands, Pulau Sipora is the smallest island in this cluster off the coast of West Sumatera. Compared to the other four major islands in the Mentawai, Pulau Sipora’s position is right in the middle between Pulau Pagai and Pulau Siberut. On this island is the town of Tua Pejat, the district capital of Mentawai.

Covering an area of approximately 845 km ², Pulau Sipora is approximately 10-15% pristine rainforest. Much of the population on Sipora are either farmers or fishermen.

Sipora has become one of the major tourist attractions in the vicinity due to many beautiful and unique characteristics of this island, one of which is its world class surfing. The best time to visit the island for windsurfing is from April to October, as this is when the waves are usually at their peak. Even so, you still can enjoy the challenge of the rolling waves at Pulau Sipora most all year round.

Some of the world-class surfing points, the Hollow Trees and Lance's Left are at the southern tip of the island. A number of other famous surfing spots are located in the northwest of the island, among those being the Telescopes, Iceland, andScarecrows.

Hollow Trees, or also known as HT or Lance's Right are cylindrical waves (known as the right tubes) have appeared in international magazines and surfing videos for the past 10 years. When waves of this type come not too large, there will be 3 take off zones which will challenge even the most skilled surfer to maneuver smoothly. When the larger waves come, the peak of the wave where it breaks, will be connected with a continuous barrel, which will again be a welcome opportunity for surfing enthusiasts to hone their skills on the board.

Be careful with what is called The Surgeon's Table at this surfing point. These waves appear as if they are trying to lift surfers to its peak, to wave in the air as if a trophy of some sort. The Hollow Trees site is not recommended for beginners or novice surfers as the waves present a challenge for even those with adequate skills and expertise.

Lance's Left is a strong wave and the most consistent at Pulau Sipora and the surrounding Mentawai areas. Having the characteristics of waves with two different barrels and a take-off zone, Lance's Left (if caught in its perfect condition) is said to be one of the most beautiful waves on the planet. The movement of the waves along the surface of the sea is a result of differences in air pressure and winds which create a larger vertical take-off zone and a perfect barrel. When the waves are not too big, Lance's Left is suitable for surfers with intermediate skills.

In the northwestern sea of Pulau Sipora, there are two other well-known types of waves, the Telescopes and the Scarecrow. Telescopes are a type of very long waves, semi-hollow (waves rolling with a hole in the middle), and almost perfect for surfing. Many surfers who have surfed Telescope waves admit that this is one of the best waves in Indonesia. Telescopes are not too big but lots of fun to surf with their cylindrical shapes. These waves are suitable for intermediate level surfers. The Telescope waves are located the closest to Tua Pejat (the district capital), approximately 5 km to the west of the town.

The Scarecrows are a type of wave with a take-off zone from the left which is formed with the wave walls connected directly to the fast rolling barrel. These waves are also suitable for intermediate level surfers.