The East Indies

The East Indies

In Maritime Master in an Age of Peril, seventeen-year old Matthew had to take command of the ship Raptor when his father died. Their ship was in the East Indies, Indonesia, off the northeast coast of Sumatra, an island the size of California with lush mountains, surrounded by clear blue water and spectacularly colored coral reefs. The local people welcomed the new, young captain with folded hands and big grins. But, as you learn in the book, not all the people had good intentions.

I went to Indonesia in 2017 and swam amongst the beautiful coral reefs, sailed through this extensive archipelago, and hiked with a naturalist named Yoman, who gave me a glimpse of the many foods and medicines grown on the mountains.

For Matthew, who went to sea because he wanted to follow his dream, this paradise must have seemed to be the ideal exotic far away land. But as the new captain he was burdened with the weight of responsibility and not able to fully appreciate the beauty of the land or sea or the warmth of the people.

Whatever leads us to make a major change in our lives will inevitably lead to satisfaction and disappointment, as well as the challenge of trying to keep both in balance.