Fare thee well Sulaiman
Sulaiman Pantauw of the Indies Explorer
died tragically the day after the completion
of the Zigzag Grom charter in April 2005

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After surviving all that the ocean could throw at him during an eventful 30 year career at sea, it is ironic that he should die on dry land and close to home in Padang on the island of Sumatra. He drove his vintage yellow Vespa into a ditch which resulted in a fatal head injury.

I met Sulaiman Pantauw during April 2000 and it was immediately obvious that he was the right man to captain the Indies. Sulaiman was larger than life, solid as a rock, unquestionably honest, a veteran Captain and he knew the Mentawais like the back of his hand.

Before I met him he had captained ferry boats, tug boats and cargo boats, and he was making a name for himself as a skilful broker of inter-island cargo such as nutmeg and copra. This modern day spice trader became the first true captain of the Indies during June 2000. It was a privilege to have had him lead our Indies team. Every single one of the passengers who stayed with us on board where enriched by this articulate, charismatic and honourable man.

He was a great lover of food, especially those mutant green chillies which he considered a cure for all illness. It was always the even tempered Sulaiman at the helm when the ocean was hell bent on smashing the Indies to bits. With his bald head and wide back firmly planted on the driver's seat I used to think that it was Buddha himself driving the boat. We all slept safely knowing that Sulaiman was on watch in the wheelhouse.

For 5 years fantastic years he was our Indo "front man" and he was instrumental during the early years when he sorted out all the red tape and governmental hassles to allow us to start chartering. Especially during these early times he was like a father to Chantal and I. Sulaiman has left behind two wives, a 22 year old son and two young kiddies.

Farewell Sulaiman!

May the horizon be blue and endless where you are now. We will miss you and will never forget you. It is thanks to the potent crew unit created by Sulaiman that we are able to resume our charters. We have all been trained by the master himself!