SATONDA ISLAND

Satonda island lies a tiny, uninhabited island offshore of Sumbawa, separated by a narrow strait from Tambora, the site of the largest and most devastating volcanic eruption in human history.

Satonda itself is a volcano, a small black basaltic cone rising out of the sea. You can land on its little beach, follow a trail to a cleft in the cone, and enter the volcano's caldera. The caldera contains a narrow strip of land surrounding a black, salty lake. Trees grow inside, decorated with mysterious hanging stones over what appear to be graves. The heat inside the caldera is terrible, because the walls of the cone block off all breezes.

Satonda's beach is remarkable because a major portion of its sediment consists of pebbles of pumice. Pumice is foamy volcanic glass, so light that it floats on water. As the waves lap in and out, the pumice portion of the beach washes in and out as well. It is impossible to wear zores (flip-flops) on this beach, because with every step you take, pumice pebbles wash into the space between your foot and your sandal. The pumice pebbles vary from black to white, and some are porphyritic, containing large crystals of black pyroxene.

The jungle growing up around the outside of the cone is home to thousands of enormous fruit bats. They live high up in the trees, circling over the jungle, sleeping in the trees and lazing around during the day. Walking through the jungle beneath them, you can hear them chattering to each other, see them stirring amidst the branches, and smell them in their abundance. At dusk they all fly out at once, darkening the sky like bombers in an old World War II news reel

Sumbawa Island is one of two main islands at Nusa Tenggara Barat province. At this island part four government regions, any Sumbawa Besar, Sumbawa Barat, Dompu and Bima. This area most of dry, if at dry session many place look at chocolate.
Although like that but this island have many tourism object. At Sumbawa region have traditional and nature object. And at Bima region have cultural object especially from Bima kingdom heritage.
At Dompu region that at center of Sumbawa Island, any best area for surfing sport, this area at Lakei beach that famous at world surfer. Dompu region have also popular of Tambora Mountain. This mountain is at south of Dompu that to erupt at 1815. This erupt is devastating natural disaster in the world.

Big effect of this erupt that can see until now are big hole with one kilometers depth at radius seven kilometers. This disaster makes disappear three kingdoms at Dompu and Bima in one moment. These kingdoms are Pekat kingdom, Sanggar kingdom and Tambora kingdom. Paroksismal explosion heard until at Bangka and Belitung Island (at Sumatera Island).
Whereas earthquake because of this erupt feel until at Surabaya (at Java Island). More effect of this explosion is three days at Surabaya so dark because of cloud. And explosion smoke tall until thousand kilometers in the sky.

At northwest cross of Sumbawa any Satonda Island. Wide of this island just 4, 8 kilometers and any lake in. All plate of lake is coral. This water is salt.

This object has thousand years at stake of two region government, between Dompu government and Bima government. This island located at Nangamiru village at Dompu. Satonda is destination tourism that tour from Bali to Komodo Island. Satonda has popular as world miracle. Beside water is salt this lake has going down level the water like sea also.

The natural phenomena had research many experts like E.T Degens, V Ittekot Stephan Kempe (Institute of Biogechemistry and Marine Chemistry, University of Hamburg German) at November 1984 and Prof. D Eisma, Josef Kazmierczak (Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences Polandia) at December 1986 and 1995. And than research by Prof. How Kin wong and Uwe Selge at 1986.

At the assumption this phenomena cause sea water to get on lake that early time is Satonda caldera at two thousand pre masehi. This water in to there is erupt effect Tambora mountain at 1815 ago. This is can be proof from to fall part at this lake. Guess of to drive through the sea water at south part lake as tall as ten meters.

And depth of this lake about fifteen to sixty-nine meters. This water is so clear. About salt this water has different, at level on water 22, 8 meter salt is ninety percent as compared to sea water and at fifty meters depth the salt more than sea water at that is until 108 to 117 percent.

At this sea many flying fish, dolphin and at island many deer. This island known have Kalibuda tree which get poison rubber. This rubber can make blind the eyes. The Kalibuda tree believed as sacred tree at local people.
This tree believed as dreams tree because in the branch many dreams to hope. Many people believe if they to hang their dreams by rock at the branch, it is make cam true. Near from this tree any scared grave some one that believed had disappear.

Security of there is Letnan Muda I (purn) Pudjadi R that to identify oneself as Laksamana Sudomo’s friend and at one group with General Susilo Sudarman (ex minister of Soeharto government). In this tree Sudomo had hung dream rock also.

For natural lover Satonda is good view from the hill. For climber fans can climb mountain side. Many activities other can do it like forest that has many botany collections. For scientists that research field.
According vice of mining department office at NTB Heryadi Rachmat, Satonda Island has tree fossils (precambrium) that older. That is special magnet for many people came in. At special leaflet print by Geologist board of Indonesia at NTB, Satonda is Volcano Island that appear from one thousand meter depth. This lake look like eight number, diameter of big caldera at south part is 950 meter and at north is 400 meter. This water has temperature 28 C to 39 C with PH 7 up 8. Early this water is neutral and change because tsunami effect when erupt mountain at 1815 ago.

Satonda is magnet destination for tourism object, every week many yacht came in from Bali and Lombok. No body lives in this island. That is for maximal service object. People moved to Labuhan Kenanga Bima.

At north part Satonda to get on gold of three angel at tourism by Dompu tourism department office. Gold of three angel Tamosa are Tambora, Moyo and Satonda which have best tourism object at Sumbawa Island.
At Bimaness version, Satonda is including Bima area. Dompu also claim include Bima area. But this claim argued Dompu government that based Dutch and Dompu kingdom treaty at 1886 and 1905. in this treaty Satonda include as Dompu area.

Actually at 1995, Warsito as NTB governor (this time) has to turn over to Dompu region. This is based consider three aspect like geography, demography and land condition. But Bima representative council (DPRD Bima) reject this fulfillment.

TO SATONDA
Satonda located at Flores Sea about three kilometers from Sanggar area. From Mataram to Satonda must by Dompu region by bus have pay sixty thousand rupiahs. Tariff by bus to Calabahi from Dompu is fifteen thousand rupiahs if get speed boat to cross the sea, carter boat tariff is fifty thousand rupiahs.
Journey to Satonda from Dompu is rather difficult. For came this location must be through rough journey. Because at north Dompu way not yet good. Many hole in the way. From Dompu to Calabahi is as far as 106 kilometers needed more than six hours to get there. That’s way many people by sea to get there.

Source : labuanbajo-flores.com