Rick Cameron, of ISLAND AID ORG. recently announced the purchase of a ship that will support Island Aid's efforts to assist and help residents of mainland and distanced islands in time of need and emergency.

A copy of Rick's recent email can be read here:

 

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Dear Jessan,

Message from Rick & Jane in Padang:

On September 12th & 13th 2007, three mega quakes bracketed the
southern Mentawais generating a tsunami and causing widespread
damage. Since then over 70 quakes of 4.5 or greater intensity have
buffeted the area. Island Aid assisted aid deliveries via partner
NGOs and Government agencies and later using Electric Lamb.
Constrained by the lack of a suitable platform we stepped up our
efforts to find an aid ship. In late September an associate came to
us with a long and complex story about a purchase contract for a
small ship that was in dispute. He offered Island Aid the chance to
take over the contract for a 100GRT GRP vessel, the KM Lautan Megah
(trans: Great Ocean).

KM Lautan Megah during sea trials last week off Luwuk.

Events have unfolded rapidly. Island Aid Director Chris Ranken flew
to Jakarta and on the 8th of October he arrived in Luwuk in Sulawesi
to secure copies of technical documents and to appraise the vessel's
suitability. His report gave us the confidence to commit to sorting
out the legal tangle surrounding the stalled purchase contract. On
the 29th of October, Island Aid's lawyer, Pak Nasdion Chalid signed a
new contract to purchase the Lautan Megah in Surabaya and we agreed
to make the final payment owing to secure the vessel subject to
inspection. Nasdion and I left for Luwuk on the 4th of November to
inspect and sea trial the vessel.

We took possession on the 7th of November and Jane flew to Luwuk on
the 11th to help with modifications. Jane and I arrived back in
Padang on the 21st of November with renovation work well underway and
Lautan Megah in seaworthy condition.

In just 3 months we have raised 25% of our target for funding the
ship. Our target is to raise a total of US$200,000 to cover balance
of purchase, modifications, delivery, docking and equipping the
Lautan Megah for her new role.

Donors to date are:

- Talisman Energy
- Jim Buckee
- Gerard & Loon Dykstra

Jim has just retired from heading up Talisman Energy and we greatly
value his advice and guidance. Gerard will be known to many in
yachting circles in the US. He has been the lead consultant in the
rebuilding of most of the early Americas Cup J Boats including
Elizabeth Meyer's Endeavour II. Gerard's most recent commission was
to design the stunning rig that powers the Maltese Falcon.

These donors and partners have made the acquisition of Lautan Megah
possible and now we would like to cast our net wider and raise the
balance of the funds. Our target is to find an additional 25% by the
26th of December, the anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami that
bought us together to form Electric Lamb Mission. The balance of 50%
we propose to raise by mid February to fund the modification and
equipping of the ship.

Island Aid, as we are now known, now faces an unprecedented situation.

In the face of general paralysis and even complacency displayed by
responsible institutions and inertia among the populations that are
now at greatest risk, we must do all we can to prepare and find
specific solutions for many isolated island communities who now face
real and present danger. In the wake of the recent Mentawai
earthquakes and tsunami, a great deal of reconstruction work lies
ahead.The Mentawai & Telos Islands have some of the worst health
statistics in all of Indonesia.

Early British explorers named the largest island, Siberut, "The Isle
of Goed Fortuin" because of the abundance of natural resources
enjoyed by the islanders. Since discovery by European traders, the
Mentawais & Telos rich timber resources have been exploited by a
succession of colonial interests and local administrations but very
little of the island's wealth has been reinvested in the form of
infrastructure. There are almost no roads, no power grid, two tiny
airstrips, and telecommunications are limited to a few larger towns.
Limited medical facilities are out of reach of the vast majority of
the population. The Mentawai - Telos archipelago stretches for over
320 nm, has a land area 50% greater than Bali and is home to over
100,000 people. Our new mission is clear.

Aceh and Nias proved the effectiveness of our sea bridge concept and
we can now apply what we learned to achieve what others are not
equipped to attempt.

Our strategy to employ a small fuel efficient ship and a fleet of
beach landing boats remains unchanged. The proximity of the Mentawais
and Telos Islands to mainland ports argues for a smaller more nimble
ship than the Batavia and we believe we have found the ideal platform
in Lautan Megah.

We must be flexible and keep administrative overheads to the minimum.
We will now need to employ crew and key staff but we have a clear and
viable plan to not only support the ship operation but to generate a
surplus that can be used for community work in the region.

Our focus in modifying the new ship will be to accommodate medical
and first responder teams as well as carry as much hand loaded aid as
possible. Once we have established the service and have a settled
cash flow, we will investigate other vessels for heavy cargo work.
Lautan Megah's passenger accommodation space, deck cargo and fuel
capacity are more than adequate for the role we envisage in the
Mentawai/Telos area.

To make an online contribution please visit our website -
http://www.island-aid.org - and click the 'donate' buttons.

Supporters open to a more 'hands-on' long term involvement may make
a 'soft investment' in the company we will establish to own the
Lautan Megah. Soft investors may be corporations, individuals or
groups who are able to make a minimum commitment of US$20,000 for a
10 year period interest and dividend free. Our target is to raise
$200,000 from 10 subscribers for shares in the ship-owning company.

This type of 'soft investment' is not a tax deductible donation and
sponsors/soft investors will be offered the option of prominent logo
placement on the ship and on our website. We will work with soft
investors to publish a custom corporate responsibility page featuring
Island Aid activities onboard the ship and in target communities. In
this way corporations or business people can utilize advertising or
corporate responsibility budgets at low long term cost while
conserving their capital.

I am preparing a more detailed proposal for circulation to interested
parties but please feel free to forward this message to anyone you
think may be keen to be involved.

Warm regards

Rick & Jane in Padang


IslandAid operated by ELM
450 Taraval St.San Francisco 94116, USA
+1 415 272 9100
Field OfficeJl Air Manis No 8,Bukit Gado2,Padang, West Sumatra
+62-81363 669997 (mobile1)
+62-81916235107(mobile 2)

+62-751-767888
Skype / AIM :elmaceh
info@island-aid.org
www.island-aid.org

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As I trust you can see by what Rick has written, the areas surrounding Padang are still in jeopardy and continue to need time, attentions and any/all help that you or anyone you know can offer.

As Rick wrote, please forward his message and give/do what you can.

With gratitude and thanks ~

Jessan