BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF MASS TOURISM IN BALI, seaweed farming was the major industry on Nusa Lembongan. Even after the island became a destination for diving and surfing and most residents took jobs in tourism, some families continued to farm seaweed. But when Covid virtually shut down the global travel industry, many on Nusa Lembongan returned to seaweed farming as a last resort.
It's a Hard and Lonely job
It’s hard work for small returns and requires a substantial initial investment. As if that weren’t enough, the farm work can be done only during low tide, no matter what time of day (or night) it occurs. Time and Tide and all that, you know.
An early start in the morning fog
Setting out a new crop
To get started farmers first stake out their plots with long bamboo poles pounded into the mud and connected by rope nets. Pieces of seaweed are tied to the nets about a foot apart and left to grow for three to four weeks when, hopefully, the new crop is ready to be harvested.
Looks like a good crop
A Boatfull of Seaweed
At high tide only the wooden boats and the tops of some of the bamboo stakes are visible but when the tide is out you can see the plots stretching completely across the bay with farmers in conical hats busy at work.
Bringing a basket of seaweed ashore
Cleaning and sorting
We watched this morning as farmers tended their crops in waist-deep water in the early morning fog. Some were tying on new bits of seaweed while others picked mature seaweed from the nets and placed it into narrow wooden boats. Later it will be trundled ashore in bamboo baskets and spread out to dry. Most of the seaweed is bought by Javans to be used as food or as a base for soap and cosmetics.
