TOWARDS the end of the east-wind season, four months ago. After lying idle for two years due to expensive diesel fuel, the Teratai Prima again plied the Samarinda-Parepare route, in both directions. To save fuel, the engine was replaced by another of a smaller capacity.

The new engine—reportedly taken from a Nissan RE10 or CWB 520 dump truck—was indeed capable of powering the Teratai when the Makassar Strait was friendly. However, at the hei