Nias Island Spearfishermen

Sumatra // 2016

Thousands of compressed-air divers fish the coastal waters of Indonesia. Breathing air from primitive compressors through 100m hoses, they pair long dives with short recovery periods, putting them at high risk of decompression sickness.

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“Serenity flowed from the reclining fishermen. The outriggers soporific motion and the evening heat were hypnotic. Wavelets lapped and slapped against the hull, their irregular rhythm an antidote to the even tick of internal timekeeping. Time was untethered, circadian rhythms decelerated, the mind dissolved into the warmth and waves.”