Sarawak River Cruise on second Day of 2011

Early on the morning of 2 January, five of us, self-declared as 'Hang Lima Sekawan' [The Five Friends], assembled at Pengkalan Sapi jetty in front of the State Governor's Palace. A decent high powered boat belonged to Sarawak Rivers Board was ready to ferry us up and down the Sarawak River. The weather was gloomy but with God's grace the sky cleared the moment we took off from Pengkalan Sapi with two excellent skippers. With its twin 115 horsepower engines we chose to go upriver first. We managed to spot one alligator sunbathing on the right bank of the river. One of us managed to take the photograph of the reptile. By almost noon we reached the 'Green Astana' [our newly created terminology referring to the residence of the Chief minister, which means 'Green Palace']. By then it started to rain and we instructed the skipper to return to our original starting point.

The boat that ferried us

Part of the Sarwak River just below Batu Kawah Bridge

Also part of Sarawak River

Some anglers enjoying themselves with their hooks

Water catchment near Batu Kitang

   

My first day of 2011

I welcomed the first day of 2011 by taking part in photograph mentoring organised by the Sarawak Photo Arts Society. Some not less than 20 of us armed with cameras took as many photos as we liked of the two pretty models. I used the Nikon D3 DSLR camera and took more than 100 shots. It was a real fun day. At night we assembled at the Society's House to have our photos reviewed an commented upon by our experience mentor. 

Nikon D3 I used

One of the models

Also one of the models

Not all was lost

As early as 7.30AM my three friends and I were already standing at the jetty of Kampong Samariang Batu ready with our cameras waiting for some crocodiles to surface. In fact a day earlier two of the four of us were at the same jetty and later went paddling along the river hoping to bump into some of these reptiles. But luck was not with them as shortly after they left the jetty, the village folks sighted a crocodile mercilessly caught and dined on a monkey that was taking a stroll along the river bank just opposite the jetty.

After hours of waiting none of the reptiles surfaced. Later I asked one of the village folks, who was busy cleaning his net, when would the crocodiles surface. He said normally the crocodiles would surface every day or every alternate day during high tide in threes or fours at one time. No wonder none surfaced as at the material time the water was low.

Quite disappointing to the four of us. But then not all was lost. Instead of the crocodiles our cameras were aimed at the eagles and other birds and also other things that we considered subjects of interest. One of them was the rare portrait of Queen Elizabeth II hanging on the wall of a humble canteen next to the jetty.

Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

(Looking at the picture I believe it was taken not too long after Her Majesty's Coronation in 1952) 

Some of the boats ready to take hirers to the sea or a stroll along the river

 The humble canteen ever ready to serve customers.    

The man whom I talked to about the crocodiles of the river