Sunday, February 03, 2008 ; 9:47 PM
The rain was relentless, so were we...
There's a new Changi Ferry Terminal, but the bum-boat operators were the same. The boats were the sort that operated on smelly gasoline, really weathered and each had a unique character that spoke of untold adventures on the stretch of sea...
Paid $2 each onboard, with a couple of fishermen, who had their gear and trolleys with em'. A trail of foam bubbled round the boat while it rained lightly...
On shore at Ubin, a drove of secondary school kids milled round the jetty waiting for a trip back. Obviously, the rain prevented them from doing anything more...We sought shelter at one of the rustic stalls, where a kind uncle showed us to a dry table. So we sat with a refrigerated coconut in hand, discussing possible alternatives... but in the end, we rented the bicycles, consulted a map and headed to the eastern part of the island.
Chek Jawa was our destination! The main roads were paved and a breeze to cycle on, but the small trails after that were a bit of a challenge, muddy pools threatened to adorn us in a mud. I wasn't really keen for that type of mud bath. When we reached the end of the trail, we had to park the bicycles and walk the rest on foot, you don't have to lock it, everyone trusts each other there. (really)
Walked about 100m out further, and came upon the information kiosk. Got a map, chatted with the friendly uncle manning the desk and trooped off to explore the conservation of marine life at Chek Jawa.
We passed one of those wells (think 'the ring') - a source of water for the villagers there and into the 'jungle'.
First stop, was the watch tower....
You'll have a pretty amazing view up there... you find yourself taller than the coconut trees and you actually see Johor and Pulau Tekong.
When you stand near the railings and lean out, you actually feel a slight swaying of this tall structure that's supposedly made for the max. weight of 20 persons.
Seagrass at Chek Jawa, a rare sight....
It looks a bit gross but pretty too..
A tree with roots growing up from below,
A tree with roots growing up from below,
they need to air to breathe.
It will be kinda creepy if those roots actually start wriggling.
This is like the hertiage centre where marine species are kept for display in case of high tide... like that day...
Its housed in this really quaint cottage
(imagine worn brick, chimmney)
that's facing the sea
with a long stretch of jetty leading into the sea.
Breath-takingly pretty and the sea-salt breeze out there's super!
If you're lucky, you'll even see the two resident eagles circling the sky.
Ubin is one of the few offbeaten, less travelled parts of Singapore that's still (relatively) untouched by urbanisation.
Perfect for those wanting solitude, adventure and a taste of nature.
xoxoxoxo
Dreaming of a new day ahead!;
Just making my way through the crowd