Sandakan, E Malasia (N E Borneo) 2 Feb 09
Arrived here Saturday morning from KL with no problems, spent the rest of the day wandering around Sandakan. The town was razed during the war and rebuilt afterwards with blocks of flats and shops at street level in a grid system. Now nearly 60 years old they are looking rather the worse for wear. However there is a very large central market, a concrete building covering maybe 1 acre. It is a busy bustling place, and at one end, a wet fish section with the biggest fish you can imagine, all shapes and colours. I think this might turn out to be the most interesting place in the town! Found the Sepilok Adventure Shop and booked myself on 3 tours.
Sunday, collected at 9am for boat ride to 'Turtle Island'. The 'speed boat' was an extremely basic affair, not really suited to even the moderately rough seas we encountered in the Sula sea, but the 9 of us stoically survived the 1 hour 'ride'. After checking into room on 'turtle' island (actually Selingan Island), we had the rest of the day to ourselves. What can you do on a sandy tropical island with palm trees and warm blue sea all around? So we just had to swim and lie on the beach and read books all day. I went snorkeling but saved the 5 pounds hire fee by using my goggles. Just as well as there wasn't much to see, just a few solitary fish, there were more fish off the Phuket beach, shoals of them there. Walked all around the island, a beautiful place, then lunch which was white rice with chicken and greens, very good. Fell asleep on the beach in the afternoon in the shade of a ground level palm tree, then evening meal, rice and fish and greens also very good. Then a long wait before being taken down to the beach at 10pm by a Ranger. Didn't waste this time though, chatted with 2 girls from Estonia (a civil servant and an accountant!), a couple from Manchester(event organisers), an American couple and 2 girls from Bridgend and Sussex.
The management and organisation of the 3 islands here, where Green and Hawksbill Turtles lay their eggs, is well structured and sophisticated. Every turtle that comes to the beach is tagged and logged. Its eggs are counted and removed to be re-buried in a hatchery where they and the hatchlings are protected from predators, such as rats and birds and humans (turtle eggs are still openly available in some countries markets). The hatchlings from each turtle's clutch of eggs are counted, there is an 80% success rate. Then the hatchlings are released in bunches on the beach near the sea, avoiding the perilous journey from the nest across the beach. Sadly, a very small percentage survive to adulthood, but the work of the Rangers must be having some effect to help these endangered species.
We were taken by the Ranger to see a turtle laying her eggs in the hole she had dug, an incredible sight. She was big (the turtle), over a metre long and nearly as wide. The Ranger scooped the eggs out into a bucket. When she had finished, the turtle pushed sand back to cover the (empty) hole. We left her to rest before making her dummy hole (to fool predators) and shuffle back to the sea.
Next we watch the Ranger bury the eggs in the hatchery, in a hole marked with the date, turtle ID and number of eggs (73 in this clutch). Lastly we go down to the shore to watch that evening's hatchlings being released, they are funny to watch as they waddle the few feet down the sand into the sea. Again, an incredible sight.
Bed at 11pm, up for breakfast this morning at 6.30, on the 'speedboat' for another hour's torture at 7, back in hotel in Sandakan at 8.30, then went back to sleep again! The whole thing a memorable experience.
Orang-utans tomorrow, All the Best, John
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