Sungai Lembing is a tin mining town 42 km northwest of Kuantan. Until the 1970s, Sungai Lembing was a major producer of underground tin. Sungai Lembing town developed in the 1880′s when the British set up the tin mining industry, although the history of mining in this area extends much further back. From 1891, the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited, (PCCL), which was under British control, had a 77-year lease to mine the area. PCCL managed the mine from 1906 until its liquidation in 1986 when world tin prices collapsed.
- Source: Sungai Lembing @ Wikipedia

My cousin brother (the one standing to my right) has a day job repairing trucks in Kuantan, but when he isn’t working on the weekends, he would morph into a tour guide, and takes tourists to the Rainbow Waterfall. He recently bought a 4WD, which he uses to drive tourists to the waterfall. He puts on a tarp sheet and installs cushioned seats onto the back of this 4WD before every trip.

We leave at about 6:30 am, in time to catch a glimpse of the sun rising on our way in. The journey to the foot of the waterfall is rather challenging. We needed to cross at least 3 rivers/streams that ordinary non-4WD cannot pass.

After 1.5 hours of a bumpy journey on the 4WD, we arrived at the end of the road. We got off the vehicle, and had to cross a river about 50 meters wide. At times, usually after a heavy rain the night before, the water level in the river rises above the chest, but there are also times when the water level is at a pretty safe hip level.

After crossing the river, we proceeded to hike towards the foot of the waterfall. The hike up takes about 45 minutes, an hour maximum if you stopped to photograph the waterfall or leaves or bugs on the way.

When we got to the top, the rainbow was beginning to rise. My cousin said we were very lucky as there are days when the rainbow isn’t visible (on cloudy days).

We spent about 2 hours at the foot of the waterfall, while my cousin brother and his other guide friend played bartenders/baristas, who only served hot Milo, hot Nescafe and Maggi in a cup :D After taking enough photographs and soaking for long enough in the cold waters, we packed up and left.

We then started descending the hill and after 45 minutes, we arrived at the river crossing. This beautiful rock arrangements were patiently put up by my cousin brother for our enjoyment. It may look like it’s an easy job, but wait till you try your hands at it! :D

Notes:
If you would like to go to the Rainbow Waterfall and would like to hire my cousin brother as your guide, please call Ah Teck (阿德) at 019 – 944 6167. He speaks only Mandarin, Hakka, Cantonese and Malay. You may tell him that you got his phone number from his cousin sister (表妹), Ah Nyok (阿玉), yeah, that’s me :D

One of our first public outreach projects is a Turtle Discovery Trip, which will be offered in the four weekends in May. We put together this program to give the public an introduction to the different turtles in Malaysia, the research and conservation project carried out by TCS in Kemaman, as well as an opportunity to watch sea turtles nest.

This trip is priced at RM 180 per person, and TCS members as well as children/youth below 18 years old are entitled to a 20% discount.

The trip includes:

• A visit to the Turtle Sanctuary in Cherating, where you could read some posters, check out some preserved/dry exhibits and buy some souvenirs, if you wished;
• A visit to the River Terrapin Conservation Project, where you would be briefed about the work that TCS is carrying out with the cooperation of the local villagers; and
• An opportunity to watch sea turtles nest.

Newly-emerged river terrapin hatchlings. © Chen Pelf Nyok.

Not included in the trip are:

• Your transport from KL/elsewhere to Cherating/Kemaman
• Accommodation in Cherating/Kemaman
• Meals while in Cherating/Kemaman

For your convenience, following are a few hotels in/around Kemaman. As there are various types of rooms available, you are advised to make your own hotel arrangements.

• Awana Kijal Beach Spa and Golf Resort (09 – 864 1188)

• Hotel Home2 Kemaman (09 – 858 2333)
• 
River Garden Hotel Kemaman (09 – 859 6337)
• 
Sri Kemaman Inn (09 – 859 1511)
• 
Villa Homestay Kemaman (09 – 858 1919)

This post is cross-posted on the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia’s website:
Join our Turtle Discovery Trip!

Notes:

• There are approximately 289 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises in the world, of which 18 species are native to Malaysia. Two species are listed as “Critically Endangered” and on this trip, you will be able to get up close with one of them.
• Four species of sea turtles nest in Malaysia, i.e. Leatherback turtles, Green turtles, Hawksbill turtles and Olive Ridley turtles. On this trip, you will witness the nesting process of a Green turtle.

P/S: I took my Mum, Aunt and two cousins on the Turtle Discovery Trip in July 2011, and they loved it. Check out some photo here.

When I started blogging in 2005, and bought my own domain in 2006, I didn’t know how long I would be doing this. It could be a few years, or a few decades, I didn’t know. I still don’t, though.

In the beginning, I was enthusiastic (and perhaps very free too) that I wrote at least one post in two or three days. Then I went back to school to get my Master’s degree, and that was when I tried very hard to restrain my words. I remember going through a pretty rough patch in the university but I couldn’t blog about it, hence as time passes by, I have learned to censor myself (though I wished I hadn’t!).

And now, I am going back to school once again, hopefully for the last time, and I am suddenly motivated to continue blogging, mostly due to this bunch of Twitter friends on #phdchat who encourage and support one another throughout our ups and downs. I couldn’t ask for a more responsive support team!

I digressed.

So anyway, just wanted to let you know that I have just renewed chenpn.com for another year, which means that you’d still be seeing me around.

Do drop by and say Hi if/when you read this :D

Cheers!

First of all, there was this group of very dedicated villagers (who called themselves the Terrapin Gang) who had been very helpful. Before the terrapin nesting season started, they went to the nesting bank and erected a campsite for us to work and sleep in. They were sensitive enough to give us girls (Hannah, my volunteer, and I) half the tent, whereas the 6 of them shared the other half. Our side of the tent had some (sand) padding underneath the canvas sheet, and it never leaked during heavy thunderstorm (which we experienced quite a few times).

Photo credit: Hannah Xavier

Photo credit: Hannah Xavier

Secondly, there was this God-sent student volunteer called Hannah. Hannah is a sweet young thing from KL who aspires to be a Marine Biologist “when she grows up.” Aww.. How cool is that right? So Hannah was there in the field with me since Day-2, and I must say that I thank the Gods and angels for sending her, because she not only kept me sane, she was a fast learner who picked up the necessary skills and knowledge as we went :D And guess who else joined me? Shayna, my senior in university, whom I never met on campus! :D

Thirdly, there were these amazing river terrapin nesters. You know, the adult river terrapins that came up the nesting bank to lay their eggs :D I microchipped all of them, except for those that left the nesting bank immediately whenever lightning stroke. Some of them came up once, some twice. Some of them laid their eggs in only one hole, some in two holes, and some in three holes!

Photo credit: Hannah Xavier

There was a nester with a missing hind leg (she did not manage to lay any eggs) and there was nester with a deformed front leg.

Last but not least, the eggs. THE EGGS. We managed to secure more than 1,000 river terrapin eggs during the short nesting season. We are still very upset that more than 50 eggs were stolen but I am still very pleased that we touched the 1,000-egg mark.

Photo credit: Hannah Xavier

I feel that the nesting season had ended a little too soon. Forty days. But I am thankful for all that had happened. Thank you, God, for looking after me :D

More pictures of the project can be viewed here.

My sincere appreciation also goes to:

• Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund for the research grant.
• Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia for the opportunity to lead this project.
• CIMB Foundation for sponsoring 300 pieces of ProID microchips.
• Prof. Zubaid Akbar Mukhtar Ahmad (my main Supervisor, UKM) for sponsoring some field equipments, including a GPS, stainless steel and digital calipers.
• John Wade (MicrochipID Systems, USA) for sponsoring a microchip scanner.
• District and Land Office of Kemaman for gazetting three nesting banks along the Kemaman River as reserves.
• Perhilitan for putting up the Warning signboards on the nesting banks along the Kemaman River.
• Hannah Xavier and Shayna Sapri for volunteering their time for the project.
• The “Terrapin Gang” — Wazir, Perik, Zul, Dollah, Din, Nasir and Rosli — for being so enthusiastic about the project, and for providing the much-appreciated laughters on a daily basis.
• Individuals who have helped and motivated me in any way, you know who you are <3

We have also had four nests (with a total of 42 eggs) stolen from under our noses! The villagers made a police report and I have also alerted the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) about it, and efforts have been taken to ensure that no eggs would ever be stolen until the end of season.

Every day after dinner, we would drive to the village and together with a few villagers who call themselves the “terrapin gang,” we would then proceed to the nesting bank by a 7-minute motorbike ride, and followed by a short boat ride. We would arrive at the nesting bank at about 8:30 pm but most terrapins would only ascend the nesting bank at about 10 pm.

To keep ourselves from falling asleep while waiting for the terrapins, sometimes we munch on snacks, sometimes we chit-chat, and sometimes we play poker cards! But once a terrapin is sighted on the nesting bank, we would sit still and whisper instead of talking loudly, in order to not disrupt the terrapin’s nesting process.

Oh and speaking of playing cards, I stumbled upon this Cheekybingo site where you can, apparently, win some money while you play for free! Which reminds me of those days after my UPSR exams when I would play Bingo with my classmates. We would write the numbers 1 to 25 (in five columns and five rows) on a piece of paper and take turns to call out a number. Every number that has been called out would be cut, and the person who has five numbers cut either horizontally, vertically or diagonally would win the game :D

I digressed.

I know, I should get back to sorting and analyzing the data that I have accumulated in the field in the past two weeks before they get too much and complicated, LOL.