Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo)
After eight weeks of travelling and many wonderful experiences, I finally reached my ultimate destination.
It's only right that I should open this section of the blog with one of my (hundreds of !) shots of the star character(s).
I've been captivated by Orangutans for as long as I can remember and more recently, the well documented research, conservation and protection work of people like Birute Galdikas, Gary Shapiro and the Orangutan Republik Foundation has just inspired me and fuelled my enthusiasm.
Without their work and dedication it simply wouldn't be possible for me to do what I'm about to do.
Their interference and lobbying of governments and captains of industry have largely halted the depletion of the rainforests in Borneo and provided a safer future for the indigenous species.
Without their work and dedication it simply wouldn't be possible for me to do what I'm about to do.
Their interference and lobbying of governments and captains of industry have largely halted the depletion of the rainforests in Borneo and provided a safer future for the indigenous species.
For me, this is the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition to actually be near these wonderful creatures
and to be able to observe them in their natural habitat.
Day 1 - Pankalanbun / Kumai / Tanjung Puting National Park.
I've enjoyed every last second of the past 8 weeks but this is the day I've always been waiting for. I can't help worrying that, because everything so far has gone so well, the "Grand Finale" with my beloved Orangutans might end up being a bit of an anti-climax.
I really needn't have worried, this next five days exceeded anything I had experienced so far !
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| Arrival at Pankalanbun Tuesday June 4th |
Using Trigana airways, I flew from Jakarta to Pankalanbun in the south east corner of the Island
(I hadn't realised that Borneo is the 3rd largest island in the world !)
I had no idea at the time but I was so lucky. Trigana only have one plane to provide the daily service between Jakarta and Pangkalanbun and two days after my flight one of its' windscreens cracked on take off forcing it to return to Pankalanbun for repairs.
For the rest of the week all Trigana flights to Pankalanbun were cancelled.
And the plane was still on the tarmac under repair when I returned 5 days later.
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| Saturday June 8th Just fitting new windscreen ! |
The only other airline flying this route is Kalstar who were fully booked.
If I hadn't left on the Tuesday flight the Borneo tour would have had to be cancelled !
If I hadn't left on the Tuesday flight the Borneo tour would have had to be cancelled !
My luck continued ... because of timings on my last day
I had been booked to fly to Jakarta with Kalstar not Trigana ... saved again !
Pankalanbun airport is really just an airstrip in the old rain forest but they do at least now have a new terminal building.
I had been booked to fly to Jakarta with Kalstar not Trigana ... saved again !
Pankalanbun airport is really just an airstrip in the old rain forest but they do at least now have a new terminal building.
It's a 25 minute drive to the port of Kumai where I will join my boat (klotok).
This is Kumai "high street" and Dian who will be my guide for the week.
And this is the klotok, my home for the next 5 days.
and actually bigger than I expected.
Toilet and wash house are at the back, no plumbing, just buckets over the side for river water !
Then galley and engine room, crew living quarters and wheelhouse at front.
Old Geezer lives on top in the open bit.
There are tarps all round that you can roll down if it rains !
( and fortunately it didn't !)
On the left is my "home" during the day
And on the right is my "home" at night complete with floral mosquito net !
Left : "Old Geezer"
forward observation post !!
Right : The Crew
Clockwise from back
Dian (Guide)
Yadi (Captain)
Seeti (Cook)
Sony (Crew)
Leaving the industrial port of Kumai on the Kumai river we chug downstream for 2 kms and then turn north and east on to the Sekonyer river and into the Tanjung Puting National Park.
Good attributes for survival but not for photography !!
Another endangered species, these hilarious proboscis monkeys are only found here in Borneo.
This route follows the trail of the original research teams back in the early 70's so after about 20kms up the Sekonyer river we arrive at the landing stage for "1st Camp " as it's reasonably known.
In all there is 1st Camp, 2nd Camp and finally Camp Leakey which is still today the main base for research.
Each camp has its' landing stage and there are miles of wooden boardwalk built to facilitate easy movement above the swamps.
After no more than a couple of minutes walking into the rainforest there was a huge crashing of foliage and branches on our left.
This is not the best photograph I have ever taken but ....
... it's the very first Orangutan I saw in the Borneo rainforest.
Breathtaking, heartstopping and,
I don't really like the word but, awesome !!
About 4'6" tall and (Dian said) 40 - 50 kgs
She'd come to see what we were up to and to show us her baby.
She settled herself just a couple of metres away from us and, after I had had time to recover my senses and stop shaking, I took the photo. that I used at the beginning of this blog.
The Old Geezer is like a little boy who's having all his christmases in one week !
Orangutan translates to "people of the forest"
"Tiny utan" is about 1 yr. old
Meanwhile back at the klotok ...
Seeti is hunched up in the galley with a V6 diesel engine for company preparing tonights supper !
I have no idea how she manages but she prepares the most wonderful meals in what can only be described as "very basic" conditions.
Masterchef contenders don't know they're born !
The Old Geezer will tonight enjoy fried chicken, shrimps, stir fry vegetables, sticky rice and a plate of fresh pineapple.
Much as I protest, the crew insist that I am "important guest" and decline my invitations to eat with me.
They provide me with 2 candles and retire to eat below deck.
After supper, Dian, Sony and sometimes Yadi come up and sit on deck with me for a chat about anything and everything.
And then before bed I watch yet another beautiful sunset
and listen to the glorious rainforest orchestra.
Tonight we have cicadas on violin,
Macaque and Proboscis monkeys in the horn section
and I'm not sure who or what exactly is on percussion !
I just hope they wait until morning before introducing themselves !!
I'm going to lay inside my floral mosquito net and enjoy. See you tomorrow !
