NYAA - Physical Recreation - Entry 8 - Kayaking Expedition VIII

Entry for Physical Recreation

Kayak Expedition VIII

Participants:
- Calvin
- Edmund
- Seth
- Zhan Liang

Overview:
- Kayak from Changi Beach (Changi Sea Sports Club) to Pulau Ubin
- Used single Dancer kayaks
- Went on sea exploration Pulau Ubin journey
- Passed Pulau Sekudu, Chek Jawa at the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin, Pulau Ubin jetty at the southern tip of Pulau Ubin
- Return journey back to Changi Sea Sports Club
- Completed 8.6 km of mileage in 6.5 hours from 1000 to 1630 hrs

Date: 25/3/2007
Hours completed: 6.5 hours, 1000 to 1630 hrs

We have taken bumboat rides from mainland Singapore to Pulau Ubin for camps and cycling trips several times but we have never kayaked from mainland Singapore to Pulau Ubin before. We thus decided to take on an entirely new and unfamiliar route this time by kayaking from Changi Beach (Changi Sea Sports Club), crossing the sea channel to Pulau Ubin. This expedition will thus provide us with an entirely whole new different kayaking experience.

We met at Changi Sea Sports Club at 1000 hrs, and rented 4 single Dancer kayaks, 4 spray-covers, and 2 lockers. We prepared ourselves for the expedition ahead by changing into our wet attire, placing our bags and belongings into the lockers, adjusting the footrests of our kayaks, packing our lunch and water bottles into our kayaks, taking our buoyancy vests, spray-covers and paddles from 1000 to 1030 hrs. We double-check our planned route with the map and the tide-tables to ensure that our expedition would be smooth sailing. We did some stretching and warm-up exercises for 15 min before launching out to sea. We paddled around the demarcated area, at the same time practising our kayaking techniques such as the bow and stern rudder, and the high and low recoveries, to once again familiarize ourselves with the waters at around Changi. As we are taking on an entirely new and unfamiliar route on this expedition, we also revised capsize and t-rescue drills to prepare ourselves for any capsize situations. After a short break of 10 minutes, we left for Pulau Ubin at about 1155 hrs. We first paddled to the red buoy which marks the sea channel for ships, including large container ships and fishing vessels moving across. It was one of the few times when we were in close proximity with such large ships and vessels. We made sure we were close to each other, and also looked out for all close incoming ships and vessels to have passed, before we started crossing the channel. As the channel is wide, we still consistently looked out for incoming ships and vessels even as we were crossing the channel.

We managed to reach the Pulau Sekudu at about 1215 hrs and continued to kayak up to the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin to visit Chek Jawa. As Chek Jawa was still closed and out of bounds to the public, and also the waters were quite shallow then, we did not kayak too near to the shores of Chek Jawa to prevent killing any of the marine wildlife in the shallow waters. We took a short water break, at the same time appreciating the quiet and peaceful nature and scenery of Chek Jawa and its diverse wildlife. We left Chek Jawa at about 1245 hrs, kayaking to the southern tip of Pulau Ubin, to Pulau Ubin jetty, passing by Pulau Sekudu. We reached Pulau Ubin jetty at about 1330 hrs and beached up at a narrow shore beside Pulau Ubin jetty. We ate our lunch there and also at the same time had a rest, hydrating ourselves, before continuing on our return journey of our expedition back to Changi at about 1430hrs. We had to kayak to Pulau Sekudu before crossing the channel and making our way back to Changi as there is the only nearby available designated crossing route for kayakers kayaking back to or out from Changi.

We reached Pulau Sekudu at about 1500 hrs. As the waters were really shallow, much of the shores of Pulau Sekudu has become visible as compared to the previous expedition when we visited Pulau Sekudu. We thus decided to beach up at Pulau Sekudu, and explore the small island. There is nothing on the island except for rocks, sand and litter left behind by fishermen whom have came to the island to fish. After the short land exploration of the island and a short rest, we continued on the last part of our expedition from Pulau Sekudu back to Changi at about 1520 hrs. Once again, we kayaked to the green buoy which mark the sea channel for ships, made sure we were close to each other, looked out for incoming ships to have passed before crossing the channel. We reached Changi at about 1540 hrs and decided to paddle around the demarcated area, practising our kayaking techniques once again at our own pace till 1600 hrs, before washing up all the equipment and returning them at about 1630 hrs. We bathed, packed up and left Changi Sea Sports Club at about 1645 hrs.