Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Camping at Kuala Niah


Where we were over the weekend, camped 2kms from the rivermouth, along the sandbar of Kuala Niah. The red arrow pointing to the direction of flight of flying foxes spotted that day. Map by GoogleEarth, Track by Musa Musbah.

It was drizzling all the way from where we left off, by the time we reached Kuala Niah, it was still raining. We waited by the shore knowing fully well the stories of the notorious crocodiles of Sg Niah ... eager to get out of the rain, ever so keen to cross Sg Niah. It was still raining then. All eyes were nervously focussed on any little log floating downstream with the landas as we boarded the tiny sampan.

By the time the boat arrived, after we safely made the crossing it was still raining. We then started walking on the sandy beach of Kuala Niah, the rain still hadn't let up. In fact it rained the whole day that day till we reached our first campdubbed "The Hilton". This was way back in December 2008 during our Coastal Long Walk.

I wanted to go back to Kuala Niah and camped on the beach in sunny weather in December, almost assured even then that there would be one glorious sunny day when we'd be back on it's shores.

Sure enough the drive out to the junction from Bekenu was all sunshine unlike how it was 2 years ago almost exactly. By the time we passed the little rickety wooden bridge adjoining the oxbow lake however, it started drizzling. Dark clouds were looming over from the South West. It looked to be another December wet camp-out on Kuala Niah, how "unexpected"!

And it did rain, buckets full by 6pm ... those who stayed behind to cook dinner were soaked. Rit, Erny and Nazeri were happily running around cleaning the 4 siakaps, mixing spices, moving items to less wet zones, keeping the fire going and keeping rain out of the coffee pot. All at the same time.

Those on the boat soaked to their skins too.

It was all but a half hour downpour just before sunset. By the time the rain stopped, we've the table laid, full to the brim with dinner items : steamed siakaps, grilled siakap, siakap masak asam and siakap singgang. These complemented by steamed squid, kelupis and lemang specially brought in for the occasion.

The folks who went on the boat trip came back in time for a steaming dinner of all the above mentioned items. Tall tales of giant sized flying foxes flying overhead in the thousands were related excitedly over dinner.

It was great camping from then onwards. Clear skies with gazillion stars overhead, the moon was a bit late but it did come around by 10pm. Gentle breeze filled the air, the only noise was muffled conversations around the roaring campfire. Kids were busing running around chasing the waves well into the nite.

And then more twinkling stars appeared in the clear nite skies. That made it worth all the rain earlier ... fantabulous!

The splendid weather continued till mid afternoon the next day.


Our campsite under the young casuarinas, the exact entry point to the Niah-Camp1 leg of the December LongWalk 2008.


A muted sunset on Kuala Niah beach, not unlike the one we saw back then either.


The after dinner lull at the campsite.


A male Olive-backed Sunbird found roosting a low branch at the Kuala Niah sandbar.


A female Olive-backed Sunbird on another low branch along the trail on the sandbar. Other birds seen was a pigeon sp. and owl sp. No crocodiles were spotted along the the water's edge ... there was a close call that turned out to be a large log flopping about in the water.


2am Cloud and stars above the pounding waves.


Campers fast asleep outside their tents.


Pre-dawn morning lite with sparkling stars.


View from under the tent as a new day approaches.


The next day along the shores of Kuala Niah holds promises of another great weather day.

Words and images by Nazeri Abghani.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Kuala Niah Nite for Christmas


It rained suddenly late afternoon on Saturday just before sunset, the rest of the weekend was splendid weather. Coupled with fresh siakap cooked on the open fire in a variety of dishes, pulut bakar (thanks Liew and crew from Batu Niah) and kelupis (thanks Anura and Kak Rose); it was an excellent Christmas weekend outdoors lulled by the contant roar of the waves of South China Seas; and the breeze was sepoi-sepoi bahasa.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Aisya's Catch at Bkt Kluang


Irfan landed the first fish a tiny buntal, notorious in such waters.


Aisya with her catch of the day. We come here without fail everytime we are back for the holidays ... this is where we had our last picnic with Tok Wan.

Chestnut-breasted Malkoha in Bekenu



Driving along the kampong road towards Bekenu we stumbled upon this fresh specimen by the roadside, early morning traffic casualty no doubt. Looks as if he's just sleeping with eyes open.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Mala and Hatta : My two hopelessly romantic friends







The session was held at Kpg Batu Satu beach even before their 2 year old son was born, when Mala was still carrying. The images did see the light of day when I took it out of the tank after I first developed them.

To my hopelessly romantic friends ... apologies for my long gestation period!

I need someone to pen an ode to romantics to accompany this piece ... anyone?

Mamiya RB67, 180/4.5 KL on Neopan 400 in Rodinal 6:30min 28 deg C ... must have been the last batch I shot, and developed! Film imaged on Sony SLT-33 on a lightbox, inverted, channel mixed, contrast adjusted to taste on PS.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Island Folks on Neopan 400





Neopan 400, Rodinal at 1:50, 6.30min at 28 deg C.

Twin Towers by Night on Neopan 400







Neopan 400 on Rodinal 1:50, 11mins at 18 deg C. Images were taken September 2006, left to ripe till now. Negatives photographed on SLT-33, inverted, channel mixed on PS, adjust layer and contrast to taste with unsharp mask.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Lutong Mangroves on Neopan 400

Images taken way back in March 2008 during an outing at Lutong swamps with some friends. While everybody else were showing off their images minutes after the outing, mine only managed to be scanned only just.

Images were made with Mamiya RB67 with 180/4.5 KL on Neopan 400. Developed with Rodinal 1:50 at 7:30mins at 24 deg C.











These isn't traditional B & W in the true sense of the word: negs were recaptured using Sony SLT-33 with 55mm on a lightable, channel-mixed on PS (60:14:26), levels and contrast adjusted to taste, unsharp mask.

This seems like a good do-it yourself proofing work-flow I can do myself quickly ... should use a macro lens and a tripod next ala copy-work.


Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Pandanus detail on Neopan 400


1st roll for 2010!

Last entry on Developing Logbook No. 1 :
NC12-Mala6 made 12-04-2008. Neopan 400 on Rodinal 1:50 mix at 25 degrees C.

First entry on Developing Logbook No. 2 :
NC1-Lambir made 07-12-2010. Neopan 400 on Rodinal 1:50 mix at 18 degrees C.

Gheesh how time flies ... which means that it was 2 years and 8 months ago since I last developed any films. Thanks to Danish for mixing up the new chemicals while he was here the other day.

There are 15 rolls of 120 films waiting to be developed from 2007, 2008, 2009 and 12 from most recent outings in Nov/Dec 2010; with almost the same number on 35mm only God knows from when and where!

Monday, December 6, 2010

KK Wetlands Sanctuary


People, lets go waterbird n wetland habitats surveying in Sarawak this Jan and Feb

KK Wetlands Sanctuary


MNS BCC-Waterbirds Group receives Shell Sustainable Grant 2011

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Breaky


In sunny kk

Weekend Images


Night time of Peliau Beach, end of day Saturday.


Peliau bashed by the incoming tide, incessantly.


Rocks and clouds at Kuala Nyalau at the beachfront.


Bornean mahogany enjoying the expansive vista of Kuala Nyalau beachfront basking in the mid morning sun. You would've thought with such wholesome view it would've lived that little bit longer.


Swirling water remnants of waves that clambered up with the rising tide.


A rock which is a part of the Peliau Cliff left to fend for itself on the beach facing the big bad waves on a daily basis, early Saturday morning.

Tusan Cliffs. It was a rising tide so we didn't bother scrambling down. Much of the sandstone material has already been eroded over the years, biggest beating during the landas season.


Sg Tusan, what was a quiet little river completely inundated at high tide Friday evening.

Nazeri Abghani/Dec 2010

Chinese temple


Chrome on black

Chinese temple


On m3 cv35 skopar

Temple


Chasing redemption