Explore Mangrove Forest of Sungei Khatib Bongsu at High Tide

It was a beautiful day in the morning of March 24th, 2024. It was one day before the full moon for the last moon phase, and high tide at Sungei Khatib Bongsu was around 11am, perfect for a morning kayak into the mangrove forest there.

We launched our inflatable kayak Emma into Johor Strait from Sembawang Park shortly after 9am. The sky was clear, blue sky, rising tide. We paddled toward Sungei Khatib Bongsu, into the the direction of Sun.

The water was surprisingly clear and green. A few white bellied fish eagles glided overhead near the mouth of Sungei Simpang. We also spotted a couple of great billed herons. 

white bellied fish eagle

a great billed heron perched on a bare branch

After about 45 minutes, 3km, we reached the mouth of Sungei Khatib Bongsu. 

What a difference the high tide made. Eight months ago, we kayaked to Khatib Bongsu on a a Sunday morning as well, but at low tide. The bottom of side branches of the Sungei were exposed, the mangrove swamps were inaccessible.

The swamps of mangrove were drained at low tide

underwater old concrete was exposed at low tide

This time, the mangrove swamp was flooded, with about 5 feet water depth. With peak of the high tide still about an hour to come, we had plenty of time to explore the maze of the mangrove swamp at Khatib Bongsu.

the entrance to the first branch of the Sungei into mangrove

looking out from the first branch

We were armed with goPro

We also spotted a eagle nest along this branch.

A eagle nest near the top of the tree in the middle

The greenery was soothing to the eyes... the green water, and the green mangrove. The tranquility and solitude were frequently interrupted by the chorus of bird songs, especially those of colored kingfishers unique chirps, as well as their occasional flying over use. The sight of colored king fishers flying in front us under the bright sunshine highlighted their bright blue plumage and their white collars!

       The chorus of birds chirps at Khatib Bongsu

Knowing that the mangrove swamp has several navigable branches (from checking google Satellite map), and that a lot of places were reachable between mangroves, we took the approach of staying on the left hand side each branch, and paddle to the furthest, we eventually came out of the typically U shaped branch, see our paddling trail map in the swamp below, we paddled in 5 branches, and missed 1, at mile maker 7

The navigable branches in the mangrove swamp

Paddling in the mangrove was really thrilling, we had to squeeze by narrow passages a few times, we wondered a couple time if we could get lost in the mangrove maze between mile markers 5 and 6.

Our big yellow kayak Emma was very eye catching, even for birds. 

One time, we startled a great billed heron - which perched on a mangrove tree branch and we did not see it until it took off, and landed on another tree 20-30 meters ahead. As we got closer it took off again. This happened 3 times. On the 3rd time, it flew into the woods, and we did not see it again along this branch of the Sungei. This come and go happened to a sand dipper as well.

We saw a Osprey a couple times, which we mistook as an eagle initially. As we paddled along a wide branch, I spotted a bigbird on the bare top of a tree, we turned on goPro as we approached the tree. As expected, the big bird took off when we were getting closer. That's when I positively saw its brownish plumage under the Sun, and white head with a back patch. It was an Osprey. The bird was too far away for the goPro, it was a dot in the video. Fortunately I took a few pictures and made a movie out of it.

We paddled 10 km already when we left Khatib Bongsu. We were tired, so we beached the kayak at a sandbar at the mouth of Sungei Simpang (mile marker 11), and rest for a while, I got off the kayak and walked around for a few minutes.

In the end, we paddled 13.5 km, in nearly 4 hours.

It was a tiring but very pleasant bird watching and kayaking adventure

Notes

A. protection from UV

1. We wore Sun sleeves and leggings to prevent Sun burn.

2. We brought some snacks and bottles of water - a must for long distance kayaking.

3. Need apply sunscreen again on exposed areas after a couple of hours under the Sun. I did not do so and got some Sun burn on my nose tip. 

B. Beach the kayak

Always make the kayak perpendicular to the beach when park it at the beach, otherwise waves can crash in or overturn the kayak. When we beached the kayak at Sugei Simpang, the water was very calm, no wave at all. But wind started to blow, wave pushed the kayak beached at an angle to the shore, and made it nearly parallel to the shoreline, and water crashed in, almost overturned it.

C. Fixing stuck paddle

When we tried to disassemble the paddles at the end of the trip, one paddle stuck. Soaking it in the water, shaking it, twisting it, pouring oil  and even heating the stuck junction, nothing worked.

I also tried brute force, tried to use nails to expand the outer tube. It did not work either. In the end, I poured vinegar into the the junction, and the reaction between the calcium containing sand  and the vinegar loosened the junction, and the paddle was disassembled.

This is the first time my paddles got stuck. Why did it happen? How did sand get to the junction?

Two potential causes

1. I placed paddle components on the beach before assembling them, Sand could get into the tube during assembly. 

2. Sand residual at the inside surface of the tube after cleaning. 

sand grains inside the surface a tube after cleaning and drying

To prevent a stuck paddle, clean the inside surface of paddle tubes after cleaning, and not placing the tubes on beaches, and assemble them from the paddle bag.

Walking full circle around Singapore Botanic Garden

Despite walking at the Botanic Garden daily, we walk partially of the garden each time. Yesterday, March 16, 2024, I woke up early and decided to walk to every major point of interests in the garden without repeating my track. In the end, it took me 2 hour 55 minutes to achieve the goal, and the full loop was 11.4km long. I stopped frequently to enjoy a scenery or watch birds, as indicated by the dark blue color in the following tracked trail.

I started tracking my walk right outside my home, which is about 500m from Tangling Gate of the Garden, at 6:45am. It was still dark, nothing much to see but a chorus of bird chirps to hear.

Entering the garden through Tangling Gate, I maintained a steady pace until I reached Swan Lake, marking the first kilometer of my journey. The rising sun cast its gentle light upon a lone swan gracefully gliding across the serene waters.

a flowering tree under morning light

Walking around the lake, and crossing the boardwalk over the Keppel wetland (by mile marker 2), I was on top of the pedestrian bridge over the wetland, enjoying the peaceful surrounding and looking for a chirping bird.

Blooming Kock's Bauhinia (flower) on the rail of the bridge

It was not so easy to locate the female cowbird (?)

It was around 7:15am when I reached HPL Canopy Link, the time Sunrose above the horizon. 

cloud blocked the rising Sun but the light shone through

Canopy starts to form around the bridge

Through the link, I walked into the Gallop extension of the Singapore Botanic Garden. A group was having wedding photo shots by the Forest Discovery Center - the first building one encounters when walking into the extension.

A group having wedding photo shots

Amidst the lush foliage of Gallop Extension, the air was filled with the melodious calls of Yellow-Vented Bulbuls and the distinctive cries of Collared Kingfishers. Long-tailed Parakeets added to the symphony, their vibrant plumage a fleeting glimpse amidst the canopy.

Visual features of yellow vented bulbuls include - yellow bottom, black/white eye patch, collared kingfishers have blue plumage and a white collar, the long tailed parakeets have long tails and green plumage. It was hard to see their colors when sunlight was dimmed by clouds.

A yellow vented bulbul singing from the top of a tree

A collared Kingfisher

A long tail parakeet was about land on a tree branch

Cat's whiskers

A highlight of my journey unfolded amidst the switchbacks northwest of Pangium Restaurant, where the unmistakable calls of oriental pied hornbills resonated through the trees. 

Looking up a few times, I finally located two hornbills, making noises from tree branches near the top of a tall tree, jumping around, and eventually perched on a bare branch, preening and making call alternatively. After a while, they moved apart, and still making loud noises occasionally.  The bird show lasted about 10 minutes until they flew away. Witnessing their playful antics brought a moment of pure delight, a fleeting glimpse into the wonders of nature.

A pair of oriental pied hornbills

Short flight from the tress and then return

can you see a hornbill in this picture?

 

 Afterwards I walked to the Symphony Lake via the Palm Valley Lawn, a pair of pink pigeons on top of a pam tree, and a olive backed sunbird on another tree top caught my eyes.

a sunbird at top of the palm tree

The sunbird in flight

Shaw Symphony Stage and the lawn

Lotus Flowers

The next stop was the evolution garden, which is around mile marker 6 in the trail map. The evolution garden has a landscape of ancient time, with educational signs outline the natural history of the earth. I took a group photo for three tourists before ventured into the garden, enjoyed the tranquility and solitude in the shaded path.

Walking pass the Bee's Knee restaurant,  I ventured into Foliage garden, which has steel mesh for part of its trail. Walking pass the ethnobotany garden, and bamboo garden,  I took a detour to Trellis Garden, before circling around the Echo lake. The lake was in sad state right now, with overgrown water grasses covering a large portion of the lake. The lively bird populations there alleviated my despair. 

A lesser whistling duck ( a new species to me)  flew toward me on the viewing platform on the north side of the lake, and landed in the water near the platform.

A lesser whistling duck in flight

the duck landed in the lake where overgrown water grasses took over

an endearing yellow vented bulbul attracted my attention with its pleasant chirp

Exiting the echo lake area, I walked to the healing garden via the red brick path. On the way I was pleased to hear the sweet song from a magpie robin, and to see a pair bright colored common hill mynahs.

Along the way I encountered a couple of large groups of senior citizens 

magpie Robin

common hill mynah

Instead of exiting the Botanic garden from Nassim gate, my usual route if I get in from Tanglin gate, I passed the Nassim gate, and walked on a path by the Palm valley, on the east side of the Symphony lake, turned on the music player by Chopin's statue, and arrived at the court yard of Orchid Garden. It passed 9am by then, the Orchid garden was open, and free admission for residents for the week. 

I skipped the Orchid garden, and entered the rainforest (the inverted U above the mile maker 10) to complete my grand circle of the botanic garden, and exit from the Tanglin gate from the souvenir store there, where a group people was practicing yoga, and an art exhibit was on in front of the store.

As I concluded my journey, I reflected on the beauty and tranquility that surrounded me, grateful for the opportunity to experience the Botanic Garden in its entirety

A sculpture near rainforest trailhead

yoga practice

Ripples  - art exhibit 

Note

The chirp from Yellow Vented Bulbul is smooth "bubbling" sound, and a collared Kingfisher makes “kek-kek-kek-kek" call. The long tailed parakeets call with a high pitched  “kyeh” sound repeatedly during flight.