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history as pirates, raiders, and shady dealing and are believed by some to have mystical powers. The closest fishing kampung (village) to Pulau Mantanani is Illanun
but it was my best bet for sourcing a boatman and boat.
At the Illanun kampung, I found a boatman willing to take me out to Pulau
Mantanani for a fair price. That was easy, I thought with relief, but as we pushed off
four other guys jumped aboard! I’m a fit guy, 6′2″ and former US Marine, but this
was worrisome. It is common for a boatman to bring along one helper but four was
very unusual. As it turned out, my worries were unfounded. The Illanun boatman
and extra crew were a great help, far more interested in joining a Science Expedisi
than stealing my dubious worldly goods or head. My ancient, battered backpack
probably gave them a clue that I was no rich tourist. I completed surveys of all the
islands and we returned to the Illanun kampung safely despite stormy, rough seas on
the return trip.
Lost in Translation
Clues to northern and eastern Sabah’s sea-level history are preserved in the uplifted
fossil coral terraces on Pulau Balambangan and around Semporna (Fig. 5.3). Part of
my work in the Kudat area of northern Sabah involved the survey of two large
Fig. 5.15 Large crocodile on the Lupar River in western Sarawak, Borneo. Crocodiles are abundant in Borneo rivers and are man eaters. (Image by Peter R. Parham)
5 A Different Kind of Sea-Level Story from Malaysia
history as pirates, raiders, and shady dealing and are believed by some to have mystical powers. The closest fishing kampung (village) to Pulau Mantanani is Illanun
but it was my best bet for sourcing a boatman and boat.
At the Illanun kampung, I found a boatman willing to take me out to Pulau
Mantanani for a fair price. That was easy, I thought with relief, but as we pushed off
four other guys jumped aboard! I’m a fit guy, 6′2″ and former US Marine, but this
was worrisome. It is common for a boatman to bring along one helper but four was
very unusual. As it turned out, my worries were unfounded. The Illanun boatman
and extra crew were a great help, far more interested in joining a Science Expedisi
than stealing my dubious worldly goods or head. My ancient, battered backpack
probably gave them a clue that I was no rich tourist. I completed surveys of all the
islands and we returned to the Illanun kampung safely despite stormy, rough seas on
the return trip.
Lost in Translation
Clues to northern and eastern Sabah’s sea-level history are preserved in the uplifted
fossil coral terraces on Pulau Balambangan and around Semporna (Fig. 5.3). Part of
my work in the Kudat area of northern Sabah involved the survey of two large
Fig. 5.15 Large crocodile on the Lupar River in western Sarawak, Borneo. Crocodiles are abundant in Borneo rivers and are man eaters. (Image by Peter R. Parham)
5 A Different Kind of Sea-Level Story from Malaysia