» Kayak away!

New Catch 390 Camo fishing kayak by Mission now here in Malaysia

Keong — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:25:13 +0000

The Mission fishing kayak is value for money and an awesome water ride!

We finally got the delivery of the brand spanking new Catch 390 fishing kayak by Mission of New Zealand. In camo color, this is probably the first in Malaysia and we would like to thank our good friend Mr Najib for making it happen. This is the kayak I (Keong) have always wanted, even back when we got our Swings. Here are some pics of the kayak.

Our new Mission fishing kayak in camo!

This is a Mission 390 fishing kayak in camo and it is now in Malaysia! There are many reasons why I chose this kayak but mostly because I have read really good reviews on the internet plus they are value for money. They come with all the features that I could even need.

The following day upon delivery, we decided to take the two ladies out for a paddle. They have been ‘dry’ for way too long as this is a good reason as any to go for a paddle. We decided to invite a friend who also recently acquired a Mission Surge (2 + 1 seater) kayak, so Stanley came with his family. We of course had Sox with us.

Water ain’t Sox’s stronger side. In fact, it took us some time to get her to even wade through a stream. It would take her some time to realize that the PFD that we got for her will actually keep her afloat. Back at home, Meun was busy coaxing Son to sit on the new kayak.

Meun coaxing Sox to sit on the kayak’s back storage before the actual paddling day

It was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful time paddling at the dam. The Catch 390 is just beautiful. It had ample storage space, rod holders, a spare rod compartment, side pockets etc. I would probably have to do a separate write-up on the features of the kayaks alone. Meun and I took turn to paddle the 390. A heavier kayak compared to the Perception Swing but feels extremely stable and strong. The hatches, side pockets etc were all within reach, a feature I love very much.

Sox on her maiden kayak trip on the Catch 390

Meun paddling away with sox enjoying her new experience

Stanley and his son on the Mission Surge…a really good looking kayak

The made in New Zealand Mission kayaks have been in Malaysia for some time. They offer a range of quality and extremely affordable kayaks for recreational use, fishing enthusiasts right up to institutional use. If you are looking for a quality sit on top kayak in Malaysia, you cannot go wrong with a Mission kayak.

If you are interested to purchase this sit on top fishing kayak by Mission, you can contact the folks at Outdoor Gear Malaysia.

Wild water buffalo on Perak River; Part IV

Keong — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 23:37:01 +0000

Wild buffalos along Sungai Perak

We were told that we may come across wild animals as we paddled down Sungai Perak. We were hoping to see elephants (there has been sightings at some areas along Sungai Perak), we were however greeted by a heard of wild water buffalos. Wild water buffalos along Sungai Perak, who would have thought!

As we approached a particular sandy river bank, under the shade of some trees were some black figures. From far, I thought they were big boulders or rocks. But as we got closer, it was obvious that they were a buffalos. We thought perhaps they belong to local kampung folks but realise none of them had any collars or markings on. Best still, Jim took a look at his printed google earth map and announced that the piece of sandy bar we were staring at is actually an island. No herder in his right mind would drive his buffalos across a river to an island for grazing I reckon.

We paddled passed our new found friends. We did not want to get too close to them or even to startle them. They may launch towards us. Who knows. One of them looks like the alpha bull and its huge horns is enough to tell us its best to stay away.

It wasn’t until later in the day, on our paddle back that we chance upon them again. The weather was turning, the cloud was dark and rain drops starting to dance on the water surface. We weren’t in any danger but the prospect of getting caught in the rain vs a warm cup of milo back at camp is an obvious decision. Around a bend and our paths cross again. This time, the entire buffalo herd is in the water. Not sure if they were just taking a dip of trying to cross over to the other riverbank but their huge heads and horns can be seen clearly.

Meun had her camera in a diving case and took some good shots of them in the water.

The heads and horns of the water buffalos bobbing on the water surface- Pic by Meun

Well, the buffalos were obviously in the water, bloking our paths. We got closer and it did not take long for them to notice our striking yellow, red kayaks. Colors that local villagers would tell you NOT to wear near buffalos! The herd started to move faster.

The herd making its way out of the water

We waited a good 5 minutes to watch the buffalos exit the water. Both a safety precaution as well as trying to witness this rare sight. With the buffalos out of the water, we continued our paddle back to where we started.

So much fun to paddle in the rain!- Pic by Meun

Back at camp, we met with some of the locals and inquired about them water buffalos. They confirmed that they were wild herds. Some many years back, a major flood upstream swept a few herds downstream. The buffalos roam the surrounding areas. There has been no reported incidences or issues with them buffalos. Will I be able to see the water buffalos again the next time around? I donno…but it sure was exciting seeing wild water buffalos along Sungai Perak.

More on our kayak trip to Sungai Perak:

Paddling along Sungai Perak and beyond! Part II

Keong — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:17:35 +0000

Day 2 is kayaking/ paddling day!

All is go on second day kayaking on Sungai Perak. After breakfast, there is this busy silence of prepping kayaks & canoe, donning gear and packing on supplies going on. We plan to paddle towards Tasik Raban, Chenderoh and its surrounding areas. Within half an hour after breakfast, we were all in our boats, ready to kayak away!

The place we paddled along the Perak river did not have strong currents. This could probably be due to the fact that further down the river, there is the Chenderoh dam. The smallest and oldest hydro dam in Malaysia.

Jim and son getting the canoe into the river

Soon, we were all paddling down Sungai Perak

It was an excellent day to be paddling. Sungai Perak was particularly peaceful and calm that morning. The shade from the over shadowing rain clouds was much welcomed, despite the prospect of rain. We had water, food and some maps printed from google earth, so we were ready for a day’s paddle.

Along the way, we did a few stops. On islands and river banks as well. Mostly to rest and have a look around. The river is beautiful and so are the lakes there. It reminded us a lot of Lake Kenyir and Lake Banding. Though not as remote as the Pedu Lake paddle I did with Nadir months back, this river has its own charm and uniqueness nevertheless.

Our boats at one of the stops along the river

Myself paddling past some Pandanus- pic by Meun

We paddled a total of about 10km that day. The weather was fine except towards the end of the day when it started to pour. But hey, a pour is better than a hot hot sun. At the end of the day, besides the rain, I’d say this first paddling trip at Sungai River was a real eye opener. So much to do, see and experience here. The river beckons to be explored. And so it shall be…

Pictures of Ulu Muda lake, Kedah; Final

Keong — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:56:41 +0000

Such a nice day for paddling…right up until we arrive at the campsite

Here are some pictures of Ulu Muda when I went kayaking there with Nadir. While the water levels have risen considerably, the lake is stunningly beautiful. Nadir, who was at the lake a few months back before the rainy season started was astonished at how much the flooding have changed landscape.

Our major challenge taking pictures at the lake is the humidity. Many times the lenses fogs up and we had to ‘warm’ them up before taking pictures. My ‘setup’ was particularly more challenging as I have my camera only in my dry bag. Nadir has his in the Pelican case.

A view of the lake from the jetty early in the morning before we unloaded the kayaks

Nadir on the kayak, with his Pelican case and camera out ready to take pics

The Lake in a way has all the other characteristics of other man-made lakes in Malaysia like Kenyir and Banding. The eeri, wide, open space slowly swallows you up and engulf you with a feeling of awe and astonishment. I would say this is the ‘privilege’ feeling only to those who have spent time on large lakes like this one.

Thanks to the higher than usual water levels, we were able to make some shortcuts, with some navigations around these sort of terrain…amazing!

Note in some of the pictures how the lake water turns from green/ dark to brown. Well, the brown water indicates a river we were paddling up. The river feeds into the lake and its brown water is a result of soil and mud being washed in from the river banks when the rains come pouring down.

Where the river water meets the lake

Dead trees submerged in rising water

Somehow this picture reminds me of the movie LOTR

Great picture opportunities around dead trees

As the water rise, some trees became submerged. On such trees, one can find many insects trapped on the tree branches. Too scared to risk the ‘swim’ across the waters.

A Praying Mantis on a tree branch.

This ‘couple’ took time to get to know each other better I suppose.

Manage to take a snap of these two perching on the water edge

Thanks to the risen waters, we were able to paddle close to the river edge which effectively used to be dry land. There are so many kinds of jungle fruits we say. Including the Chaplong fruit used on the Chaplong gun.

The Chaplong fruit. Have not seen these for some time now

Looks like tomatoes but nothings seem to have eaten them…hence probably poisonous

Nadir working on his GPS to find the way

Nadir taking pictures

Okay…we were told that there are to be no fishing in the Ulu Muda dam. What surprised us was that not only the locals were fishing but they used nets. Lots and lots of nets everywhere! Paddling pass by one of the nets, we can’t help but check to see what kind of fish were caught. This is probably one of the biggest Lampam I have ever seen.

The locals at Ulu Muda use nets to catch fish!

I think our trip to Ulu Muda was simple waesome! The humidity really hindered us from taking more pictures of the lake. This lake is going to be more accessible soon with new roads being paved in to promote the place as a tourist destination. I got to thank Nadir for agreeing to this trip. Ulu Muda lake is certainly worth a re-visit. Nadir…when?

A bushcraft inspired kayak trip; Part III

Keong — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:37:27 +0000

Nadir busy bushcrafting

This kayaking trip to Ulu Muda dam is probably more bushcraft inspired than anything else. While I have been trying to learn and trying out bushcrafting, Nadir seems to have it built into his genes. Both of us tried our hands on a few projects, some turned out okay, some better left unsaid.

We dedicated one full day to simply relaxing at the camp and doing all things bushcraft. Nadir came prepared. Among the many things he brought along were pieces of blades called ‘Pisau Malas’ (translated as ‘lazy knives’). He made them by grinding down retired steel saw blades. They really look awesome. His project…to make working handles. He managed to knock one out in less than 30minutes. Not the best looking things but definitely functional.

One of the Pisau Malas which Nadir made the handles for

The Pisau Malas was definitely useful in making small, more intricate control cuts and carvings

Nadir was relentless. I had to admit that I was taking it easy. After working on a parang handle that turned out looking like d!*k, I decided to just lie down and take a nap. A short nap and by the time I got up, Nadir was already into his wooden spoon.

Nadir drawing the outline of his wooden spoon using charcoal from the fire

Later he carved out a wooden spatula with his Mora and axe. Good job!

Nadir’s spatula

Now I am inspired! I picked up another piece of wood and started carving. After seeing some really nice wood carving on BCUK, I thought I’d try to make one too. I made the below entirely using my Mora!

The parang handle I carved at Ulu Muda

Come at night, we made a fire, hoping to rid the mosquitoes and sand flies that have been feeding on us. It wasn’t easy making the fire with all the rain and dam wood. Once going, Nadir started on his wooden spoon again.

Nadir worked on his wooden spoon right into the night

Progress was slow but definitely satisfying

We put our bushcrafting skills to test by trying to catch fish as well. The thought of making rod, fishing line and bone hooks was mentioned once (before the trip) but reality is we WANT to catch some fish. So we did bring some fishing gear with us. The objective was to try to catch some for feed and put of ‘fish cleaning’ skills to test.

With no artificial lures, we had to dig for earth worms. Surprisingly, it was a breeze looking for those worms compared to other places I have been.

We dug around for earth worms as baits

How did we fare? Alright I suppose. One of them fishes literally drag my rod into the river! So, I was kind of hooked on trying to catch them. Cleaning them became the easy part. I was expecting the ‘task’ to be pushed around between us but obviously we both are more than happy to do it. Somehow I think it has something to do with the idea of constantly putting our Mora into use.

One of the fishes we caught

Driving home from Kedah to Kuala Lumpur after the trip had me thinking about the entire trip in Ulu Muda. I did not feel the pressures associated with other trips that I have been on. I knew Nadir is more than capable of looking after himself and we both understood the joys of bushcraft. It was a trip like no other and bushcraft made it possible. I wonder if this kayak trip in Ulu Muda is the start of something bigger…Bushmoot Malaysia maybe?

A kayak expedition into Ulu Muda dam in Kedah; Part 1

Keong — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:27:47 +0000

A trip that took months to plan, the two of us finally paddled the Ulu Muda dam

We have been planning for a kayaking trip to Ulu Muda dam in Kedah for months. There were endless correspondence of email between myself and Nadir about logistics, equipment and other planning works. Well, it finally happened. 2 friends paddling kayaks on a 5 days exploration trip into the Ulu Muda dam. Nadir by the way is the guy behind what I consider Malaysia’s best outdoor gear retailer. Check out his online shop at Outdoor Dynamics!

What made our trip ‘extra’ special is the fact that this is a rather major expedition for only two persons. Our friends were apprehensive with our plan to paddle the dam as it was the raining season and the area is known for wild animals like elephants, tigers etc. We understood all the risks involved and it is part of the reason why we took our time to plan and ensure that we are geared up (mentally and physically) for the trip.

Well, the two of us paddled Ulu Muda and we came back safely. The place is beautiful and according to Nadir is even more picturesque when the water levels are low. We arrived at the jetty late at night. The drive from Sungai Petani through towns like Baling and Kupang was painstakingly slow. The rain made it even more difficult for us to spot them cows that tend to occupy the roads at night (the paved roads offer warmth). Certain parts of the road after Baling was under repair and that did not help either. We spent the night in one of the huts at the jetty. Only to realize the next morning that we were not the only ones using the hut as shelter that night.

This scorpion obviously found a liking among Nadir’s stuff

With gears packed up and ready to roll, we headed to the jetty. It was only then we realize how much the water have risen due to the recent days of rain. Nadir who visited the dam a few months before with another group was rather shocked to see the water levels.

The dam’s water level has risen to a point where even the trees which used to be on dry land is submerged

We both have hundred of sea kayaking hours and we know the dangers of kayaking. We both agreed way in advance that there will be no compromise in safety what so ever. With our gears all unloaded from Nadir’s monster truck, we started to pack our ladies and ready to start paddling.

What a perfect day to be paddling!

Our target was to try to get up the a river called Labua. Nadir has it marked on his GPS, so I was mostly following him. My GPS was used to track mostly. Some of our gears are redundant, following the principals of ‘what if…’. Nadir reckons the two of us would be able to paddle to our destination in a couple of hours. I left the planning to him so I trusted him enough to follow him.

Yes! Finally I got to test my Lifestraw in Ulu Muda. Thanks for the pic Nadir!

After 4 hours of paddling with stops in between, we finally made it to our campsite. A check on the GPS tells us that we covered a distance close to 15km. Surprisingly it was not as tiring as I have anticipated, probably because it was flat water all the way. But my bum and back definitely felt the ‘stresses’ as soon as I got off the kayak. Age is catching up I guess.

Our kayaking route snapshot on google-earth

Not wanting to waste time, we unpacked our kayaks and carried them a few meters away from the edge of the river (Labua). We used the towing lines to then tie them securely to a big tree. Next on the agenda…campsite.

Our kayaks securely stashed away from the river

It was awesome being able to kayak on a trip like this. Ulu Muda is definitelly suitable for a kayak expedition. We both took loads of pics. Some pics are from Nadir and are watermarked as ‘www.outdoordynamics.com.my’. Will feature some of the pics later. Below is one of my favorites from Nadir.

One of the many standing dead tree around lake Ulu Muda

Click here to read Part II

See also our maiden paddling trip with the new kayaks at Batu Dam.

NOTE: If you are interested in purchasing Sit On Top kayaks in Malaysia, you can contact the folks at Outdoor Gear Malaysia.

Kayak at Batu Dam, Selangor with our Perception Swings

Keong — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:11:03 +0000

Batu Dam turns out to be a fantastic place to kayak

We recently brought our newly purchased Perception Swings to Batu Dam in Selangor for a paddle. What initially was a drizzling morning turned out to be a superb morning outing.

Batu Dam is located on along the Hulu Yam- Gombak road. The water from the dam is supplied as (later) treated pipe water to houses as well as industries. This dam is open to the public and is a favorite haunt for mountain bikers, anglers, hikers as well as paddlers.

We loaded the kayaks and packed all the necessary gear a day before the trip. We wanted to be able to leave very early the next morning, avoiding the traffic jam and in time to take in the blessings of the morning hour.

We stopped at a few sports along the lake to locate our ‘ideal’ launch site. We finally found a nice gentle slope beach near the Riverstone resort.

We were really excited with the prospect of testing out our kayaks.

Being the typical me, I just had to bring a whole load of gear. It took us a bit of time to prep the kayak. Had to fiddle with the backrest (first time fitting it) and getting all the dry bags strapped down.

Our kayaks all packed up...ready to hit the water

It was a fantastic day out kayaking at Batu dam. We had a blast. The kayaks were gliding effortlessly over the water and we enjoyed every second of it.

I love my kayak

We really enjoyed the beauty of the dam

I did some fishing from the kayak while Meun enjoyed basking in the morning sunlight while reading her book. I didn’t catch anything using bread as bait but the occasional bobbing of fish tells me there’s fish to catch in the area.

With the rod tucked away, we explored more of the dam. Besides birds and green foliage all around, I also manage to spot a freshwater turtle and some monkeys.

Kayaks allowed us to come closer to nature in 'stealth' mode

We will be back!

Our maiden voyage on the kayaks at Batu Dam has been extremely enjoyable and satisfying. Though we spent only a few hours exploring, we know for a fact that we will be back again…pretty soon.

NOTE: If you are looking for good quality sit on top kayaks or any type of kayaks in Malaysia, head on over to Outdoor Gear Malaysia for the best quality gear and certainly the most attractive prices!

Buying kayak in Malaysia

Keong — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:09:47 +0000

Finally, we bought our kayaks!

We thought about buying kayak for our own use in Malaysia for a very long time. Having once worked in an outdoor education center where ocean expedition is a major activity, it is only natural that we had a longing to paddle again. While finances and budget has been the major factor holding us back from buying, the other ‘excuses’ includes not knowing where to paddle and where to buy them from.

We decided on them kayaks because it is something that we have always wanted to get. To add on to it, it is going to be our first wedding anniversary soon and we thought this would be a great gift for the both of us. So, out came the bank book and off kayak shopping we went.

We didn’t actually shop to be honest. We have always known Mr Najib of Renegade Quest Sdn Bhd from previous business dealings. He is a very humble and nice chap. He is the main distributors of a few well known kayaks in Malaysia. So, if you are ever considering buying kayaks, forget them retailers…go straight to Mr Najib. His number is 019-2363013 (or just google Perception Malaysia and you will find his website).

Najib showed us a few models of kayak. We already knew what we wanted but having a look around is never a bad idea. While there are newer models (but definitely more expensive), we decided to stick to our plan (and budget!) which is the Perception Swing Plus.

The Perception Swings are rather long, 3.9m to be exact. They are Sit On Tops and personally we think they are the way to go in Malaysia. They are easy to learn, with hatches to carry gear and very stable. It would be a nightmare to use a cockpit kayak in Malaysia with ’spray skirts’ because of the hot and humid weather. I have previously tested the Swing tandems and they are awesome. Swings are obsolete models but we know for a fact they are good SOTs and within our budget.

With Najib and his cousin’s help, we got both our Perception Swings onto my Vitara. Thank God we fitted the Vitara with a second hand Vitara carrier. We tied them down with tie downs and set to bring the babies home.

Our Perception Swings stacked beautifully on our Suzuki Vitara. No issues.

The first thing we did when we got the Swings back home was to give it a ‘shower’. After a quick wash, we brought the kayaks into the house only to realize that they were way too long for us to conveniently store them anyway.

Meun busy giving the kayaks a quick wash

Now we realize the kayaks are way too long for the house!

Well, there is no way we are gonna be able to fit our kayaks into our storeroom. So, our best next option is to have the kayaks leaning on the wall. With a wall plug through the wall, we are able to secure the kayaks from rolling over.

The kayaks being stored at home.

We have our kayaks and paddles. We now need PFDs and we are all set to go kayaking Malaysia!

Go to www.outdoor-gear-malaysia.com for more information on buying kayaks in Malaysia.