What a Gem!: mmnchua

mmnchua

What a Gem!

Aug 10, 2007 17:40

Yes, when the tide is low, Chek Jawa was where we go!

Hubby has wanted to bring the two urban gals-me and Nicole to embrace some nature for awhile. Something that was readily available right at the doorstep of hubby’s maternal aunts’ and uncles’ places at Ketam, Malaysia where he used to spend some of his childhood holidays (which he said he took for granted); he now has to put in a lot more effort before we can check out one of Singapore’s richest ecosystems-Chek Jawa.

Monitoring the tide timing has become hubby’s regular activity as low tide only seems to happen once every two months for weekends. So when the ‘auspicious’ day (4 August) came, we woke up bright and early for our much anticipated trip.

We eventually reached the entrance of Chek Jawa after a 30-minute drive to Changi jetty, 10-minute bumboat ride and another 5-minute of car ride. Pulau Ubin hasn’t changed a single bit (save for the boardwalk which was built in Chek Jawa to allow visitors’ access at all times) since I last step foot on this little island more than a decade ago. However the Changi jetty surely has transformed from the olden days’ wooden-planked jetty to today’s modern building terminal that offers a host of new facilities that significantly enhances the comfort and safety of the passengers.

We spent a good two hours exploring the mangrove and coastal loops from the newly built boardwalk before calling it quits for the day as the tide was due to rise and the weather’s turning hotter. It’s a pity we didn’t go for a walk on the intertidal flats at Chek Jawa as such visits must be pre-booked and only limited number of people are allowed each time to reduce the strain on the fragile ecosystem. Would love to check out the intertidal flats someday... ...