October Part I: Kalimantan

SY Tiger Lilly and SY Mahiti Crossing Paths On The Kumai River
SV Tiger Lilly And  SV Mahiti On The Kumai River

After a two-day sail from Karimunjawa, we pulled into the very colorful river town of Kumai in Central Kalimantan (Borneo). The skyline included beautiful mosques, wooden homes and tall cement structures for bird nesting.

Kumai Skyline
Kumai Skyline

Edible bird’s nests are a big industry in Central Kalimantan. ‘Created by swiftlets using solidified saliva, edible nests are among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans with an average nest retailing for about US$ 2,500 per kilogram. These nesting houses are normally found in urban areas near the sea [such as Kumai], since the birds have a propensity to flock in such places’ [1]

Multi Use Convenience Store Topped With Housing For Swiftlets

Rather than head into the anchorage, we rafted up with our friends on SV Tiger Lilly onto one of the ships moored in town.

A Cargo Ship Like The One We Rafted Up To
Ships On The Kumai River

It was up early next morning for a the first day of our four day tour of the area with our guide Siti. There are numerous options for tours of Tanjung Puting National Park and surrounding areas (1-12 people, 1-5 days). We signed on with Siti’s Tanjung Puting Oragutan Tours and Klotok Trips and decided to go big (4 days with 10 other sailors).

Day one consisted of a city tour of nearby Pangkalan Bun, a visit to Istana Kuning (a former Sultan home), and the highlight for me, a trip up the Sungai Arut River via a small klotok boat to visit a local Dayak community living there; the Dayak are a local tribal group indigenous to Borneo.

Guide, Captain and First Mate
Guide, Captain and First Mate

The next day, we 12 sailors boarded a very large klotok which would be our home for three days. Our crew included a knowledgeable guide Andy, a skilled boat Captain and his First Mate.

Sleeping Arrangements
Klotok Sleeping Arrangements

We were kept well fed and hydrated throughout the entire trip thanks to the excellent team of cooks on board.

Diner On The Sekonyer River Image Courtesy Of Melian Tomsett
Diner On The Sekonyer River
Image Courtesy Of Melian Tomsett

On the first day Tanjung Puting National Park we made our way from the park estuary into the Sekonyer River to one of four research stations. We were captivated by the magnificent landscape. ‘Tanjung Puting National Park is the largest and most diverse protected example of extensive coastal tropical heath and peat swamp forest which used to cover much of southern Borneo’ [2].

Sekonyer River View
Lower Sekonyer River View

A natural wonder of the world and a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Tanjung Puting National Park is one of the last places in the world to see orangutans in the wild.

Upper Sekonyer River
Upper Sekonyer River

‘Despite being a protected national park, approximately 65% of the Tanjung Puting’s primary forest is degraded due to palm oil production, illegal logging and illegal mining. It is the loss of natural habitat that is the greatest threat to the wildlife. Friends of National Parks Foundation is an Indonesian NGO that has been working to restore the habitat since 1997’ [3]. Poaching and illegal pet trade also endanger wild orangutan populations.

Dominant Male Orangutan Tanjung Pitang National Park
Dominant Male Orangutan

‘Orangutans are the most aboreal of the great apes and spend most of their time in trees. Their hair is typically reddish-brown, instead of the brown or black hair typical of chimpanzees and  gorillas. They are among the most intelligent primates using a variety of sophisticated tools and constructing elaborate sleeping nests each night from branches and foliage’ [4].

Orangutan Making Way Through The Jungle
Orangutan Making Way Through The Jungle

Our first visit was an hour and a half upriver to the Tanjung Harpan Research Center within the park. There was an orangutan feeding in the late afternoon in a cordoned-off area that I found far less interesting than seeing the orangutans make their way through the jungle along our way to the feeding platform.

In the early evening, a welcome dance was performed at the Research Center.

Welcome Dance
Welcome Dance

We later moored off Sungai Sekonyer Village across from the Tanjung Harpan Research Center where the local populations that once in the National Park were relocated. Sadly, limited timeframes did not allow for a village visit.

Sungai Sekonyer Village Children
Sungai Sekonyer Village Children

On the second day we headed to Camp Leakey where  we mostly saw males traveling solo and mother’s with babies as they are known to do during the first two years of life. In one instance, we saw a family together (male, female, baby)  but I failed to capture a decent image of them. I did manage to get a good view of Percy, a young male who greeted us as we were anchoring off Camp Leakey.

Percy Making His Way Toward Our Klotok
Percy Making His Way Toward Our Klotok

The original of the four research stations now in the park, Camp Leakey was founded by Birutė Galdikas who pioneered the study of the orangutan under the sponsorship of Louis Leakey and The National Geographic Society in 1971. She continues her field research and advocacy efforts today through her Orangutan Foundation International.

Percy In Repose
Percy In Repose

On our third and final day in the Tanjung Puting National Park, we headed back down the Sekonyer River to the Pondok Tanggui Rearch Station.

Mother and Baby Orangutan
Mother and Baby Orangutan

Here, thanks to my friend Tom on SV Tiger Lilly who spotted them first, I was able to capture images of a mother and baby making their way through the jungle. To spend time among the gentle giants of Tanjung Puting National Park was a humbling privilege and one I will not soon forget.

We returned home to Amandla in the evening and readied ourselves to sail onward.

Next Up: Belitung, Ketawai, and onward to Malaysia.

Baby Orangutan

Submitted for Cardinal Guzman’s ‘The Changing Seasons’

83 comments October Part I: Kalimantan

Susi says:

So glad to get a new glimpse….I was begining to wonder where you are? Great clear shots…love all the info too! ?

Ahoy Susi! We miss you. It has been a crazy sailing season so full of activity that I am way behind on social. We arrived in Malaysia 2 days ago and are missing Indonesia terribly. We head into Singapore tomorrow for a week in a hotel, a visit with my cousins and a check-up for The Captain. Hoping for good news!

Oooh, what a treat it must have been trying to spot and photograph one of these magnificent creatures! As for the bird nests – I admit I thought it was just the name of a dish in Chinese restaurants. 🙂

I totally thought ‘Bird Nest Soup’ was just a name of a Chinese dish too until we sailed into Kumai. Who would have thunk? We continued to see these talk cement nesting grounds as we sailed through other urban seaside towns. And it was truly a gift to interact with and photograph such amazing creatures. Icing on the cake of wonderful Indonesia ?❤️??

Debbie says:

HI Lisa, Im behind in reading your adventures! LOVE the orang utang photos.

The boat, the river and jungle, the sleeping arrangments on the boat remind me so much of a boat trip down the Amazon i did many many moons ago!

happy travels 🙂

Oooh how I would love to take a boat trip down the Amazon! Lucky you. With all the sailing and sailing rally festivities I’m behind on keeping up with your adventures too. We’ve now arrived in Malaysia so I hope to catch up soon. Delighted you liked the Orangutan images. They are magnificent creatures!

A delightful read! 🙂

Thank you for sharing in the adventure. Greatly appreciate your visit

Oh my, Lisa. Orangutans. You captured them so well, and told their story in such a touching way too. I don’t know what to say 😀 The one swinging through the jungle certainly looks fierce, and Mr Wobbles doesn’t think it wants to be friends with him. Then again, as you said in the post it was feeding time and he was probably hungry. It is sad that orangutans are getting more and more rare these days. Hopefully some of us wake up and realise we shouldn’t be destroying their homes.

Percy and the baby monkey don’t seem to mind posing for you. Very crisp, very clear portraits and I am sure you got along with all of them, Lisa. Even the angry looking one 😀 Hope all is well and good luck with the sailing onwards. Mr Wobbles really enjoyed this post up late at night, and Mumma Wobbles is coming out to drag him back to bed 😀

? The one swinging through the jungle was eating a banana as he made his way toward the feeding platform. I caught him mid-chew which gave him a fierce look. Really, the Orangutans seemed very good natured. I totally agree that it is a travesty that these beautiful beasts are endangered. Ceasing use of palm oil and encouraging conservation through Eco-Tourism or donation can help stem the tide. I thought if you and Team Wobbles every time I saw an orangutan! We arrived in Johor Bahru Malaysia two days ago and are on a bus to Singapore right now. Missing Indonesia and the orangutans. ✌️❤️?

I think I might be a little in love with Percy 🙂 Happy hanging around, Lisa!

? Percy is very easy to fall in love with! Wanted to take him home with us…but I think he is happier living free in the jungle.

This is a fantastic post. A great story with fabulous pictures. We really enjoyed this and are anxiously awaiting to see more. Thank you for sharing.

Mark and Cindy
sv Cream Puff

Thank you for sharing the experience with me. I hope that your sailing adventures bring you to Indonesia someday. I have to say that it has been my favorite sailing ground between the Netherlands and Singapore.

garym6059 says:

Nearest airport please? I’m flying out tomorrow, I’ll swim to your locale. Amazing pics but I would expect nothing less :).

Ladybuggz says:

I’ll be on the same flight!! a beautiful photo’s Lisa! Just love the baby shots! I’ve always had a thing for red heads! lol.. have a good rest in Singapore, hope the Capt. checks out well! Take care and talk soon! ((hugs)) T. <3 <3

??? I am delighted that you liked the images Teresa! The baby was my favorite too! What a little charmer! We arrived in Singapore this afternoon and are slowly getting acclimated to ‘big city’ life again. Staying in a hotel definitely makes the transition easier. Thank you for your well wishes for The Captain #hopeful!

? We would love to have you come visit Gary although we are sadly now a far swim from the orangutans. The closest airport to the orangutans is Pangaklan Bun (PKN) in Central Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo. We however have finished our magical three months sail through Indonesia and are now shuttling between Singapore/Malaysia.

Liesbet says:

Wow, Lisa. What an experience!! I am so glad you got to live among these majestic primates for a few days. And the baby, so cute! Doing all these tours really gives you a chance to explore the country, the islands, the culture and the wildlife reserves in depth. I’m just a tad jealous. 🙂 Enjoy the luxury of Singapore and wish the Captain “good luck” with his check-up! Xxx

Ahoy Liesbet. I wish we’d had you and Mark sailing by our side for the entire season and especially for the orangutan tour. To walk among these clever, sweet-tempered creatures can only be compared to snorkeling with the whales in Tonga. I am HUGELY missing Indonesia and experiencing a bit of culture shock at the moment but I am certain to acclimate soon. Five days in a hotel will definitely help. We just checked in. Thank you for the well wishes for The Captain. He is currently enjoying a long soak in a hot tub.

Traveller at heart says:

Such lovely pictures.

If you love food, Sinapore will not disappoint.

I am amazed at the diversity and affordability of the food that we have seen since arriving in Singapore this afternoon Corina. I can’t wait to try it all! Thank you for your compliment on the images. I am really pleased that you enjoyed them. How are your Asia travel plans shaping up?

Mary says:

Fabulous update Lisa…..always enjoy reading about your adventures. Safe travels.
Much aloha

Thank you Mary for keeping up with our adventures and for your lovely compliment. And speaking of adventure, I wish I was hanging out you in Japan right now! One of my favorite places on the face of the earth. You are capturing it beautifully.

Jean says:

I don’t even know what to say? The photos are amazing of the children and the furry ones too. Dorn you are really something seeing every beautiful inch of this planet. Thanks keep em coming….

Well hey there Jean! Miss you big time. I am truly lucky to be having these experiences and wish you were here sharing every one of them with me…Bora Bora was just the beginning (and I am still laughing thinking of that visit).

Our Indonesia adventure is sadly over and we are now shuttling between Malaysia and Singapore. Captain has scans tomorrow and I am starting the job search ?. Borneo suddenly seems very far away.

lexklein says:

I.Want.To.Sleep.On.That. Boat!!!!! I keep scrolling back to those comfy-looking colorful beds all lined up under a canopy, with fresh air all around, and I just feel myself snuggling in next to all my traveling friends. Heaven. And the orangutans: what an amazing face on the first one shown, what an incredible see-through flame of hair on that last baby, and every one in between just as amazing. Your adventure overwhelms me. Can’t wait for more, as always!

Well I hope we get a chance to travel together someday! And I hope that you get a chance to spend an extended period of time in Indonesia. Touring an orangutan filled jungle on a colorful klotok filled with kindred travel spirits was definitely ‘all that’. Thank you for sharing it with me virtually and for your generous (as always) compliments.

We arrived Malaysia a couple of days ago sadly leaving Indonesia in our wake (want to go back NOW). We are staying in Singapore at the moment in slowly acclimating to the ‘big city’ again.

Absolutely stupendous – and close to my heart. We visited orangutans in Sepilok a few years ago but were only lucky enough to see one in the wild. Since then, I have “adopted” a series of “babies” who are being prepared for release into the jungle. Most have done well, but one died and I was heartbroken!

PS hope the scans go well and the Captain gets good news.

Thank you for your well wishes for The Captain Anabel #hopeful

OMG I so love that you have adopted orangutans! I can imagine how heartbroken you must have been when the baby dies but think of all the lives you’ve saved! Bless you.

Very fascinating views, so inspiring as your ‘photo letters’ always are… 🙂

I am always delighted to see you here Drake! Thank you so much for your kind words.

Great report! Thank you!

You are very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.

Amazing post as always. I’m mesmerized by your adventures and always wish I could have joined.
What did you use to shoot the orangutans? A powerful zoom lens? How far away are these creatures? Are they shy? Birdsnest soup is probably something I won’t eat…

I wish you could have jointed too! You are always welcome. Thank you for thinking that my posts are ‘amazing’. Love you man! I used my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera with an Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 Zoom Lens. It is the lesser of my two lenses but has the better zoom. The first picture was taken from the furthers away at 30 feet. The second, fifth and sixth were taken from the base of the trees in which the orangutans were resident. The fourth picture was taken from three feet away and the third picture was taken on his approach to that spot. Two orangutans were curious and friendly. Others would not shy away from us but were more interested in food. However, we only saw about twenty of Central Kalimantan’s thirty thousand orangutans during our three days in the park and seven days in the area, so I would say they generally, orangutans like to stay out of sight.

Wonderful wonderful. I am thrilled to have received these photos and comments from you in the midst of your ocean travels. Loved the glimpses of people, kids (not that kids aren’t people!), boats, rivers, orangutans, homes, buildings, and to hear about edible bird nests. The diversity of our planet is endlessly amazing.

Endlessly amazing indeed. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to roam this great planet so widely Diane. Many thanks for sharing it with me virtually,

Your river cruise sounds so inspiring, and the photos are fab–like I was along for the ride! But the orangutans! OMG, stunning photos and the baby is cute beyond words! Glad you are living the dream, my friend!

? Walking among the orangutans was definitely a ‘pinch me, I’m dreaming’ moment Terri. Thank you for sharing it with me! And we just had another ‘dream come true’ moment…we just learned from the doctor that The Captain’s CT scan results are clear of cancer at the moment! Best news EVER!

nowathome says:

Amazing places and photos Lisa!

Thank you Aletta! Indonesia was a non-stop amazing sailing ground and the orangutans were icing on the cake. We plan to make our way to South Africa in a year or two and am hoping to get to meet you when we sail there. Looking for work in Singapore right now. Timing of our trip across the Indian Ocean depends on the length of the role that I can find here.

Michele says:

National Geographic’s got nothing on you Lisa! You consistently remind me of all the places in the world that I am not familiar with. Your pictures of Percy are priceless. And edible nests…really? Can’t say that I am dying to test one, but never say never!

?? Well that is just about the nicest compliment that anyone has every given me. I feel blessed to have spent three months sailing in a really great issue of NatGeo, for that is what Indonesia felt like. I have one more Indonesia post coming mid-month, but we safely made our way to Malaysia/Singapore on the 27th and are comfortably ensconced in a hotel for a few days visiting with family. I have not eaten a bird’s nest either but may try one while visiting in Singapore – they seem to be popular here.

Being so close to those amazing creatures must have been magical. I am, once again, blown away by your photos. You are extremely gifted with an incredible eye for subject matter and composition. Enjoy your hotel stay, but don’t get too comfortable – we love going along on your adventure!

You always make me feel awesome Janis. Thank you for sharing the adventure virtually. Orangutan filled Tanjung Puting was magical indeed! And even though I’m back in the big city with lots of wonderful distractions, I find my mind wandering back there often. Still, there is also the side of me that is enjoying the ‘creature comforts’ of Singapore. . I guess the secret to happiness is to enjoy ‘wherever’.

Cuties.

How ’bout it Karen. They may be the most adorable creatures ever!

How strange it must be to back in a big city again. A jungle of another kind. Hope all goes well with the job search and scans. It was such a pleasure to see your orangutan photos.

Strange indeed. The Captain’s CT scans were (surprisingly but thankfully) all clear. Hoping the January PET scans have the same result. Getting traction on the job front which is positive. Fingers crossed.

That’s great news, and my fingers are crossed for you.

? Thank you Ann!

Christy B says:

I really did not know much about orangutans so that part of the post in particular peaked my interest!

Delighted to know Christy. The orangutans are special indeed.

What an amazing adventure, Lisa! Love the images here – especially Percy!! <3

Percy was definitely a charmer now. After visits to Belitung, Ketawai, and Batam (post forthcoming) our Indonesia adventure has sadly come to a close. We are physically shuttling between Malaysia and Singapore, but my heart remains in Indonesia. Best sailing ground EVER!

Heyjude says:

How lovely to see what you are up to – not all sailing 🙂 This is such a lovely post Lisa – I enjoyed seeing the orang utans. I once really wanted to visit Borneo, but that won’t happen now, so it has been very nice to visit with you and how cute is that last baby? As for eating a bird’s nest – yuk! No thanks 😉

How lovely to see you here. Thank you for visiting the jungles of Borneo with me virtually. Easy to be charmed by such amazing, sweet natured creatures. I miss walking among them but am blessed to have had the opportunity to do so.

Lisa I am so sorry I missed this post! Perhaps we were still in Mexico. At any rate oh my goodness the photos are extraordinary! Is there a type of photography you are not excellent at? My heart melts at the sight of these beautiful animals. Sign me up for a tour. I’ll be right there. 🙂

OMG so no need to apologize. I am horribly behind on blogs given months of non stop travel followed by the launch of a job search as soon as we arrived in Singapore. I’m just glad you were able to share the Orangutans with me virtually and I truly hope that Travel Team Slaght make your way to Indonesia someday. I think it was my favorite sailing ground to date. What a season. I still have one more post coming on my time there…but I’m behind on posting too ?. Thank you for your generous compliments with the photos. Hard to miss when one has such adorable subject matter. Especially when they pose for you like Percy did.

Interesting! I love your photos! I just posted my London, Paris and Italy trip! Let’s keep connected! https://thelostmango.wordpress.com

Lovely to meet you! Thank you so much for your compliment on the photos. I hope that your travels bring you to Kalimantan to see the orangutans someday.

Lisa I just love this post! Borneo and orangutans have been at the top of my Indonesia list of wishful places to visit. The first few photos, especially the one of the “skyline” and descriptions of arrival are really interesting. We have seen swallows nests on sale in various parts of Asia before, and I seem to remember that they are believed to have some type of medicinal value. But I have never seen or heard of building places specifically for them to nest.

Heartbreaking what is happening to orangutans, and pretty much all wildlife almost everywhere in the world. Habitat being reduced, even in “protected” areas, human consumption of products, agriculture, poaching. I had read that Dr. Oz ( tv personality doctor ) had recommended palm oil on his show which had a huge impact towards promoting sales and further planting of trees and destruction.

That said, your photos of the orangutans are absolutely fabulous. Especially the little baby. Lucky you seeing them before they totally disappear! Terrific post.

Peta

Wonderful to hear from you as always Peta. Thank you for such thoughtful feedback. I have yet to try a swallow’s nest but understand they are supposed to be delicious and good for the skin. I hope to try one in Singapore.

The destruction of the orangutans’ habit is indeed heartbreaking. Ceasing use of palm oil and encouraging conservation through Eco-Tourism and donation can help stem the tide. I wish Dr Oz would pay Kalimantan a visit.

Kalimantan! Wow. Green with envy.
And Birute Galdikas (what a name!) was one of the “Leakey girls”, along with Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey. Thank you for sharing this fab trip with us.
Fair winds
B.

Gotta love those Leakey girls! Thanks for joining me virtually in the jungles of Borneo Brian. Now navigating my way through the urban jungle of Singapore …a very lovely city

All those places are definitely on my TTT list. A great-uncle of mine was Chief of Police of Singapore in the 30’s. Enjoy the urban jungle, and as always: fair winds Lisa.

Kirsten Rohrbach says:

Gots to get me some of that solidified bird saliva…NOT! That’s one delicacy I think I’ll pass on. Beautiful photos of the orangutans, Lisa! Why is it that baby apes already look like old men (and women)? I love the way the infant’s flyaway fur shines around him (her?) like a halo

Ahoy there Kirsten. Good to hear from you. Doctors appointments for The Captain (he has a hernia which is way better than having cancer) and job interviews for me have kept me from keeping in touch but you are often on my mind. Wish you’d been sailing with us in Kalimantan. Maybe you’ll come visit when we are on the Indian Ocean leg of our journey in a year or two! Hope you and Patrick are well.

Lisa, you’ve captured the soul of Indonesia through your journey. I definitely know we have to make that trip happen. Loved the captures of the orangutans. The dominant male orangutan is striking!

You DEFINITELY need to make that trip happen! The orangutans were the icing on the cake of three magical months in Indonesia. Thank you for your saying that I captured the soul of Indonesia. The place captured my heart.

lisa thank you very much for your visit and for sharing her story here.

I so enjoyed my time in Tanjung Puting and look forward to returning someday. Its beauty and gentle residents are forever etched in my mind.

It looks as amazing trip ! 🙂 I really enjoy your post 😀

Definitely in my top 5 travel destinations #bucketlist

Your boat trip sounds amazing…something I hope to experience one day.

Aww, such sweet Orangutans?. A favorite of ours! Loved the details?

An experience of a lifetime. Blessed to have been able to walk among these gentle giants.

MNL says:

Wow, the orangutan photos are amazing!

I feel blessed to have traveled among such gentle giants. Thank you for sharing the experience with me virtually.

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