UBIN,SAYANG

A Saturday trip to Pulau Ubin would mean filling my lungs with the salty air as the bumboat makes it way towards the island. But today the air smelt acrid as we passed oil-stained rocks and men dressed in orange protective suits spraying the seawater with chemicals. On 4th January 2017, two container vessels, Wan Hai 301 and APL Denver, collided at Pasir Gudang Port  and released 300 tonnes of oil into the sea. In the span of three days, the oil spread towards Pulau Ubin coating mangrove trees and leaving the seawater with black oily spots. 

 

I was under prepared when I joined Uncle Phillip and Uncle SJ to assess the impact of the oil spill on mangroves at Pulau Ketam and Sungai Puaka. I did not have a protective cover for my camera, only brought sports shoes, and had no experience kayaking. Luckily I invited Peter, my school friend who was too bored from staying at home and whom I later found out had a kayaking certificate.