Sunday, March 30, 2008

1994 Low Gullys Tragedy


This is the story that everyone who love outdoor especially those yang 'berani-berani ayam' should know... and it's happened right on our own backyard. So I published this story as a reminder for us... Never play fool with 'Mother Nature' and most of all GOD!


Low's Gully was created over a million years ago when a massive glacier carved a huge canyon on the side of Mount Kinabalu in northern Borneo. Known as the 'Place of the Dead', local legend tells that it's a resting place of their ancestors. Today, it remains one of the least explored gullies on the planet.
In 1994, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Neil and Major Ron Foster put together a team of 10 soldiers to explore the gully as part of a British Army expedition. The aim was to climb the mountain and abseil into the top of the gully, before trekking along it back to base – all in just six days.
The plan was to travel light, so they decided to forgo radios and flares and take just 10 days' rations. Of the team, only one man, Lance Corporal Richard Mayfield, had any real climbing experience and two of the soldiers had never even abseiled before.
In February 1994, with just one day's abseil training, the team began the 4100-metre ascent to the mountain's summit. The path up was just 13 kilometres long but rose steeply. Regularly scaled by groups of tourists, Mount Kinabalu is not considered a tough climb. Yet it proved difficult for many of the soldiers who had spent only three days acclimatizing to the heat, altitude and humidity.
On the morning of the third day, Operation Gully Heights reached the summit and the men saw for the first time the task ahead of them. Neil, recognising that the climb had taken its toll on some of the men, decided that Mayfield and the younger, fitter men should forge ahead and begin their descent down the gully, while the remaining five men rested before catching up. It was a decision that would divide the team for good.
Mayfield's group began to abseil the 1.6 kilometres to the gully floor. Each of the five men carried a length of rope. The plan had been to leave the ropes in place as they descended to provide them with a means of ascent back out if they needed it.
But as Mayfield's team pressed on, it became clear to him that with the two teams separated they would need to remove and reuse their ropes in order to reach the bottom of the gully. Reluctant to take this drastic step, and with no radio to contact his commanding officer in the first group, Mayfield climbed back up to inform Neil of their predicament. But with Neil's team still too tired to begin their descent, he ordered Mayfield to continue to the gully floor, saying they would follow.
With just four days' rations left, and with the team divided, Mayfield began to realise that Operation Gully Heights may have underestimated Low's Gully. It was a point of no return. When Neil's team finally began their descent they had only three days' rations left. And with novice climbers, they made slow progress.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the gully, the advance team were waiting for the others to catch up. But when they failed to show and with their rations running short they realised they were no longer on a training exercise. It had become a fight for human survival – they had to try and make it out of the forest alive.
As the first group began to negotiate their way out, they met with the gully's unique weather system. Mists over the mountain gave way to torrential rains and with nowhere else to go, the water poured down into the gully. Soon, the stream that they had planned to follow out turned into rapids. Hemmed in by the forest, Mayfield's team attempted to follow the fast-moving water, abseiling down waterfalls and traversing the sheer rock flanking the water.
Ahead of them, Mayfield's team had become trapped between two waterfalls. Up to their waists in water, the drop ahead of them was too dangerous to attempt and they couldn't climb back up the previous waterfall. So Mayfield, using his climbing skills, decided to tackle the 13-metre rock face that rises from the side of the gully.
But after he had safely helped his companions climb out of the gully, the five men found themselves face-to-face with an impenetrable forest thicket. In the days that followed, as they slowly struggled through the undergrowth, Mayfield and one other team member became separated from the other three in their group. Unable to find them, they were forced to continue on. With no rations, they attempted to live off the forest, but with dire consequences – Mayfield's companion became violently ill. Unwilling to leave him behind, Mayfield goaded him into going on.
Eventually, after 17 days in the gully, the pair spotted what looked like a bridge. It turned out to be a road. Exhausted and starving, they stumbled out of the forest and back into the arms of civilisation.
On their return, they learned that the other three in their party had already made it back safely. But Neil's team were still stranded. The Malaysian Army started to search for the missing soldiers with helicopters. A Royal Air Force rescue team was also dispatched.
After 10 days of searching, a Malaysian helicopter finally spotted the second group and lowered stretchers to rescue them. It was 31 days since they'd set out. By the end, they'd been surviving off energy sweets and cough drops. They had lost a fifth of their body weight, but they were alive.
All 10 men had survived the ordeal, but in their rush to be the first to explore the gully, they had overestimated their own abilities and underestimated the unique terrain and unpredictable weather of Low's Gully.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Mancing Di Tasik Banding, Temenggor

Last year masa Hari Raya saya dengan abang saya dan kawan2 macha dia, Jorrye (masa ni dia kerja dengan Taman Negeri) dan sorg staf saya merangkap boatman ke Tasik Banding, Temenggor dan menjalankan aktiviti memancing. Syok dan memang me'rilex'kan (betul ka perkataan ni?) selain banyak dapat ikan. Plan lain kali kena pergi lagi...ada sesiapa nak pergi? nanti e-mail saya la k.
Gambar: Ehsan En. Jorrye Jakiwa

Cerita Saya dan Rakan2 dan Sebijik Bola...


Semalam 27/3/2008 kami ada game bola friendly dengan team dari Pemuda Umno Jelapang. Lutut saya masih belum sembuh sepenuhnya tapi sebab arahan badan ditidakkan oleh keinginan bermain bola yang menggila...(psst, ada org cakap, apalah budak2 tu buat, bola sebijik sepak pastu kejar ramai2...huh?) Dipendekkan cerita dalam tidak sihat tu kami menang juga 3-1... minggu depan buat lagi... (gambar ujung taun lepas main dengan team Shazan Muda Pahang...jgn tanya..kami kalah..sob,sob,sob)

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The 7 Steps Idiot's Guide For Camping...




If you are tired of all the “rules” you have to follow when going camping or adventure trip, this article is for you! Here 7 super easy ways you can break the rules and ruin a camping/adventure trip…have fun!



1: Don’t Secure Your Food Items - Bears And Other Wild Animals Are Too Scared Of You To Bother Your Food
People who tell you to store your food out of the reach of wild animals have just been reading too many westerns. As all normal people know, bears, borodungal and other wild animals are very scared of people - no wild animal is going to venture into your camp to steal your food. So save yourself the trouble, and just pile your food on the ground outside your tent. (But make sure yr food sealed and covered all the time...Tikus hutan and Langau/lalat can make your trip upside down - stomach ache. Pur jungle are difference from the western wilderness)

2: Pack Everything You Might Possibly Want - Packing Light Is For Wimps
Ever heard the advice to “pack light” when you’re going camping Humph - that proverb is only for total wimps. Any real outdoorsman is tough enough to pack everything he needs or wants to his campsite. So go ahead and load up - you want plenty of beer and games so you can have fun, right?:p especially we Sabahan dude! one can't live without it!

3: Don’t Worry About Campfire Safety - That Stupid Smokey Bear And 'Borodungal' Will Keep Your Fire From Getting Out Of Control?
Please, get real! Campfires aren’t dangerous - you can just leave them and they will burn out without harming anything at all. Every camper knows THAT! So go ahead and fire up a nice big bonfire, sit back, and bring out the beer. Opss, tajau anyone?;p

4: Don’t Spend Too Much Time Picking Your Camping Spot - Your Sleeping Bag Will Keep You From Feeling Any Rocks And Sticks
Once you get to your chosen campsite, just get your tent pitched quickly and start having fun. You don’t need to remove sticks or stones before you pitch your tent, either. Any decent sleeping bag will provide plenty of padding so you can’t feel what is under your tent.

5: Don’t Read The Rules Or Signs Where You Are Camping - All The Park Rangers Are Home Asleep At Night
If you really want to get the best possible camping spot, just go pick one! Don’t worry about or even read the laws or signs - they will just cramp your style. All the park rangers are home asleep anyways, so they’ll never see you. Besides, you could just tell them you didn’t see the sign. That's what Sabahan do to have fun man...;p

6: Don’t Pack Drinking Water Or A Water Purifier - You Can Just Drink Right From The Creek
Pssst. In case you haven’t heard, the idea that creeks aren’t safe to drink from was a myth started by the communists back during the Cold War. Haha. It’s just not true - you don’t need to purify water - just drink right from the creek and you’ll be fine. Water purifiers are too expensive anyway.

7: Don’t Pack A Tent Fly Or Groundcloth - All Tents Are Water PROOF!
As anyone knows, tents are made of plastic, which is waterproof. Hence, do not buy a fly or groundcloth for your tent - those are just ways for the tent companies to make extra money off of you. You’ll stay perfectly dry and comfortable with your tent - no tent fly or groundcloth needed.

How else could you have this much fun?
So, yeh…follow these rules and have fun.
(P/s: Risks are totally on your own!;p)

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Re-Introduction ikan Barob di Sungai Kadamaian?

Ini memang sesuatu yang bermain di kepala saya sekian lama dan mungkin juga bagi semua pencinta alam khususnya penduduk atau orang yang pernah membesar di kawasan sepanjang Sg Kadamaian. Untuk rekod, ikan Sebarau dalam bahasa di Semenanjung atau nama sanitifiknya Hampala macrolepidota juga dikenali sebagai ikan Barob bagi penduduk di sepanjang Sg Kadamaian adalah sejenis ikan pemangsa yang suatu ketika dahulu memenuhi sungai ini. Pernah juga direkodkan anak sungai sekecil sungai Bahab juga dihuni oleh ikan ini -Cikgu Peruh pernah menceritakan ikan ini dengan saiz2 peha akan melompat dan menyambar batu2 yang bergolek dari tebing sungai Bahab!

Akhirnya ikan ini pupus pada awal 80-an atau mungkin seawal 70-an akibat kesilapan kita. Tuba bukanlah punca utama. Begitu juga bom dan pukat. Begitu juga dengan pembukaan kuari batu yang bertompok2 huduh di sepanjang sungai Kadamaian itu. Orang kita yang terlalu tamak dan tidak memikirkan kesan jangka panjang dari tindakannya. Tidak perlu ulasan. Sudah terjadi tetapi adakah sudah terlewat? (psst geng, ayat ni saya tiru dari Karam Singh Walia)

Ok straight to the point. Saya bercadang untuk membuat re-introduction atau dalam BMnya 'memperkenalkan semula' spesis ini di sungai Kadamaian. Semua maklum hampir sepanjang sungai ini baik di Tambatuon, Melangkap, Kebayau hinggalah di hilir (mungkin perkampungan kaum Bajau) sudah mempraktikkan adat Bombon atau Tagal (adat yang memperuntukkan hukuman dan peraturan berkaitan sungai dan ikan di dalamnya). Mesejnya cukup mudah. Kita sudah sedar dan perlu mempertahankan apa yang sepatutnya ada untuk dilihat dan dinikmati oleh anak2 cucu2 kita di kemudian hari (ini pinjam ayat Datuk Dr Salleh Mohamad).

Sekarang keadaan sungai kita amat mengujahkan berbanding 10 tahun dahulu. Ikan sudah banyak, bersih dan biru. Tetapi belum cukup. Untuk tujuan ini banyak yang perlu dipertimbangkan tetapi ia tidak mustahil...

Monday, March 24, 2008

Lawatan sambil belajar ke 'Kota Keriangan'...

Kebetulan saya ada urusan 2 hari di Pahang pada 10 &11 Mac lepas jadi saya bawak famili ikut serta dan menginap di Hotel Seri Malaysia Genting Highland. Sebabnya?

1. Hotel Budget skit (ada spesel rate utk org gomen)
2. Cuti sekolah
3. Meluang masa dengan famili (last pergi Cameron Highland tahun 2006 alahai..)

Tapi sebenarnya saya tidak sempat pun main-main di Genting tu sebab saya 2 hari berulang ke Lanchang. Tapi dari rakaman vid cam wife saya memang dunia fantasy utk kanak-kanak la tempat tu. Sampai sekarang pun kadang-kadang anak saya ajak pergi lagi... Berbaloi ke?hmm bab ni susah sikit sebab memang agak mahal juga. Tapi dikira selain dari nilai ringgit memang berbaloi...cuma bapa budak2 ni rasa rugi tidak dapat merasa main salji...hehehe

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Jalan2 di Taman Negara

Alkisah sekumpulan budak2 jajal menjalankan operasi dalam sebuah hutan tebal yang di namakan Taman Negara Terengganu merentasi Taman Negara Kelantan (10-20/9/07)










Siapa cakap dalam hutan makan minum sengsara?kui,kui,kui Si Rofley tertangkap dalam candid tambah nasik buat kali yg ke-17! Kastau bini ko geng hehe





Misi kajian hidupan akuatik yang berjaya! Seekor sebarau berjaya dinaikkan mengunakan umpan spiner! Tu pun lenguh tangan aku wo. alo kawan, ini real punya ikan ah...





Jalan2 seterusnya menjumpai sebuah kawasan air terjun 3 tingkat yang sangat cantik (pergh, macam mau bikin rumah sebijik kat sini la..) Puas juga la pujuk si Charles (es teady na kao Pok!)tu balik baru dia jalan...kalau dibuatnya dia mo tinggal kekal sana?
Hah ni plak banglo pasang siap dan gulung siap. Hammock gantung dengan flysheet sekeping. memang best. Pasang cepat2, boleh masak dan makan masakan chef tidak rasmi En. Cyril dari Tenom... (sudah naik pangkat Risik Tetap ka geng?)

Hmm lupa bagi tau, group ni memang hardcore punya kaki. Budak2 borneo suma ni. Terselit macha tu sorang jer. Tapi kepala lu memang best la bro Presen! Tu tengok tu pukul 12.00 tengah malam masih menyiang ikan! Tapi best...(mcm iklan petronas)
Ni pemandangan dari bot di Tasik kenyir...biru, cantik dan menenangkan tapi AWAS! sendri mo ingat la kawan... Anggaran jarak perjalanan kami 33km dalam tempoh 10 hari! Memang ada cerita perit juga la terutama bila aktiviti ni dimusim hujan tapi pengalaman dan keseronokan tidak ternilai...Ada sesiapa berani?

Friday, March 21, 2008

Isk, isk, isk Ujan lagi...

Tadi masa jumaat tu aku balik rumah sekejap. Time mo balik ofis ujan plak...
Jadi sempat juga la aku amik bukti2 di tempat kejadian heh Yang kereta Waja tu kereta kebal aku la tu, dah mo tukar jadi kapal selam...




Gambar Ipoh Town yang bakal jadi kolam ternakan ikan karuk yang berjaya...dan pertandingan kereta jalan slow. Nasib baik ujan lebat tu 1 jam shj. Klu lama2 mau tukar kerja jadi nelayan wo..

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Bundle Mumble...low budget high quality stuff


Semalam cuti. Aku sebelah petang teda buat apa2 jadi aku bawa family aku pegi 'door shopping' LOL. Aku ni kaki kedai bundle juga. Yang paling best 'mama' budak2 aku tu pun kaki bundle jg. Itu pasallah barangkali kami ngam. Aktiviti kadang2 la kiranya ni.
Gambar anak2 aku ambil masa diorang syok main sorok2 dalam kedai bundle...

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Heroes...





Gambar Hero dan Heroen ni. Yg di atas kiri gambar hero sebelum potong rambut, dan ini gambar terkini diorang aku ambil dengan Nokia made in China aku tu semalam *&^% hahaha Hari ni masuk 3 bulan si Hero aku ni skul di tadika. And may God bless em & grow up to be somebody in the future... Luv you guyz!

XPDC Royal Belum


haha Bukan ada kena mengena dengan tajuk ni...saja aku terjumpa gambar2 masa kami masuk Taman Negeri Royal Belum di Perak tahun lepas (bulan 5 ka tu Ted?). Kebetulan pula (..atau memang dirancang tanpa sedar) terjumpa geng2 yang hensem2 dari sabah (LOL...) Ni geng kuat dari JPSM ni.

Boring dan Hujan...


Kalau nak tau perkaitan antara boring dan hujan di sini dah boleh nampak ni... 2 orang staf aku tengah berbincang pasal bola sepak dari peringkat internasional, kebangsaan, negeri (Perak kena belasah ngan Kelab Spore...kui,kui,kui) hingga la pasal kelab bola sepak sendiri. Hah ni masa hujan la ni... Dah mati kutu nampak?
p/s: Akulah sebenarnya yang jadi mangsa sebenar boring dalam hujan ni. tu pasal tangkap gambo diorang ni...

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Karnival Futsal Borneo 5's-Momogun 2008


Hah ini yang aku lupa ni... si Jorrye Jakiwa @ Jory (ala...budak Sabah yang glamer dalam Soccer Star tu) SMS aku bgtau ada benda dia hantar dalam e-mail aku. Bila aku buka rupa2nya Futsal anjuran persatuan budak2 Sabah di Sjung AKA Persatuan Momogun Malaysia. hmmm... Mcm best. memang best diorang ni. Dulu si Jorrye ni memang aktif masa belajar di UPM lagi. pastu dapat kerja di sini kami kadang-kadang dapat buat friendly juga. ui banyak pula ulasan ni. Ok kepada rakan-rakan yang terbabas masuk Blog ini dan hendak tahu lebih lanjut mengenai Karnival Futsal ni atau perkembangan beliau, sila lawat dapatkan info dari beliau di e-mail veto_2020@yahoo.com

Dan Aku Lambat lagi...


Damn, Damn, Damn... This morning i late to work again. Reason? Of coz there is always a few reasons... haha as usual. first, i dunno out of no where there's a big B&*%$% machine in the middle of the almost unmoving cars and i really got $%#-up. Haha kedua, ntah mamat mana ntah tahan kereta aku tanya address kandang ayam(?). jadi sebagai warga Malaysia yang baik kena juga tolongkan? (Macam tidak real sajalah alasan ni...) Ketiga aku kena hantar juga anak aku ke tadika dia tu, kalau tidak dah tentu aku kena bawak dia pergi kerja pula kan? Keempat dan paling penting, aku bangun lewat lagi... adakah patut, anak aku pula kejutkan aku pagi2?LOL.


Semalam aku baru dapat tau di Sabah ada Sabah Adventure Challenge ke-9 yang sangat menarik akan dibuat pada 21-23 Mac 2008 meliputi kawasan K.Marudu, K.Belud dan Ranau! Perghh memang menarik tu. masalahnya dah last minit dan aku ada juga bagitau bini aku yang maha memahami tu pasal benda ni tapi dia pun paham, kerja. So, talak muli puat aper2 la apek...hehe Lain kalilah.


Peace, No War and Love for All...

Aku dan cabaran...


hmmm..pening juga kadang2 ni...sebab aku nak mula dari mana huh? Yang pastinya aku manusia yang dilahirkan suka dengan cabaran (terutamanya cabaran fizikal). Misalnay pada tahun 1997 aku ikut Ledang International Challenge yg pertama... walaupun kalah secara kumpulan tetapi secara individu kami semua menang kerana berjaya menempuh cabaran yang tidak pernah terduga akan muncul...tahun 2000 A'famosa Ironman aku sesaja ikut...ok jg la janji aku berjaya menempuhnya. Tahun 2001 cabaran mendaki G. Nuang 12 jam tanpa henti dari jam 7.00pm sampai 7.00am. Pergh, memang 'aramai ti' la...


Dan itulah yang menjadikan aku masih 'muda' walaupun pada zahirnya dah semakin 'dimamah usia'?LOL... Sekarang dah mungkin lain ceritanya. 'kayuh pelan-pelan' kata orang lama. Janji sampai.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Ini semua baru 'testing ni...benda2 ni kiranya semua merupakan perkara baru bagi aku... Oh ya, bercerita pasal perkara baru aku baru mendapat lulus ujian RAE Radio Amateur Exam-yang dengan automatik memberi aku Lesen B. Callsign aku minta 9W2RYX ikut nama anak laki aku... harap2 dapat la. SJK&MM @ MCMC belum reply lagi.

Ok...mukadimah tu...aku baru-baru ni baru turun dari gunung Korbu di Perak...hmmmm..mencabar juga..naik dengan staf aku yang 'kipas susah mati' suma nature adventurer dan mountain climber. amik masa 7 hari 6 malam tapi memang rilex habis la... cabaran? ntah la...aku saja nak kumpul senarai puncak ditawan kut...hahaha senarai gunung lain setakat semalam ialah Kinabalu, Tahan, Ledang, Nuang, Anak Noreng (Paling gila! cerita lain..) dan Korbu...

haha ni memang kisah aku selain kerja main kejar2 dan tangkap org jahat tapi mungkin bab ni aku tak payah cerita kut...so, harap2 tiada yang aku terlepas la...

I, Me and Myself...

hmmmm, its going to be a long story i guess...