If all goes well with the 'plan of no plan,' I will be going to Pulau Kapas, {Cotton or wool Island}, located along the East Coast off the District of Marang in Terengganu, next week sometime. I had visited the Island many times in the past since the early sixties when I was a teen ager tagging along with the adults who were my mentors and school teachers. One such mentor was Dato' Ariffin Zakaria, who was at one time the district officer of Marang and many other districts all over Trengganu, who also later in life became personal advisor to the Sultan of Terenggnu. He loved to fish and hunt in his pastime and my twin brother and I were fortunate to be chosen as bearers and helpers on his trips to the jungle, the rivers and the islands. Together we had visited all the islands along the East Coast in the South China Sea, except for Pulau Tanggol, where I was concern. If my memory serves me well, the islands along the Trengganu coast includes, Pulau Perhentian in the far north of the state and then Pulau Lima and Pulau Yu, there is Pulau Redang and Bidong then coems Pulau Kapas and southern most, Pulau Tanggol. My favorite Island will remain to be Pulau Kapas which is located closest to the mainland and has much sentimental history of my younger days growing up in the East Coast. One of our hobbies my brothers and I was collecting exotic sea shells found in and around the islands off the coast of Terengganu. Shells included the Tonna, Murex and Busycon species, which today can fetch up Rm800 a piece, which in the old days were simply discarded sometimes. The Tiger cowries although commonly found are my favorite find. My eldest brother today has in his living room showcase a whole set of shells found along the East Coast which was the result of years of diving for them by himself, my twin and I.
A view of Kapas from the Cendering beach. I grew up diving among these rocks in the early sixties and camping as Boys Scouts in the nearby area. Kapas was always a draw form the distant horizon of the South China Sea. I grew up having the sea as my playground whether when I was in Penang or in Terengganu, I will always seek out the sea, its warm salt water and the treasure trove it holds beneath the surface and when diving I felt like a bird hovering from the air and having a bird's eye view of what lies below.
The Island was not inhabited when I was frequenting it in the 60s and there was not a single tourist in sight except for the expatriates who lived and worked in the State as volunteers including the Peace Corps Volunteers. Visiting the Island we had it all to ourselves and just as there was no tourist there was also no plastics or any other form of garbage littering the shoreline and beaches except for and occasional flip flop which might have drifted from Japan or Hong Kong and we know this because the brands were not available in the country back then, not yet. Hence to find a Zori from Japan was as unique as it got. During and the aftermath of the Monsoon season all kinds of debris and flotsam would wash up the beach and it was a thrill to rummage through what came up on the beach especially driftwoods of all kinds of shapes and design worth salvaging.
Upon my visit with my Brother Ben Rongen a year ago which lasted 10 days I got to meet and chat with a few of the chalet owners and thus I would not be a total stranger when I make this trip with the intention of staying and possibly working through the Monsoon season which would be an off season for tourists. This is primarily one of the reasons for my trip, to experience the weather of strong wind and rain, the time when the sea comes alive.
Relaxing on board one my friend's boat off Kapas on a calm sunny day. This trip will another one of my 'retreat' from the daily humdrum of living as a house husband taking care of all the needs of my two adult children which includes cooking, cleaning, driving them to and from work among other things as both my children do not drive I am the Grab driver. As much as I enjoy driving it has become a tedious and often frustrating chore, I need a break from. It is also my hope to do some self healing physical as well as mental if not spiritual may the Lord help me to make it all happen with the least of obstruction.
The island is located about 6 kilometers from the Marang jetty in Terengganu. It usually takes about half an hour by regular tourist boat and about ten minutes by faster boats to reach the Island.
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