13th BOAT Registration

13th BOAT Registration is now OPEN.

Visit http://www2.paym.org.sg/toa_payoh_central

or

Email 13thboat@gmail.com

for more information!

BASIC ICE CLIMBING COURSE @ China

Toa Payoh Adventure Club will be organising a course presentation on: -
BASIC ICE CLIMBING COURSE @ China

Activity Code: A20060239
Date: 30/11/2006, 8pm
Venue: Toa Payoh Central CC, Mini Theatre
Cost: Free-Of-Charge

You can register at the CC Counter or click on: http://160.96.187.35/NASApp/cconline/activityDetail.do?activityCode=A20060239&cccode=5790

This course is designed to equip the participants with the basicskills of ice-climbing. Upon completion of the course, participantswill be awarded with a Certificate of Competency endorsed byOutward Bound Singapore and the Singapore MountaineeringFederation.

The course content will include:
• Introduction to climbing gears;
• Using of crampons, ice axe;
• Walking on ice, Belaying;
• Climbing Techniques; and
• Safety and Risk Management.

Course Dates:
08 - 15 February 2007
20 - 27 February 2007

Course Duration:
10 days (2 days in OBS; 8 days in China)

Course Capacity:
12 Participants

Course Location:
Beijing, China

Speaker:
Mr Raymond Lee

My 12th BOAT Overseas Expedition

12th BOAT's "Overseas Expedition @ Mt Ophir"

Wow! Finally, friday arrived! Can't help feeling so excited about the final trek that even a huge hiccup at work dim dampened my excitement. Stepping into TPAC room, some of my friends are already there, some was packing their bag while some was distributing food items. After the briefing by the in-charges, we gathered our enormous bagpack and set off to MT Ophir.

It was about 3am when we reached our campsite at the foot. Everywhere is in pitch dark, with our touch light as our guiding lamp. The thought of having only 3 hrs of beauty sleep expedite the process of meeting zhou gong. Was giggling in my dream that luckily i wasn't the one who need to wake up early to prepare breakfast for the 3 days. ;p The thing of sleeping in outdoor is that even though the ground is hard, maybe sometimes having some inclination, well, worst still, i hate most is a damp tent, i really enjoyed the feeling of waking up in the forest with full satisfaction to the sense of hearing and viewing the nature.

We took the Asahan trail up Mt Ophir. The terrain is not that steep or difficult which i thought it is. The only part which was still fresh in my mind is the steep rock which i used up all my arm power to pull my rope with all my strengths which i realised on that night with aching body. Oh yes, except for a small rain that occured along the way, the next very very minor event that i experienced is bumping my head against a fallen truck. ha ha... was busy watching my steps on the ground that i forgot my to see upfront. hai... really cannot multi task. "Dr Chu" was pretty nice to apply ointment on my head but without STERILISING his hand! We reached our second campsite in late afternoon. After pitching our tents, we settled down to prep and cook dinner. Our menu for Day 2 is hainanese chicken rice (er... without chicken) and streamboat! I had my fills compared to camp 2, perhaps is due to not being the in-charge for food this time round. 'Beautiful' is not enough to describe the surrounding. That moment i watched the whole process of sun set. I really wish for this scene to appear infront of me everytime when i am feeling down. It was so serene. That night i couldn't sleep well, maybe is due to the very cold temperature, was actually shivering but do not dare to tell leslie coz he warned us to bring enough clothing or else he will strip us and place a guy in sleeping bag together with us if we experienced hypertermia.

The next morning, we woke up early to climb to the submit. If only we can camp up there, we can have sun break in front of us too. The afternoon sun was blazing hot. After taken lots of photos, we proceed to our next destination, the square pool. Personally, i felt that this portion of the hike is more siong, esp when we need to cross some danger spots e.g. KFC (Killer For Climber). Wow, no words can describe that, i was like "Oh my god" whenever i saw one cliff followed by another cliff. I knew that i have to mobilise my whole body together with my brain. In short, i am a very lazy person, i would prefer partial usage. :p But it was very fortunate that i have this gang of friends or faciliators to set up safety point here and there and the effort they put in in running up and down to help those weaker ones. It was pitch dark when we reached our 3rd campsite. After analysing the danger in trekking at darkness and the trail ahead, we decided not to camp at the square pool but further away. At this moment, everyone is so tired that what they wished for is not food but zzz...

Finally, we trekked down to the opposite side of Mt Ophir. The end is always sweet and bitter. The former is due to we have suceeded in climbing Ophir. The latter is the fact that we might not get together again to do this adventure as a whole group. But whatever it is, like what Yuchze sang in our bus ride home,

for you my dear friends
i'll be always on your side
当你很想远离痛苦寻找爱
with you, my dear friend
越过高山和大海
勇敢面对危险
(we're)on the road again

BOAT Reunion 2006

BOAT Reunion - 07 Oct 2006 - registration deadline extended!

Hey BOATERS! The deadline for registration has been extended to the 05 Oct 2006! What are you waiting for? Come on down to the CC and register in your groups of eight or click on http://160.96.187.35/NASApp/cconline/activityDetail.do?activityCode=A20060190&cccode=5790

See you very soon!

Love,
Toa Payoh Adventure Club

BOAT Reunion 2006

Dearest BOATERS,

“Do you remember the fresh smell of grass in the morning,the ferns and the mossy rocks along the path we climbed together.Do you remember the stars at night, the fireflies and the warmth of the campfire.Most of all, do you remember the singing, the sharing, and the laughter?"

It’s been a while.. Let’s meet up soon!

Let’s catch up with dinner, a nostalgic candlelight campfire, and a cosy tea and mooncakes chit-chat session.

On 7 Oct 2006, Saturday
From 7.00pm to 10.00pm
At Toa Payoh Central CC, 3rd Floor open area & Mini-theatre
Dress Code - Your B.O.A.T T-shirt (Highly recommended)

Register with your fellow B.O.A.Ters NOW!!

• Hammock Package @ $12 if you sign up alone.
• 4-men Tent Package @ $40 per group of 4

(Register online at http://160.96.187.35/NASApp/cconline/activityDetail.do?activityCode=A20060190&cccode=5790 or at CC counter).

• Expedition Package @ $64 per group of 8 (Register at CC Counter Only)

See you real soon!

Go to our yahoogroup for more details.

Let's Go Rainbow Waterfall

Rainbow Waterfall, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Malaysia where waterfall drop vertically splashes down, reaches the bottom as mist and forms a rainbow when the sun is at a certain angle.

Join us for Rainbow WaterfallTrek on 22 to 24 Sept 2006 at

Sungai Lembing, Kuantan (Pahang).

Registration closing date: Sun, 10 Sept 2006

Sungei Yong Waterfall Abseiling

Sungei Yong Waterfall Abseiling
30 Sep 2005 - 02 October 2005
by Josephine Poh
Toa Payoh Central YEC Adventure Secretary

Did you know that no two trips are the same? The different elements of a trip never fail to make it so, each time, you a different surprise too. Sungei Yong is not an extremely spectacular waterfall but what it has to offer is relatively unspoilt nature within close proximity. It is located at the north face of Gunung Belumit, Kluang (Johor) and has a 2-step water that is 80m in height at its highest. Sungei Yong is also a destination ideal for beginners to apply the skills they learnt.

Being technical in nature, all participants had to be sufficiently equipped with abseiling proficiency skills for when you are down there, its nothing by you, your rope and your equipment. This was a trip organized as a motivation for taking up the Abseiling Proficiency Course for some of us. And for the rest of us, it was just a chance to just go for a trip and be surrounded by nature.

Things were much simpler for me since I did none of the planning, though I did attempt to change the food plan so that we could have something more satisfying after a long day.

It was pitch dark when we arrived at our base camp (entrance of Belumut) for the night. On seeing such a large group of 20 of us, the “caretakers” at Belumut simply took the opportunity to earn a few quick bucks out of us and offered the porch of their home to us for the night.


We set off after breakfast and our last chance to visit a "civilized toilet". The hike to the waterfalls was a short one. Nothing strenuous or exhausting but we had to cross a small gully by balancing ourselves on beams strategically placed. Rumor has it that there are tigers in Sungei Yong. The recce team confirmed it. We saw the fresh tiger footprints on our way in and out.

Because it had been raining the night before, our safety officer decided that the large volumes of water made it impossible and dangerous for canyoning. We settled for one with less vertical descends. The way down was extremely slippery and at some places, bore sharp edges. It was very difficult not to slip. We had to be really mindful about where we stepped or placed our hands. Our technical team set up two lines and with the safety precautions in place, we were all ready to go. It was a good experience for the first timers and also a whole new experience for repeat canyoners. The terrain was stepped, so it felt like walking down a staircase at certain parts.

Though there was a lot of free time while waiting for the lanes to be available, it was not wasted. And those who found their spot in the sun had a wonderful time sun bathing and napping at the same time. With the sounds of the water flowing in the background, smell of the lush green forests and air that cannot be fresher, this is what we also know to be a "natural spa", perfect for unwinding and relaxing. We had the luxury of some splashing good fun in the waters before heading home too.

It was rained cats and dogs! Still, I think we ought to be thankful for the good weather for heaven has been kind to only allow it to rain only towards the end of the day. Till then, I will always remember the 10 packets (100) of hotdogs we had in those 2 days!

Pengarang Weekend Cycling

Pengarang Weekend Cycling Trip, 16 - 17 July 2005
Serene Giam (12th BOATER)

Hitting the road again on a gloomy day, our first overseas trip after 12th BOAT started off at Changi Village, where we rented mountain bikes and helmet from our usual supplier "Mr BIKE". Threats of an imminent rain were a trivial issue to us as we have already gotten used to hostile weather during our adventure course. Venturing in good spirits, we headed for the jetty.

We made a painful decision to leave two of our members in a separate bumboat as each boat could only take 13 passengers. As expected, the bumboat ride was a wobbly one due to the waves caused by the drizzling rain. The whole journey took 15 minutes longer than the original schedule because we had to make a detour due to an on-going land reclamation project. We started taking pictures of one another to past time. The photo of the day was one, which featured three pairs of hairy legs standing on the deck. Till today, I believe the "models" do not know about its existence.

As a safety precaution, we have assigned buddies for those who are weaker in cycling; it was definitely a relief to me. After some warm up exercise, the group rolled off at 11:20am along the small fishing village of Pengarang. The rain had gone. Cool breeze and countryside scenery embraced us as we cycled along a flat, tarred road. This reminds me of a scene taken off from a popular Thailand movie, "My Girl" where a group of teenagers cycled care freely in a quiet country surrounding. Along the way, we "met" our support vehicle, with our backup rider in it.

In the first quarter of the journey, one of our biker’s tyre was punctured by small pebbles. Our "repairman" took out his repair kit and spare tube and he started a repair operation for the bicycle. Soon we continued our journey to Sungai Rengit town. Flashes of kampong and sea view greeted us but nothing can be compared to the friendly waves of the village folks. Perhaps that is the reason why we missed our correct turn and ended up in a dead end, which was quickly rectified.

Being inexperienced, panic finally got to me and upon reaching the busy town; I braked suddenly, nearly crashed into a stationary vehicle and fell. My angels (read: first aiders) came to my rescue. After lunch at a seafood restaurant, we continued with the next quarter of our journey but this time round, the backup rider took my place. The view out of the car window was definitely less satisfying than riding in the open with the nature. How I wished I could be out sweating with the rest when cycling up the slope!

At about 4pm, gentle winds from the sea welcomed us to Tanjong Sepang resort. Some stayed in the resort to rest while most of us continued to cycle along the relaxing and quiet country atmosphere, with tall lalang grasses brushing our legs. The serenity of the sea seemed to be inviting us to have a dip and we gladly accepted. We walked to the "rock island" which was about 50m away from the beach and sat down to feel the sea breeze blowing lightly on our face before we our volleyball competition by the beach.

Perhaps sensing our tiredness, the kind resort owner helped us to set up the BBQ fire. Soon after, we had a table of fish, prawns, hot-dogs, chicken-wings, fried rice and fried bee-hoon for dinner barbequed by our diligent guys. It was a surprise birthday celebration for 2 of our members on the trip, Ridzwan and Joyce. We had secretly bought a cake Kota Tinggi town. Group pictures were taken and memories were kept.

Unlike our usual trekking activities, we skipped the washing up parts as they were taken care by the owners. We enjoyed the luxury of bathing and chit chatting into the night.

The next day at 8 a.m., alarm clock (someone's voice) woke us up for a scrumptious breakfast of mee goreng, nasi lemak, curry puff, milo and kopi. We stayed around to chitchat after breakfast with topics ranging from sharing of cycling expertise e.g. when to change gears to sharing of traveling experience.

With heavy footsteps, we left the resort in the late morning and continued the same way back to Sungai Rengit town. Along the way, the back-up rider was activated again as one of our riders was overcome with tiredness and fatigue.

As the sun began to set, we are back at the Changi Village hawker center for a reward of ice kacang.

An Overseas Expedition - A Participant's Perspective

Overseas Expedition, A Participant's Perspective - 20 to 23 May 2005 12th BOATER Soon Tze Chien

On the same day that Buddha gained his enlightenment more than 2,500 years ago, the team from Toa Payoh Adventure Club (TPAC) 12^th Basic Outdoor Adventure Training (BOAT) achieved our own pinnacle. We conquered Gunung Ledang, more popularly known as Mount Ophir, after three months of intense preparation. At 1,276 m above sea level, it is considered the sixth toughest mountain to climb in Malaysia with its challenging mountain trails and cascading waterfalls.

After repeated attempts of forcing my backpack into our bus storage area, it dawned on me that this was not going to be an easy trip, if this beginning was any indication. Especially when the gods had never favoured us. In our earlier attempts at defying the elements, we were drenched by rain, chased by bees and bitten by blood-sucking leeches.

It was already 4 am when we reached our campsite for the first night. It was no mean feat to wake up after only three hours of sleep. And instead of becoming a grouchy monster, we had to be like guardian angels. For our entertainment group had come up with a brilliant game to spice up the trip – making each of us the guardian angels of two "mortals", people we had to be nice to, no matter what. And so I did. I offered my unsuspecting "mortal" my unwanted ration to lighten my own load.

Even though the facilitators did the ritual known as "chilli bawang", where they poked an onion and a chilli over a satay stick to fend off the rain, the dreaded rain hit us nonetheless. If there is indeed a "rain god" in our team, that person must be our team’s guardian angel, sending us through difficulties to make us stronger.

All of us braved the cold to reach our camping ground near the summit at Asahan Trail, a scenic area overlooking the sunset. And what a dazzling sunset it was! The forest cover was shrouded in a sea of clouds. As the sun slipped down the horizon, the sky turned from yellow to red to violet. I realised then that if the rain had not come and cleared away the clouds, we would never have seen the setting sun in its full brilliance. Behind every cloud, there is indeed a silver lining!

As the cicadas started their rounds of mating calls, we started our games for the night. We played the "Human Jackpot", "Guessing Numbers" and acted out a self-improvised sketch "Love Generation 2005". As the last sketch concluded, the participants were left with the closing line: "In 12^th BOAT, it does not matter who you love, what matters is teamwork."

But to some, it did matter. For it was in 12^th BOAT that some participants found love. As the moon cast its pallor of light over us, the lovers sneaked off for their rendezvous. As one of those guys whom Cupid had chosen to save his arrow, I joined a few other forsaken team mates in lying down and enjoying the stars, pretending that it did not matter.

The dawn of the new day was spent sitting down with two special friends and enjoying the peace. That peace was transient, but the memory of it will last a lifetime. Before long, the camp came alive. Some started cooking oats on the Indian pots. Gals and guys wrapped tightly in their windbreakers were brushing their teeth under the icy cold water. After our breakfast, we started our warm-ups. The warm-ups soon became really hot when we learned an alternative occupation - pole dancing from our very own professional.

We were by then raring to go. Singing and teasing punctuated the walk but there was still a final challenge waiting for us before the summit - a steep cliff face where each of us had to hang onto the ropes for our dear life.

When we saw the panorama at the summit, all our efforts seemed worth it. We jostled to pose for photos. Some brought out their cherished celebration drinks. There were slapping of backs and heightened laughter. We were finally here.

The climb down via the Sagil Trail was no less exciting. At KFC (Killers-for-Climbers), participants who feared heights found that their fear was not enough to stop them. Another lesser fear was to fall on me. I had to borrow a sarong because I had torn my pyjama pants in the most strategic area. Luckily the tear was small enough to be stitched back. But the tear to my image would probably take a while longer to fix.

After a laborious 12-hours trek, we eventually reached an open area in the pitch dark. To our disappointment, that was not a designated and approved campsite in Mount Ophir. *Sigh* We BOATers were dry on water and drained out both physically and mentally. Morale was near rock bottom. We heaved a sigh of relief however when the guides informed us that the actual campsite at Square Pool was fully occupied and we could stay and camp at our current location. Despite our exhaustion, we still chatted for the last night.

From there to the ground, it was an easy 3-hours climb in the morning. We stopped at the waterfall to enjoy our "Jacuzzi". As the rush of water washed over us, the grime and worries evaporated, leaving us rejuvenated.

As our bus moved off for the ride back home to Singapore, our eyes were drawn to the peak of Mt Ophir for the final time. A flood of images flashed across my mind: physical training, day hike, night walk, abseiling, kayaking, camp at Changi, camp at Panti and finally this overseas expedition. I was shaken from my reverie by the team belting out songs and yet another scene of two hapless guys "kissing".

It seemed remarkable that just three months ago, these people were strangers to me. I see them now as my special fireflies, illuminating my path and brightening my heart. We had shared, laughed and cried together. How can I not miss you all? I definitely will.