Showing posts with label Fishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fishing. Show all posts

Thursday, 22 October 2015

Exploration: Jurong River

Highlights of our trip
Hi everyone! It's another Exploration post - we will share a place which requires you to get up on your feet and jump right in into an adventure :D

This time round, we're bringing you to Jurong River. Located in between Singapore Straits and Jurong Lake Park, the Jurong River can also be seen from AYE.
The star indicates the 'entrance' from which we entered from.
Walking to the entrance is not a hassle from my home in Teban Gardens, so it will be as easy if you're here in the neighbourhood.

The entrance
With my family, so excited!
Be prepared to walk through some tall grass and soft, muddy ground.
The path was better maintained than I last remembered.
Do remember to use your CALAMINE LOTION if you're worried about mosquitoes.
My auntie and cousins were already there when we reached and they have set up a fire to chase off the mosquitoes away + to cook whatever catch we managed to get.
Setting up the fire
When we reached at around 2.30pm,it was high tide so we couldn't go further in to dig for clams. You can always check out the high/low tide timings HERE.

The tide information for that day. H indicates High Tide and L indicates Low Tide.
High Tide - Suitable for fly-fishing or netting.
My mum and brother tried their hand at netting. Me too actually, but I was totally noob about it. lol
The surprising thing was that my cousins found some oysters. These shellfish can be found clinging to rocks and you can pry them off slowly. The important thing is to watch out for those barnacles (!!) those things are horrible and they can easily cut your hands.

Of course these are not the best grade of oysters and the only way I would suggest to eat them is by really making sure they are fully cooked. I managed to find one oyster of my own and it was the smallest! (Bottom right pic)
Shucking and cooking the oysters.
Playing in the water
After a few hours, we could see that the tide was slowly going back down. We managed to find some clams which most we cooked straight and ate over there. :D
Lol. My mum posing, this is possible during low tide.
Low tide: Best for digging for clams, finding oysters and netting. My sister found the biggest clam!
These clams are also known as lala and they have a slight sweet taste.
The yellow canoe is good for resting.
Also, as written on the tree: Please Keep This Area Clean :)
It was close to 6pm so we made our way back home. Us siblings would have loved to stay longer as we started to find more clams since the tide was getting lower. The netting didn't go so well so it probably would be better in low tide as well.
The journey back home was as beautiful (From top left clockwise: Flowers creeping on fences, Containers and machineries on both sides, Spot the bird!, Going back where we came from)
Into the dustbin they go.
Also, my jogging shoes were totally gone by the time I reached home! Okay these were quite old (at least 5 years old) so there wasn't any hard feelings for me to part with them. Also, do wear old clothings which you wouldn't mind getting a bit dirty.
One last wefie before we head back home
It was really a fun and fruitful experience and great for family bonding. My parents have already started planning on their next visit and I would also love to go again when it is low tide. 

Hope you liked this post. Thank you to my family, my auntie and cousins for being there. Wouldn;t be possible without you all! :)

Sunday, 10 August 2014

Exploration: Last Visit to Bottle Tree Park

This may not be not old news to some but sadly, Bottle Tree Park is closing by the end of this week. Its last day of operation would be on  Sunday, 10th August 2014 from 11am to 11pm. 


- Initially our post was about the Swan Paddling which you can try out here at Bottle Tree Park. However, after contacting them, we found that it is no longer available :( -

The phone conversation was funny and a little confusing. The Chinese lady didn't understand what Swan Paddling is, or even know what is a swan for that matter. After choosing simpler words, this is what she told me, "White bird no more. Because all washing. No more water already". SO SAD!!!


 The above photo is obtained from the Bottle Tree Pte Ltd website. 

Couples and children paddling in the sunset. (Credits to Best Singapore Guide)

Well since it's no longer available, what else can you do here? Other than swan paddling, the place is also known for longkang fishing (for children) and prawning.

There is also the Bottle Tree Seafood Restaurant (Non-Halal). Their Halal Sembawang Eating House Seafood Restaurant had already moved to Marina Barrage. 

I'm not sure if it would be a good visit with so many things gone. Even the famous Bottle Tree (yes, there is an actual tree) has been excavated. But if you wish to revisit some of your sweet memories with your partner or family, remember to go by the end of this week. 

For the others who are curious and would love to see the place before it closes down, below are some ways you can get to the park. 


Bottle Tree Park
81 Lorong Chencharu (Yishun)
Singapore 769198
Click for Map of Bottle Tree Park

MRT: Take the North-South Line and alight at Khatib MRT station. It’s a 15-minute walk to Bottle Tree Park’s side entrance opposite Yishun Stadium.

CAR: Exit from SLE (Yishun). From Lentor Avenue, turn left into Yishun Avenue 1. At the traffic light, turn right towards Sembawang Road. Keep right, then turn into Lorong Chencharu. (Opposite Sembawang Country Club and Airbase.)

BUS:Alight at Yishun Avenue 2, opposite Yishun Stadium. Services 39, 85, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 857, 858, 965 and 969 stop there.


Hope most of you would be able to visit the place before it closes this Sunday. To be honest, I really feel sad that I haven't had the chance to visit this place when it was lively. Do share with us some of your fondest memories here. We would really love to hear from you. 


Thursday, 31 July 2014

Exploration : Sunset at Sembawang Park

I love sunsets. Flocks of birds across the sky, idylic and inviting. On good days we experience the golden hour in which the whole of Singapore seem to be bathed by a warm, orange glow. Today, we're sharing about a place which we saw one of the best sunsets in Singapore...

Sembawang Park is one of the few remaining natural beaches in Singapore. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this is the place you can totally lose track of time and just enjoy the scenery. 
We were in luck, one of the most beautiful sunset we've seen..
Taking a break from cycling (you can rent a bike here), adults and kids alike were mesmerised by the view. This place is also suitable for picnics - bring a mat, some food and maybe a card game or two :) Nice ambience for family or couple time.
Wish I had a better camera with me!
I was really tempted to join the kiddos but too bad, we weren't in the right attire. Reminder: Please do not litter along the beach. Keep it beautiful for the rest of us too, ya? :)

Simply breathtaking. 
Burst of colours
My iPhone doesn't do the scenery justice. Love how this tree is silhouetted against the colourful skyline.
Waiting for their next catch...
 We don't know anything about fishing, but this place seems quite popular among fishing enthusiasts. The sky somehow reminds us of paddle-pop ice cream. <3
If you're lucky, you'll see Venus too!
While his kid is busy building sandcastles, the dad enjoys the view in silence. You can only hear the sound of waves lapping gently in the background. 
Time to head off... Clouds littered the sky like flocks of sheep.
And away we go...
If you happen to be somewhere in the north of Singapore, do drop by Sembawang Park for a visit. And also look out for the Sembawang tree (Mesua ferruginea) because that's where it got its name from!. Apparently it can be found at carpark C1. 

There's also the lush Beaulieu house in Sembawang Park where many choose to hold their weddings. Not only that, the Sembawang Jetty and the Seletar Pier remains are wonderful reminders of its Naval past. Although we just dropped by for some sunset watching, this place is definitely a gem. I couldn't stop talking about the place for some time. Hehe

Maybe next time, we'll come by in the afternoon to spend some hours in the sun. I would really love to explore the rest of the park. Do let us know what you think and most importantly,
have fun!