It was a very brief stay in Chagar Hutang (CH) this time around, just one night, but eventful as always.

Night of the 27th saw me receiving my friend Tom Hopkins, Liz and 13 students from the Shanghai American School. This field trip for the students had been planned when I was invited as guest scientist to their school in November 2007.

After rushing through check-ins at Hotel Sri Malaysia, four of us managed to get to the Mydin Hypermarket barely an hour before closing time at 11 pm. In that marathon shopping session, we purchased RM1,060 worth of food supplies to last the next six days in Chagar Hutang.

We had chartered a boat from Teratai Boat Services (Pak Yah’s business) to bring the 16 of us direct to CH the next morning. Excitement level among the students was high, and although Tom had spent 5 days in CH with his wife Marilyn just weeks ago helping us to get the place ready to receive volunteers, I could see that he was very pleased to be back again.

The one hour boat trip turned out to be quite educational as I chatted to Fauzi the boatman. He was none other than the younger brother of Johar who had worked in the project a few years ago and had 10 years experience working as a birds’ nest collecter in Redang Island. I learnt that there were 2 species of swifts and that the swiftlets took 4 months and 13 days before they were ready to leave the nest. It was therefore critical not to touch the nests before that time period. I wondered about the sustainability of birds’ nest collection in the island and if there had been an increase or decline in its production.

We got to CH shortly before midday. After a short orientation and settling in, everyone jumped into the sea. It proved to be an unforgetable experience for them. One adult hawksbill, and two males and two female green turtles were spotted. And because the students had kept their distance, the turtles did not spook, but approached them instead.

There were more briefings on the work in Chagar Hutang and some introductions to turtle biology. The Turtle Gallery, also to be their quarters for their stay in CH, will serve to fill them with additional information on turtles.

By dinner time, we had conducted 4 nest checks and none had been infested with the native army ants. Tom and his students had also set noose traps in the forest near our living quarters to capture monitor lizards, one of the more serious predators on the nests undergoing incubation. I have to pay tribute to Mahadi, obviously the master chef, for the sumptious meal of grilled tuna and fried rice that everyone enjoyed.

The night turned out uneventful.. No nestings although here had been two the night before. It might just have been as well, as it rained and the students needed the rest. I was able to spend some time with the volunteers on the beach, then joined Mahadi, Gary and Harry for a chat. We talked about RAs (research assistants) . Lim was set to leave by the end of the week and Pei Yee, the new RA who was supposed to replace Lim had decided she was not keen to stay on. Mahadi understood the situation we were in and truly empathised with me. I really had to find a new replacement fast. I knew I had to leave the next day to catch the final year students and to source a new assistant before they leave for home after the final exams.

Tom got his students busy soon after breakfast the next morning (29th April). They will conduct reef checks at the bay, determine ghost and hermit crab population sizes, take temperature readings at different locations on the beach, and determine if sand particle grain size plays a role in nest site selection. They will also participate in all the activites carried out by the volunteers, apart from building a compost heap and determining the compositon of beached debris in CH.

Meanwhile, Gary had been keeping an eye on the monitor lizards traps. He did not have to wait long. The first specimen was noosed at 9.00 am. It measured 1.6 m from head to tail and was later released just in front of Pasir Panjang. It had been tagged with tag no. 1261. We will know if it is able to return to CH. I hope more of the lizards can be trapped and relocated. Gary and Harry will be assigned to this job.

The sign “Turtle Gallery” is now up, design, sculpturing and painting courtesy of Gary and Harry. I had also left instruction for Pei Yee to supervise the painting of our new signboard which will read “Marine Turtle Field Station, Univ. M’sia Terengganu, Chagar Hutang, Redang.

As I approached Laguna Redang Beach Resort to board the 12 pm ferry, I saw Man. There seemed to be some buzz at the jetty and I soon knew why. YM Tengku Badrul, younger brother of our King, had just left for Pulau Pinang and there was a possibility that he may wish to visit CH. I quickly sent Man and Gary back to CH to be on standby in case the royal guest decided to pay us a visit.

When I was halfway back to Merang, I received a call from Pei Yee. Yes, YM Tengku had decided to visit CH. The marine police had come ahead to CH to inform our staff stationed there. There was a request for turtle eggs, to which we could not comply. In any case, we did not have any nestings the night before. Strange, but did the turtles know?? Pei Yee said she will try to get our royal guest to sign the pledge not to eat turtle eggs for the rest of his life. I still do not know if she succeeded, but it was very quick thinking on her part.

Chan, on trip to Chagar Hutang, 28 to 29th April 2008.

• What a full 3 days it has been…
• Little Princess deposits her third nest
• Chagar Hutang revisited
• Turtles take flight!
• Orchestrating three activities in a day