"Climb up to see the South China Sea!" challenged the Malaysian marine department technician. It was a fine sunny beautiful Saturday on 17th August, 2013 and I was leading a delegation from our SOSWE ( Sarawak Society of English Writers ) at almost a last minute notice by our secretary to Miri's only lighthouse at Luak Bay to celebrate International Lighthouse Day..It was an event jointly organized by the Marine Department and the Miri Amateur Radio Club. Accompanying me were our immediate past president, Molly, her charming daughter, our secretary, Jennie Soh and a SHELL friend accompanied me in my Gen 2 vehicle and it took us less than ten minutes to arrive at the venue.
Not one to lose a challenge so easily, I responded eagerly with a quick "Ok!" I was surprised with my rapid reply! My head was spinning.at the thought of climbing up this 28 meters high tower ... and I remembered it was the ongoing Chinese Feast of Hungry Ghosts! (Yunno - who will they claim next and all that stuff!). To add to my slight discomfort, a Muslim grave lies next to the old lighthouse that is merely a stone throw away! The lighthouse keeper sadly lying beneath the grave was the first unfortunate Sarawakian to die when the Japanese invaded Sarawak.
Eventually the three of us managed to cautiously climb the narrow steel steps of the 48-metre high tower to reach the top deck. What a remarkable view awaited us! We were standing at the high Tanjong Lobang cliff overlooking the South China Sea!
Here are some of the pics of my climb with two other persons, one of whom was our informative helpful young Marine Department technician. More pics of this memorable visit will be posted later, including pics taken at the top deck of the lighthouse.
THE VIEW FROM THE TOP: THE POWERFUL ELECTRICAL LAMP.
THE GRAVE OF THE FIRST LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER
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THE GRAVE LYING BESIDE THE OLD LIGHTHOUSE
THE PRESENT TALL 47-METER HIGH LIGHTHOUSE AND OLD ONE BEHIND IT
EQUIPMENT OF OPERATORS OF AMATEUR RADIO CLUB OF MIRI
Here is the Google map view of our Tanjong Lobang lighthouse here: https://maps.google.com/?ll=4.361399,113.962716&spn=0.001535,0.002258&t=k&z=19
Not one to lose a challenge so easily, I responded eagerly with a quick "Ok!" I was surprised with my rapid reply! My head was spinning.at the thought of climbing up this 28 meters high tower ... and I remembered it was the ongoing Chinese Feast of Hungry Ghosts! (Yunno - who will they claim next and all that stuff!). To add to my slight discomfort, a Muslim grave lies next to the old lighthouse that is merely a stone throw away! The lighthouse keeper sadly lying beneath the grave was the first unfortunate Sarawakian to die when the Japanese invaded Sarawak.
Eventually the three of us managed to cautiously climb the narrow steel steps of the 48-metre high tower to reach the top deck. What a remarkable view awaited us! We were standing at the high Tanjong Lobang cliff overlooking the South China Sea!
Here are some of the pics of my climb with two other persons, one of whom was our informative helpful young Marine Department technician. More pics of this memorable visit will be posted later, including pics taken at the top deck of the lighthouse.
.jpg)
Here is the Google map view of our Tanjong Lobang lighthouse here: https://maps.google.com/?ll=4.361399,113.962716&spn=0.001535,0.002258&t=k&z=19
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