KOTA KINABALU – In pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, a group of men has taken their interest to a whole new level.
It is a way to discover the limits of the city, but unlike urban hiking, they explore with their kayaks.
According to Saharom Salim, it began with their love of the outdoors and fishing in the sea.
"We used to rent out boats to go out fishing in the sea. Imagine the amount of money we spent on the boats and the limitations of moving around to look for a good fishing spot.
"With the kayaks, not only can we keep fishing – we can also paddle around to our liking," Sarum told The Vibes.
Saharom is accompanied by a couple of his kayaking mates, Allan J Budin, who works with a Sabah airline firm, and Roger Woo, an executive of a printing company here.
Interest in a healthy lifestyle and extreme sports such as urban hiking, surfing, and cycling has risen in Sabah in recent years, but more people are picking up the habit, especially after the lockdown.
For many beginners, taking up such activities has become a sort of a release after being grounded at home for close to a year since the outbreak of Covid-19.
Saharom said kayaking is still relatively new with only a few groups interested in the pastime.
Kayaking offers not just a breathtaking view from the sea, but also a chance to discover the many islands along the coast.
"This is aside from the fishing hobby. Imagine going out to sea and being able to catch fish. And later stopping by at nearby islands and camping for the night, before going back to the mainland and going home," he said.
The cost?
Allan, who got his kayak last month, said he bought his gears, including a life jacket and other equipment, for around RM2,800.
But there is a two-month waiting period for the items to arrive, he said, adding that the local seller does not have any stock lying around in the shop.
"Instead, we go through a price brochure to make our purchases.
"There's a two-month waiting period before the kayak arrives, as they imported the kayak from China," said Allan who works with an airline company here.
He said the price of a kayak can reach the tens of thousands, depending on the size, the gears, and customised needs.
"The size of the kayaks is between six to 16 feet long. There are single cockpit kayaks and sailing tandem, with two cockpits.
"Then there's the paddle and the foot propellers, which make it easier to go sailing.
"There's also the option of installing a motor, stabilisers, and sail for convenience and travel much faster," he said.
Another important element in kayaking is safety, and so, a good and quality life jacket is a must, among others, said Allan, adding that going out during bad weather conditions is also a serious no.
He said there's also a need to install the high flagpole when out kayaking as they tend to lose sight of their fellow kayakers due to the varying height of the waves.
Current regulations
Saharom said the law is not quite clear at present but said informing the local police of their kayaking plans is important.
Water sports in Sabah are now allowed and there are already groups doing surfboard paddling, sail boating, and others have begun to pick up.
Saharom noted that there's a group in Tanjung Aru doing specifically kayaking, paddling along the beach, and visiting nearby islands.
He said that for sports like skateboarding, hill hiking, and cycling, preparation and familiarising oneself with the gears is also a must.
"So, before we venture out further with our kayaks, we started with the know-how – there's a spot in Karambunai, a cove that has become our training ground.
"The water must be calm. This is where we can learn to handle many types of sailing scenarios, before going out to the open sea," said Saharom, adding that they have already gone out to the open sea at least five times since they discovered the hobby late last year. – The Vibes, March 24, 2021
