Here's the entrance to a number of places in Penang National Park. The registration office for visitors is before the entrance, on the right of the picture.
On the way up the hill to Pantai Keranchut, is this dug out path.
And there are also concrete steps in certain parts.
At the end of the path of this hill is a bridge. After this bridge you see a lake on your left and the sea on your right.
Here is the unique meromictic lake.
And if you turn to the other side, there is the beautiful beach,
the sea and the beautiful blue sky. Once a British lecturer told me a sky can only be termed beautiful if there are no cloulds. I think that is because a cloudy sky in England would mean colder weather and so cannot be considered beautiful, For me, the texture of the clouds plastered on a beautiful blue background on a hot tropical day is beautiful. Of course, she did not agree with my comments but I accepted her view as I could place myself in her position in a cold country.
Coming back to the lake, it is known as a meromictic lake. I searched for the word 'meromictic' but was unable to find it. However, 'mero' means partly or partially. According to the information given, a meromictic lake has two layers of water, sea water below and fresh water above, that do not mix. This lake is the only one of its kind in Malaysia. Throughout the world there are only 19 places such lakes exist.
Looking back at the bridge.
Even have beautiful flowers on the beach!
Turtles! Little one day old baby turtles kept in a fibre-glass tank at the conservation centre.
A picture of a dead dolphin found in Keranchut Beach on 12th October 2008.
Below is the skeleton of the dolphin.
Another lonely beauty on the beach.
After the rain we enjoyed at Pantai Trampi (Trampi Beach), all soaking wet, it was a boat ride back to the registration centre.
And a chance to enjoy the coast line from the sea. Of course this is taken only when the rain stopped as the camera could have been spoiled by the rain.
Hey! That's caged fish-rearing.
And it's towards the jetty at the registration centre.
Recently, we made another trip to the Penang National Park. It started with lovely weather but ended with a storm. So, unlike the first time, the rain made the trip most memorable.
Sometime last year we went to this park and we were lost coming back from Pantai Trampi. This time there was no opportunity to be lost as we were ready with cut newspapers to be scattered on the ground for us to retrace our steps. Well, we may plan but sometimes fate just comes to give us some surprises.
We reached the starting point at Batu Ferringgi where we, as required, registered ourselves as visitors to Pantai Keranchut and Pantai Trampi, both places only accessible by sea or over hills.
At Pantai Keranchut, we again came to the only lake in Malaysia which contains two types of water, sea water and fresh water, separated because of their different densities. Here, we get to see newly hatched turtles at the tu8rtle conservation area.
After our lunch we went on across another hill to Pantai Trampi. As we reached Pantai Trampi, rain came. It was heavy and the wind was strong. For me it was refreshing but very soon all of us were drenched to the skin. So, we phoned for a boat agreeing to pay ten ringgit each; there were thirteen of us.
In the meantime, since no shelter could prevent us from being totally wet, we looked for whatever plastic bags we had and put out hand phones and car-keys into them. Then we just played in the rain on the beach.
Soon the boat came. The boat merely had a canopy top which was hardly able to keep the rain off our faces and bodies. Huddled in the boat with the wind blowing in our face, it was cold. About forty minute's ride later, as it were coming near to the Batu Ferringgi starting point, the rain stopped just in time for me to take ut my camera to take some photos.
Cold and wet we quickly changed into some dry clothes. By then we were quite hungry and so went in search for food and after that we headed for home.
