Mabul to the Jungle - Monday August 23, 2010

We awoke to the last day sounds of the ocean this morning knowing the second part of the journey was near. We knew that the departure would be before the 7:00am breakfast so we made a couple of peanut butter & pinapple jam sandwiches and drank some strong coffee before departing for the Semporna jetty at 06:30am. Our captain got the dive gear on the boat and we were off on the 45 minute journey back to the shore.
as everything awoke.
Upon arrival to Semporna we were greeted by Igide of Borneo Eco Tours and we were off for a 4 hour drive through the jungle to the Sukau jetty on the Kinabatagan River. Once we arrived at the river it was only a 10 minute boat ride to the Sikau Rainforest Lodge. Everything was going good however we were concerned that we were being transfered over to the neighboring property since the Sukau Lodge was being renovated. Tina had already confirmed this and we were good with it prior to departing the US. Anyways we had lunch there at 13:00 and wisked off to the Proboscus Rainforest Lodge about 5 minutes up river. This place was absolutely amazing! All the comforts of homeand the grounds were emaculantly clean and manicured.We were briefed on the property requirements and to be down at the river at 16:00 for the evening river cruise looking for critters and monkeys.

We got settled in and went down to the river for the cruise and met our newly wed Irish friends Caroline and Steve and Andie from SF, CA. We all hit it off right away and formed a unified bond immediately. We all took off down river and found the Proboscus monkeys and numerous other makack (sp) monkeys as well.

We returned back to the resort and cleaned up for dinner at 7:00pm. River prawns the size of lobsters were on the menu and was I in heaven or what???? These prawns were the size of lobsters! After dinner we went out at 20:30 for a night cruise looking for more critters. This was pretty univentful with a few flying fox and kingfishers roosting in the river trees. It was a long day and we turned in at 10:00 after the cruise.