Karnival Tanjung Leman 2012

The event was held on 11th May to 13th May 2012. It's one of the yearly huge event in Tanjung Leman where the Sultan of the state and high ministers visited.
I was there on 13th May so I joined their beach fishing competition which started at 9 am. I arrived at about 9:30 am, paid the 60 Ringgit fee and get a place in front of the Felda Residence. This is where stingray are usually landed. Actually I was reluctant to join because I do not have a beach rod but I figured that I need to join in the fun.
The whole beach from Tunjuk Laut chalet to pass Felda Residence was full of surf fishing rod. Many times fishing lines were entangled and it was low tide almost all the way until 1:30 pm when the finishing horn finally blowed. Not many fishes were landed and I was told that the winner of the competition won only with a 900 grams sting ray.
Although it was quite fun to experience my first fishing competition, this is also the first time I came back from Tanjung Leman with an empty icebox.

Singing competition

Temporary stores set up to make some money

Rods on my right

More rods on my left

Salleh in action

Bikes of the Kembara Mahkota arriving

Musim Ketarap

After a long break since the NE Monsoon started in October last year, finally Salleh invited me over to Tanjung Leman to fish for Blackspot Tuskfish. This fish is one of the most expensive fish from this area although in term of personal preference, I still prefer John’s Snapper. The fish can be easily identified by the black spot at the back of it's body. This black spot only become distinct after the fish is landed for a certain time.
We started fishing at about 8 am. We're using life prawns, dead prawns and squid as bait but all 7 Tuskfish were caught using life prawn. Initial Tuskfish bite felt like a small fish but when the fish is hooked, a 1kg tuskfish felt like a 3-5kg fish. Almost all of them were caught when the sunlight was bright.

Nasir got the fist one

Salleh got his Ketarap

I'm under pressure now

Finally

Southern Winds and Inter-monsoon

Southwest Monsoon season in Peninsular Malaysia is characterized by winds that blow from the southwest starting from late May to September. It is associated with the rise of temperature in the Asian continent and the temperature drop in the southern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere the wind blows from Southeast direction and changes direction to southwest as it passes the equator. This effect is called the Coriolis Effect which is caused by the rotation of the earth.

During the southwest monsoon period, rainfall in the Peninsular Malaysia will reduce as rainfall in the western Sumatra peaks when the monsoon wind passes through the Barisan Mountains, a mountain range on the western side of Sumatra.

Calm sea during the SW monsoon in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Sumatra Squalls or Ribut Sumatra are thunderstorms which usually occur from April to May and from September to October each year during the inter-monsoon periods. These squalls develop at night over Sumatra or the Straits of Malacca and move east toward Peninsular Malaysia usually during dawn and early morning. Squall are characterized by sudden onset of strong gusty winds of up to 100 km/hour and heavy rain to the southwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia starting from the state of Selangor to Johor.

Sea breezes are common during the inter-monsoon and southwest monsoon season. The winds are formed as a result of temperature differences between land and sea. In the day, land gets heated rapidly by the sun while sea surface temperature increases less. When hot air rises over the land, cool air just above the sea moves inland to fill the void and circulate back to sea higher above. Sea breezes and opposing light constant wind can sometimes initiate thunderstorm that usually align with the coastline.

Waterspout is rare in Peninsular Malaysia but if it happens usually will be in the inter-monsoon periods. Waterspout occur during intense weather condition associated with thunderstorm and often being mistaken  as a tornado due to the similar appearance. Unlike tornado that can occur over both land and sea, waterspout only forms over the sea. It usually dissipate on reaching the coast.

Waterspout in Tanjung Leman

From April onward, the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia sea will start to calm down. Fish species like grouper, snapper, wrasse and sweetlips will move closser to the shore. Good time for fishing will be back for anglers until October.

Grouper is abundant in Tanjung leman during the SW monsoon