Fieldwork: Stranded in the Brunei Bay

An expedition of 10 (4 lecturers and 3 students) got caught by low tide on 10 September 2011 while on the way to Temburong for a mangrove survey.

Being stranded in the mudflats doesn't mean the fieldwork was a complete bust! Gabriel as always managed to turn the situation into a learning experience.


"Our being here ankle deep in bay slush demonstrates the importance of having and using an updated bathymetric map," he told some of the students (although perhaps not in those exact words).

The tide finally started rising 2 hours later. We reached the jetty at 815pm, more than 4 hours after we first set out.