Archipelagos

Hope everyone had a good start to 2011 !

For those who had already a chance to get back on the water, Jan and Feb has the clearest water and latest daylight. Despite the rain, it is a wonderful paddling period, as the monsoon also blew in cool Siberian winds. For those still dry, a good day to paddle is always too late, so just get on it.

Southeast asia is the world's largest archipelago, with over 25,000 islands. Of these, perhaps 5,000 of them have unique islandscape or cultural merit that just makes one's desire burning. In the kayakasia's universe,Thailand has three archipelagos and Philippines has eleven. [the word archipelago is used simply to describe a grouping of islands, and not in the geographic sense]

Singapore used to have over 50 islands. Now, over 40 of them remained; the rest lost to combination and reclamation with other islands. I am tempted to assigned a number to Singapore, but how? Perhaps many many years later, a huge lagoon will be built to encircle the entire southern shores, starting from East Coast and ending near Pasir Panjang. 15 new eco islands would be created off East Coast. This lagoon use green technology so advanced that all sea life within are preserved and made to flourish. The biggest man-made marine park in the world, half the size of Singapore. An archipelago in a lagoon. It would be an attraction worth a paddle and a number.

As of now, that is pure fantasy. But the idea of carrying enough gear and supplies, exploring island to island, all with your own power, time,... we can still fulfill some of this workplace dreams on a weekend trip to our wonderful southern islands. 

Further away, yet still link by the common drain outside your door, are numerous archipelagos yet to be explored...