Daily Photo – Soon Hong No. 7

Soon Hong No. 7 was the riverboat I rode back to Kuala Baram.

Unlike my three section up-river trip of riverboat, derelict boat, and longboat, my return trip too just two boats: a longboat from Mulu to Long Terawan and then the Soon Hong No. 7 from long Terawan to Kuala Baram with a brief stop at Marudi. The Soon Hong No. 7 was smaller than the first riverboat I’d taken from Kuala Baram to Marudi on m upriver trip.

Just like those bigger riverboats, the Soon Hong No. 7 carried a spare drive shaft and propeller. I still don’t know how they would have gone about changing that mid-river.

As you can see, the day was overcast and the cloud very low in the valleys. I’ve no shots of the longboat journey from Mulu to Long Terawan so I’m guessing there wasn’t anything worth photographing.

The crew member is stepping in front of my two-tone blue Karrimor day pack. That small backpack was my luggage for this trip. I still have it some 24 years later and still use it occasionally! I’d be surprised if the Soon Hong No. 7 is still in service though.