ready to go: Boats moored at Jesselton Point.
Jumaldi enjoys his job, the marine life and Nature.
THERE is nothing fancy about being a boatman.
For a paltry sum, he has to brave the waves, learn to read the weather and keep his eyes and ears open to signs of a storm that might be brewing.
The tropical seas and skies can be fickle and the boatman has to learn to anticipate weather change which can come without warning. This is especially true if he is in charge of a passenger boat.
Jamaldi Roslan, 32, of Pulau Gaya, just off Kota Kinabalu, has been manning a boat since he was 13, learning the robes by watching his peers.
He was first put in charge of a boat in 1996. Though still very young then, he already knew a lot about boats. Living on an island has seen to that and he learned early safety of the passengers comes first.
“I actually started with our family boat. It was fun and I enjoyed it so much. But then, I knew fun alone will not bring me an income,” he said, adding that after gaining enough confidence, he entered the West Coast Society of Tour Boat Drivers.
He now provides tourist-boat services from Jesselton Point to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park which consists of five islands with the
most visited being — Manukan Island, Mamutik Island and Sapi Island.
It is these islands that Jamaldi drives tourists to.
He makes sure they put on life jackets and advises them to be on time for their trip home. After that, he returns to the Pier for more customers.
Usually, the trip is about RM30 and above return per person although fares differ between boat transport providers in the state capital.
Jamaldi encounters a lot of interesting events in his job, involving not so much tourists as Nature itself.
“There was this time when I was sleeping in the boat while waiting for tourists on the island. I suddenly woke up as my boat was being rocked. I thought it was due to a huge wave and that the weather had changed.
“When I looked down, I saw this whale scratching its back on the bottom of my boat. It was twice the length of my 28-feet vessel. I just waited and watched and then, it swam away,” he shared.
He enjoys his job because he only makes a good income but also gets to meet people from various backgrounds.
“It can be an eye-opener – meeting and mingling with people from all walks of life and getting to know them, especially the way they think,” he said.
This father of three growing children will continue working as a boatman for as long as he can — and hopes to be more successful in the future.
Another boatman is Tos Hio from Semporna.
The 23-year-old has had his share of hardships at an early age. He had never been to school due to a misfortune that befell his family when he was a child.
“I remember my mother brought me to enroll in a primary school when I was seven. When we returned home, our house had burnt down, leaving us with literally nothing,” recalled Tos, the fourth in a family of nine siblings.
“My parents were devastated — we lost everything. We had to live in the community hall. After that, my parents thought we should move to KK to earn a living — and also to get over the heartache of losing our home.
“By that time, I had lost interest in schooling,” he said, adding that he usually followed his father when he was working as a boat conductor.
At 12, Tos became a boat crew member. It was not easy for him at that young age but he eventually grew to love the sea.
After several years, he managed to land a job as a boatman. And apart from ferrying passengers, he also enjoys watching marine life, especially dolphins, turtles, whales and little sharks.
Tos who works from 7am to 5pm, said if there were many tourists, he usually made five trips to the islands a day.
“We bring the tourists to Manukan, Mamutik, Sapi and Gaya islands. The favourite is, of course, Manukan.”
He said the tourists loved the services and the islands —and they always promised to return and most did.
Tos has weathered storms and “frightening winds” but never lost his boat through collision or sinking.
“I plan to carry on as a boatman for as long as I am able,” he stressed
Tos hopes to get married and start a family soon.
With expert boatmen at the helm, tourists will continue to enjoy the captivating ambience of the seas and the mystical islands off Kota Kinabalu.
Tos Hio in his boat.
serene: The tranquil beach and blue sea of Manukan Island. — Photos by Anna Vivienne