Meet crab catcher Quek Kim Kiang, 63, who has lived on Pulau Ubin for the past two decades.
Every morning, Mr Quek Kim Kiang - or Ah Kiang as he is affectionately known - dons a pair of rubber fishing boots, grabs some steel hooks, hops onto his bike and heads towards the island’s dense mangrove forest.
Expertly, he navigated through conical-shaped mounds made by mud lobsters, past spindly roots that threaten to trip unwary visitors, and hacked through leafy branches with a well-worn blade.
Using a hooking method, Mr Quek patiently pried a crab out of a hole where it was hiding - all this while planting his feet deep in the mud. He did this over the next four to five hours, as he went to various spots on the island in search of the crustaceans. It is all in a day’s work for Mr Quek, who sells crabs for S$25 a kilogramme. After a day’s catch, the 63-year-old bachelor - who has lived on the island for the past two decades - heads to one of his two homes: A hut located along the main jetty, or another one built on a fishing platform.
On some afternoons, he whiles away time, tossing back a beer or two with friends. On Saturdays, his friends arrive from the mainland to visit him, and they do gardening and exercise together. Possessing a wide knowledge on crabs, Mr Quek willingly dishes out - to anyone who would listen - various tidbits on why these creatures thrive in mangrove forests, how to locate them, and even their breeding patterns.
In fact, he has taken a young “disciple” under his wing - a nine-year-old-boy who was so impressed by his skill in hooking crabs that he asked for his father’s permission to learn from Mr Quek. He has since brought the boy along with him several times, but avoids places where poisonous snakes lurk. Said Mr Quek, with a grin: “He’s still a bit too young, he’s not strong enough yet to go running around in the forests with me … I think give it a few more years.”
For now, Mr Quek nurses hopes of one day leading his own mangrove guided tours. He has even thought of wet weather plans: When it rains, he will invite groups over to his backyard and regale them with tales of the island’s history. “Not many know about mangrove forests … Some visitors may see it as dirty, or feel there’s nothing special about it … But inside, there are many hidden treasures, and every time I go in, I find new things to discover.”
Every morning, Mr Quek Kim Kiang - or Ah Kiang as he is affectionately known - dons a pair of rubber fishing boots, grabs some steel hooks, hops onto his bike and heads towards the island’s dense mangrove forest.
Expertly, he navigated through conical-shaped mounds made by mud lobsters, past spindly roots that threaten to trip unwary visitors, and hacked through leafy branches with a well-worn blade.
Using a hooking method, Mr Quek patiently pried a crab out of a hole where it was hiding - all this while planting his feet deep in the mud. He did this over the next four to five hours, as he went to various spots on the island in search of the crustaceans. It is all in a day’s work for Mr Quek, who sells crabs for S$25 a kilogramme. After a day’s catch, the 63-year-old bachelor - who has lived on the island for the past two decades - heads to one of his two homes: A hut located along the main jetty, or another one built on a fishing platform.
On some afternoons, he whiles away time, tossing back a beer or two with friends. On Saturdays, his friends arrive from the mainland to visit him, and they do gardening and exercise together. Possessing a wide knowledge on crabs, Mr Quek willingly dishes out - to anyone who would listen - various tidbits on why these creatures thrive in mangrove forests, how to locate them, and even their breeding patterns.
In fact, he has taken a young “disciple” under his wing - a nine-year-old-boy who was so impressed by his skill in hooking crabs that he asked for his father’s permission to learn from Mr Quek. He has since brought the boy along with him several times, but avoids places where poisonous snakes lurk. Said Mr Quek, with a grin: “He’s still a bit too young, he’s not strong enough yet to go running around in the forests with me … I think give it a few more years.”
For now, Mr Quek nurses hopes of one day leading his own mangrove guided tours. He has even thought of wet weather plans: When it rains, he will invite groups over to his backyard and regale them with tales of the island’s history. “Not many know about mangrove forests … Some visitors may see it as dirty, or feel there’s nothing special about it … But inside, there are many hidden treasures, and every time I go in, I find new things to discover.”
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