Descending the Sebangau River to the Java Sea was smooth as glass all the way, but crossing the bay to the mouth of the Katingan River was a bit choppy. Reaching the sheltered channel behind Damar Island came after half an hour. Craning to catch glimpses of proboscis monkeys in the mangroves was to no avail. The best time to see them is dawn and dusk, not in early afternoon as we approached the township.
High on stilts at low tide, Pegatan gave us a warm but wet welcome. As soon as we'd checked into the simple and comfortable guest house, rain came in heavy squalls, blotting out the bulky traditional freighters standing just off shore, the nearby mosque and the tightly packed village. We sat on a tiny balcony sipping sweet tea and coffee waiting for it to ease.
Strolling through the car-less village later, we attracted many delighted welcomes from the villagers, as we ate satay and saw swallow 'hotels' for birdnests, piles of cockle shells, fish out to dry, canoes under construction, traditional gardens, boardwalk alleys, freely wandering cows and goats, and mangroves.
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