Pulau Pepatan

Slipping through the emerald waters of Brunei Bay, Pulau Pepatan emerges. It’s a small island, a mere speck in the vast South China Sea, but its story is woven into the fabric of Brunei. Pulau Pepatan sits at the mouth of the Brunei River. It is officially designated as the Pulau Pepatan Nature Reserve. The island is part of the Seria Anticline. It forms a part of the Brunei Inner Bars. This makes Pulau Pepatan an extension of the Limbang heights from Malaysia. These heights stretch from southwest to northeast into Brunei Bay. Another island, Pulau Baru-Baru, is part of this formation too. Only a narrow channel and the Simpang 747 separate it from Pulau Pepatan. Due to the unique geological folding, parallel ridges run across the area. Pulau Chermin, Pulau Kaingaran, and Pulau Berambang to the west are all outliers of a neighboring ridge. Pulau Pepatan itself rises only a few meters above sea level. It has an oval shape and is densely forested and uninhabited. In 2016, construction activity buzzed around the north of Pulau Pepatan. A temporary jetty was built for unloading rocks. A temporary road was also constructed. “Bund Walls” and “Armour Rocks” were installed. All this was part of a project by the Public Works Department and Daelim-Swee Sdn Bhd. The project ran from January 5th to December 31st, 2016. The ships Fordeco 5 and Goldview 11 were key players in this endeavor. This activity temporarily restricted navigation around the island. Warning signals, including four buoys and floating signs, were placed near the temporary jetty. Mariners and local fishermen were urged to avoid the area during this time.