I'm back at Chek Jawa, one of the two seashores that started my passion in marine life (the other is Tanjong Rimau, Sentosa). It's like visiting your friend that has been there all along through different seasons. That applies to both the shore and myself. We were able to visit this shore with permission from Nparks.
We are back at Chek Jawa for our intertidal survey, with permission from Nparks. We hardly have the energy and time to do the northern part of Chek Jawa as we usually get distracted by the coral rubble in the south.
Chek Jawa is a special place in many Singaporean's heart. We almost lost this shore to development more than 10 years ago and are heartened to know that it is still around today for many to enjoy and appreciate. For me, it is my first field site as I did my UROPs project in 2007 studying the mass mortality and recruitment of organisms.
Here we go again! Another 2am wake up call this morning and off we were to Chek Jawa for an intertidal survey which we encountered many 'S's! What are these 'S's?
Every year towards December and January, it is likely to come across news on floods in Johor and other parts of Malaysia. It was the flood of Dec 2006 and Jan 2007 that lead to a mass mortality of marine invertebrates in Chek Jawa. To find out more on what happened back then, you may read my blog post on What caused the mass death here.
On Dec 2013, we read news of yet more flood in Johor and therefore it is imperative for us to do a check on whether the outflow of freshwater into the Johor Straits have any impact on Chek Jawa.
November marked that start of the school holidays and on the first Saturday morning, I was back at Chek Jawa Boardwalk with student
councillors on the free guided tour conducted by Naked Hermit Crabs.
I'm back on the monthly guided walks of Naked Hermit Crabs at Chek Jawa as a nature guide. Accompanying me on the trips for September and October are my student councillors who were present as part of the council's Excel leadership exposure programme.
We are back at Chek Jawa on a predawn survey and focused on the coral rubble near the Chek Jawa front beacon. We were here last month but the tide was not low enough to document what lies out there.
It has been a long 4 years since I have last surveyed the coral rubble of Chek Jawa. Thanks to NParks for permission and support for us to carry out low spring tide surveys of Chek Jawa, we were able to document the shore on this 1 am trip last Sunday morning.
After two months of inactivity, I am back blogging on my previous nature trips! Over the 2nd Saturdays of the past three months, I have been out guiding at Chek Jawa with the Naked Hermit Crabs.
The holidays is the best period where kids and their family can spend quality time out in the wonders of nature to explore Singapore's own backyard. I was glad to find time during this June holiday and guide with the Naked Hermit Crabs on a Saturday morning.
I'm back at Chek Jawa boardwalk with the Naked Hermit Crabs (NHC) for the August walks! This time with two of my student councillors for their environmental exposure programme!
It's the June Holidays! And we have nearly 70 participants signing up for our Naked Hermit Crabs walk at Chek Jawa this morning!
For the first time, I guided a huge group of 18 participants. However, I did not fluster at all as they were very interested and attentive throughout the walk. In fact, it was an enjoyable time exploring the mangroves and shore with them! Here is a group photo of them at the peak of Jejawi tower.
After more than one year, I finally stepped on the shores of Chek Jawa again! This time with the Teamseagrass volunteers.
It was a really hot morning but it also provided a great setting to take nice photos of the lush meadow of seagrassses at Chek Jawa.
My school declared holiday today due to the good A-level results. As such, I brought along two of my colleagues and we escaped to Ubin as a retreat from work!
Despite the horrible thunderstorm in the early mornings, we were eventually blessed with clear weathers and a cool morning. Our first stop was Chek Jawa Boardwalk. When we reached there at about 10am, we realized that we are probably the first visitor of the day.
Woke up early to go Ubin with Pamela and her cell group on Hari Raya holiday last Wednesday. Yes, if you want to go Ubin and do not want to be stuck in long queues, it is best to go early and leave early!
While waiting for the rest to arrive at Changi, we had a look at the shrubs nearby and there were many butterflies! Thanks to Soon Chye for identifying, this large butterfly is the Great Mormon.
Yesterday, I was at the Naked Hermit Crabs guided walk with the Yishun Student Care Services. Ivan was leading my group and he spotted something special in the mangrove boardwalk.
It is the Oriental whip snake (Ahaetulla prasina)! It's my second time seeing this snake here. During my first sighting, the snake was very shy but this one is very still. It made the day for many of the participants.
Chek Jawa is very charming to me. After working many times on it from 2007 to 2008 for the Chek Jawa mortality and recruitment project, this shore has earned a special place in my heart.
In what way is it special and charming? It is both the ecosystems as well as the spectacular landscapes you get when you are there. Seldom you get places in Singapore where one can escape from sights of civilisation or urbanisation. It's just peaceful to immense myself in the serenity and tranquility of Chek Jawa.
Yesterday I was back at CJ to do a followup on my check of the shore and I caught this special sunrise scene where the sky seems to be divided clearly into half! I did not doctor this photograph to get this effect.
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