Seahorses suprise at Changi

On Monday evening, I had the honor to introduce our spectacular Changi shores to Jillian and Benjamin. It was their first time visiting Singapore's shores during low tide! Awaiting us were seahorses surprise later on during the trip!


We first had a look at a rocky shore. From far, most people would deem such rocky areas to be smelly and void of life. But that is wrong! In fact, the rocky habitat rocks big time. Haha!

Virgin trip to South Cyrene Reef

On Sunday afternoon, we visited another submerged reef for the first time! It is called South Cyrene. Aye, isn't Cyrene Reef the reef that we have been visiting regularly? Cyrene Reefs are actually composed of three reefs: Terumbu Pandan (the Cyrene Reef we have been visiting all along), South Cyrene and Pandan Beacon.


We arrived when the tide was still a bit high and the bright orange beacon of South Cyrene made navigation easier for us to locate this emerging reef.

Back to eastern Semakau

Yesterday evening, I was back on the eastern shore of Semakau assisting Yikang in doing GIS mapping for Project Semakau. The last time I visited this shore was during clam hunting with Mei Lin exactly one year ago. I had a good look at the shore while walking around with Yikang to map out the different zonations.


How are the reefs doing after the recent period of coral bleaching? Most of the corals I came across were at the verge of total recovery or are already fully recovered. I hardly came across any corals that are bleaching badly.

Kusu Island: Anemone City

Last Sunday, I was back on evening tide trips this year and visited Kusu Island or also known as the Turtle Island.


Before Kusu was reclaimed, some people say it looked like a turtle. Made up of two ridges on a reef, one ridge the head, and the other the back of the turtle. Unfortunately, the shape of the turtle is not evident now.

Last morning trip at Sentosa

It's the last morning tide trip before the lower low spring tide switches to evening. Which means no need to wake up at unearthly hours until March next year! :-)

Together with Allen, Shuyi and Joo Yong, we had a good look at Sentosa's natural shore and reef. There are 3 objectives in this trip. First is to recce the shore for future field trips with students, second is to check out the bleaching event and third is the mission to find the elusive Galloping sea star which has been sighted twice by Chay Hoon and Ron!


I would say there are about 70-80% of the corals that are unbleached. Most of the bleached corals are only partially bleached like this hard coral above. It is possible that this hard coral is recovering through zooxanthallae restoration back to the coral.

Back to Changi's lively rocky shore

After more than a year of absence, I'm glad to be back on the rocky shores of Changi!


Other than echinoderms, sea slugs and flatworms, sea fans are also one of my most favourite marine organism. It's amazing to see how a mainland shore at Changi can be home to many pretty sea fans.

Semakau guiding with NUS High

Finally I get a chance to escape from work and stress this morning as I hit back on our lovely shores! This time to guide students at Semakau.

I woke up at 3am due to the noisy gusty winds outside and I thought, that's it! It will be yet another wet trip. Nevertheless, nothing stopped us from gathering at Marina South Pier at 5am to depart for Semakau. There were many participants today, from three schools!


Upon arrival at Semakau landfill begins our 2km walk along the road to the intertidal area. The gusty wind died down to a cool breeze and overlooking us is a glowy and warming sunrise. How sweet was the weather, thank God! In this photo is Wen Qing and her group of students.