After 4 Months Absence.....

I am back diving at Pulau Hantu with The Hantu Bloggers this morning!

Well.....I almost make it a 5 months absence cos I almost overslept again! Luckily a ringing phone woke me up just in time. Phew!

Since I have not been diving at Hantu for quite sometimes, I have been missing all the nudibranch there! So looking out for nudibranch was my main focus for today's dives.

Ahhh.....Hantu did not disappoint me! Cos I saw lots of nudibranch! There's even a new nudibranch sighting for me!

So here are the nudis:


The first nudibranch of the day! And HB had her wish to see one granted! Found it on a Sea Whip. It's Tritonia bollandi!


You can't miss the usual suspect, the Blue Dragon(Pteraeolidia ianthina). Juveniles and adults.


Various species of Phyllidia nudibranch.


A Gymnodoris nudibranch (Gymnodoris sp)


A Tambja nudibranch (Tambja sp.)


A very very tiny Dermatobranchus nudibranch (Dermatobranchus sp.)


A purplish Cuthona sibogae.


Plenty of Ceratosoma gracillimum! I lost count after seeing five!

And this one below is an interesting sight as it was hanging in mid-air(Err...I mean water :oP)!


Yup! It was hanging down a "cliff" by the slimy thread behind its rear! Wow! Nudibranch repelling!

Found two species of the Bornella nudibranch.


This one is Bornella sp. But this one was not as juicy looking as those that I had seen before.


Whereas, this is Bornella anguilla. It swim like an Eel! Saw a total of three today.


My second sighting of this nudibranch at Hantu. It's Cadlinella ornatissima. This one was sightly bigger than the one I first came across in January.

And here's the new nudi sighting for me:


It's an Aeolid nudibranch but I have no idea on the exact ID. My guess could be Phestilla sp. Or anyone would like to enlighten?

Of course, besides the nudibranch, Pulau Hantu also offers these:


Flatworms! Big and small ones!


Lots of Featherstar! Especially the red ones!


A very shy Blue-spotted Fantail Stingray hiding in crevice.


And a blenny living in a bottle. So cute! Hee.....I actually stalked this guy! Waiting patiently for it to peek out of the bottle.

What a good dive after months of absence with a comfortable vis of 3m and wonderful sightings!

It's My Day!!!.....

Hello there! It's me again! Yes, W.S.!

Two years had passed and I am happy to say that I am still swimming FREELY in the BIG BIG ocean (and hope that it will be like this forever)!


And today, it's my DAY!

Because August 30 has been declared as the International Whale Shark Day by the host of the Second International Whale Shark Conference, National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), Mexico.

Yes! It's International Whale Shark Day!!! A day dedicated to us, the gentle giant of the vast ocean!

Hope that with this dedicaton, it will help increase the awareness of our plight and speed up our protection in the wild.

You see, we prefer to swim freely in the BIG BIG ocean and not some glass tanks to be stared by or swim with you, Homo sapien! And we definitely won't want to be ended up in your stomach either (Damn! Who says we taste like tofu?!?!)!

So please SPARE us, please.....

Sign off,
W.S.

--------------
A Whale Shark Who Wants To Be Swimming FREELY In The BIG BIG Ocean And NOT Some Glass Tank (NOT In A Stomach Either).

A Seawater Lake/Lagoon At Our Southern Islands?.....

Read this article in yesterday’s Zaobao. The headline is about an idea of building a man-made seawater lake/lagoon in the surrounding of our Southern islands.



Here's an extract on the part about the lake/lagoon idea and a brief translation of it.

"我国南部岛屿四周海域日后可能建造巨型的人工咸水湖？
(Man-made seawater lake/lagoon may be constructed in waters around the southern islands?)

刚于上个月底卸下圣淘沙南部岛屿发展计划执行董事职务的李张秀虹，昨天接受本报专访时说，一旦这个人工咸水湖的构思得以落实，相信将能为南部岛屿注入独特风情，日后政府出售地段发展旅游胜地时，预料将能卖得更好的价钱。
("If the idea of the man-made seawater lake/lagoon can be implemented, it will inject a unique style to the southern islands. In addition, it may help fetch a better price if the Government sells the lots for tourism development in the future." Said Mrs Pamelia Lee, ex-managing director of Sentosa and southern island development project, in an interview with Zaobao.)

打从80年代就接手南部岛屿发展计划的李张秀虹（66岁）透露，她已征询过专业顾问的意见，在南部岛屿周围海域筑起堤围来形成一个巨大的咸水湖，技术上应该没有问题。
(Mrs Lee, who has been handling the southern island development project since the 80's said that she had consulted the views of professional consultants regarding the building of embankment to form a huge lake/lagoon. And technically speaking, it should not be a problem.)

这么一来，游人便可在被蔚蓝海洋包围着的湖水中，更安全地尽情享受各种水上活动，甚至可在湖畔建造诗情画意的船屋（Houseboat）。
(If such is a case, tourists will be able to enjoy various water sports activities surrounded in blue water safely. Picturesque Houseboats can also be built within the lake/lagoon.)
　　
她说：“如果建有咸水湖，岛上就能提供更多空间让游人划船和进行水上运动，也能建造船屋等。目前世界上有不少度假胜地设有咸水湖和船屋，但它们的规模和特色同我的概念不一样。”
(She said that the islands will be able to provide more space for tourists to do boating/other water sports as well as constructing houseboats if the lake/lagoon is built. She also mentioned that the lake and houseboats that she has in mind are very different from those currently found in other resorts in some parts of the world.)

据知，有关计划还需通过海事及港务管理局(MPA)的批准才能落实。
(It is understood that the plan needs the approval by Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore(MPA) in order for it be able to implement.)

Hmmm.....just wondering what are the impacts on the coral reefs at these islands by the construction of such lake/lagoon?

Scary!!! Sounds very project NOAH in a bigger scale!

And it's seen that recently, the ideas of building dams/embankments keep popping up.

Very scary!!!

As for the rest of the article, it's about Mrs Lee's involvement on the Southern islands development project, what will happen to it after her departure and her contributions to the tourism industry in Singapore. For similar translated details, click here

Fill Us With Colours!.....

Come celebrates our nation’s priceless reefs with the marine community down at Singapore Botanic Gardens on this National Day (9th August, Saturday)!

It will be an eventful of "Reef Celebrations! Launch of IYOR in Singapore!"

Time: 10am-5pm
Venue: Function Hall, Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens (above Taman Serasi foodcourt)

There will be talks, kid's activities, exhibitions and many more! For more details, click HERE

And of course, to fill us with COLOURS, visit the Colouring Station at the Naked Hermit Crabs booth!

See you there!!! :o)