Sad Sights At Pulau Satumu.....

last week, BWV ReefFriends conducted the latest reef survey at Pulau Satumu/Raffles Lighthouse. Last year, we had to abort the survey due to bad weather and strong currents. This time round, we were blessed with good weather and slightly better current situation!

However, sad sights await us when we started to record our data at the deeper end. Coral bleaching is still ongoing for some corals while others seen to have make a recovery.









Similar to the situation at Pulau Semakau, the Ringed plate corals (Pachyseris sp.) seen to be the worst hit among the bleaching corals.





Another sad sight would be that we noticed that there seen to be lot more coral rubble, broken coral fragments and overturned coral heads! What had happened? Did a boat run aground the reef? Sigh.....



On a slightly happy note, we came across this Anemone. Dr Daphne, a world authority on Sea Anemones, had kindly identified it as the Merten's Carpet Sea Anemone(Stichodactyla mertensii). And this Sea Anemone is likely a new record for Singapore! :o)

Did not take many photo as was busy doing the benthic recordings. Thus, these are the other stuffs that I came across;


A Carpet Eel Blenny hiding under a coral.


So is this Cushion Star!


Lots of Crinoid/Featherstar!




And the only nudibranch sighted are these phyllid nudibranch.

Some Sightings From Kusu Island.....

two weeks ago.

The Letter Of The Day Brought To You @ Big Sisters Island.....

is "S"! Read on to find out why! :p


Yesterday evening, we went to Big Sisters Island to check out the coral bleaching situation again. Were there two months ago where we encountered a Hawksbill Turtle. Then, about 20% of the corals were bleached.....but today most of the corals that I came across are looking good and seen to be recovering!




Besides the corals, the Anemones look okay too!


The Giant Carpet Anemone is in its healthy colour.


Wonder if this Frilly Anemone is recovering from bleaching too?


Came across this unknown Anemone. Usually, the ones I saw were with their tentacles tugged. So nice to see one with its tentacles spread wide open.


There were many Flathead in the tide pools.


So are the Toadfishes. Most of them are still pretty small in size.

And the first "S" of the day is.....


A live Scallop edged in between the crevice.


Can you spot the second "S" in this pic?


Yes, it's Stingray! Blue-spotted Fantail Stingray in this case.



The third "S" will be Sea Slugs! Here's a Black phyllid nudibranch (Phyllidiella nigra).

the other Sea Slugs sighted are;


the Ornate Leaf Slug (Elysia Ornata) and.....



a Sea Slug that could be a Bryopsis Slug (Placida daguilarensis) which was busy feeding itself so that it could incorporate the green chloroplasts of the seaweeds. Once it has incorporated the green chloroplasts, the slug would be green and these chloroplasts would continue to carry out photosynthesis inside the slug and provide the slug with extra nutrients.


The fourth "S" of the day is this small Sea Snake! The Yellow-lipped Sea Krait is a docile creature unless it is provoked. So just leave the snake alone when you come across one at the shore next time.


The fifth "S" would be this palm-size Stonefish! It was barely 10cm from mouth to tail. Awww....so CUTE! (for small one of course! :p).

Haha.....and the last "S" of the day for me would be the massive Sargassum Seaweeds that is back in season! :p But Ria and Ivan get to see another "S". They saw Seahorses!