Anemone hunt at Pulau Hantu!

We are back on the hunt, this time at Pulau Hantu!

It takes lots of patience to first, find the anemones. Then to wait to take a closer look at them. Especially the nervous ones that retract deep into hiding at the slightest sign of danger!

Anemone hunt at Cyrene!

The hunt resumes on Cyrene as we join TeamSeagrass today! Dr Daphne is accompanied by Chay Hoon, as the rest of us get busy with seagrass monitoring.

Dr Daphne spots all kinds of sea anemones that we have been oblivious to. Including tiny ones right at our usual landing spot!

Anemone hunt at Terumbu Semakau!

Dr Daphne Fautin is back! She is the world authority on sea anemones and will be conducting a special workshop later in the month. But she's arrived in Singapore earlier.

The regular team of shore explorers have been with Dr Daphne on previous anemone hunts. Dr Daphne has dubbed us her "Anemone Army", and we have mobilised to bring her to see the anemones at Terumbu Semakau!

Long driftnet traps many colourful fishes on Terumbu Semakau

Many beautiful fishes I don't recognise were seen trapped in a long driftnet on Terumbu Semakau today.

Mystery fish no. 1

One of the heart-breaking effects of driftnets is that they indiscriminately kill all kinds of fishes and sea creatures, not all of which are valuable to the fishermen. These are simply thrown away, as wasted by-catch. Wild dolphins and sea turtles have also been sighted in this area and could be trapped in the driftnet and drown.

Lots of sexangula on Changi!

A large number of 'seedlings' of this uncommon mangrove tree washed up on Changi!

Today, the tide didn't get as low as predicted. Still, some interesting marine sightings, but I was mainly overwhelmed by the huge number of propagules of this uncommon mangrove tree washed up on the shore.

Changi underwater garden with seahorses!

There is a stretch of Changi that is usually 'blooming' with colourful sea fans (Order Gorgonacea). Although they resemble plants, these branching organisms are animals, actually a colony of tiny polyps.

And I found four seahorses sheltering in the sea fans!

Moray madness at Tanah Merah

Today I saw FOUR fearsome moray eels on the stretch of Tanah Merah that was hit by an oil spill one year ago!

The Brown spotted moray eel (Gymnothorax reevesii) has sharp backward pointing teeth and tubular nostrils!

Cowfish at Tanah Merah

I don't often encounter this strange boxy fish! In fact, the last time I saw this on Tanah Merah was on one of our first trips there. Mei Lin found it then.

So it was nice to see another Longhorned cowfish (Lactoria cornuta) today, one year after this shore was hit by an oil spill. The shores were very fishy today!