East Coast still lively

There is a shallow lagoon at East Coast Park which has slowly been taken over by seagrasses. At super low tide, a long sand bar stretches out seaward.

There's still lots of seagrasses, though some parts have been come sandier. And the sand bar seems flatter. But the shore is still very much alive! Our team has split up to cover two mainland sites this low spring tide: East Coast Park and Punggol. Because we are reserving the best tides to check on our coral reefs for expected Mass Coral Bleaching this year.

As usual, the team make all the special sightings. A pile of hermit crabs literally jumping Q as they jostle for a newly empty shell. From prawns to crabs, to fish like flatheads, flounders, and the lovely little Sand-diver often seen here. 

Fishes are more lively during a night visit! We saw a small Indian halibut, also small flatheads. I saw a small pufferfish and as well as lots of tiny Rabbitfishes, filefishes and other fishes commonly seen in our seagrass meadows. The rest of the team saw eeltail catfish, butterflyfish and more!

There most abundant echinoderm were lots and lots of Tiny red sea cucumbers (which are not babies of bigger sea cucumbers and do not grow any bigger). Kelvin found a small Cake sea star, and I saw one small Eight-armed sand star. We saw a few sea urchins, some Cake sand dollars, and I saw one brittlestar.  I only saw one Pink warty sea cucumber and one Thorny sea cucumber.

We saw some Fig snails, Oval moon snails and a China moon snail. I saw one large Fan shell clam and one large Window-pane clam, surprising given how much collection goes on at this shore. I didn't see any Weasel olive snails, though. Snail shells are vital shelters for hermit crabs. Today, we saw a lot of 'queues' forming as hermit crabs gather around a newly empty shell.

The rest of the team pointed out sea anemones that I missed: Haddon's carpet anemone and an orange-bodied one that has been ID as the rarely seen Brown peachia anemone that is named after Singapore. There was also one Cerianthid with Black phoronid worms. And lots of little swimming crabs as well as one Flower moon crab.

We first saw seagrasses growing here in Jun 2013. Over the years, they have been thriving. As on my last survey here in Aug 2023, there were still lush growths of Needle seagrass (both narrow and broad leaf blades) and Spoon seagrass (large leaf blades). I saw patches of Noodle seagrass - I first saw these in May 2021. There was some Sickle seagrass, first time I've seen it here. But I didn't see any Serrated ribbon seagrass. I saw one small clump of Tape seagrass with long leaf blades near the high shore, it had female flowers.

What is the fate of these shores?

These shores slated for massive reclamation outlined recently in the Long-Term Plan Review. There were additional details, plans for a 'Long Island' opposite East Coast Park is now official. In addition to more reclamation along that shoreline, already unveiled in 2013.

Technical studies for 'Long Island' 800ha reclamation off the East Coast were recently announced to begin.

Natural regeneration on Singapore's artificial shores and structures is already happening now. Unintentionally, with zero replanting. Can we plan coastal works to allow reefs, mangroves and seagrasses to naturally regenerate? Naturalise canals leading to the sea for a continuum of freshwater wetlands to mangroves? Imagine what's possible! Reefs and natural marine ecosystems at our doorstep, for all in the City to enjoy. More about this idea in my feedback to the Draft Master Plan 2013.

The Singapore Blue Plan 2018

Check out the Sinapore Blue Plan 2018 which outlines community recommendations for all these shores. DOWNLOAD the Plan, SUPPORT the Plan! More on the Singapore Blue Plan 2018 site.

See these and other East Coast shores for yourself

It's fun and easy to explore these shores. 

What the shore looks like in daylight.

More details in "East Coast Park - Surprising intertidal adventures for the family".

Photos by others on the survey

Kelvin Yong


Tommy Tan


Other surveys on the same day

Marcus Ng surveyed Changi