Pulau Sekudu with dugong feeding trails

A small team surveys this untouched island that lies opposite Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin. We survey in the dark and end as the tide turns at sunrise. Pulau Sekudu is off limits since 2007 and requires special permission from NParks.

I saw dugong feeding trails again! The team make all the special finds including seahorse, stonefish. I will update with their sightings later.

Pulau Sekudu with dugong feeding trails, but some oil spill impact

Under the non-stop flights landing at Changi Airport, a lovely little paradise. The untouched island of Pulau Sekudu lies just off Chek Jawa. The full survey team checks it out today for impact from the recent oil spill, and see how the corals are doing following last year's mass coral bleaching.

We are glad to see that it remains lively, and for the first time, we see clear dugong feeding trails! Pulau Sekudu is off limits since 2007 and requires special permission from NParks. Thanks to NParks for permission and support to do these predawn low spring tide surveys of the island. 

Lively at Pulau Sekudu

Well before dawn, a small team surveys one of our favourite shores, Pulau Sekudu or Frog Island that lies just off Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin. There doesn't seem large impacts from mass coral bleaching, the seagrasses are still doing well, and there were good growths of sponges, sea fans and other colourful marine life.

Pulau Sekudu is off limits since 2007 and requires special permission from NParks. Thanks to NParks for permission and support to do these predawn low spring tide surveys of the island.

Sekudu still lively

Well before dawn, we survey one of our favourite shores, Pulau Sekudu or Frog Island that lies just off Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin. Today, I saw possible signs of dugong in this tiny island's lush seagrass meadows. Sponges, corals, sea fans seem to be doing well. The team have special sightings too.

Pulau Sekudu is off limits since 2007 and requires special permission from NParks. Thanks to NParks for permission and support to do these predawn low spring tide surveys of the island.

Pulau Sekudu full of colourful life!

Pulau Sekudu or Frog Island lies a short distance from Changi. A small team returns to survey with NParks permission.

The 'arm' around the lagoon at Pulau Sekudu
is only exposed at very low tides.

The tiny island has lush seagrass meadows and its bouldery shore today is covered with sponges. We saw large sea stars and other interesting marine life. 

Pulau Sekudu still alive!

A two-woman team surveyed Pulau Sekudu on the last minus zero tides for the year. Chay Hoon and I saw lots of giant sea stars, healthy corals and healthy seagrasses.

Pulau Sekudu or Frog Island lies just across from Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin. Today, the sponge situation on Pulau Sekudu is not as rich as as Chek Jawa's southern shore, which we just surveyed a few weeks ago in Jun 2021. And like last year, we also did not see a single Biscuit sea star. I'm not sure why. 

No Biscuits at Sekudu?

Well before dawn, we survey one of our favourite shores, Pulau Sekudu or Frog Island that lies just off Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin.

Today, we didn't see the usual diversity that we have come to expect. And none of us saw Biscuit sea stars, which are usually abundant. On the plus side, we didn't  notice much bleaching.

Seaweedy at Pulau Sekudu

This tiny island off Chek Jawa is our favourite destination. Today, we feel rather disappointed that a bloom of seaweeds are covering much of the rubbly area, instead of sponges.

But there are still sponges, and the seagrass meadows remain lush with the longest Tape seagrass I've seen in a long while. And the team found all kinds of interesting animals.

Our Crazy Rich Shores: Pulau Sekudu

Part of the Chek Jawa Wetlands that is managed by NParks, Pulau Sekudu, is a precious jewel.

This tiny island hosts important habitats and teems with colourful marine life.

Pulau Sekudu is alive!

This tiny island off Chek Jawa was lively during our annual survey! Colourful sponges are covering some parts of the rubbly shores, the seagrass meadows are lush - with dugong feeding trails, and all kinds of interesting animals were seen.

The team also took care of fish traps found on the island, and an abandoned net.

Pulau Sekudu with Intertidal Watch

I had a great time at Pulau Sekudu with volunteers from NParks' Intertidal Watch programme.  Thanks to Geok Yeng for inviting me!

Photo by Geok Yeng.

We saw Knobbly sea stars, seahorse, dugong feeding trails, snake, and lots more! I tried to take videos of our trip, my first attempt for a predawn trip!

Pulau Sekudu is alive!

We return for our annual predawn survey of Pulau Sekudu aka Frog island, just off Changi and Pulau Ubin. And enjoyed a spectacular sunrise!

I was glad to see recovery in sponge diversity, the seagrasses are doing well, and lots of interesting marine life. Our last survey was in Jul 2016 at the height of mass coral bleaching.

Checking up on Pulau Sekudu

We arrive well before dawn for our annual survey of Pulau Sekudu aka Frog island, just off Changi and Pulau Ubin.

There is indeed a rock in the shape of a frog on the island!

Fortunately, we didn't see mass coral bleaching. We saw some signs of a recovery in sponge diversity, the seagrasses are doing well, and lots of interesting marine life.

Sunrise survey of Pulau Sekudu

We landed well before dawn for our annual survey of Pulau Sekudu, a tiny island just off Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin.

Although the seagrasses are doing well, the sponges are still missing and the situation does not seem to have improved very much from last year.

Spongeless on Sekudu

It's always a delight to see the Estuarine seahorse. I almost missed it because it looked very much like the sea fan that it was holding on to.

We made two trips to check up on Pulau Sekudu. Sadly, like our survey of Chek Jawa yesterday, we noticed a marked absence of sponges here.

Pulau Ubin and northern shores in the Draft Master Plan 2013

What's new to me is the "Northern boardwalk" at Pulau Ubin. Also that the area managed by "Outward Bound Singapore will be opened up for organised visits".

It was reassuring to read that the planners acknowledge Pulau Ubin is "much beloved by Singaporeans" and "will remain as a rustic retreat". Coney Island Park is announced and it appears that there are no changes planned for Pasir Ris mangroves and Changi beach.

Curious caterpillars at Sekudu: amphibious?

The Perepat (Sonneratia alba) trees on Pulau Sekudu are now totally denuded of leaves, except for the very low branches.

A closer look and I'm wondering if the caterpillars on the trees can tolerate being submerged?

Cowrie surprise at Sekudu

It looks just like an ascidian, but this is a cowrie! I've never seen one like this before.

Pulau Sekudu lies just off Chek Jawa and never fails to surprise with its rich diversity of life. Sadly, we noticed some changes in the habitat on our trip today.

Pulau Sekudu: a jewel of our Northern shores

Pulau Sekudu is a tiny but rich island that lies just across from Chek Jawa, with a narrow but deep channel in between.

We arrive under a beautiful full moon and saw a stunning array of marine life! All kinds of sea stars and echinoderms, corals, sponges, strange sea anemones and more! Pulau Sekudu is indeed a precious part of our northern shores.

Sekudu with Harlequin and other southern surprises

A wriggly juvenile Harlequin sweetlips! This delightful cartoon-like fish has been sighted on our Southern reefs, but I didn't expect to see one at Pulau Sekudu!

I also saw some other marine life more commonly seen in our Southern shores, as well as lots of other delightful northern creatures.