Monday, May 21, 2007

Chek Jawa day II, Recee

Dragging our tired bodies to Changi for the 2nd day and 4nd intertidal trip. Sitting at Changi point jetty basement waiting for people to come, we saw a huge black cloud came over from the east and engulf the whole of Changi, and Pulau Ubin. Rain started to pour as we board the boat. Not a very good start...

I was always very unprepared for rain. Lucky Kok sheng had prepared an extra poncho for me and a ziplock to protect my electronics...phew. At Ubin, I again endured the butt pain (from yest bike ride) and challenging up slopes as Kok sheng went far ahead of me. Well, felt good in some way as I was in need of exercise too. ;p

We explored the southern arm of the sandbar which was also affected by the freshwater input last dec & jan. We found a few large carpets here.

There were also quite a number of very small baby carpets there. Could this be a sign of recovery? Lets hope so. (My chopsticks were put there for scale)

Peacock anemones were all retracted back into their homes, perhaps to escape from the rainwater. Could this flexibility be the reason for them surviving better than the carpets? Not a single one was seen with their tentacles flowering and waving about.


A dead bivalve is a perfect round hole drilled into it. I always wonder how it got there when I was small (used to collect shells last time..opps). Apparently, it was created by the Moon snail which secrete acid to soften the shell and obtain the soft flesh inside.


Juvenile catfishes! Theres always something new each time :)


Mussels finding their new home at the new boardwalk.


The common resident of CJ, the huge stripped hermitcrab.


So many cake sand dollars!!! Gosh... Sand dollars are related to starfishes with mouth located at the centre and underside. They are detritus feeders.


Lastly, some beautiful and cute fiddler crabs. The males have one of their pincers enlarged several times, which is used for mating purposes; by waving it to their mates. They are not used for fighting or feeding.



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