April 8, 2008
The Hantu Blog yesterday received an email from ERM, an environmental consulting agency, requesting the following information:
- average number of divers that go to the island week
- which of the areas are the most popular for diving
- average number of boats that visit the island weekly (plus number of people per boat)
Apart from explaining that their “company is conducting an ecological study for the Pulau Hantu area” they were unable and have refused to divulge further information about the purpose of the study and for whom this study is being conducted.
This was the Hantu Blog’s reply:
I understand your predicament and and sympathise with you being unable to divulge more information as much as I am unable to receive the info I want.
I can’t think of another group to refer to you as no one visits Pulau Hantu more regularly and frequently than us.
While I am unable to give you information on your questions (1) & (3) because we haven’t done such a traffic survey of the island, I’m also certain that those figures can be easily gained by monitoring the island over the next few months as these are the months of average visitorship. Visitors to the island increase during the season of the Northeast Monsoon.
As for question (2) however, the site near the former Bayan reefs, fringing the north of Hantu Kecil are definately the most preferred site for divers. We call this the North reef. This is not because of the slack current, which varies with the tide. There are times when diving at the North reef are not recommended. This goes for all the reefs that surround Hantu Island. We dive them according to the suitable tide. The North reef is possibly the most biologically diverse site, sheltering some of Hantu’s most sought after, rare and spactacular species up to a depth of 20m. You can view some of these species on our website. We refrain from mentioning the exact positions where the photographed specimens are shot to deter poachers. In addition, otters have only ever been sighted fishing the the North reef.
Another site with intense diversity is the South reef (the reef that faces south) on Hantu Besar. That site is less accessible because of prevailing strong currents but it is still dived as often as possible whenever there is a slack tide. There are some species here that aren’t found on the North reef (as there are some species in the North we don’t find in the South), and because the currents flush the area consistently the corals develop very differently from any other sites around Hantu.
Finally the reef that faces west, the Western Fringing Reef and the Western Patch Reef house their own unique fauna. A certain species of anemonefish and seaslug is found no where else. Turtles and sea snakes have also been observed to feed frequently in the area.
If you need more specific information about the species in the various areas and how tides affect diveability in the various areas, I’d be more than happy to meet with you, either on Hantu island or at your convenience. It’d be very reassuring to know that your company, which I understand to be one of the world’s most renowned, does compelling field research along with gathering data vicariously.
If your company would like a presentation of Hantu’s marine or terrestrial fauna, I’d also be happy to oblige. As much as it would be ideal for companies to value information exchange, I understand that you are a consultancy with terms not governed by you but your client. The Hantu Blog practices very much on the contrary, believing that withholding information only leads to ignorance, which is why I’m offering you this opportunity to gather as much information as you’d like on Hantu Island. It’s our job.
I’m concerned about why this information is being sought after and am particularly wary because of the manner in which the information was requested and how further details have been declined.
Together with other local NGOs, the Hantu Blog will be looking into the matter and will contact relative companies and organisations that should or might have details about the research and its purpose. I’d also encourage Pulau Hantu enthusiasts to keep themselves alert to the matter and check the local newspapers for possible developments.
To reiterate the email to ERM, the Hantu Blog exists to gather and distribute information about the island. We believe that information can empower people to make (hopefully) positive changes to safeguard our natural heritage. But there is nothing more effective and powerful than the efforts of a collective people – you. If you are concerned about Hantu, make your concerns known. Email us or contact one of the following organisations, expressing your concerns and asking for details of the study to be released.
Posted in Announcements 
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March 27, 2008
31 Mar-1 Apr: Code Blue at NUS
Time: 10am-6pm
Venue: Central Forum, the National University of Singapore
Contact: Belmont Lay
Code Blue is a communications campaign aimed at advocating local marine conservation efforts among NUS students. Timed to coincide with the International Year of the Reef 2008, Code Blue will join the worldwide marine conservation campaign on March 31 with a two-day special event featuring recruitment for marine conservation volunteers, a marine photo exhibition and a special environmental display at the NUS Central Forum.
The 2-day special event will feature the following highlights:
- Marine photo exhibition;
- One-of-a-kind environmental exhibition;
- Marine conservation exhibition;
- Pledge booth for participants to sign pledge cards in support of marine conservation; and
- Recruitment drive for a variety of marine conservation activities and also for Roots & Shoots Youth United youth leaders
Sign the Pledge or Sign up as a volunteer
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March 25, 2008
Good things come in small packages, like allied cowries, porcelain crabs, decorator crabs, and whip gobies. We waited an entire year for this day – the one day in each year we insanely decide to spend 12 hours out at sea diving 4 dives including a thrilling night dive for the sake of showcasing Hantu’s wildlife and it’s potential for bringing diversity, pleasure, and inspiration into the lives of locals and those who visit our country.
This March we commemorate 4 years of diving and blogging. Through the years we’ve managed to miraculously organise 56 dives to Hantu (excluding your research and training dives!) and led almost 500 members of the public into Hantu waters! It really has been super, and when I first started blogging one plain day 4 years ago, I really had no idea something like this was in store – ReefXplore! and a team of volunteers! Who’d have thought? The Hantu Blog’s dive trips, and the very blog itself, would not have been sustained without the priceless commitment of our volunteers in teaching others about Hantu’s marine life! A massive thank you to all those who’ve dived wit us through the years. This Blog and our dives can’t exist without you!
If you already saw our post with the video logs, you’d know that we had an outstanding dive last weekend around Hantu. Here’s the evidence…
I saw a total of 3 seahorses at 2 sites. One of our volunteers saw another one during the night dive, making the total at least 4 seahorses across 3 sites!
There were heaps of nudibranches out today. Particularly the Gymnodoris. This one here’s laying a ribbon of pretty pink eggs.
This fella here with the big ugly mug might very well have bagged the prize for the best find this weekend. It’s not a sponge, not a cluster of ascidians… It’s in fact, a very privileged find – a frogfish! Divers were shrieking under their regulators in excitement, attempting to clap their hands and giving high fives underwater when this critter was spotted!
The coral polyps were also out in full force!
This was an interesting find: A shark’s eggs case, with a developing pup inside nonetheless!
These Blue spotted fan tailed rays are extremely shy and never fail to humour me. They kind of suffer from the ostrich syndrome, thinking what they can’t see can’t see them either. These rays are most frequently detected because they have their faces wedged into some coral crevice whilst their tails are left extended out in the open! Perhaps their tails have nothing to fear because they are so deathly barbed, but still! Anyway, they are always fantastic to photograph because their blue spots turn out brilliant in pictures.
Here’s something else we haven’t seen in awhile. The above picture taken by volunteer guide, Marcel, is of a carpet eel blenny. These animals are usually shy and dart away into sandy burrows or crevices in the reef as soon as they’re spotted. But this individual seemed to enjoy the limelight. Allowing a good number of shots to be taken as it crept along the reef.
Marcel being one of the 1st to descend for the 2nd dive managed to grab this surreal picture of a school of silver moonies. In a later photograph, the moonies are joined by a few Long finned batfish.
Another photo from Marcel, a Ceratosoma nudibranch.
This is just a tinsy sample of some of the things we saw during the Anniversary dive. If it’s not enough to make you jealous, you can visit our gallery. Prepared to be blown away!
Some other creatures we saw but didn’t manage to get photos of included Octopus, Sweetlips, Sea Bass, Groupers, Swatooth shrimp, and a Turtle!
Posted in Blog Log, Events 3 Comments »
March 25, 2008
In case you haven’t already heard, the Hantu Blog’s 4th Anniversary celebrations on the island and it’s reef was uber fantastic! Everyone was nervous about the outcome, what more with the relentless rain we’ve been having for the past week! Dark clouds made the morning appear ominous but as we entered the early afternoon, things started to look a bit brighter. As we entered the water, things also turned out a lot CLEARER than we’d expected!
Yes, Hantu waters (or local waters for that matter) are infamous for their visibility (or lack of). But there’s also a saying that runs “the most difficult paths lead to the most beautiful views”. I’m sorry, but this particular post is for me to brag (not often do I get to do that!) about the great escape 8 divers, 3 volunteers and myself made to our southern island ocean this past weekend. It was like a dream – the water, weather, company and conditions were perfect. We couldn’t have asked for more. Even for some of Hantu’s most seasoned divers, this the 4th anniversary marked one of the best times we’ve had discovering, documenting, and PLAYING in our waters.
Here’s a prelude to the photo blog that will be coming up soon. Enjoy these videos!
Not every crinoid is this expressive. I know we recently posted a video of a larger one swimming quite bombastically though the water, but this was seemed to have a mission – to boldly go where no crinoid has gone before! We got a little worried as it seemed to ascend way above the reef and towards the surface! We hoped it eventually found its way back to the safety of the reef!
Batfish meets Jellyfish: I was playing around with this jellyfish at first, taking some pictures and sorts, when I just started to shoot a video of it, I was startled by a largish figure that entered into my frame (as can be told by the sudden jolt during the shoot). It turned out to be a young Longfinned batfish. These are absolutely gorgeous fish. Some of them can be quite curious and follow divers along the reef. It was nice to bump into one. Or have one bump into me rather!
Map puffer fish: It’s been awhile since I ran into one of these great massive puffer fish. They like to take it easy during the day, hanging out on the seabed, watching the world go by. Like veterans on the reef, they probably sit there pondering why the rabbitfish bother to swim about so much. “What’s all the rush about?”
Posted in Blog Log, Events, Videos No Comments »
March 11, 2008
The Hantu Blog went out with the crew of Once Upon a Tree, a series about Singapore’s marine and coastal habitats, to be broadcast on Arts Central later this month. The episode that features the Blog will be aired later this month.
This was the 1st of 2 segments within the episode. The second will be conducted underwater. Blog volunteer Ming Sheng was present at the shoot to help out with documenting the days activities, amongst other things!
I was stoked to be able to work with Dr. Shawn Lum, seen in the above picture. He was great fun to work with! It was quite odd to be asked questions by someone who’s been in the field for so long. Half the time I was wondering if he was asking me questions he already knew the answers to! But it turns out there’re just so many things out there, and pardon the cliche, but nature is so full of surprises that we truly are learning new things everyday. Sometimes I’d consult with Ming Sheng, and he’s consult with Shawn and we’d awe each other with our shared knowledge.
Ming Sheng and I also had some time to deviate, during which time we managed to spot some awesome creatures of the intertidal area. We must’ve spotted at least 3 octopuses! Some within their burrows, others boldly creeping over the coralscape. We also saw a dragonet whilst staring at a tiny flowercrab. It was awesome! There was also a bunch of squid eggs (or cuttlefish eggs?) on the reef. Seeing eggs are good. It means we’ve got a future.
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March 3, 2008
UNEP Fisheries Expert, Christopher Paterson, visited the Hantu Blog and sent the following email:
“I was interested to read the aricle “Only 4% of untouched ocean left” on your blog “Pulau Hantu”, particularly your comments regarding the South China Sea.
I thought you may be interested in our South China Sea Project website.
This site was recently featured on the official Google Earth blog and can also be accessed via the Google Earth Showcase.
I hope that you and perhaps your readers will find some of the content on our website useful.
Congratulations on your excellent blog. I have added it to the links section of our website.”
The website contains insightful information about communities in the region and their interaction with the oceans, and discusses strategies and methods to mitigate their impact on the oceans.
Learn about projects that are being implemented in coastal and ocean habitats throughout the region, view fascinating maps with the help of Google Earth, and even speak with an expert that’s online through their website via Skype!
If you’d like to enrich yourself further, you can check out their calendar of events for the heads up on several of their workshops and conferences being held throughout the region. You may also have your opinions heard on their forum.
This is an indispensable website for recreationists, researchers alike. There’re so many things to discover and interact with, I almost missed my dinner whilst exploring it!
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March 2, 2008
A global report on oceans shows devastating damage with The South China sea found to be amongst the worst affected seas in the world a global investigation into the impact of human activities on marine ecosystems revealed last month.
Read the full article.
Posted in News No Comments »
February 19, 2008
If you read our Blog Log last month, you might’ve gasped at the report of us having to “dodge the currents” because they were so strong. Well, this time around, we weren’t quite so lucky as to be able to dodge them! The currents created little whirl pools on the waters surface, giving divers a good Sunday morning workout trying to beat the current! But it all ended well, with the spectacle that is Hantu shining through despite the less than favourable water conditions! “At least the weather was good!” we all consoled ourselves! And the 27 degC waters (water temperatures have been observed to drop during the turn on the monsoon seasons) left all of us nicely chilled despite the intense sunshine. This post features pictures taken both by myself and long-time, super experienced, critter hunter, reef walker, and Hantu diver, Chay Hoon!
We had quite a cosmopolitan weekend with divers joining us from origins of France, Australia, and Indonesia. Beneath the waters surface, life was as if not even more diverse! Flabellina’s were out in full force! With large ones and even tiny ones braving the currents as they creep along the reefs in search of a mate or a meal!
As we stuck really close to the reef, there were somethings that we kept ourselves well aware of (and away from)! Such as the stinging menace that hydriods are. Like corals, hydriods are a colony of animals living together. They are from the family cnidaria. Although they are infamous for the wave after wave of pain the can incur for the careless diver, they are actually very pretty animals. They occur in an array of colours from white and yellow, to red and black, resembling a feather of a bird or a frond of a fern.
Other details that we caught notice of were the intricate patterns of corals such as this Diploastrea and the tentacles of a palm-sized mushroom coral. The latter is a free living coral, capable of moving itself across the reef. Hantu Blog reefguide Mingsheng enlightened me once that mushroom corals achieve this by infusing themselves with waters, making themselves less dense. Doing this allows them to “float” and skim across the reef. This trait is possibly one of the reasons why mushroom corals are so hardy, being able to relocate themselves to greener pastures when the going gets tough! They also have the largest coral polyp amongst all corals, and unlike other corals, do not live in colonies but occur singly.
Here’s a look at a truly LARGE Serpent coral colony. This one has a diameter that is about twice my height! Incredible if you wonder how old it possibly is, considering these animals grow so slowly. The curves and edges of the coral as it grows is reminiscent of cloud forms in period Chinese and Japanese art!
Recruits! This round bubble coral colony is one of the many tiny colonies of corals we saw today, that may one day grow to be as large as the resilient serpent coral colony!
Then there are the sponges, which when they get to a good size can be very intriguing to look at. This is a pink variation of Spiky Sponge. Sponges consist of a mass of cells supported by fibres or by spicules made of silica. The polyps are known to be able to recolonise if separated by squeezing them through a wire mesh and contained in a fixed body of water.
There were also plenty of swimmer crabs!
And Chay Hoon’s favourite – nudibranchs! She even added a new one to her record today! A new record for Chay Hoon is a new record for all of us!
And of course, everyones perennial favourite – the seahorse. We love our seahorses. They are ambassadors of Hantu’s reef, and represent the elusive, exotic and enticing nature of our reef and all the fauna that is contained within it! You haven’t quite visited Hantu if you haven’t met one of our seahorses!
For more pictures from the dive, check out the Hantu Blog Gallery!
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February 15, 2008
The Hantu Blog kicks off the International Year of the Reef at Maris Stella High School with a talk by Chay Hoon and myself! Titled “Southern Haunt” my talk emphasized the beauty that is Pulau Hantu, it’s natural history and it’s threats. Told from a diver’s perspective, students were introduced to life that exists in an underwater realm, a realm that is far less accessible than we’d like it to be! What is to be discovered during the talk is also mostly unexpected as the myth persists that there is little life left in Singapore murky waters, or that diving is even possible!
For two hours, students from across all levels were treated to videos, pictures and most importantly, stories from our reefs, forests and shores! It’s a great thing we had Chay Hoon give the talk! With her wealth of experience and quirky stories from diverse habitats in Singapore, students were led to discover a truly unique and dynamic environment that exists right at our doorsteps! She had stories to tell about everything beneath the sky – from spiders and lizards to slugs and bugs! From their reactions and bizarre questions, it was apparent they were intrigued and astonished.
But the exciting part has only just begun. Our little two-hour talk is going to form a base for the student’s podcasting project, which their teachers have themed Environment & Conservation! What a great theme! If their projects prove to be of an appropriate caliber, we may have the opportunity to present their little projects about Singapore’s wild environment right here on the Hantu Blog! We’ll check back with them a few months down the road and hopefully we’ll have them present local flora and fauna from their own, unique perspective!
Surprise yourself! Learn more about this talk and other talks that are available to your school or office by visiting the IYOR website.
Posted in Seminars No Comments »
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