May 23, 2007
Blog diver Geraldine Lee dived with us in March and shares these exquisite photographs with us!
Though she claimed they weren’t “professionally shot”, I think she managed to capture the essence and excitement of the dive, and another perspective that was missed by other divers who preferred to focus on the macro life. I certainly missed out on the bamboo shark and the golden travelly!
Frill fin gobies can be a challenge to photograph because they are good at making quick getaways. Here, Geraldine manages to get close enough to capture the colourful dorsal fin of an otherwise subdued-coloured fish.
Not only did Geraldine manage to get some nice wide shots, she even managed this cool closeup of a blue dragon nudibranch. Aren’t they spectacular?!
These red swimmer crabs and sometimes get pretty aggressive. Despite their threatening demeanour, they are shy creatures that are anxious to evade contact with curious divers!
Thanks to Geraldine and her dive buddies, this bamboo reef shark was relieved of its predicament. Bubu fish traps are indiscriminate, fishes caught can end up in the ornamental or food fish trade.
A bullocki nudibranch sniffs the current for some direction..
Tracking the movements of golden travellies. It looks like they were swimming around Geraldine! Something the curious fish sometimes like to do!
A great close up of a Seagrass filefish!
If you joined us on one of our dives and would like to share your photos on the blog or like us to put up a link to your photo gallery, please email us! We’d love to hear from you!
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May 9, 2007
Tan Sijie has posted two videos up at YouTube that he took of dolphin’s off St. John’s Island on 7th April 2007.
Dolphins are occasionally sighted along Singapore’s coast. To see the video, swing onto the Habitatnews site.
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May 9, 2007
The Environmental report for disposal of dredged material at designated containment site east of Pulau Semakau is now available for viewing for 4 weeks from 02 May 2007.
“The Public Utilities Board plans to dredge sediment material from Sungei Punggol and Sungei Serangoon. The dredged material will be placed in the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s designated containment site east of Pulau Semakau. Studies have been carried out to determine the environmental impact of this activity.
The environmental report is available, for public viewing by appointment, at the Environment Building, 40 Scotts Road, Singapore 228231 for 4 weeks with effect from 2nd May 2007.
To view the said report, please contact Mr Sim Hock Lai at 67313820 or via email at sim_hock_lai @ pub.gov.sg.
Anyone who wishes to inspect the said report after 29th May 2007 can contact Mr Sim Hock Lai to make arrangements to view it.”
– First published in the Government Gazette, Electronic Edition, on 2nd May 2007 at 5.00 pm.
For a graphic depicting the location of the site, please refer to Habitatnews.
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April 30, 2007
That’s what Hantu Blog volunteer Marcel dan Herder from the Netherlands texted me on my mobile phone after surfacing from the 2nd dive at Hantu last Sunday. He was so excited from his dive as he had to tell me as soon as the dive was over that he’d seen a huge blue cod, which we also call groupers.
Down with a cold, I missed out on Sunday’s dive but it seems it was one of the best days at Hantu since! Apparently 6m vis, which was very welcome for all. Even regular divers Chay Hoon and Wai were thrilled at the findings from Sundays dive, and they are out in local waters ALOT! So I get to experience the excitement vicariously though the wonderful and insightful Blogs of 2 very enthusiatic divers…
Apart from the common animals such as swimmer crabs and sea slugs and flat worms, the divers also spotted and photographed the elusive Gorgonian shrimp or Sawtooth shrimp, which we haven’t seen in awhile! Good to know that they are back on our reefs! These slender shrimps live on sea whips and remain hidden by staying absolutely still along the length of the coral, much like whip gobies! Below are some pix taken by Wai on her Fire & Light Blog.
Chay Hoon also managed to catch a glimpse of “not one but THREE!” ceratosoma (pictured below). See her account and pictures on the Colourful Clouds Blog and check out the other amazing pictures and creatures that were observed last Sunday.
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April 16, 2007
Channel NewsAsia 11 Apr 07
SINGAPORE : Beginning May 2, passengers will have to pay $4 more for ferry tickets between Marina South Pier and the Southern Islands. The new charges for adults will now be $15, while children will have to pay $12.
The operators of the ferry services York Launch says there are two reasons for the increase – the low number of passengers on the routes to Kusu and St John’s Islands, and the berthing cost of its ferries onto these islands. It says the previous operator, Sentosa Leisure Group, used to absorb the berthing cost which ranged from $5 to $10 for each boat, and 50 cents for each passenger.
York Launch takes over the operation of ferry services on May 2.
Full story
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April 16, 2007
By Krist Boo Straits Times 12 Apr 07
Five months after announcing with much fanfare that the Southern Islands would be turned into the next big tourist attraction, the plans have been put on hold.
Although the Singapore Tourism Board wouldn’t reveal why, industry sources say the Government is considering housing a casino on the six-island cluster. If this is true, the islands could remain asthey are for the next 10 years.
If the two IRs prove to be successful, the Southern Islands will command a premium, the tourism industry sources said.
The STB would not comment on the speculation, saying only: ‘A premium destination, an eco-tourism resort, or an attraction
leveraging on the islands’ existing cultural elements – all remain possibilities.’
The STB had, in November last year, said it would in the first quarter of this year come up with tender guidelines to transform the island into a tourist attraction, possibly for the well-heeled.
The board did meet potential investors in January to gauge their interest and listen to ideas, but the results apparently were not very encouraging.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, STB’s assistant chief executive for leisure, Dr Chan Tat Hong, said: ‘No decision has been made yet on a development concept, including whether an RFC (request for concepts) exercise will be launched.’
Full story
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Wildfilms blogger writes… “And the saddest thing about this is that this section of the beach is doomed for reconstruction – carparks and whatnots. All these pretty critters will dissapear and be replaced with clean, spartan concrete.”
“[T]he underwater world, purported to showcase the marine world to the tourists, has all of 2 or 3 coral exhibits. And right outside their doorstep is a whole wonderland of corals!“
Visit the Wildfilms Blog for the full story.
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