Striped Eel-Tailed Catfish @ Pulau Hantu 17Apr2010

Striped Eel-Tailed Catfish from BeachBum on Vimeo.

Find out more about the Striped Eel-Tailed Catfish :
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/fish/plotosidae/lineatus.htm

red crinoid @ Pulau Hantu 17Apr2010

red crinoid from BeachBum on Vimeo.

music : Touching Moments One - Pulse : Kevin Macleod- http://incompetech.com

Find out more about featherstars here :
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/echinodermata/crinoidea/crinoidea.htm
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/echinodermata/crinoidea/red.htm

here is a clip of a featherstar actively waving its arms in an attempt to swim :

red featherstar @ labrador from BeachBum on Vimeo.

ribbon jellyfish @ Pulau Hantu 17April2010

Ribbon Jellyfish @ Pulau Hantu 17Apr2010 from BeachBum on Vimeo.

The March-April period seems to be jellyfish season.
Perhaps it is a coincidence that it coincides with the coral spawning period as well! Depending on the species jellyfish may eat plankton or fish or other swimming organisms like shrimp.

No humans were stung during the production of this clip! But the risk is an ever present one...which is why it is not advisable to go into the water with exposed skin. (I wonder about all those swimmers and triathletes in their various races in March and April and whether they get stung.) The longest of the ribbon jellyfish seen were about 40cm long and the smallest was about 10 cm (from the top of the bell to the end of the longest tentacle).

Read more about jellyfish and ribbon jellyfish from WildSingapore's Wildfacts pages here:
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/cnidaria/others/jellyfish/jellyfish.htm
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/cnidaria/others/jellyfish/ribbon.htm

Jellyfish are a favourite food for marine turtles. Strangely, turtles do not get stung by the stingers on the jellyfish tentacles.

Sadly, with the increase of marine pollution and the irresponsible or careless disposal of plastic bags and the mass release of balloons, these and other indigestible items do end up in the marine ecosystem where turtles may try to eat them with fatal results.

Read more about how these improperly disposed materials affect turtles here :
http://www.seaturtlefoundation.org/stf-current-projects/campaigns/marine-debris/

Other links :
www.oceanconservancy.org
www.algalita.org
http://coastalcleanup.nus.edu.sg/
http://coastalcleanup.wordpress.com/

music : Touching Moments One - Pulse : Kevin Macleod- http://incompetech.com

Acropora coral @ Pulau Hantu 17Apr2010

Acropora coral @ Pulau Hantu 17Apr2010 from BeachBum on Vimeo.

This beautiful acropora was close to the far end of the intertidal zone close to where the reef fell away.

Read more about hard corals here :-
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/cnidaria/coralhard/coralhard.htm
about acropora corals here :-
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/cnidaria/coralhard/acroporidae/acropora.htm

music : Touching Moments One - Pulse : Kevin Macleod- http://incompetech.com

blue-lined flatworm @ Pulau Hantu 17Apr2010

blue-lined flatworm @ pulau hantu 17Apr2010 from BeachBum on Vimeo.

This was a tiny flatworm which stood out from the muddy-coloured substrate.
It did not seem to be bothered by the flaring chimney nearby.

Read more about flatworms here :-
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/worm/polycladida/polycladida.htm
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/worm/polycladida/blueline.htm

music : Touching Moments One - Pulse : Kevin Macleod- http://incompetech.com

flare : a ghostly encouter

flare from BeachBum on Vimeo.

A necessary evil of our need for petrochemicals.

was at Pulau Hantu for a intertidal walk.

almost did not need a torch as the light from the nearby Pulau Bukom flare was incredible.

at times, the flare reached 30metres (or more) and the roar was considerable.

the air was not to good as well. there was a lingering chemical residue

a few questions come to mind :
If flaring is an emergency pressure relief process, then why flare continuously for days on end?
Does anyone keep track of flaring?
What are the harmful chemicals that get created in the process?
Does Singapore regulate flaring? Should flaring be reduced?
Why are there not any flaring advisories issued? Should they be? (but what can you do anyway)
Is there a time limit for ONE flare? or is it still ONE flare if it is not extinguished for days or weeks?
What is the average time for a flare?
What is the longest time for a flare?

The flare was visible from the East Coast (Bedok Jetty) that day and probably much further beyond. Wonder how far and in what direction the chemical fallout will travel.

Read more about flares here :
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2010/02/flaring-up-at-pulau-bukom.html
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-flaring-up-at-pulau-bukom.html

Note : there are flares and chemical chimneys from various petrochemical installations along the west coast. The Bukom one is one amongst many but it is the most visible one of the lot.