Searching for Spawning on Sentosa

Back on the shore early this morning with TeamSeagrass to do a quick check-up on one of Sentosa's last remaining natural shores.
We were a little late starting off, so we rushed out to get the job done as the tide was already starting to come in. After the work is done, we have a quick look around at the shore.

MASS spawning of corals is expected among our corals RIGHT now. So I had a very close look at the hard corals on the shores.Hmm....do you see anything engorged or lumpy or like about to burst in a sexual frenzy?Sigh. Doesn't look very different from the usual state. To me anyway.

How about this one?...Hmmm...The water was getting high, and well, I don't really know what I'm looking for.
This one certainly doesn't look exciting or excited.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Debby and the hantu bloggers find out when they do their spawning dive tonight. All the best guys!

And in case you DON'T believe that our corals do have frenzied orgies of sex, here's a post about last year's mass spawning on the hantu blog which quotes Wai's fabulous spawning log 1 and spawning log 2.

By this time, the tide has started to come in with a vengeance so we check out the high shore. Under rocks is a good place for small animals to hide.There are little snails and oysters and a small cowrie!
Unfortunately, we saw a lot of stones obviously turned over and not turned back. Unlikely to be due to waves. Possibly people have come by to harvest marine life. We've seen people collect snails on this and Labrador shore as well.

On the coastal forest that hugs the beautiful natural cliffs were curtains of enormous pitcher plants!The pitcher is actually a modified leaf that has become a container to trap unwary insects!

If you'd like to see these and MORE marine life on this Sentosa shore, join the Naked Hermit Crabs on their upcoming Sentosa family walk tentatively scheduled for the June holidays.

Our little expedition is cut short as a storm front develops right before our eyes!
But just as I was scurrying back, I noticed something bright and colourful in our favourite 'Tongkat Ali' plant, a well known aphrodisiac.Could it be the fruits of the 'Tongkat Ali'? Or do the fruits belong to the vine entwined around the plant?

So much more still to learn about our shores!

But right then, it was time to HURRY back before the heavens opened up.I hope we get better weather tomorrow :-(

Afternote: Alas, no spawning was sighted at Pulau Hantu. But lots of other sightings including sea turtle! more on the colourful clouds blog and hbing's blog