Cyrene Reefs with TeamSeagrass

Sunrise and we're back on Cyrene Reefs with TeamSeagrass!Michelle (in red) is back again, and today we are privileged to have Shobana (in green) of the Straits Times.Also with us is Sam the Straits Times photographer, who wasted no time in taking photos of Cyrene. As well as Weizhen, also with the Straits Times.

While the team set up the transect lines, I brought the Straits Times team for a quick look around.And we managed to see a little more of the 'Nemo' today. The False clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) lives in this Giant sea anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea).

While Shobana and Weizhen find out from Siti more about monitoring seagrasses,Sam and I went around to have a look at the seagrass meadows.We saw the special moon snail with the colourful foot.A spotted black flatworm that I've not seen before.
And a placid Longhorned cowfish (Lactoria cornuta).

As we explored the shores further with the Straits Times team, we saw more stuff.The nudis put up a good show. With the black and white Jorunna funebris, and a pair of Glossodoris atromarginata.Lots of Dendrodoris denisoni were encountered today.And Andy found a Discodoris boholensis.Michelle and Nor Aishah found this Nepanthia sp. sea star.And of course, the seagrass meadows are just studded with lots of baby Knobbly sea stars (Protoreaster nodosus).And how wonderful to come across 'Blondie', the strange almost-knobbly sea star. Is it a new record too? We won't know until the experts come to have a look at it.Here's a closer look at 'Blondie'.Shufen finds this sea star (on the left) that looks very much like Pentaceraster mammilatus that TeamSeagrass found in May and was confirmed as a first record for Singapore. It looks very different from the usual Knobbly sea star (on the right).And from the underside, the sea star looks even more like a Pentaceraster mammilatus!

Wow!

On the way back, we noticed a tall ship at the Marina.Yes indeed, it was the Rainbow Warrior!After we said goodbye to Melvin, a few of us headed to the ship to have a closer look.And some of us got to talk to the Captain.What a great day out! And as usual, Melvin not only brought us there and back safely, but also kept the bad weather at bay. It only started to rain after we got back!

Vyna shares more about the trip on her can you sea me blog