Escape to Tanah Merah
Wildfilms planned to visit Changi this holiday period but were aghast to find the entire stretch of the beach jam-packed with campers. From Changi Point to Changi Ferry Terminal. Almost every inch of space was filled with tents and, as Andy put it 'a gazillion people'. Cars were lined up along the coastal road, reducing it to one lane. Laundy was hanging out among the trees and happy people everywhere.
After picking up Andy from the carpark, we decided to head away from the rush and visit Tanah Merah.
The shore there had lots more people than we usually encountered. But at least it wasn't like Orchard Road.
Rain was building up but the kids continued to play on the vast sandy shore unperturbed.
The shore is densely covered in sand dollars and button shells. All very much alive.
Button shells have a leaf-like foot and tiny beady eyes on stalks. They were vigorously hunted by moon snails that were out in force.
Alvin came upon a little drama. This hermit crab is obviously patiently waiting for the tiny whelks to clean out the dead occupant of the shell that it has 'choped'. Behind it (upper left corner) is a smaller hermit crab in a really banged up shell, waiting to take over should the first in the queue decide the shell is not up to par.
Speaking of par, we came across a vast number of golf balls scattered on the sand. In an effort to entice Alvin to film the golf balls, we launched ala David Attenborough in hushed Voice of God mode "And here we have...the secret gathering of mating golf balls!" "A rarely observed sight, little is known about this annual ritual". Dr Andy adds "The yellow ones are the females, ripe with eggs". Alas, Alvin had a look and walked away in disgust. Later we saw a man stuff his pants pockets with the golf balls.
There was quite a lot of rubbish. Andy picked up a large hub cab!
Just as we were about to go home, a surprise! One single sea star. We've never seen them on Tanah Merah before, and I searched the whole shore and couldn't find any. We are perplexed. Perhaps it was 'released' by someone? It's very odd.
Once people on the shore realised we were shooting marine life, little kids started bringing us what they found. From tiny hermit crabs to wee fishies. One of the little girls wanted to bring the sand dollars home and we tried very hard to persuade her not to. "You don't know what to feed them, they will die"..."and smell bad" Andy added. A father dug out a large grouper from a pipe and proceeded to haul it home. There were several people casting drift nets on the shore as well as across the monsoon drain. And I saw a couple dilligently scrapping off every bit of life from under the rocks on the high shore. Sigh.
There's indeed a lot more that needs to be done in raising public awareness of our shores.
After picking up Andy from the carpark, we decided to head away from the rush and visit Tanah Merah.
The shore there had lots more people than we usually encountered. But at least it wasn't like Orchard Road.
Rain was building up but the kids continued to play on the vast sandy shore unperturbed.
The shore is densely covered in sand dollars and button shells. All very much alive.
Button shells have a leaf-like foot and tiny beady eyes on stalks. They were vigorously hunted by moon snails that were out in force.
Alvin came upon a little drama. This hermit crab is obviously patiently waiting for the tiny whelks to clean out the dead occupant of the shell that it has 'choped'. Behind it (upper left corner) is a smaller hermit crab in a really banged up shell, waiting to take over should the first in the queue decide the shell is not up to par.
Speaking of par, we came across a vast number of golf balls scattered on the sand. In an effort to entice Alvin to film the golf balls, we launched ala David Attenborough in hushed Voice of God mode "And here we have...the secret gathering of mating golf balls!" "A rarely observed sight, little is known about this annual ritual". Dr Andy adds "The yellow ones are the females, ripe with eggs". Alas, Alvin had a look and walked away in disgust. Later we saw a man stuff his pants pockets with the golf balls.
There was quite a lot of rubbish. Andy picked up a large hub cab!
Just as we were about to go home, a surprise! One single sea star. We've never seen them on Tanah Merah before, and I searched the whole shore and couldn't find any. We are perplexed. Perhaps it was 'released' by someone? It's very odd.
Once people on the shore realised we were shooting marine life, little kids started bringing us what they found. From tiny hermit crabs to wee fishies. One of the little girls wanted to bring the sand dollars home and we tried very hard to persuade her not to. "You don't know what to feed them, they will die"..."and smell bad" Andy added. A father dug out a large grouper from a pipe and proceeded to haul it home. There were several people casting drift nets on the shore as well as across the monsoon drain. And I saw a couple dilligently scrapping off every bit of life from under the rocks on the high shore. Sigh.
There's indeed a lot more that needs to be done in raising public awareness of our shores.
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