A Supermoon Intertidal Walk
20 Feb 2019
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“Supermoon” – you may have read about that in the media. A supermoon happens when the full moon coincides with the moon’s closest to our planet Earth in its orbit. It also means that we get to see a huge, bright moon and experience stronger tides. We took the opportunity of this rare “extra-low tide” to venture out to the shores of Tanjung Rimau.
At first glance, the rocky shores were nothing more than ordinary. Rocks of all sizes smattered across the shore, glistening in the golden hour sun rays. We treaded carefully through the rocks, and peered into the waters that seemed to hold a thousand possibilities. And it did not disappoint.
“I saw a white sea slug with black ears and it caught my attention immediately because it was really cute! I have seen the creature online before, where people called it a ‘sea bunny’ because it resembled one, but I never thought that I would be able to see it in real life! Because it was spotted by us instead of the professors, it really reinforced how important it was for us to be observant and keep an eye out for marine life, so that everyone would be able to learn more together!”
– Charlene Chia Cui Ting, Year 2
The shores of Tanjung Rimau were giving in every way, delighting the little children in us with treasures of marine life. Every unfamiliar creature ignited a sense of wonder and curiosity. Then there were those that we recognised from textbooks and images. Nothing quite compares to seeing them living and breathing in front of our eyes.
“I saw an octopus at an intertidal zone for the first time! As we walked through the shore, I could not help but wonder, how do they look like when the tides return? And when they are no longer visible to the world on land…how do their shapes change? What secret talents do they have underwater?”
– Nicole Lim Pei Pey, Year 4
We don’t always have the answers but it is in the potential of the unknown that we often find its beauty. There is still so much about nature that we do not understand, and so many questions begging to be asked. Yet at the same time, there are thousands of lessons that nature teach us.
“No wonder our civil society fought so hard to save Chek Jawa when it was earmarked for reclamation. Singapore’s natural shores are precious, not only because they are few and far between and at risk, but because they teem with life in all shapes and sizes. Nature in all her beauty lies in wait for anyone to discover, even in urbanised, hectic Singapore, if only they are willing to slow down and look.”
– Benedict Yu, Year 2
“The marine ecosystem is a fascinating place and there are always tons of interesting animals to see. Life in the intertidal zone is one of the harshest around – the animals get predated upon by fish when it’s high tide and then by birds and land animals at low tide. I always see this environment as a ‘note to self’ that life can be challenging but I must not give up.”
– Dr Toh Tai Chong
The time flew by as we were having fun. It was not long before the sun began to dip below the waters. A blend of pink, blue and orange splashed across the sky. Soon, the tide will return, and the shore we trampled on will once again be covered by the waters. We are thankful to CAPT Fellows – Dr Toh Tai Chong and Dr Joelle Lai, for guiding us on this lovely inter-tidal learning journey.
