At 4.30 am, less than 24 hours after the adventure or what perhaps was more of a near misadventure on Cyrene, on Sunday, I found myself once again on a boat headed south. The destination this time was another patch reef, Terumbu Semakau, which lies just east of the original Pulau Semakau – now part of an enlarged island of the same name that serves as an offshore landfill.
A view of Terumbu Semakau under the light of the moon, looking across to an enlarged Pulau Semakau.
Location of Terumbu Semakau relative to Pulau Semakau as seen on a navigational chart.
Terumbu Semakau in the moonlight.
The super moon seen setting over Pulau Semakau.
Thankfully, the weather provided much greater joy than it did a day before, allowing the group I was with to take-in an almost magical view of the reef bathed in the light of the super moon and then in the early light of day. The setting was one that seemed perfect for romance – the chorus we could hear of romancing amphibians across on Pulau Semakau seemed to testify to that.
6.28 am, the lights of Singapore’s southern seas, that of the ships at anchor is seen against the lightening sky.
The terumbu at sunrise.
Finding romance on Terumbu Semakau with the rising of the sun.
The reef, as with many of southern Singapore’s once numerous patch reefs, bears the scars of the developments of the last five decades. Its once lush meadows of seagrass have all but disappeared, leaving the moonlit scene without the stars that illuminated our visit to Cyrene. The group did however, find a couple of stars that, so disguised, were ones I wouldn’t have recognised. Shaped as their common name suggests, these cushion sea stars are quite recognisable upturned – wearing the unmistakeable mark of a true star on their well hidden undersides.
A cushion star.
The underbelly of a cushion star.
A smaller and less richly coloured cushion sea star.
The expense of the reef did, in the light of the silvery moon, reveal quite a lot more to the keener pairs of eye. Ria Tan in blog post Terumbu Semakau: still no seagrass recovery, does bring to light several interesting sightings. It was, however, as unlikely romance that might have been the highlight of the day – the romance of a pair of rare tiger cowries, taking place discreetly behind a large piece of coral.
A pair of rare tiger cowries, discreet in their romance.
Feeling crabby, early in the morning.
A less than romantic find – a fish trap erected on the reef.
The romance found on Terumbu Semakau, is one that may soon be lost, as foretold by the Land Use Plan that was released by the Ministry of National Development last year in support of the less than well received Population White Paper. In the plan, the reef is seen to be within an area that is potentially a future land reclamation site that will create an even larger Pulau Semakau – leaving very little of the patch reef systems that once shaped our southern waters left for us to find romance in.
Possible future reclamation poses a threat to the future of the reef (source: Land Use Plan 2013).
The incinerated waste receiving station at Pulau Semakau as seen from the reef.
Branching Montipora corals in the middle of the terumbu.
More views of the reef in the moonlight
The visit to Terumbu Semakau is part of a series of visits to some of the lesser known shores of Singapore, in search of words and sounds for an IRememberSG funded project, Points of Departure.
The Long and Winding Road 
Hi Jerome, nice photos! May I know what were you doing on the island? Yes, we should find a way to develop and to preserve, there is no easy way but does not mean there is no way.
kc
Hi kc, thanks for dropping by and also for the generous feedback. I was on Terumbu Semakau for an IRememberSG funded project I am working on as part of the SG50 celebrations, Points of Departure. The terumbu is more of a patch reef / shoal than an island, and is exposed only at low spring tides.
The waters off Singapore, particularly around the southern islands, once featured many such reefs, some of which have already been lost through land reclamation. Those that have survived are under threat and many will possibly disappear through future land reclamation and yes, we should certainly find a way to preserve as much as we can and it is encouraging to see the efforts of individuals such as those in the group that I had the privilege to be on the reef with in raising awareness on the existence of the amazing marine habitats we do have and the life that can be found in them.
The project Points of Departure is an excellent project to start with in capturing disappearing landscape and natural resources. I can only imagine now terumbu must be a very beautiful place with abundant coral reefs, and exotic sea creatures in the past.
Thank you for introducing me to the topic, and I am looking forward for more similar projects from you in future.
kc
Very lovely pictures indeed. The pictures made me want to visit the place. Is reclaiming inevitable? It’s such a pity to kill off these rich and wonderful biodiversity which is very important to the marine life. Looking forward to read more of such posts.