Staff with family and friends enjoyed an educational walk along the coast during low tide and did their part to clear beach waste at the same time.
Shell We Go?
Hong Leong
Club Goes
Intertidal Exploring
At Changi Beach
Hong Leong Club (HLC) organised an intertidal walk as part of our environmental awareness thrust for this year.
Participants met early on a Sunday morning to catch the low tide at Changi Beach. The guides brought the group along the coast in search of interesting tidal sea creatures that one wouldn’t normally be able to find when the tides are higher.
With their experience and trained eyes, the guides brought the amazing world that’s usually hidden beneath the waves to life.
Participants encountered all sorts of crabs, from the larger mud crabs to the small hermit crabs. One may walk past a seemingly ordinary leaf or branch without even realising that a leaf porter crab is hidden underneath!
Watch your step! A mud crab with its pincers ready to catch a meal (or pinch your foot!).
A leaf porter crab carries leaves/sticks with its legs to provide camouflage and shelter.
Amidst the still waters, participants also saw multiple carpet anemones spread out across the sand. These creatures feed by using their little tendrils to help move food towards their central mouth. Additionally, they also self-clean by using mucus to cause sand to clump up, which is then shifted outwards using those same tendrils.
On the topic of self-cleaning, participants were also introduced to the noble volute, a relatively larger shell that stands out conspicuously with its beautifully patterned shell and mottled flesh. These shells maintain their smooth exterior by wrapping themselves in their own flesh and releasing an acid that dissolves the old and worn outer layer!
The size of the carpet anemone versus human feet!
The guide carefully holding the noble volute, showing off its beautiful patterned black and orange mottled flesh.
The guides were able to provide participants with a better view of the creatures while handling them with care. After gentle observation, the creatures were placed where they were found. It is an important reminder that every little action can have a big impact – a shell picked but not replaced is one less home for a hermit crab. More than just spotting cool creatures, the intertidal walk helped participants to better understand how even the smallest creatures deserve our respect, and how important it is to protect the spaces we explore. The more we learn, the more we care, and that’s the first step toward real change.
Seeing the beach littered with bottles, styrofoam and other bits and pieces of waste, participants also took the opportunity to clean up the litter and left the beach cleaner than when they first arrived. As human activities continue to endanger our delicate coastlines, we must be more mindful of our own actions to minimise the harm we are causing to nature.
At the end of the walk, participants left with a deeper appreciation for our shores and a stronger resolve to protect such precious ecosystems for future generations.
