Bubbling Blabber...
- Thread starter beivied
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seewhy said:Wah mahjong till wee hour in the morning ah. No need to work today meh? Good life.
Thanks beivied but this is a bit like lovell's mahjong game, $$$ go out, not so happy. Maybe next time, can play mahjong with lovell and his $$$ will come into my pocket then I will be.
work!.. play then go straight to work.. diving/mahjong/food is always more important then work hahahahaha
i will Win all your money lor, you better bring bicycle hahaha
seewhy said:Are you sure? We need 2 more for a UWCS mahjong session. Anyone, beivied? lovell and me need the $$$ lah, he also just upgraded not long ago.
For me sleep more impt. Not young anymore.
Mantaray, maybe she is just thinking of the frogfish/prince.
wa lao, you two wanna CHOP me ah ??? i also need $$$ leh .. ... lovells got more money than me (seewhy, we should join hands against him, hiak hiak hiak!!!)
and what frogfish prince :kok: give you your hammerhead :bsmilie:
still waiting for your layang layang pics...
Oppps. I thought people would have forgotten about my sad outing (for my camera and wallet) to Layang2. This was its dying work, I am too sad to process them, so you might just have to wait a bit longer.beivied said:
Just wish that you don't talk like a pig/dugong but play like a tigeress/orca.
OK, let join forces to milk lovell. Rubbing eye is circle, ear is stick and nose is 'wan zhi'. Aiya, maybe we should not discuss here. Let do it through PM.
One more 'ka' needed.beivied said:
No lah. Because you said
So maybe you act like poor player but in fact is a Queen of Gambling.beivied said:
There are some photo from the panasonic, but mostly taken by my friend, so better ask permission first before posting here. if not you might mistook that as my quality of photo.
Luv4nature
Senior Member
Read today's ST about the destruction of reef at Hantu due to reclaimation works and the construction of a Shell petrochemical plant.
Our favourite backyard may be gone for good soon and the Photo Gallery here would need to be relabelled as "Ex-Marine Residents of Singapore"
Any suggestions to bring out the awareness of general public on this?
It was suggested to Debby Ng at the finsonline to start a Hantu Web page and indeed she acted promptly and the Hantu Blog has been up and running for some time now.
I have done a bit of my part by donating most of my Hantu shots to the sites to add in the biodiversity of the photo data base (and that's why I've also urged in the past for CS uw photographers to do so instead of setting up another separate photo gallery here)
Anything else that we can do, so as to get public's attention to save the last marine frontier in Singapore?
Our favourite backyard may be gone for good soon and the Photo Gallery here would need to be relabelled as "Ex-Marine Residents of Singapore"
Any suggestions to bring out the awareness of general public on this?
It was suggested to Debby Ng at the finsonline to start a Hantu Web page and indeed she acted promptly and the Hantu Blog has been up and running for some time now.
I have done a bit of my part by donating most of my Hantu shots to the sites to add in the biodiversity of the photo data base (and that's why I've also urged in the past for CS uw photographers to do so instead of setting up another separate photo gallery here)
Anything else that we can do, so as to get public's attention to save the last marine frontier in Singapore?
hi luv4nature, this topic is very much welcomed, and definitely a concern for all, not just divers actually. we just came back from diving pulau hantu last saturday, and the visibility was almost zero at 14m, thick layers of silt covering the corals :cry:
i have merged your thread into Blubbling Blabber, as this is where all non uw photography yet constructive (or, not that constructive for some, hehe) comes to
just wanna mention a point that was told to us on saturday by the boatman, that the dire conditions may not have been caused by the dredging and what not at pulau ular, as conditions turn bad every year June. wanted to ask Debby if she had noticed such a pattern actually
i have merged your thread into Blubbling Blabber, as this is where all non uw photography yet constructive (or, not that constructive for some, hehe) comes to
just wanna mention a point that was told to us on saturday by the boatman, that the dire conditions may not have been caused by the dredging and what not at pulau ular, as conditions turn bad every year June. wanted to ask Debby if she had noticed such a pattern actually
I am not sure about the condition in June, but I do remember reading in the book on Singapore Water saying the end of year is the best time to dive in local water with good vis.beivied said:hi luv4nature, this topic is very much welcomed, and definitely a concern for all, not just divers actually. we just came back from diving pulau hantu last saturday, and the visibility was almost zero at 14m, thick layers of silt covering the corals :cry:
i have merged your thread into Blubbling Blabber, as this is where all non uw photography yet constructive (or, not that constructive for some, hehe) comes to
just wanna mention a point that was told to us on saturday by the boatman, that the dire conditions may not have been caused by the dredging and what not at pulau ular, as conditions turn bad every year June. wanted to ask Debby if she had noticed such a pattern actually
Also IIRC the decision to build the cracker plant on Pulau Ular will only be decided in end of 2005. Unless they have started reclaimation already even before the official announcement. :dunno:
not sure if the land reclamation is related to only the new cracker of Shell. I did send an E-mail to Shell indicating my concern regarding the impact of their plans on Hantu and this is their reply:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for sharing your views with us.
We appreciate the sentiments which you have expressed but the land reclamation which you referred to will actually be undertaken by JTC Corporation, on behalf of the Government. We understand that this is part of the Singapore Government's master plan for national development. We have been advised that JTC are consulting relevant agencies and international experts to address environmental concerns and safeguards at an early stage and that they are studying and reviewing international good reclamation practices which they can adopt. However, JTC would be the most appropriate party to directly comment on these.
We confirm that Shell is currently progressing with the next phase of a proposed world-scale cracker and derivatives project in Singapore. This entails significant investments and is planned to be a collaboration between Shell and the Economic Development Board. This will eventually occupy a part of the land reclaimed by JTC.
In developing the project, Shell will take appropriate measures to minimise impact on the environment. Shell is committed to Sustainable Development, integrating the three essential elements of sustainability - economic, social and environmental and balancing long and short-term priorities. In the process, we will ensure that the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Please rest assured that Shell will work together with JTC and other authorities for the best sustainable development option.
Yours respectfully,
Tell Shell
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for sharing your views with us.
We appreciate the sentiments which you have expressed but the land reclamation which you referred to will actually be undertaken by JTC Corporation, on behalf of the Government. We understand that this is part of the Singapore Government's master plan for national development. We have been advised that JTC are consulting relevant agencies and international experts to address environmental concerns and safeguards at an early stage and that they are studying and reviewing international good reclamation practices which they can adopt. However, JTC would be the most appropriate party to directly comment on these.
We confirm that Shell is currently progressing with the next phase of a proposed world-scale cracker and derivatives project in Singapore. This entails significant investments and is planned to be a collaboration between Shell and the Economic Development Board. This will eventually occupy a part of the land reclaimed by JTC.
In developing the project, Shell will take appropriate measures to minimise impact on the environment. Shell is committed to Sustainable Development, integrating the three essential elements of sustainability - economic, social and environmental and balancing long and short-term priorities. In the process, we will ensure that the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Please rest assured that Shell will work together with JTC and other authorities for the best sustainable development option.
Yours respectfully,
Tell Shell
Luv4nature
Senior Member
It's encouraging to see some action from individuals like youself. However, your email to Shell is of little significance as the reply you received from them is a standard reply drafted to deal with big and small enquiries alike. I'm also sure that their environmental baseline study would only include taking some ground water samples as a base reference, and will not cover extensively to survey damages to the marine environment.
As what Shell have mentioned, the work of reclaimation is under taken by JTC and not by Shell, so any marine life destruction would be related to the land reclaimation works done by S'pore's own hand and not by Shell.
No doubt it's important to attract big investments like this, but it's surprising to see that our authority is giving no regards and taking no action to assess the potential damages to one of the last remaining coral reefs in Singapore.
As what Shell have mentioned, the work of reclaimation is under taken by JTC and not by Shell, so any marine life destruction would be related to the land reclaimation works done by S'pore's own hand and not by Shell.
No doubt it's important to attract big investments like this, but it's surprising to see that our authority is giving no regards and taking no action to assess the potential damages to one of the last remaining coral reefs in Singapore.
Did not have the illusion that one mail would change the world, but many e-mails might. If we want to have a chance to stop this or make sure it is done with minimum impact to nature (if that is possible at all), we need to let our voice known. Just complaining among ourselves will not have an impact. I know of considerable projects being stopped because people who love nature managed to point out the uniqueness of the habitat affected. Another successful strategy seems to be, put a price tag on nature. But even if we all dived more in our local waters not sure if from a cold economical point of view we stand a chance against having a new cracker.
As Singapore does not seem to be the place where a typical spectacular Greenpeace action would be or can be organised, my best bet is our resident marine biologists bringing the scientific argument forward. We do have some unique specimens in our waters. In the mean time speak up share your passion with your friends and colleagues. Support individuals like Debby and the Blue water volunteers. Debby held a public talk on Hantu last Sunday. We might not be her direct target, but we can still come to show our support. Also a crowd normally attracts a bigger crowd.
As Singapore does not seem to be the place where a typical spectacular Greenpeace action would be or can be organised, my best bet is our resident marine biologists bringing the scientific argument forward. We do have some unique specimens in our waters. In the mean time speak up share your passion with your friends and colleagues. Support individuals like Debby and the Blue water volunteers. Debby held a public talk on Hantu last Sunday. We might not be her direct target, but we can still come to show our support. Also a crowd normally attracts a bigger crowd.
Luv4nature
Senior Member
Agree! Support Debby and similar organization is the way to go! :thumbsup:
An quick update on what Debby and the Blue water volunteers have been doing
http://www.wildsingapore.com/news/20050708/050704-1.htm.
http://www.wildsingapore.com/news/20050708/050704-1.htm.
if you would like to help local reefs in another manner as well (not just Pulau Hantu)
Extracted from "The Straits Times" 28 June 2005, P3|prime
A bit long but i think its good news
Adopt a reef and save the coral
In singapore's more ambitious undersea conservation effort to date,
stretches of artificial reefs that will ring the sourthern islands are being
put up for adoption.
For $360, donors will get to be surrogate parents to a 70cm circular reef
home - a hollow dome-shaped fibreglass structure which will be anchored to
the seabed in 5m deep waters. Coated with limestone, the reef home will
allow corals to easily attach itself.
If the adoption efforts are successful, about 2000 of these reef homes will
cover 20.000 sq m or one-fifth of the shallows around the handful of
southern islands - kusu, lazarus, st john's and seringat - which have been
developed and link through reclamation.
The reef project, which brings together a resort developer,
conservationists, the local scientific community and now, the public, hopes
to restore much of the coral life here in the decades to come.
Mrs Pamelia Lee, managing director of Southern Islands Development, which
comes under the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), said: "Since the tree
planting exercise on the island of singapore has been so successful, why
don't we do it with out reefs as well, and give people a sense of ownership
of our natural underwater heritage."
The $360 donation will cover the cost of producing the reef home and for
divers to fasten them to the reef. SDC will cover the cost of monitoring the
corals and providing ground support.
Professor Chou Loke Ming, an internationally known marine expert with the
biological sciences department of the National University of Singapore,
said: "Prior to this, reef conservation was done in bits and pieces; now we
have the chance to really make a difference on a large scale." He has reason
to be optimistic.
In earlier projects initiated by the Singapore Tourism Board in 2001 and
continued by SDC, about 150 of the 50cm high reef homes were planted in the
cluster of Southern Islands including Lazarus and Kusu Islands. Although
Coral is notoriously slow-growing, some species settled in and grew up to
10cm after three years, quite and achievement considering the areas around
the fibreglass structures remained barren. the structures also provided a
home to baby fish, and trapped sediment which kills coral.
The area fringing Singapore's over 50 southern offshore islands are home to
about 200 species of hard coral - a quarter of the global total, as well as
20 species of soft coral and more then 130 types of fish.
Although urbanisation has wiped out over 60 per cent of the reefs, the
estimated 30sq km left is almost as species rich as ever, said Prof Chou.
He said the Southern Islands Project is proof that development and
conservation do not have to be mutually exclusive, as steps can be taken to
save the flora and fauna at the same time. Bird and plant life on the
islands have been saved and the used of silt screens during reclamation work
protected existing corals from being smothered.
"A lot of people say out reefs are dying, but they have not been completely
wiped out dispite the intense use of our water," said Prof Chou. "It's not a
quetion of.. creating instant reefs, but my feeling is it's not too late to
save them."
For more information on sponsoring a reef home, call Mr Howard Shaw,
Executive director of Singapore Environmental Council on 6337-6062 or
96360400
Extracted from "The Straits Times" 28 June 2005, P3|prime
A bit long but i think its good news
Adopt a reef and save the coral
In singapore's more ambitious undersea conservation effort to date,
stretches of artificial reefs that will ring the sourthern islands are being
put up for adoption.
For $360, donors will get to be surrogate parents to a 70cm circular reef
home - a hollow dome-shaped fibreglass structure which will be anchored to
the seabed in 5m deep waters. Coated with limestone, the reef home will
allow corals to easily attach itself.
If the adoption efforts are successful, about 2000 of these reef homes will
cover 20.000 sq m or one-fifth of the shallows around the handful of
southern islands - kusu, lazarus, st john's and seringat - which have been
developed and link through reclamation.
The reef project, which brings together a resort developer,
conservationists, the local scientific community and now, the public, hopes
to restore much of the coral life here in the decades to come.
Mrs Pamelia Lee, managing director of Southern Islands Development, which
comes under the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), said: "Since the tree
planting exercise on the island of singapore has been so successful, why
don't we do it with out reefs as well, and give people a sense of ownership
of our natural underwater heritage."
The $360 donation will cover the cost of producing the reef home and for
divers to fasten them to the reef. SDC will cover the cost of monitoring the
corals and providing ground support.
Professor Chou Loke Ming, an internationally known marine expert with the
biological sciences department of the National University of Singapore,
said: "Prior to this, reef conservation was done in bits and pieces; now we
have the chance to really make a difference on a large scale." He has reason
to be optimistic.
In earlier projects initiated by the Singapore Tourism Board in 2001 and
continued by SDC, about 150 of the 50cm high reef homes were planted in the
cluster of Southern Islands including Lazarus and Kusu Islands. Although
Coral is notoriously slow-growing, some species settled in and grew up to
10cm after three years, quite and achievement considering the areas around
the fibreglass structures remained barren. the structures also provided a
home to baby fish, and trapped sediment which kills coral.
The area fringing Singapore's over 50 southern offshore islands are home to
about 200 species of hard coral - a quarter of the global total, as well as
20 species of soft coral and more then 130 types of fish.
Although urbanisation has wiped out over 60 per cent of the reefs, the
estimated 30sq km left is almost as species rich as ever, said Prof Chou.
He said the Southern Islands Project is proof that development and
conservation do not have to be mutually exclusive, as steps can be taken to
save the flora and fauna at the same time. Bird and plant life on the
islands have been saved and the used of silt screens during reclamation work
protected existing corals from being smothered.
"A lot of people say out reefs are dying, but they have not been completely
wiped out dispite the intense use of our water," said Prof Chou. "It's not a
quetion of.. creating instant reefs, but my feeling is it's not too late to
save them."
For more information on sponsoring a reef home, call Mr Howard Shaw,
Executive director of Singapore Environmental Council on 6337-6062 or
96360400
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