Hantu Exploration

It has been a year and the half since I last visited Hantu during low spring tide. After meeting at Marina South Pier at 2.30am, the boat took about 40 mins before we arrived at Pulau Hantu. Hantu in Malay means ghost! There are many stories on why this island was name after ghost. One of the story link it to owl. It was believed that there are lots of owl on the island some times ago. Owl in Malay was called burung hantu thus the name Hantu was used. Which is the true story?... I really don't know :)
One of the very first creature that I saw was this flathead.There are lots of Common sea star (Archaster typicus) on the sandy area.As we move to the lagoon, I saw this toadfish that is about 20cm from head to tail.One of the first slug of the day is this beautiful Bornella stellifer nudibranch.

Silver(Ag) found this very small nudi (about 1.5cm). Check several resources and discuss with CH too. This slug looks like another unknown Gymnodoris.Another fish that we saw was this snake like eel.Another fish that we saw was this fish that is similar to Scorpion fish.Octopus!!Most poisonous crab of Singapore! - Mosaic Crab
So as the next 2 most poisonous crabs in Singapore, a Red Egg crab & Brown Egg Crab.

Dive 2 @ Hantu on 27 April 08

After the surface interval, I was looking forward for the 2nd dive and wanted to see another of my favourate sea star - Icon Star (Iconaster longimanus) and guess what? Is just there waiting for us right at the sea bed.

We encounter even more slugs in our 2nd dive. These are some of the flatworm that we saw,
The one on top is very big! About my palm size.

Not for forgeting nudis...

Glossodoris atromarginataA pair of Chromodoris lineolata was having their lunch...

This one on top with olive green body, purple gills and oral tentacles with dark blue rhinophores are some of the characteristics of Tambja oliva. But could it be one?
Flabellina rubrolineata?Phyllidia pustulosaThis one very similiar but is also look like a Phyllidiopsis krempfi. Phyllidiidae is one of the family that are difficult to id.

A very small Cuthona Sibogae feeding on hydroid.Thurdilla gracillis
Another big blue dragon (Pteraeolidia ianthina)
One of the very important food source - lacy bryozoan
A tiny pipe fish
This file fish playing hide & seek with me...

Feather star of all coloursand a high fin gobby

We surface with reluctance after 66mins of fantastic dive. Another wonderful dive trip for me in Singapore waters!

Dive Hantu 27 April 08 (Dive 1)

Is been a year since I last dive at Hantu! I'm too happy to dive here with CH & HB. The vis is much better than my last dive. We did 2 dives today and here's the photo on Dive 1.

We saw lots of sea slugs....


A pair of Hypselodoris emma
There are also lots of Phyllidia pustulosa, we also saw other phylid that look like this on our second dive.
A Glossodoris atromarginataLots of big and small blue dragon (Pteraeolidia ianthina)
This nudi was having hydroid as his breakfast! Is a Bornella anguillaThis studded nudi propably a Cadlinella ornatissimaA beautiful flatwormThis tiger tail sea horse a bit shy to face the camera :-) So as this blue spotted stingray.A beautiful anchor coralMy favourate cushion star (Culcita novaeguineae)
As we surface for our break, I saw this big and beautiful jelly fish! Is beautiful but also evil! It stung about half the divers that dive at Hantu today!I saw this fish float on the surface.... could it be the victim of the jelly fish??Or could it be a Leaf fish? I have no clue at all about this strange looking fish.

Look out for more photos of our dive number 2 later. . .

Read CH & HB's blog on their great dive experiences! If you are interested to dive at Pualu Hantu, just visit The Hantu Bloggers for more info.

Day 2 CNY at Pulau Hantu

I continue my reef walk at Pulau Hantu on the 2nd day of CNY. This is also my first trip to Pulau Hantu this year. My last trip there was about a year ago with the Hantu Bloggers.
It was really special to see a school of razor fish in the inter-tidal area. Without the need to put on all the diving gear!

and also this beautiful Orange-banded butterflyfish (Coradion chrysozonus)
A common sea star (Archaster typicus)

Red swimmng crabsand this juveniles flower crab. I'm not sure why there are so many different patterns on the carapace.We saw this cute cuttle fishWe also witness the magician in actions. It changes it's colour so rapidly to match and blend with the environment!We also saw quite a lot of slugs such as the Gymmodoris rublopabulosa above.a Phyllidia pustulosaPolka dot (Jorunna funebris)Discodoris boholensisand a Acanthozoon sp. flatworm.different colours of feather star. Like other echinoderms, feather stars have radial symmetry with numerous arms project from a central disc. However, the major difference as compare to other sea star is their feedings habot. Feather stars are filter feeders and their mouth is on the upperside rather than bottom as with other sea stars.This turban shell almost invisible with the colour almost the same with the substrate.

There are a lot more animals that was spotted. Lets wait for others to put up their blog later.