Chek Jawa Wetlands-Pulau Ubin

I love visiting Pulau Ubin, a small undeveloped island just off Singapore's mainland where tropical jungle and kampong life still reign. I joined a trip to visit one of Pulau Ubin's most fascinating area; Chek Jawa.

As usual to get to Paula Ubin you get to the ferry terminal and wait for the next available 'bum boat'. The ferry terminal cat is an early indication of the change in pace of life 

Once on the island you can look back and see very contrasting lives - the old style floating fish farms with modern high rise developments behind.

Previously I've walked, cycled and kayaked around the island but Chek Jawa is at the farthest end of the island so taxis had been booked to take us, which I think was a good idea as it didn't look like these drivers were that bothered about moving. 

 Soon we were at our destination-Chek Jawa, a 100 hectare wetlands area made up of seven independent ecosystems- coastal forest, mangrove forest, rocky shore, sandy shore, sand bar, seagrass lagoon and coral rubble. At low tide the 'interdal flats' are revealed and with a guide you can go on to the flats and explore what is there. 

One of the special finds here are the Carpet Anemones, they have short, stubby, sticky tentacles, come in several colours and were fabulous. This one was about 30cms diameter and a lovely vivid green.

We were also shown a Horseshoe Crab

 a Volute a carnivorous bivalve                                          and a Volute shell with resident Hermit Crab

 

                                                                              a pretty Sea Star

and rather disgusting looking Sea Cucumber, I can't believe some people eat these!

                                        here are; from left, Sea Pens, sponge and dead coral

and of course lots of barnacles 

                   There was plenty of birdlife too-Sea Eagles, herons and egrets
                      

                                    We then left the flats and walks through the mangrove forest 

                         and saw Fiddler Crabs, the males have one large and one small pincer

                                                                                         Nipah Palm male inflorescence

and female inflorescence 

Mudskipper 

I climbed up to the top of the viewing tower and had a great view of the flats, the sea now starting to recover them

 Moving on into the coastal forest we came across an old Muslim Cemetery now rather neglected

and hearing a rustling above saw a pair of Oriental Hornbills feeding on red berries      

 

and below them a young Monitor Lizard basking in a shaft of sunlight

Back in the kampong, past the temple we stopped for a drink and snack at the only store

 sadly this time there wasn't time to eat at the seafood restaurant that serves fabulous food on a raised deck over the sea

    before getting the bum boat back to the mainland