Ron gave us trainees an overview of what we could expect while guiding at Pulau Semakau. He started by giving us a brief introduction that Pulau Semakau as we currently identify as, is actually made up of two islands - Pulau Sakeng and Pulau Semakau. However, Sakeng is completely gone due to reclamation works part of which the landfill operations stands. Part of Semakau is what we would be exploring in the intertidal walk.
As we started into the secondary coastal forest, Ron showed us the Sea Almond Tree.  The Sea Almond Tree
The sea almond, named so, because it tasted like an almond.
As we moved along the mangroves, Ron pointed to us a mangrove tree, the Rhizophora also commonly known as the Bakau tree.
 
 
The Bakau tree has a prop roots system unlike other types of mangroves; the sonneratia (cone-shaped breathing roots) or the avicennia (pencil-like pneumatophores). One common feature of mangrove trees is its adaptability to harsh factors such as water salinity and poor soil conditions.
Ron also added that often enough people mistook the seedling of the Bakau for its fruit. In fact, the fruit of the Bakau sprouts into a seedling first. Notice also that the seedling is grown vertically to the ground. This enables the young plant to disperse easily on water so that it would not compete with the adult plant for food and minerals.
We moved on to the the sandy shores and found traces made by the sand bubbler crab. These crabs are detrital feeders. Once they processed the sand grains, it would look like sand balls. The dark sand patches are probably those that have not been completely processed.
Close to that, we saw a number of oysters stuck on the rocks. Oysters are filter feeders.
My first sighting of a volute laying eggs.
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