Intertidal Walk @ Changi Beach

4 April 2021 – Changi Beach Carpark 6 (Tide: 0.4m)
(my reflections of a trip to an intertidal area with a friend as I didn’t manage to sign up for the previous intertidal walks shared by BFF)

As it was my first time at an intertidal area, everything was especially fascinating, including seeing flora and fauna that may be more commonly found on Singapore’s shores. Right from the start, I was amazed at the number of pink warty sea cucumbers, sand dollars and hermit crabs near the shore (and frankly was quite scared that I would accidentally step on something and injure or kill it).

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On Human-Nature Interactions 

I came across families with young children excitedly exploring the intertidal area. Some were holding spades and digging the sand to pick out the hermit crabs or carrying pails, some filled to the brim with wildlife. One specific incident that shocked me was when I saw a child throw a sea cucumber. I flinched and was at a loss for words. Thankfully, my friend responded in a calm and collected manner telling the child to be gentle towards animals.

While it was upsetting to see people disturbing and even harming wildlife, subsequent interactions with people helped me understand that people’s actions may not be motivated by ill-intentions. At times, their actions could stem from curiosity or perhaps an intrinsic desire to connect with and understand nature. Some people might genuinely not be aware of the impacts of their actions on wildlife and could change their actions with a small conversation.

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One of the conversations I remember between a child and my friend:
*child picks up and holds an animal*
Child: “It’s not moving, I don’t think it’s alive!”
“The animal may be scared, maybe if you put it down and wait patiently you will see how it moves.”
*child puts animal down and squats while eagerly waiting, eyes glued to the animal*
Child: “Oh! It’s moving!”

These small interactions made me pause and reflect. Rather than taking an “intrusive” approach of telling others not to do this or that, switching to asking questions or making suggestions to tease out the person’s curiosity and interest could be more effective in some cases and result in an overall positive experience – something I hope to try out in future!

The process of discovery and learning

The interactions with the children also made me realise that I was often waiting for information to be shared rather than actively inquiring and learning. As my friend had more knowledge on intertidal areas, I relied on him for information rather than asking inquisitive questions, using my own observations and digging into my (albeit limited) knowledge to try to make sense of what I was seeing.

Encouraging more people to learn about and appreciate nature

My friend also engaged in small conversations with plane-spotters. In between taking photographs of their awaited planes, it was heartwarming to see some of them come over to observe the flora and fauna too. These unplanned interactions created opportunities to spark some interest and share the appreciation of nature.

All in all, it was truly an eye-opening and humbling experience. There were multiple times when I was reminded once again that there is much to discover and learn, especially since nature has an element of surprise – you won’t know for sure what you’ll get to see! I look forward to the next time I visit an intertidal area~