Awesome year end 2017 at the Marine Park

As the year ends, an announcement from NParks: The Public Gallery on St John’s Island will be closed on 21 Dec 2017 (Thu) for maintenance. The Public Gallery will open on 24, 25, 31 Dec 2017 and 1 Jan 2018 but from 10 am to 11.45am only.

Visitors during the November public walk.
Photo by Belinda Tan.

Here is a look back at happenings in November and December! Sea turtles hatching, more intertidal walks, a dive at the marine park and more!

Awesome October at the Marine Park

The first St John's Island public walk was held, while rainbows brightened up the intertidal walks at the Marine Park! Dive surveys give us a glimpse of life underwater.

Photo by Kar Mun.

The Friends of the Marine Park met again, while more information about the sea turtle hatchery being set up at Small Sisters Island.

No ferry to St John's Island during Kusu Pilgrimage Season: 20 Oct - 17 Nov 2017

The regular ferry to St. John's Island will be suspended during this traditional season. Limited parking and expect boarding delays at Marina South Pier for other Southern Island destinations during this traditional season.

Traditionally happening on the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, 100,000 devotees and visitors are expected to visit tiny Kusu Island for the annual pilgrimage season.

Update on 21 Oct on the NParks website: "The Sisters’ Islands Marine Park Public Gallery on St John’s Island is closed from 20 October to 17 November 2017, as the daily scheduled ferry services to St John’s Island is temporarily stopped during the Kusu Pilgrimage season. Please visit the Public Gallery from 18 November onwards."

Spectacular September at the Sisters Islands Marine Park

On 2 Sep, Minister Desmond Lee launched the free volunteer guided walk at St. John's Island, which is part of the Sisters' Island Marine Park and hosts the Marine Park Public Gallery.

The Public Gallery now has many additional features, including a mangrove display and a huge touch pool. Volunteers also continued to bring the public on intertidal guided walks at Big Sisters Islands. And more happenings...

August National Day celebrations at the Marine Park

On National Day, a small team surveyed another side of the Marine Park - the western shore of Pulau Tekukor.

Pulau Tekukor, with the two Sisters Islands on the horizon
Photo by Heng Pei Yan.

Thanks to Heng Pei Yan, the Drone Commander, we get a drone's eye view of the island. Thanks to Desmond Ong, we get an underwater look at the Sisters' Islands. And thanks to volunteers, visitors got a view of the intertidal treasures during the regular monthly walks.

Jam-packed June and July at the Sisters' Islands Marine Park

It has been a very busy June and July at the Marine Park! Our first dive cleanup, an important meeting of the Friends of the Sisters Islands Marine Park, lots of public walks, surveys of the marine park for impact of mass coral bleaching and more.

Photo by Stephen Beng.

Stephen Beng, Chair of the grouping saind "Friends of the Sisters' Islands Marine Park met to Strengthen ties within our ocean-loving community, to Share in our efforts to protect our Marine Park, and to Support the good work each of us is doing for our reefs."

Marvellous May at the Sisters Islands Marine Park

New animals at the Sisters Islands Marine Park! First sighting of a beautiful bannerfish, and a species of coral. A bioblitz also turned up some interesting finds and a sighting of dolphins!

Photo by Richard Kuah.

Meanwhile, volunteers continued to conduct intertidal walks for the public, and the public dives continue.

4 Jun 2017 (Sun): Marine Clean Up and Coral Rescue at Sisters Islands

For divers! Celebrate World Oceans Day in the first marine debris clean up dive at Sisters' Island Marine Park!

Ever wondered how coral restoration is conducted? Experience it first-hand as you team up with our local researchers to rescue our corals.

Amazing April at the Sisters Islands Marine Park

Another awesome month of outreach by the volunteers of the Sisters Islands Marine Park.

Happy visitors during the public walk on 30 Apr
Photo by Richard Kuah.

Together with NParks staff, they conducted public walks and did outreach during ADEX, the dive expo. They also helped to document the annual mass coral spawning that happens every April. And the Marine Park was featured in an article about the history of Singapore's reefs by Marcus Ng.

Marvellous March at the Sisters Islands Marine Park

In March, training started for a new batch of volunteers! While exciting public intertidal walks continued.

Photo by Richard Kuah.

We were lucky to have sunny weather, sunny visitors with sunny volunteers!

Calling for volunteers for the Sisters Islands Marine Park!

You CAN make a difference for marine biodiversity in Singapore!

Join the enthusiastic volunteers of the Marine Park!

Register to volunteer with the Sisters' Islands Marine Park as a guide, diver or citizen scientist. Places are limited. Sign up now!

Fabulous February at the Sisters Islands Marine Park

In February, the Sisters Islands Marine Park was officially conferred legal protection after Parliament passed amendments to the Parks and Trees Act to legislatively delineate the boundaries of Marine Park. Hurray!

Another glorious day exploring the Marine Park
with volunteers on a public intertidal walk.
Photo by Richard Kuah.

Next steps include bringing stakeholders together to form Friends of the Sisters Islands Marine Park! There was also another great public intertidal walk by volunteers. And the Marine Park was featured in an exciting 'virtual dive' tool to help train for scientific work on the reefs.

Joyful January at the Sisters Islands Marine Park

More delightful public intertidal walks in January, led by volunteers and NParks staff. Giving a glimpse of the amazing marine life found the Park.

Photo by Richard Kuah.

There was also a lovely feature of the Marine Park thanks to Lea Wee of the Straits Times. Announcing that coral bleaching is over and the dive trails are now open again at the Marine Park.

Families at the Sisters Islands Marine Park

It's the December school holidays! A great time to for families and kids to visit the Marine Park!

Photo by Collin Tong.

We enjoyed great weather during the December public walks, led by volunteers and NParks staff. Giving a glimpse of the amazing marine life found the Park.