Hi All,
Ok I know this post is long overdue... almost 3 months. Apologies once again. ._. It's been a really hectic 2014 so far, with all these induction programmes, lectures, CCAs and random activities that pop up here and there. That aside, the 1 week March Holiday has given me some time to squeeze in this blog post. Well, as mentioned every semester break would encompass a blog post on an overseas shelling destination. This time, were landing ourselves on the Isthmus of Kra (Aha! Big words for a non-geography student :P), on the Western coast of Krabi, Thailand! Yes! Koh Poda, Koh Kai, Koh Phi Phi etc... I believe that's what is going through your minds now but SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU. This December Dream nearly turned into a disaster. Yes, the usual flu, diarrhoea and headache... I even almost lost the energy to shell... And to make matters worse, the December Christmas peak season meant that most of the shores were wiped clean of any beautiful pickings... Tragic. :( Nonetheless, here's a quick summary of the whole trip, though it may not seem wonderfully glorious as it was thought to be... :'(
Ok, this is the left wing of the famed Ao Nang Beach... It's a little hazy though but in any case, the view is something that is worth a snapshot...
The sunset... Right wing of Ao nang. The shore is parked with numerous long-tail boats, quintessential of Krabi and other coastal tourist destinations in Thailand.
And of course, the Cabaret Show just down the street...
No shells collected on the first day, but spotting this brown tree frog just outside by room brought a little sunshine to the rain...
I could even hold it... :D
Spider Frog~ Spider Frog~
Day 2: My parents decided to be adventurous so the family booked a package to experience some White Water Rafting! Mind you this river is in the middle of Phang Nga, 3 hours away from Ao Nang so if you're just interested in rafting, it's highly encouraged that you visit somewhere else.
THAT BEING SAID, it was a really WONDERFUL experience, getting to swim in the rapids and stuff...
This is the entrance to the waterfall. Sounds wonderful eh?
Sadly, NO.
Another sunset shot of Ao Nang... Yea the rafting was fun but... it the sense of fulfilment does not strike you when you do not get at least a decent shell.
Loads of shell sand though. Mainly COCKLE and VENUS CLAM shells. Occasionally you'd find some Murex pieces in the pile.
Low tide reveals some promising evidence of a better shell haul...
Shell art at Susan Hoi (Shell Cemetery)
Now, some online research revealed that this beach could yield some promising specimens. Nopparat Thara Beach.
Another Long-Tail Boat...
Magnificence of the sun... Look at the purple hue of the sky.
And of course, not a gem but at least something that's of collection standard. A MARGINED CONCH.
Also, in a desperate attempt, we (Dad and I) decided to shell at 1a.m. after our Thai massage. By the way, that's what I found. A PEBBLE CRAB. There were dozens of these critters scurrying beneath the surf, only to get stranded on the shore once the waves retreated.
Morning on the last day, and to my surprise, this shore is teeming with life. Low tide does present so much more...
TIGER MOON SNAILS, HUNDREDS OF THEM all across the sand. I found one of these recently at PULAU UBIN. The Tiger Moon Snail has a geographic range that spans nearly the whole Indo-Pacific region. Apparently, it is also consumed as street food in some parts of Thailand... :/
What are they doing? I have no interest whatsoever in finding out. ;P
JELLYFISHING JELLYFISHING! A HUGE JELLYFISH! This guy is massive. I tried to place him back into the sea but ended up decapitating his head from his tentacles... :(((
Ao Nang, Right wing...
Two different species of MOON SNAILS. :)
The headland that separates Railay from Ao Nang. :)
ROCK SEA SLUG! Look at it's camouflage!
WHOOPS!
Railay~ Unvisited though. ._.
and the mystical cave!!!
MMHMM!
These TROUGH SHELLS were also a common sight along the beaches. :)
Tried to save another...And guess who decapitated another Jellyfish? ._.
Sand Dollar Test!
And yes, this is the end. P.s. while flying back to Singapore (Entering from the South), we passed some islands that had beautiful waters!!! YES I have no idea what these islands are but if anyone has any knowledge of them, please feel free to post a comment! Your help is greatly appreciated!
Ok, so that's all I have. On a side note, I chanced upon the INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP SINGAPORE webpage while doing some background research for my PI. Yes! Do participate in this meaningful activity! Personally, it doesn't matter whether you sign up or not but as long as everyone does their part in keeping our shores clean, it will definitely make a profound difference to our coastlines and all its inhabitants (And that include seashells too! :) )
