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The Crossing goes Reef Checking through
the Caribbean.
When
Gregor Hodgson came to Hawaii last
winter to talk about Reef Check
activities in the islands, we
talked about continuing the growth
of Reef Check Hawaii, but I also
asked him repeatedly how to get on
the Quiksilver Crossing. Every 10
minutes or so I would find a way
to reiterate: “Did I mention
that I want to get on that boat?”
Like many marine scientists in
Hawaii, I appreciate living here
not only for the opportunity to
study coral reefs but also because
of a passion for surfing some of
the world’s best waves. Just as
my career in studying fisheries
and coral reefs is intertwined
with a love for diving and
surfing, so is a life on the
Crossing that serves the dual
purpose of monitoring the reefs
and surfing the waves that break
over them.
At any given time, there are
approximately 30 qualified
applicants willing to volunteer to
be marine biologists on board the
Crossing. So I was pleasantly
surprised with the response from
Reef Check headquarters to my
email inquiry a few months later.
Amazingly enough, the response
was: “How soon can you go, and
for how long?” Having completed
an M.S. degree studying coral
reefs in the Caribbean, I found a
way to clear my schedule and
return to my roots. |
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Joining the Crossing
as a Reef Check marine biologist was a
dream come true. Imagine waking up on a
boat every day and realizing that your
toughest decision is whether to go
diving or surfing. Because the mission
of the boat is one of exploration, you
and your boat mates are very likely to
be the only ones present on the reef
that day, and in some cases you may be
the first ones ever to surf or dive on
that reef.
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Even
in an area that has been fairly
thoroughly explored such as the
Caribbean, during my 5 weeks on
board the M/V Indies Trader, we
stayed in areas that see very few
visitors. Highlights of my trip
include hearing humpback whales
exhaling as we anchored near a
remote reef on a moonless night;
diving in areas where Nassau,
tiger, and other groupers still
occupy many of the large coral
heads; hearing that a local
fisherman has seen those same
grouper aggregating to spawn in
the winter months, and seeing
ostentatiously “camouflaged”
reef fish such as peacock
flounders, spotted eagle rays and
flying gurnards.
We completed
over 10 Reef Check surveys during
my expedition, and I had a
lifetime worth of memorable
experiences. While the
Caribbean is often singled out as
an ecosystem in trouble as a
result of overfishing and high
incidence of coral diseases, the
areas we visited appeared to be in
better shape than many others.
Sure, lobsters were scarce, and
diseases such as white band and
yellow band disease were apparent
occasionally, but overall, the
reefs and the protections that
have been provided for some of the
areas appear to be working well.
Future Reef Checks will help to
discern whether that trend
continues. |
Meanwhile, the M/V Indies Trader makes
her way around the world, eventually
heading back to the wave-rich and
species-rich areas of the South Pacific.
I am already preparing my inquiry: “So
did I mention that I want to get on that
boat?
Reef Check is a global network of
dedicated and enthusiastic individuals
who give their time and effort because
they are committed to helping the plight
of coral reefs. Those taking part in and
supporting the Quiksilver Crossing are
vital elements in this network. Reef
Check and coral reefs thank them all. Go
to Reef Check's website (www.ReefCheck.org)
and the organizations online newsletter,
The Transect Line, to see and read more
about Reef Check's recent
accomplishments and upcoming events.
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