A typical day

Many blogs have spoken about a typical day here which involves waking up to a sea so blue that you think your imagination must be playing tricks on you. Typically after a breakfast of coffee and sometimes not-so-stale bread it’s off to dive the reefs and practice the skills we have been learning which involve benthic PITs – Point Intercept Transect, a method used to estimate benthic species cover on a coral reef – and fish belts. Absolutely starving we rush off to lunch and to well-deserved hammock time, followed by introductory lectures to science, the reefs, ecology and Vezo culture. The day ends with the hot sun meeting the sea in yet another legendary Madagascan sunset and a fresh fish grill.

Andavadoaka sunset / Photo by Blue Ventures

This typical day in the life of a Blue Ventures volunteer however does not nearly convey the experience of being here. The feelings, the meanings, the taste, the smell is lost in the description of a schedule. What is Andavadoaka about?  Andavadoaka is the sea and the sun. A warm, perfect sea of blue that no camera seems able to capture. A sea that leaves a salty algae taste on your lips, and a brush of sand on your hips. And a sun so hot you feel like you are melting away at times.

Andavadoaka is…

Andavadoaka is its people, the Vezo. A people connected to the sea like a tree to its roots. The Vezo are sculpted by the sea and the sand. They are the fish that dance, the fish who hunt, the fish who survive. They are filled with colour and pride like the butterflyfish, angelfish, parrotfish and wrasse. The Vezo are the laughter of a wave breaking on the shore, living for the moment without worry of the next.

Andavadoaka is its wind that blows relief to hot skin, and carries the salty smells of baking sand and braziers of frying fish, sakay samosas and bok bok. A wind that kisses a perfect sky and clears away the promise of clouds to reveal the breathtaking milkyway which floods the sky each night.

Andavadoaka is its hope, for a people so poor who battle to survive off a sea no longer able to provide what it once gave. A place that would not be without its people and a people which would not be without their place. My heart cries to see their hold on their land slipping as rich French and Italian foreigners buy up all the beautiful beaches and islands slowly pulling out the roots of the Vezo and pushing them into the spiny forests to flap aimlessly like fish out of water.

As well as participating in the clean-up itself, BVM also produced a video explaining why the clean-up was necessary, and how to remove the Crown of Thorns without causing further damage to the coral.
The weekend kicked off with registration and opening ceremony at the Tioman Marine Park Centre. The event attracted over a hundred volunteers comprised of local dive shops and external dive clubs. The dive sites were then split amongst the groups, and we headed out to start collecting. Over the two days BVM collected 93 Crown of Thorns, and more than a thousand Crown of Thorns were collected from around Tioman in total.

Another part of the weekend was a beach litter pick in conjunction with the local school in Tekek. The university students gave a presentation on rubbish, and how it can be avoided by the “3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. We then hit the beach, sorting the collected rubbish into material groups as we went. Then back at the school the children discussed how the 3 R’s could be applied to the collected rubbish. Finally the day was rounded off by making bottle rockets out of the collected litter.

Resort point / Photo by Blue ventures

We’ve made inroads into mapping the coast line of Leleuvia this week. Working in teams of five, one person swims out fifty metres from shore holding a tape measure, another holds the end at the tide line, then two people swim out on either side of the tape looking for marine life – bottom dwelling invertebrates as well as schools of fish, eels and the like. The fifth person follows behind making a note of the substrate – coral, algae, sand and so on. We then move ten metres round and do it again, while the shore-bound team member writes up what has been recorded on our dive slates.

We hope that by the time we leave we will have completed a circuit of the island and managed to paint up a board with a large map to help future visitors to the island. Once we’ve completed the map of Leleuvia the plan is, I believe, for later sets of volunteers to complete maps of neighbouring Caqalai and other nearby islands, to give the Department of Fisheries a strong indication of what sorts of creatures can be found in and around this area.

Daily routine

Part of the fun of being on the first expedition to Fiji is helping the Blue Ventures staff work out the best way to schedule the day and to build up the lists and photo bank of fish species to be monitored. We recently changed the pattern of diving from half the group going out in the morning, and half in the afternoon to both dives leaving early. The first bunch are on the new boat (which Tristan picked up from Suva last week, along with a brand new 60hp outboard) at 07:30, returning around 09:00. The second set then leave around 09:45 and return in time for lunch, leaving the afternoons free for lectures, first-aid training, studying fish books or other productive work, such as studying the insides of your eyelids from the comfort of a hammock.

A bit of ‘me time’

Everyone is, for the most part, one big happy family now, although we all need a bit of ‘me time’ every now and again. For me, it was Wednesday evening of this week when I wandered alone to sunset beach and sat for an hour or so watching the sky change from light blue to dark and the clouds reflecting the light of the setting sun, changing slowly from light yellow right through the spectrum to a dusky orange, then to rich vermillion, cherry and ruby reds before finally it was night and the brilliant half-moon cast shadows on the beach as I walked slowly back to join the rest of the crew, who had been sitting at the bar drinking fruit smoothies before dinner. As I sat alone, sipping a chilled beer and taking far too many photographs, my thoughts turned to home and my beautiful wife, who I miss terribly. We have not been apart for so long since we were married and it is difficult for both of us, but particularly, I think, for her as she is still going through the day to day routine of working in England in a cold and icy March, while my biggest worry is whether I will be able to get someone to rub some aftersun on my back.

Photo by Blue Ventures

Four Rodrigan fishermen sat impassively facing the Malagasy fishermen, thrice their number, each measuring the other in the flickering candle light.

The men were meeting in the modest headquarters of Velondriake, the largest community-managed marine protected area in the western Indian Ocean. Velondriake senior fisherman, Nahoda Noel, stood and gave a wise, dignified welcome befitting of a village elder. Glasses filled with warm beer were raised in toast and soon questions on fishing techniques were being thrown back and forth, with facilitators translating between Rodriguan Creole, French, English, Malagasy, and the local Vezo dialect. Vezo is the name of the semi-nomadic ethnic group that inhabits this coastline, and literally means ‘to struggle with the sea’.

And so began a four-day training workshop held by marine conservation NGOs, Blue Ventures and Shoals Rodrigues, and the Velondriake committee for four fishermen who had travelled to Andavadoaka from Rodrigues, a small island 650 km east of Mauritius. The objective of the workshop was to teach and inspire the Rodrigan fishermen through an exchange of experiences and ideas with the Velondriake committee.

The Velondriake members discussed how 23 villages had come together to form the protected area, explaining how local communities work together to manage the region’s marine natural resources. In doing so they described the challenges they face; in particular in managing local octopus fisheries, the backbone of the region’s economy. They recounted the history of the first trial marine reserves piloted in 2004 that paved the way for Velondriake’s ambitious present day management regime – a network of managed areas and fisheries no take zones spanning over 800 square kilometres of coast and ocean.

Andavadoaka’s fishermen then moved onto the details of creating and running a protected area, relating how the community itself had established and enforced the traditional local law, or Dina, used to govern use of marine resources in Velondriake.  Consideration was given to how communities had selected temporary and permanent marine reserves, and how they were monitoring their natural resources themselves to track changes in ecosystem health over time.

Photo by Blue Ventures

Fisheries scientist, Daniel Raberinary, provided an introduction to some of the technical aspects of creating marine reserves, in particular discussing the importance taking into account the biology and life history patterns of target fisheries species. In this way the workshop explored how science can assist in the selection and zoning of reserve sites. Marine aquaculture specialist, Georgi Robinson, explained to the visitors how seaweed and sea cucumber aquaculture are being used to develop lucrative alternative livelihoods to fishing in Velondriake.

Community leaders and elders then led the visitors on field visits to the outlying villages of Lamboara and Tampolove, where they were able to witness at first hand a series of newly created marine reserves, including shallow octopus no take zones, deep water coral reef reserves and a protected turtle nesting beach. In each case the Rodrigans were able to learn at first hand from grassroots conservation pioneers.

These opportunities for local dialogue were followed by a practical exercise designed to support the Rodrigans in defining the concrete steps needed to achieve their goals for conservation on their return home. This was a powerful and compelling conclusion to the visit, with the visitors presenting a clear vision of their plans for marine resource management in Rodrigues. Their experience in Madagascar had nurtured and crystallised their desire to achieve something similar to Velondriake two thousand kilometres away, and had given them some of the tools necessary to do it.

• Velondriake (www.livewiththesea.org)

  Velondriake, which means “to live with the sea”, is the largest network of community-run coastal and marine protected zones in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The Vezo tribal fishing community share a common goal: to sustainably manage their natural resources. They are achieving this by protecting the region’s unique marine environment, and creating sustainable livelihoods through protected fisheries, ecotourism and conservation.

• Shoals Rodrigues (www.shoalsrodrigues.net)

  A marine research, training and education organisation based on the Mauritian island of Rodrigues in the Western Indian Ocean. The Shoals Rodrigues Centre has become a vibrant focal point for activities connected to the lagoon and the seas around Rodrigues. The island of Rodrigues is part of Mauritius, but it is isolated by 500 km of the Indian Ocean. With a wide encircling lagoon and a large community of fishers, the island is very much connected to the sea.

Blue Ventures setup in Fiji

Leleuvia crossing / Photo by Blue Ventures

The beautiful South Pacific island of Leleuvia is a palm-fringed coral island in the Lomaiviti group of islands, close to the larger island of Moturiki. The Leleuvia research site is a new Blue Ventures project for 2009. Leleuvia lies to the east of the main island of Fiji, Viti Levu and is a short bus journey from Suva, the capital city, and then a 60 minute boat ride from Nausori. Leleuvia is a small coral cay with no indigenous communities.

“Our Fijian island marine conservation project gives you the chance to experience one of Fiji’s most renowned dive locations, whilst supporting research into biodiversity conservation, sustainable fisheries, coral farming, marine protected area (MPA) management and conserving the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle.”

The new research site is based at the Leleuvia Island Resort and aims to demonstrate that conservation through education and awareness raising can create a genuine eco-tourism experience for all visitors to Leleuvia Island. Their first expedition starts on 17th February and runs until 30th March.

• Fiji Expedition costs
• FAQ

The Adventurists unveil The Mongol Derby

The Mongol Derby awaits / Photo by The Adventurists

A gruelling 1000 km race across the empty wilderness of Mongolia on horseback.  The Adventurists are reconstructing an historical relay system of horse-stations (Morin Urtuus) setup in 1234 by Chinggis Khaan.  The system made it possible for a message to be carried from Mongolia to Eastern Europe in just fourteen days.  If you decide to enter this mother of all horse races you will be required to tackle the challenge of riding semi-wild horses and surviving alone in the wild steppes of Mongolia. 

“There’s no carefully marked course, no catering tent and no support; this is horse racing on a whole new scale. You will change steed every 40 km so the horses will be fresh. Bleeding kidneys, broken limbs, open sores, sun stroke, moon stroke and a list of dangers longer than your arm stand between the you and victory.”

The Mongol Derby begins in Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire and is limited to twenty-five riders.  You must apply by 27th February . The race begins on 22nd August and ends on 12th September.

• Race costs
• FAQ

Coral spawning / Photo by Blue Ventures

Just as the Greeks sat silently until nightfall in the belly of a horse-faced statue, we too wait. Coral spawning has been talked of in hushed tones and excited squeaks since our arrival in Madagascar’s south west corner. The season is perfect, as the Austral spring turns to summer and the waters warm. The carefully selected sprigs of coral removed from the reef for inspection have borne fruit in the form of orange speck-like eggs. What we await is a single night where all the different corals will simultaneously decide to reproduce.

Amazingly, it is still unknown exactly what triggers the commencement of the reef’s busiest night of the year. Water temperature, chemical signals and the phases of the moon are all thought to play their part; the exact combination of these that prompts the coral to release a snowstorm of eggs and sperm is still a cryptic riddle. What is sure is that this benthic orgy also serves as an all-you-can-eat buffet for the other inhabitants of the African reef – the smaller fish eating the eggs but falling prey themselves to the larger species attracted by the flurry of the feeding frenzy. All the divers here, from kid to grandpa, want to be in the water to view the spectacle.

Our hopes remained unfulfilled on my first ever night dive: nonetheless, it was a fascinating if eerie experience. As we descended into the briny blackness I was aware of the near shadows of crepuscular sea-dwellers all around. Only my high-powered dive torch was able to illuminate the familiar, and less familiar reef animals. The night-time makes these sightings seem more dream-like, with the spotlights of each diver highlighting the contrast between light and dark. The colours and creatures appear hyper-realistic as though they were characters from a Disney cartoon. Our 3am start to the day was well rewarded; we encountered a green turtle slumbering under a convenient coral outcrop; a fully inflated pufferfish and a quickly retiring octopus – maybe embarrassed that we had caught him in the midst of his nightly ablutions.

As we headed back to base in the pre-light of the early dawn we all felt the thrill of a successful dive but the lingering awareness that it might be the next crew of night-divers, rather than us, who would be the first spectators of the big event.  So we go on waiting until the next time we are chosen for a twilight sortie. Meanwhile the dark clouds gather in the distance and threatening rumbles of thunder emanate from further inland. We hope that the rains act in kind and wait a little longer before coming to Andavadoaka.