Monday, May 28, 2007
Caribbean Trip Reports - Week of May 19th
Turks and Caicos Explorer II saw a manta (manta birostris) at the Gullie on Monday!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Imagine a World Without Corals
The recent article in the May 4, 2007 edition of Science is a good overview of current scientific research going on today. Richard Stone gives a comprehensive summary of the threats facing coral reefs today and focuses on the more recent concern: that of changing ocean chemistry. I would definitely recommend reading the article. However, I want to focus on the title, “A World Without Corals.” What would “ A World Without Corals” mean to us as divers?
Many of us spend a year or longer in anticipation of our next dive trip. If you are like me, you spend that time dreaming of floating through the water and listening to the sound of your breathing mixed with the clicking sounds of a healthy reef – or if you are lucky the far-off sounds of cetaceans. Perhaps you dive in local lakes between dive trips, to keep skills sharp and because it is better than not diving at all. However, very little can compare to the feeling we all get when we jump into the ocean and descend into the world of coral reefs.
Non-divers can see the underwater world in pictures or in movies and documentaries, and they can even see reef fish (and even whale sharks) in aquariums. But unless you have been diving, or to a certain extent snorkeling, you cannot really appreciate the joy of becoming a part of the reef. Whether you enjoy the big creatures or the small, one cannot help but appreciate the beauty and complexity of a coral reef.
At first it is easy to take reefs for granted – to someone who doesn’t know better, they look very much like rocks. Of course as divers, we know better than that – we know that the reefs were built by living organisms. We learned that in our Open Water classes! But still, living or not, coral aren’t really all that interesting to most people: they don’t really move, you can find them everywhere. The interesting things to see on a dive are the bigger things. But take a moment to really think about it.
In the article, Stone writes that “although reefs cover a minuscule fraction (0.1%) of seabed, they are second only to rainforests in biodiversity, sheltering or nourishing up to 9 million species--a third of all known marine life forms--including 4000 kinds of fish.” Without the coral, there wouldn’t be reef fish or any of the other nine million species depend on those tiny organisms called coral. They have built the Great Barrier Reef which can be seen from space! That’s amazing!
Now think about what would happen if the coral were to disappear. You might think that reefs have survived for thousands of years and they will continue to do so. Unfortunately, we do have to worry about whether future generations will be able to experience the same underwater world that we see today.
Coral reefs are threatened in many ways, and as Stone writes, “the main menaces are largely human-wrought.” Everything from pollution, clumsy divers, overfishing and destructive fishing practices to invasive species, damage from hurricanes and a change of ocean chemistry have negative effects on coral reefs. And unfortunately these different threats act synergistically – the sum of the whole is larger than the parts.
The article states that “surveys suggest that 20% of the reefs on Earth, the largest living structures on the planet, have been destroyed in the past few decades. Another 50% are ailing or verging on collapse.” The same article quotes coral specialist Camilo Mora of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada as saying “"Reefs are likely to witness a significant ecological crisis in the coming half-century--because of us."
Have you ever been diving in an area that has been negatively affected by humans? Perhaps it was just a gradual change over time - you noticed changes in a dive site that you revisited after several years – perhaps you noticed that there was more algae, perhaps the vis was a little worse, or perhaps there were fewer fish. Maybe the change was not enough to make you think about the causes, but enough to cross the destination off the list for your next dive vacation. You have to find somewhere better next time. What about when there is no better place left - then where will you go?
Have you ever seen an area that has been affected by dynamite fishing? I have. The physical structure of the reef remains, but it is only a grayish brown skeleton. There are no more hard corals, no more fish, and it is silent except for the sound of your breathing – no healthy clicking of shrimp and fish. It is like a nightmare.
If you were to ask me why I care so much about trying to make a difference, I will tell you it is because I have seen what a “World without Corals” looks like, and I cannot sit around and do nothing. I believe that my actions alone may not save the world, but together we can make a positive difference.
Next time you go diving on a coral reef, take a moment to really appreciate what it is that you are seeing. Consider how long it took to get that way – and think about what the world would be like if all of the coral were to disappear.
Many of us spend a year or longer in anticipation of our next dive trip. If you are like me, you spend that time dreaming of floating through the water and listening to the sound of your breathing mixed with the clicking sounds of a healthy reef – or if you are lucky the far-off sounds of cetaceans. Perhaps you dive in local lakes between dive trips, to keep skills sharp and because it is better than not diving at all. However, very little can compare to the feeling we all get when we jump into the ocean and descend into the world of coral reefs.
Non-divers can see the underwater world in pictures or in movies and documentaries, and they can even see reef fish (and even whale sharks) in aquariums. But unless you have been diving, or to a certain extent snorkeling, you cannot really appreciate the joy of becoming a part of the reef. Whether you enjoy the big creatures or the small, one cannot help but appreciate the beauty and complexity of a coral reef.
At first it is easy to take reefs for granted – to someone who doesn’t know better, they look very much like rocks. Of course as divers, we know better than that – we know that the reefs were built by living organisms. We learned that in our Open Water classes! But still, living or not, coral aren’t really all that interesting to most people: they don’t really move, you can find them everywhere. The interesting things to see on a dive are the bigger things. But take a moment to really think about it.
In the article, Stone writes that “although reefs cover a minuscule fraction (0.1%) of seabed, they are second only to rainforests in biodiversity, sheltering or nourishing up to 9 million species--a third of all known marine life forms--including 4000 kinds of fish.” Without the coral, there wouldn’t be reef fish or any of the other nine million species depend on those tiny organisms called coral. They have built the Great Barrier Reef which can be seen from space! That’s amazing!
Now think about what would happen if the coral were to disappear. You might think that reefs have survived for thousands of years and they will continue to do so. Unfortunately, we do have to worry about whether future generations will be able to experience the same underwater world that we see today.
Coral reefs are threatened in many ways, and as Stone writes, “the main menaces are largely human-wrought.” Everything from pollution, clumsy divers, overfishing and destructive fishing practices to invasive species, damage from hurricanes and a change of ocean chemistry have negative effects on coral reefs. And unfortunately these different threats act synergistically – the sum of the whole is larger than the parts.
The article states that “surveys suggest that 20% of the reefs on Earth, the largest living structures on the planet, have been destroyed in the past few decades. Another 50% are ailing or verging on collapse.” The same article quotes coral specialist Camilo Mora of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada as saying “"Reefs are likely to witness a significant ecological crisis in the coming half-century--because of us."
Have you ever been diving in an area that has been negatively affected by humans? Perhaps it was just a gradual change over time - you noticed changes in a dive site that you revisited after several years – perhaps you noticed that there was more algae, perhaps the vis was a little worse, or perhaps there were fewer fish. Maybe the change was not enough to make you think about the causes, but enough to cross the destination off the list for your next dive vacation. You have to find somewhere better next time. What about when there is no better place left - then where will you go?
Have you ever seen an area that has been affected by dynamite fishing? I have. The physical structure of the reef remains, but it is only a grayish brown skeleton. There are no more hard corals, no more fish, and it is silent except for the sound of your breathing – no healthy clicking of shrimp and fish. It is like a nightmare.
If you were to ask me why I care so much about trying to make a difference, I will tell you it is because I have seen what a “World without Corals” looks like, and I cannot sit around and do nothing. I believe that my actions alone may not save the world, but together we can make a positive difference.
Next time you go diving on a coral reef, take a moment to really appreciate what it is that you are seeing. Consider how long it took to get that way – and think about what the world would be like if all of the coral were to disappear.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Caribbean Trip Reports - Week of May 12
Sightings in the Bahamas by Caribbean Explorer I included hammerheads, turtles and stingrays.
Despite uncooperative weather the group on Turks and Caicos Explorer II saw a hammerhead at Driveaway.
A full list of critters seen by people on Caribbean Explorer II includes dolphins in Saba, yellow headed jawfish, flying gurnard, peacock flounders, sailfin blennies, nurse sharks, horse eye jacks, spotted morays, golden tail morays, stingrays, pipefish, mantis shrimp, green and hawksbill turtles, channel clinging crabs, wirecoral shrimp, reef sharks, cero, batwing coral crabs, spotted snake eel, juvenile/intermediate/adult French angel fish, juvenile/adult jackknife fish, juvenile/adult highats, spiny/ slipper lobsters, goatfish, sand tilefish, red lip blennies, juvenile/adult yellow tail damselfish, barracudas, tarpon, anemones, popcorn shrimp, banded coral shrimp red and golden variety, garden eels, hermit crabs, conch, octopus, remora, squirrel fish, cowfish, trunkfish, trumpetfish, white spotted filefish (orange phase as well) parrotfish, porgy, tiger grouper, Nassau grouper, rock beauty, banded butterfly fish, four-eye butterfly fish, arrowcrab, gobies, lots of different blennies. Grunts, seargeant majors, wrasses. Garden eels, cryptic tear drop crabs, grunts, fireworms, secretary blennies, white face pipefish, slipper lobster, Queen angelfish (juv. as well)
Despite uncooperative weather the group on Turks and Caicos Explorer II saw a hammerhead at Driveaway.
A full list of critters seen by people on Caribbean Explorer II includes dolphins in Saba, yellow headed jawfish, flying gurnard, peacock flounders, sailfin blennies, nurse sharks, horse eye jacks, spotted morays, golden tail morays, stingrays, pipefish, mantis shrimp, green and hawksbill turtles, channel clinging crabs, wirecoral shrimp, reef sharks, cero, batwing coral crabs, spotted snake eel, juvenile/intermediate/adult French angel fish, juvenile/adult jackknife fish, juvenile/adult highats, spiny/ slipper lobsters, goatfish, sand tilefish, red lip blennies, juvenile/adult yellow tail damselfish, barracudas, tarpon, anemones, popcorn shrimp, banded coral shrimp red and golden variety, garden eels, hermit crabs, conch, octopus, remora, squirrel fish, cowfish, trunkfish, trumpetfish, white spotted filefish (orange phase as well) parrotfish, porgy, tiger grouper, Nassau grouper, rock beauty, banded butterfly fish, four-eye butterfly fish, arrowcrab, gobies, lots of different blennies. Grunts, seargeant majors, wrasses. Garden eels, cryptic tear drop crabs, grunts, fireworms, secretary blennies, white face pipefish, slipper lobster, Queen angelfish (juv. as well)
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
We believe that small actions can lead to big differences
We are happy to report that both the Operations Office in Wyoming and the USA Reservations Office in Texas have recycling programs.
Randy Harris is demonstrating his commitment to the environment in multiple ways. He has planted a garden with tomatoes, four kinds of peppers, onions, cucumbers, watermelons and 3 kinds of herbs. He and his family are already enjoying the home-grown produce in their dinners! Food scraps are collected for compost which will be used in the garden.
All of the lights on Randy’s porch are energy efficient and he is replacing the rest of his lights with energy efficient bulbs when they go out. Eventually he hopes to have solar powered lights in his outside bar, his fishing dock and his boathouse when they are completed.
Randy Harris is demonstrating his commitment to the environment in multiple ways. He has planted a garden with tomatoes, four kinds of peppers, onions, cucumbers, watermelons and 3 kinds of herbs. He and his family are already enjoying the home-grown produce in their dinners! Food scraps are collected for compost which will be used in the garden.
All of the lights on Randy’s porch are energy efficient and he is replacing the rest of his lights with energy efficient bulbs when they go out. Eventually he hopes to have solar powered lights in his outside bar, his fishing dock and his boathouse when they are completed.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Caribbean Trip Reports - Week of May 5
Caribbean Explorer I (Bahamas) saw a hammerhead at San Sal and sharks at Long Island and Conception.
Caribbean Explorer II (Northeastern Caribbean) saw seahorses, green and hawksbill turtles, an octopus, lobsters, a variety of shrimp and eels, stingrays and eagle rays, sharks, groupers, several species of butterflyfish, blennies and gobies, and many many other critters!
The highlights of the trip on Turks and Caicos Explorer II (Turks and Caicos) were 1 great hammerhead on Half Mile and a smaller one on Double D.
Monday, May 7, 2007
20 things you might consider as a way to minimize your environmental impact while traveling with Explorer Ventures
All of us can help to conserve and protect our natural resources. Although it might not seem like one person’s actions can make a difference, it is the sum of individual actions that has the potential to make the biggest difference.
To help reduce pollution and waste:
- Choose rechargeable or multiple use products over disposable products when possible.
- Avoid buying and bringing items with excess packaging. At most of our destinations, with the exception of Australia, local landfill facilities are less equipped to deal with trash than many others.
- Dispose of trash properly and promptly to ensure that it doesn’t accidentally get blown into the ocean.
- If you are traveling to the Caribbean or Galapagos, take anything that can be recycled in your hometown (such as plastics or batteries) back with you - recycling facilities are scarce.
- Leave things that you don’t want to take home with you but that someone else might use – such as a finished book or a partially full bottle of sunscreen on the boat for future passengers.
To help reduce water and the negative effects of non-renewable energy:
- Check to make sure that the lights are off when you leave a room. Even though the generator is already running, increased loads result in increased fuel use.
- Turn off and unplug electronic devices when you do not need them.
- Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or shave.
- Carpool or use mass transit to get to the airport when you leave on your trip.
- Consider making your trip carbon neutral by offsetting the emissions from your flight with NativeEnergy or another carbon offset provider.
To help preserve the marine environment:
- Make sure to practice good diving techniques – maintain neutral buoyancy, secure your gear and don’t touch the reefs or chase marine animals.
- Report any destructive diving or marine practices to crew members so that appropriate actions can be taken.
- Make informed decisions about the seafood you eat, and consider avoiding species that are caught unsustainably (for more information, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program at http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp).
- Avoid buying products made from threatened or endangered species.
- Minimize collecting and buying marine shells to take home with you. They make beautiful decorations but they are also an important part of the coastal ecosystem. Shells are often used by multiple critters and eventually contribute sand to the beaches.
To ensure the positive impacts of your visit are lasting:
- Begin to learn about the local culture and environment before you leave home.
- Promote local conservation by making an effort to learn about ongoing efforts.
- Contribute time or money to local conservation initiatives.
- Teach others about the environment and encourage them to conserve & recycle.
- Please share with us any ideas you have on how Explorer Ventures can better help the environment.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
A better world starts with individual actions
Explorer Ventures’ Environmental Initiative is more than just an image that we are projecting. We really do care about the environment! Here are a couple of things that we do in our personal lives to reduce what we feel are our negative impacts on the environment:
Reducing our personal carbon emissions:
Every day instead of driving, Lynn and Ariana have begun walking to work. Granted, it is not much of a sacrifice, especially now that it is spring! The morning walk along the North Platte River in Casper, Wyoming is a great way to wake up; and after spending the day in the office nothing is better than a relaxing walk. We recommend walking or biking to work. Even though it requires getting up a little bit earlier, it is more than worth it for us!
Diana has replaced many of the light-bulbs in her new (and very energy efficient) house with compact fluorescent lights. And yes – the light they give off seems to be much brighter! She also installed a ceiling fan to reduce the need for air-conditioning. Wyoming summers get very hot and although the famous Wyoming wind does blow all the time, it is not necessarily a “cooling” wind!
Recycling:
Our operations office is based in Casper Wyoming. There are many things that we love about Casper, but the recycling program is just not it! I guess we should be grateful that some things do get recycled – glass containers, office paper, newspaper, aluminum cans and cardboard. Unfortunately we do not have a regular system for recycling pickup but instead have to take all of our recyclables to a drop-off point. I think that this is the main reason that relatively few people living in Casper think about recycling. However, Ariana and Diana have made it their goal to recycle as much as they can. Not only do they recycle in their homes, but lately they have found themselves dumpster diving at the end of every social gathering for all of those glass bottles and aluminum cans…often to the amazement of the onlookers!
Reducing our personal carbon emissions:
Every day instead of driving, Lynn and Ariana have begun walking to work. Granted, it is not much of a sacrifice, especially now that it is spring! The morning walk along the North Platte River in Casper, Wyoming is a great way to wake up; and after spending the day in the office nothing is better than a relaxing walk. We recommend walking or biking to work. Even though it requires getting up a little bit earlier, it is more than worth it for us!
Diana has replaced many of the light-bulbs in her new (and very energy efficient) house with compact fluorescent lights. And yes – the light they give off seems to be much brighter! She also installed a ceiling fan to reduce the need for air-conditioning. Wyoming summers get very hot and although the famous Wyoming wind does blow all the time, it is not necessarily a “cooling” wind!
Recycling:
Our operations office is based in Casper Wyoming. There are many things that we love about Casper, but the recycling program is just not it! I guess we should be grateful that some things do get recycled – glass containers, office paper, newspaper, aluminum cans and cardboard. Unfortunately we do not have a regular system for recycling pickup but instead have to take all of our recyclables to a drop-off point. I think that this is the main reason that relatively few people living in Casper think about recycling. However, Ariana and Diana have made it their goal to recycle as much as they can. Not only do they recycle in their homes, but lately they have found themselves dumpster diving at the end of every social gathering for all of those glass bottles and aluminum cans…often to the amazement of the onlookers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
