Just hot off the press--the New Scientist has posted an article about te oil leaking from the shipwrecks in Chuuk Lagoon.
http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn14645-oil-bubbles-point-to-eco-disaster-in-paradise-.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news1_head_dn14645
I will follow this up with some further discussion.
Bill Jeffery
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
More news from Micronesia
From PI, Bill Jeffery
Following the project in Chuuk, I attended the annual consultation meeting between USA National Park Service and all the Micronesian Historic Preservation Offices in Pohnpei, FSM from August 11 to August 16.
I gave a presentation on the Chuuk Lagoon shipwrecks and some of the problems in their current management, which included how Chuukese value and use the wrecks in context with their social and economic situation. I also included a brief summary of the work we have carried out during the Earthwatch projects. This included details on the oil /diesel we found coming from the Hoyo Maru (see illustration--I estimated the leak to be around the kingpost in the middle of the ship). The Hoyo Maru is one of three oil tankers in Chuuk Lagoon and it had the capacity to carry 3,990,000 gallons of oil. The location of the leaking does look as if its related to this!!!!
I compiled a brief report and together with copies of the DVD, disseminated them as widely as possible in the hope something will be done.
Further news is that EW Team 3 starting October 20 has been cancelled and Team 4 may or may not go ahead. I am hoping we can do Team 4 to consolidate the work, particularly looking more at the oil pollution issue.
Pohnpei is a great place to visit if you get back to Micronesia, great sunsets, and Nan Madol, the 1500 year old canal city is incredible and worth coming to Pohnpei, just to see it.
Following the project in Chuuk, I attended the annual consultation meeting between USA National Park Service and all the Micronesian Historic Preservation Offices in Pohnpei, FSM from August 11 to August 16.
I gave a presentation on the Chuuk Lagoon shipwrecks and some of the problems in their current management, which included how Chuukese value and use the wrecks in context with their social and economic situation. I also included a brief summary of the work we have carried out during the Earthwatch projects. This included details on the oil /diesel we found coming from the Hoyo Maru (see illustration--I estimated the leak to be around the kingpost in the middle of the ship). The Hoyo Maru is one of three oil tankers in Chuuk Lagoon and it had the capacity to carry 3,990,000 gallons of oil. The location of the leaking does look as if its related to this!!!!
Hoyo Maru
I compiled a brief report and together with copies of the DVD, disseminated them as widely as possible in the hope something will be done.
Further news is that EW Team 3 starting October 20 has been cancelled and Team 4 may or may not go ahead. I am hoping we can do Team 4 to consolidate the work, particularly looking more at the oil pollution issue.
Pohnpei is a great place to visit if you get back to Micronesia, great sunsets, and Nan Madol, the 1500 year old canal city is incredible and worth coming to Pohnpei, just to see it.
On of the many structures (but most intact) at Nan Madol
(yours truly with Dr Rufino Mauricio)
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Post-trip flying home
'Shipwrecked in Chuuk'
by PI, Dr Ian Macleod
Returning volunteers seemingly hover o’er the Pacific Ocean, miles beneath the plane
Mirrored in calmest water, the morning mustered cumulous clouds penetrate dreams,
While magic rainbows glide in wraith-like form across the outstretched metal alloys
Which guide the tempestuous air and provide the needed lift to carry us swiftly home,
Bonded by experience of corroding wrecks and sublimely exquisite creatures marine.
From the highest mountains of Colorado and the beauteous terrain of open Montana
Earthwatch volunteers came from afar to Kurassa to bed and feed by the White House,
While geckos gorged to bursting when still nights over the dinner table gently came,
As a relief to the wind and the refreshing squalling rain, that turned roughened roads
To puddles of unfathomable depth and trepidation for Bill and a truck full of gear.
With youngest and brightest Harvard star young Jimmy came symbolic renewal,
The hope eternal in the heart of good and the wizened Gordon from London and Skye
Symbolised the bonding of experience and energy so they formed the quadrate team,
Which scored high in efficacy so that there was time for all the holes to be recorded,
For while Anarit drilled, Warren filmed and Matt plugged and tagged Ian’s holes.
Sylph-like Mandy of Canada, wild and free, laughed and the shooting stars respond
With night time glorious displays over clearest northern skies and widest Milky Way,
Biological notes from courses taught by Bill of Omaha blend with marine instructions
And the Reef Check team is briefed and the counts are made while Alex shoots gigs
Of images of divers and organisms at work from the wrecks to deepest ocean edges.
Diver safety locked down sets Tammy free to work with Bill on photogrammetry,
Mapping with Ann and Ed the length, depth and height of the Fujikawa and TDBee
With the sublime accuracy which shows up increasing decay, while dynamite danger
To the health of the sites is ever present our leader finds the needed tensioned balance,
As the bleeding heart of Hoyo Maru heralds a future of contaminated reefs and bays.
by PI, Dr Ian Macleod
Returning volunteers seemingly hover o’er the Pacific Ocean, miles beneath the plane
Mirrored in calmest water, the morning mustered cumulous clouds penetrate dreams,
While magic rainbows glide in wraith-like form across the outstretched metal alloys
Which guide the tempestuous air and provide the needed lift to carry us swiftly home,
Bonded by experience of corroding wrecks and sublimely exquisite creatures marine.
From the highest mountains of Colorado and the beauteous terrain of open Montana
Earthwatch volunteers came from afar to Kurassa to bed and feed by the White House,
While geckos gorged to bursting when still nights over the dinner table gently came,
As a relief to the wind and the refreshing squalling rain, that turned roughened roads
To puddles of unfathomable depth and trepidation for Bill and a truck full of gear.
With youngest and brightest Harvard star young Jimmy came symbolic renewal,
The hope eternal in the heart of good and the wizened Gordon from London and Skye
Symbolised the bonding of experience and energy so they formed the quadrate team,
Which scored high in efficacy so that there was time for all the holes to be recorded,
For while Anarit drilled, Warren filmed and Matt plugged and tagged Ian’s holes.
Sylph-like Mandy of Canada, wild and free, laughed and the shooting stars respond
With night time glorious displays over clearest northern skies and widest Milky Way,
Biological notes from courses taught by Bill of Omaha blend with marine instructions
And the Reef Check team is briefed and the counts are made while Alex shoots gigs
Of images of divers and organisms at work from the wrecks to deepest ocean edges.
Diver safety locked down sets Tammy free to work with Bill on photogrammetry,
Mapping with Ann and Ed the length, depth and height of the Fujikawa and TDBee
With the sublime accuracy which shows up increasing decay, while dynamite danger
To the health of the sites is ever present our leader finds the needed tensioned balance,
As the bleeding heart of Hoyo Maru heralds a future of contaminated reefs and bays.
Clouds in Chuuk Lagoon (Photograph by Bill Jeffery)
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Thank you, Killisou Chapur
The Principal Investigators (Mandy, Ian and Bill) and the Dive Master (Tammy) would like to thank the eight Earthwatch volunteers who made this project possible and implemented the work so capably. Everyone worked, ate, and laughed together as one very happy team.
We would also like to thank the Mori Family and staff of the Kurassa Hotel for again making us feel very welcome.
Gradvin Aisek and the staff of the Blue Lagoon Dive Shop again gave us great service with dive gear.
The staff of the Chuuk Historic Preservation Office (particularly Anerit Mailo, who dived with us) and Tracy Meter and Doropio Marar gave us great support, as did Romio Osiena (Director, Depratment of Marine Resources) and his boat operators. We also thank Romio for the use of a Department boat.
Some of us will be back in late October for Teams 3 and 4. We will keep this blog live until and after then with more photographs, as well as the results of our research as it is written up.
Bill Jeffery
Truk Earthwatch Project Team 1 2008
Marine Biology Summary, Earthwatch Team 1 2008
Summary of Marine Biology work carried out
by Mandy Hengeveld (Acting Marine Biology PI)
Reef Check surveys:
Wreck only:
Gosei
Kiyosumi
Reef Check surveys:
Wreck only:
Gosei
Kiyosumi
Grouper on Kiyosumi Maru (Photograph by Mandy Hengeveld)
Wreck and adjacent reef:
Upside Down Zero
Emily Flying Boat
Myrt aircraft
Yamamoto Gun Boat
Coral growth rate monitoring:
Gosei
Yamamoto Gun Boat
Marine Biology and Corrosion Surveys:
Fujikawa Maru
Shinkoku Maru
Tonoas Dock Boat
Yamamoto Gun Boat
Preliminary findings show a number of Crown of Thorns on the Fujikawa Maru, as well as evidence of dynamite fishing.
Reefs adjacent to the Emily Flying Boat, the Myrt aircraft and the Upside Down Zero have suffered from a fair amount of damage also, possibly due to storm damage or fishing impacts.
Fish populations around the Gosei Maru, Fujikawa Maru and Kiyosumi Maru appear healthy, however several of the other sites are missing many of the larger predatory/food fish populations such as Grouper and Snapper.
Lionfish on Kiyosumi Maru (Photograph by Mandy Hengeveld)
7th of August, 2008
Earthwatch Volunteer, Alex Cohen
Today was the last official dive for a team of individuals who came together from various and sundry environments around our increasingly small globe all to work on a project of documenting the values and health of the submerged military sites in Chuuk Lagoon.
From my own experience traveling solo and having to find diving buddies wherever I went, I can honestly say that I have never come across such a group of individuals as these that to a man or women I wouldn't trust my life with on a tough dive. While I've had many a buddy elsewhere without whom I'd have been far safer, you couldn't find a finer crew than these divers.
That attests certainly to the fact that your average diver probably wouldn't be going work diving while shacking up with a bunch of strangers for nearly two weeks in dorm style living all the while on a diet that varied about as much as the color does from place to place over the lunar surface, and let alone in in one of the most beautiful South Pacific Atolls on the planet.
But even with the Earthwatch expedition requirements as a strainer, I don't think you'd come across a crew such as this but a few times in your life.
During this expedition we conducted observations and took measurements that Charles Darwin himself couldn't hardly have fathomed. He was limited to sounding the bottom point by point with a bell-shaped lead called an "arming." Filled with tallow, that probe would pick up the shape of the coral it rested upon. On the deeper outer soundings it would bring up bits of sand in the event that was what it had found. With the data he obtained in this manner Darwin did a remarkable job of explaining the origins and mechanisms that created atolls such as the Chuuk Lagoon in his book 'Coral Reefs."
Dr. Jeffery instead had a mob of divers who descended upon the encrusted wrecks of the lagoon, measured and transected the vessels with their reef building invertebrates, algaes and fish.
On today's menu was the 'Dockboat' on the first dive and the 'Gunboat' on the second. We split the team and also dived an unnamed new wreck that was discovered by Tammy and Bill on the last Gunboat dive.
Today was the last official dive for a team of individuals who came together from various and sundry environments around our increasingly small globe all to work on a project of documenting the values and health of the submerged military sites in Chuuk Lagoon.
From my own experience traveling solo and having to find diving buddies wherever I went, I can honestly say that I have never come across such a group of individuals as these that to a man or women I wouldn't trust my life with on a tough dive. While I've had many a buddy elsewhere without whom I'd have been far safer, you couldn't find a finer crew than these divers.
That attests certainly to the fact that your average diver probably wouldn't be going work diving while shacking up with a bunch of strangers for nearly two weeks in dorm style living all the while on a diet that varied about as much as the color does from place to place over the lunar surface, and let alone in in one of the most beautiful South Pacific Atolls on the planet.
But even with the Earthwatch expedition requirements as a strainer, I don't think you'd come across a crew such as this but a few times in your life.
During this expedition we conducted observations and took measurements that Charles Darwin himself couldn't hardly have fathomed. He was limited to sounding the bottom point by point with a bell-shaped lead called an "arming." Filled with tallow, that probe would pick up the shape of the coral it rested upon. On the deeper outer soundings it would bring up bits of sand in the event that was what it had found. With the data he obtained in this manner Darwin did a remarkable job of explaining the origins and mechanisms that created atolls such as the Chuuk Lagoon in his book 'Coral Reefs."
Dr. Jeffery instead had a mob of divers who descended upon the encrusted wrecks of the lagoon, measured and transected the vessels with their reef building invertebrates, algaes and fish.
On today's menu was the 'Dockboat' on the first dive and the 'Gunboat' on the second. We split the team and also dived an unnamed new wreck that was discovered by Tammy and Bill on the last Gunboat dive.
Earthwatch Volunteer Ann Schile with the propellor from the new shipwreck discovery
(Photograph by Bill Jeffery)
Ian and crew managed to drill numerous holes, all of which were dutifully filled with underwater epoxy and tagged for the quandrant measurements of Mandy and her own team of bipedal pelagics.
Both dives were shallow enough that our dives times exceeded an hour for most divers and even Ed, the rapid breather of our bunch found himself with nearly 500 lbs of air left in his tank.
Tragedy and love in war: The Myrt
From Earthwatch Volunteer, Ed Talbot who has written a few times in the blog and obviously has a flair for writing stories.
February 17, 1944
A fictional tale of a Japanese pilot over Truk and a plane now at rest in the lagoon:
The handsome crew cut American Hellcat pilot looked down at the smoking Japanese plane below with a puzzled expression.
“Hey Dan, it looks like that last pass on the Myrt, you really nailed him.”
Dan involuntarily shook his head at the comment by his wingman.
“Yea, what the hell are the Japanese doing sending up a recon plane like that Nakajima (Myrt) to engage us? That C6N is no match for a hellcat.”
“Yea, but you nailed him anyway. I think you may have hit the pilot when those rounds wacked the cockpit!”
There was no pity felt by Dan. It was their job to reduce Truk to a smoking ruin of sunken ships and destroyed aircraft. And he had just done his job when he had dove on the Myrt landing round after round into the old plane.
The young 20 year old Japanese pilot, his hands shaking with a combination of fear and fatigue, guided his shuttering aircraft on its slow descent toward the lagoon below. The shattering experience of engaging the swarm of American hellcat fighters had left him drained and relieved that he had escaped alive. The rays of the setting sun reflected off the darkening waves below and turned the oily smoke trailing from his sputtering engine to a surprising shade of burgundy as it caught the fading sun’s rays behind him. The shuddering impact of the massive 50 caliber machine guns of the Hellcats had torn and ripped the aluminum wings that encased him but still provided the lift that would see him home – Home with the promise he would still be with his first true love. Home.
The excruciating pain where the white hot 50 caliber slug had burrowed in his side was constant and called for attention but his first need was to find the air strip on Etten. Squinting through the torn Plexiglas of the cockpit his mind went back to visions not of the approaching waves below but of the first delicious day he had set eyes on his first true love. Her beauty of line and curve and sensuous form had gripped him – gripped him with a passion he had not known in his quick brief life. Their courtship evolved quickly and they had rolled together in an unfamiliar ecstasy – intertwined as one under the clouds of the day and the moon of the night. He had developed a trust, a confidence and sense of security that surpassed even that of his parents when he and his first true love were together. It was a love that left him disturbingly ill at ease when he was away from her. It was a love that few, other than his fellow young men in the air wing, had fallen into so deeply.
The high pierced roar of the engine grew rough and then - abruptly quit leaving only the air rushing through the holes in the canopy. Despair gripped him. Could he glide back to Etten before a fatal stall? Or would his plane stall and send him spiraling into the grey darkening waters below? Fighting the stick and its increasing shudder required reserves of strength in his weakened condition he feared he did not have. And then his despair gave way to a sad recognition. It was too far. He would not make it.
And then as if in a dream he watched his hands in slow motion give up their grip on the stick and the nose dipped toward the welcoming waves below. He would not be able to relive those days of joy with his first true love – locked in her complete embrace under the clouds they had so enjoyed before.
And with a surprising skid the shattered plane hit the water and after a series of skips settled into the waves. At first he struggled to unbuckle the seat harness but the pain was too much. It was also the wrenching pain of knowing he would not survive this day.
As the plane settled below the waves and began its drifting descent to the coral bottom 30 feet below the young Japanese pilot did not resist the insistent demand of the ocean’s grip. He gazed through his goggles at the darkening light and the pending end of his time with his first true love.
The alarmed reef fish below were the only witnesses as the Myrt settled onto the bottom. They alone saw the pilot in his last moments of conscious thought as he gently caressed the instrument panel of the old Myrt – As he gently caressed what had been for him his first love – the love of a plane that had carried him through the clouds in the ecstasy of flight and the terror of battle – his first and now last true love.
February 17, 1944
A fictional tale of a Japanese pilot over Truk and a plane now at rest in the lagoon:
The handsome crew cut American Hellcat pilot looked down at the smoking Japanese plane below with a puzzled expression.
“Hey Dan, it looks like that last pass on the Myrt, you really nailed him.”
Dan involuntarily shook his head at the comment by his wingman.
“Yea, what the hell are the Japanese doing sending up a recon plane like that Nakajima (Myrt) to engage us? That C6N is no match for a hellcat.”
“Yea, but you nailed him anyway. I think you may have hit the pilot when those rounds wacked the cockpit!”
There was no pity felt by Dan. It was their job to reduce Truk to a smoking ruin of sunken ships and destroyed aircraft. And he had just done his job when he had dove on the Myrt landing round after round into the old plane.
The young 20 year old Japanese pilot, his hands shaking with a combination of fear and fatigue, guided his shuttering aircraft on its slow descent toward the lagoon below. The shattering experience of engaging the swarm of American hellcat fighters had left him drained and relieved that he had escaped alive. The rays of the setting sun reflected off the darkening waves below and turned the oily smoke trailing from his sputtering engine to a surprising shade of burgundy as it caught the fading sun’s rays behind him. The shuddering impact of the massive 50 caliber machine guns of the Hellcats had torn and ripped the aluminum wings that encased him but still provided the lift that would see him home – Home with the promise he would still be with his first true love. Home.
The excruciating pain where the white hot 50 caliber slug had burrowed in his side was constant and called for attention but his first need was to find the air strip on Etten. Squinting through the torn Plexiglas of the cockpit his mind went back to visions not of the approaching waves below but of the first delicious day he had set eyes on his first true love. Her beauty of line and curve and sensuous form had gripped him – gripped him with a passion he had not known in his quick brief life. Their courtship evolved quickly and they had rolled together in an unfamiliar ecstasy – intertwined as one under the clouds of the day and the moon of the night. He had developed a trust, a confidence and sense of security that surpassed even that of his parents when he and his first true love were together. It was a love that left him disturbingly ill at ease when he was away from her. It was a love that few, other than his fellow young men in the air wing, had fallen into so deeply.
The high pierced roar of the engine grew rough and then - abruptly quit leaving only the air rushing through the holes in the canopy. Despair gripped him. Could he glide back to Etten before a fatal stall? Or would his plane stall and send him spiraling into the grey darkening waters below? Fighting the stick and its increasing shudder required reserves of strength in his weakened condition he feared he did not have. And then his despair gave way to a sad recognition. It was too far. He would not make it.
And then as if in a dream he watched his hands in slow motion give up their grip on the stick and the nose dipped toward the welcoming waves below. He would not be able to relive those days of joy with his first true love – locked in her complete embrace under the clouds they had so enjoyed before.
And with a surprising skid the shattered plane hit the water and after a series of skips settled into the waves. At first he struggled to unbuckle the seat harness but the pain was too much. It was also the wrenching pain of knowing he would not survive this day.
As the plane settled below the waves and began its drifting descent to the coral bottom 30 feet below the young Japanese pilot did not resist the insistent demand of the ocean’s grip. He gazed through his goggles at the darkening light and the pending end of his time with his first true love.
The alarmed reef fish below were the only witnesses as the Myrt settled onto the bottom. They alone saw the pilot in his last moments of conscious thought as he gently caressed the instrument panel of the old Myrt – As he gently caressed what had been for him his first love – the love of a plane that had carried him through the clouds in the ecstasy of flight and the terror of battle – his first and now last true love.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Tong Misa
From Bill Jeffery
I learnt that Tong Misa passed away recently. Tong was from Nechap on Tonoas and Chairman of the Traditional Chiefs of Tonoas.
Tong was one of nature's gentleman. I worked with him and Chuuk Historic Preservation Office on recording many WWII sites on Tonoas. During the war, Tong worked for the Japanese navy, being employed on the small lighers that serviced the larger naval vessels. He told me that as part of his work, he visited Admiral Yamamoto's flagship Yamato.
I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know Tong, he was a pleasure to work with and I am very sad he has passed away. He had an infectious smile, laugh and a quick wit--some of the things that I will remember about him.
I learnt that Tong Misa passed away recently. Tong was from Nechap on Tonoas and Chairman of the Traditional Chiefs of Tonoas.
Tong was one of nature's gentleman. I worked with him and Chuuk Historic Preservation Office on recording many WWII sites on Tonoas. During the war, Tong worked for the Japanese navy, being employed on the small lighers that serviced the larger naval vessels. He told me that as part of his work, he visited Admiral Yamamoto's flagship Yamato.
I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know Tong, he was a pleasure to work with and I am very sad he has passed away. He had an infectious smile, laugh and a quick wit--some of the things that I will remember about him.
Tong Misa (seated) and Joshua Suka in 2002 (Photograph by Bill Jeffery)
5th of August 2008
Earthwatch Volunteer, Ann Schile
Greetings from one of the three women on this Earthwatch project. Today we dove twice on the Fujikawa Maru which was a 437 foot long cargo ship. Ed and I helped Bill Jeffery and Tammy Chan to do some mapping of the bridge area. This involved drawing sketches of the area , doing measurements of the features in the sketch, and taking photographs. It was a great learning experience for Ed and me, and hopefully we were of some help to Bill and Tammy!
Another team consisting of Matt, Warren, Anerit and Ian did corrosion studies on the Fujikawa Maru which was exciting to watch. Anerit drilled a small hole into the metal of the ship, Ian measured the Ph level of the exposed metal, Matt plugged the hole with an epoxy and flagged the site, and Warren photographed the area. They are so organized and work so well as a team that it is fascinating to watch them in action.
The rest of crew did a biology study of the immediate area surrounding the drill sites. This team was headed up by Mandy who is an expert on life under the waves. Volunteer Jimmy takes marvelous pictures and Gordon keeps us all in stitches with his running commentary.
Greetings from one of the three women on this Earthwatch project. Today we dove twice on the Fujikawa Maru which was a 437 foot long cargo ship. Ed and I helped Bill Jeffery and Tammy Chan to do some mapping of the bridge area. This involved drawing sketches of the area , doing measurements of the features in the sketch, and taking photographs. It was a great learning experience for Ed and me, and hopefully we were of some help to Bill and Tammy!
Ann during her work on Fujikawa Maru (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Another team consisting of Matt, Warren, Anerit and Ian did corrosion studies on the Fujikawa Maru which was exciting to watch. Anerit drilled a small hole into the metal of the ship, Ian measured the Ph level of the exposed metal, Matt plugged the hole with an epoxy and flagged the site, and Warren photographed the area. They are so organized and work so well as a team that it is fascinating to watch them in action.
The rest of crew did a biology study of the immediate area surrounding the drill sites. This team was headed up by Mandy who is an expert on life under the waves. Volunteer Jimmy takes marvelous pictures and Gordon keeps us all in stitches with his running commentary.
Mandy recording corals (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Editor's note: During our lunch break on Etten Island (which was a Japanese airstrip during the war) the team went for a walk to the Japanese Naval Airforce Headquarters. The solid concrete building was bombed by US aircraft and today it stands as it was left in 1944, and as a memorial to the many Chuukese and Japanese that lost their lives.
Ed Talbot looking at the bomb damage in the Naval Airforce HQ building
(Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Monday, August 4, 2008
Monday 4th of August, 2008
From Earthwatch Volunteer, Bill Forsee
I am a teacher from Omaha, Nebraska. The reasons for joining the Earthwatch project were to gain first hand knowledge of the importance of the coral reefs. My students are 1000 miles from the closest oceans and some will never leave Omaha. I feel that in order for them to be active members of this world they must look outside of their own environment. I could talk about the reefs and their value but adding personal experiences brings home the reefs’ values. I can say ‘I have seen the damage—in Jamaica, in Micronesia and in the Bahamas. When we put fertilizers, pesticides and other farm waters in the river systems in the Midwest, yes it has an impact on the oceans.
I am a teacher from Omaha, Nebraska. The reasons for joining the Earthwatch project were to gain first hand knowledge of the importance of the coral reefs. My students are 1000 miles from the closest oceans and some will never leave Omaha. I feel that in order for them to be active members of this world they must look outside of their own environment. I could talk about the reefs and their value but adding personal experiences brings home the reefs’ values. I can say ‘I have seen the damage—in Jamaica, in Micronesia and in the Bahamas. When we put fertilizers, pesticides and other farm waters in the river systems in the Midwest, yes it has an impact on the oceans.
Ed Talbot surveying the upper part of the bridge of Fujikawa Maru (Photograp by Tammy Chan)
The over development in Florida and the destruction of the mangroves does have an impact on us in the Midwest. I have had many students become involved in environmental projects and several go on to become Naturalists—one is the Chief Conservation Officer for the State of Georgia.
I have had many students change attitude on the environment when confronted with the following statement: ‘If your parents harm this environment, this is unfair to you and your children; what type of world is going to be yours to inherit’.
Aretfacts on the upper bridge of the Shinkoku Maru (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
On a separate occasion Bill penned this frustrating text:
The personal exploits of an unlucky fellow! I have arrived in a tropical paradise with breath-taking beauty, only to be sidelined by a dive ladder. When in a tropical environment any small ouch can become a massive problem for any diver, turning one from a diver, into an observer. A small nick on my lower leg turned into an infection. Here I sit in the Blue Lagoon Restaurant, being blue. No gin, no tonic, not even a lowly whiskey, what is a fellow to do? For here I sit, not to hear the “joyful” laugh of Gordon; the comparison of who saw what and how air one has at the end of the dive. I did have the foresight to pack antibiotics, hopefully these will aid and assist in my recovery and return to diving.
As of today I now have another unlucky fellow to share my down time. Alex has joined the sidelined group. Thus ¼ of the divers have now become observers. Bill doesn’t need any more loses or he will be on his own!
Nature's maze--'Euphyllia' (Kidney Coral)
(Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Saturday, August 2, 2008
The metric system!!!!!
From Ed Talbot,
Our team is a mixture of mostly Americans hailing from the west coast to the Midwest and a mixture of Aussies and tow dear comrades from the United Kingdom and our Dive Master who hails from Hong Kong. A good group but for a US citizen the mystery of meters (metres) and kilos and kilometers provides a whole range of what can be a puzzle of confusion. So how deep was your dive, ah it was 55 feet, No, what is it in meters? No idea! How heavy is that tank, ahhh – do you want that in kilos – no idea. How much air was left in your tank? Hmmm – I hope the response of 500 psi will be OK in that I have no idea what that would be in a metric measure (bar)! After a while you just start to think in terms of doubling the number and hoping for the best. Well I guess a meter is about a half yard. Oh no – turns out it is really about a yard. Well that did not work. What about a centimeter (centimeter, cm), what comes to mind is the length of a centipede but hey that could be anything so that does not work. And when doing a transect for Reef Check and you are working with a measuring tape denominated in meters or portions there of – ob boy such fun. At least the confusion is consistent in the data sheets are in meters or portions there of as well so you can replicate your confusion on paper for all the world (and our expedition researchers to see). But they are patient and endure us backward Americans confident in the belief we will eventually join the world and this is there small contribution to convincing us we had better!
Ah the mystery of the metric system. And since the principal investigator is from Australia he calls the shots and those shots are called in metrics so as the last holdout in the world talking about pounds and yards and feet and inches, we better get used to it!
Our team is a mixture of mostly Americans hailing from the west coast to the Midwest and a mixture of Aussies and tow dear comrades from the United Kingdom and our Dive Master who hails from Hong Kong. A good group but for a US citizen the mystery of meters (metres) and kilos and kilometers provides a whole range of what can be a puzzle of confusion. So how deep was your dive, ah it was 55 feet, No, what is it in meters? No idea! How heavy is that tank, ahhh – do you want that in kilos – no idea. How much air was left in your tank? Hmmm – I hope the response of 500 psi will be OK in that I have no idea what that would be in a metric measure (bar)! After a while you just start to think in terms of doubling the number and hoping for the best. Well I guess a meter is about a half yard. Oh no – turns out it is really about a yard. Well that did not work. What about a centimeter (centimeter, cm), what comes to mind is the length of a centipede but hey that could be anything so that does not work. And when doing a transect for Reef Check and you are working with a measuring tape denominated in meters or portions there of – ob boy such fun. At least the confusion is consistent in the data sheets are in meters or portions there of as well so you can replicate your confusion on paper for all the world (and our expedition researchers to see). But they are patient and endure us backward Americans confident in the belief we will eventually join the world and this is there small contribution to convincing us we had better!
Ah the mystery of the metric system. And since the principal investigator is from Australia he calls the shots and those shots are called in metrics so as the last holdout in the world talking about pounds and yards and feet and inches, we better get used to it!
Truk Earthwatch Team 1, July 2008
Team 1 (July 28 to August 9, 2008) for the Truk Earthwatch Project consists of the following personnel:
Principal Investigators and Dive Master:
Principal Investigators and Dive Master:
- Bill Jeffery, Principal Invesitgator for Maritime Archaeology, Australia
- Ian MacLeod, Principal Investigator for Corrosion Science, Australia
- Mandy Hengeveld Acting Principal Invesitagator for Marine Biology, Canada
- Tammy Chan, Dive Master, Hong Kong
- Alexander Cohen, USA
- Jim Feeney, USA
- Bill Forsee, USA
- Matthew Leonard, UK
- Warren Luce, USA
- Ann Schile, USA
- Edward Talbot, USA
- Gordon Thomson, UK
A new shipwreck found in Truk
A bit more on the new site we foundnon Friday, 1st August.
The site is not like the traditional World War II Japanese shipwreck in Chuuk. It has largely collapsed and it is smaller than the many merchant ships that were sunk here. It is possibly a Japanese Naval vessel as it is located adjacent to the Combined Fleet Base and it appears to have been stripped and scuttled as many pieces of equipment such as the engine can not be found on the site. One of the most recognisable features is the propellor--see photographs below.
Tammy took a number of photographs to compile a photo-mosiac and a further survey will be carried out later.
The site is not like the traditional World War II Japanese shipwreck in Chuuk. It has largely collapsed and it is smaller than the many merchant ships that were sunk here. It is possibly a Japanese Naval vessel as it is located adjacent to the Combined Fleet Base and it appears to have been stripped and scuttled as many pieces of equipment such as the engine can not be found on the site. One of the most recognisable features is the propellor--see photographs below.
Tammy took a number of photographs to compile a photo-mosiac and a further survey will be carried out later.
The propellor shaft (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
The propellor in amongst other wreckage on the flat sandy bottom
(Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Friday, August 1, 2008
1st August, 2008
Earthwatch Volunteer
Gordon Thomson
1 August 2008
Well folks, we have come – all too soon – to the end of our first week’s work. And in the morning of this third full day we all had a really great dive in fantastic visibility, on the Gosei Maru, a general cargo vessel. Not much coral or fish on the starboard side (almost horizontal as the ship is lying on its port side), but two teams spent some of their time tagging blanc-mange looking coral called porites.
Lunch was again at Etten, washed down this time with fresh coconuts from nearby palms. And there was time for some snorkeling - in tantalizingly shallow water - before setting off for the afternoon’s dive…. on “ Yamamoto’s” gunboat. Well, that is what I was told it was. Jimmy and I did not see the wreck itself, as we were doing our duty - completing 4 transects. So not such a good dive, for me at any rate:- the vis was poor (like yesterday afternoon), not surprising perhaps as we were so near to shore and habitation; but I had an arguably paraplegic start, causing some mirth to certain others, when I plunged off the boat without either measuring tape or dive computer….. which was soon remedied. 
Snorkeling around Etten (Photograph by Jim Feeney)
Gordon Thomson
1 August 2008
Well folks, we have come – all too soon – to the end of our first week’s work. And in the morning of this third full day we all had a really great dive in fantastic visibility, on the Gosei Maru, a general cargo vessel. Not much coral or fish on the starboard side (almost horizontal as the ship is lying on its port side), but two teams spent some of their time tagging blanc-mange looking coral called porites.
A porites being tagged (Photograph by Jim Feeney)
This required some coordination (on my part at least) involving amongst other things searching for elusive tags and even more elusive plastic ties lurking at the bottom of an elephantine string bag (supplied with devilish relish by Mandy) while at the same time not losing the slate where, after tagging, we had to draw a realistic impression of the relevant bit of ship. Not all of us are a Gainsborough, or even a Picasso…. It was therefore with some relief that we were then free to do some serious exploring of the (now vertical) deck and the stern with its huge propeller and rudder. Lots of hard and soft corals and loads and loads of reef fish. And Mandy rubbed noses with a small moray eel (the first sighting of the week?), which had decided to share its home with a squirrel fish…..
Mandy's friendly moray eel (Photograph by Jim Feeney)
Lunch was again at Etten, washed down this time with fresh coconuts from nearby palms. And there was time for some snorkeling - in tantalizingly shallow water - before setting off for the afternoon’s dive…. on “ Yamamoto’s” gunboat. Well, that is what I was told it was. Jimmy and I did not see the wreck itself, as we were doing our duty - completing 4 transects. So not such a good dive, for me at any rate:- the vis was poor (like yesterday afternoon), not surprising perhaps as we were so near to shore and habitation; but I had an arguably paraplegic start, causing some mirth to certain others, when I plunged off the boat without either measuring tape or dive computer….. which was soon remedied.
Snorkeling around Etten (Photograph by Jim Feeney) Such inadequacies, though, were satisfactorily eclipsed when Bill J and Tammy found evidence of another gunboat nearby. We might therefore see this site again…… If so, hopefully it will be in (surface) conditions less like a dismal winter afternoon on the Thames…..the torrential rain tried its best to fill both boats.
And an unexpected pleasure awaited on our arrival back (like a bunch of drowned rats)…..a large tumbler out of Matt and Ed’s Communion wine box. The provenance of this strange elixir was, of course, the US. The guy on the box claimed that he had been making such beverage for the last 30 years. On tonight’s tasting, this is nothing to be proud of!!
And an unexpected pleasure awaited on our arrival back (like a bunch of drowned rats)…..a large tumbler out of Matt and Ed’s Communion wine box. The provenance of this strange elixir was, of course, the US. The guy on the box claimed that he had been making such beverage for the last 30 years. On tonight’s tasting, this is nothing to be proud of!!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
31st of July, 2008
Earthwatch Volunteer, Warren Luce
Today we awoke to heavy rains and winds. One look and we all knew we would not get an early start. Around ten it started to clear and off we went. Eight of us in the boat (turns out it is faster to take the boat around the point to the dive shop than it is to drive). We all got our gear, loaded the boats and set off to the first dive site. As we arrived we saw an oil slick. It seemed to extend for miles. One boat went to investigate and found that the oil was indeed coming from one of the shipwrecks (Hoyo Maru). One team was sent to photograph where the leak was coming from and take still photographs and video. The documentation will be sent to the Chuuk Department of Marine Resources and hopefully gain support and resources to deal with the pollution.
The remaining teams proceeded to Kiyosumi Maru (a 8,614 ton armed transport). She lies on her side in 120 feet of water and rises up to 30 feet below the surface. We ran three Reef Check surveys starting mid-section to the shallowest end (at her stern). Hi Valerie. The growth and fish life on the horizontal surfaces was sparse at best. But on the deck side facing more light the growth was incredible. Corals, hanging vegetation and fish of all types. Schools of small fry swam over head and around us, paying us no particular attention. The colours were wonderful and a tremendous way to finish the dive.
We lunched while sitting on the grass of the “Blue Lagoon Resort” watching the light surf break on the white sand; a welcomed rest. After ample surface time we were off to dive a Myrt (long range reconnaissance airplane). Four teams ran Reef Check surveys. Visibility was poor but everyone completed their assignments, then it was back to the dive shop to wash gear and head back to our quarters (Kurassa Hotel).
Dinner was highlighted by a few rounds of old Kingston Trio tunes.
Yes, there was an equipment find with resulting reward.And now at 9:15 teams are entering data from their surveys and the place is starting to get quiet as folks head off to bed and I say good night for now, Bon a note.
Today we awoke to heavy rains and winds. One look and we all knew we would not get an early start. Around ten it started to clear and off we went. Eight of us in the boat (turns out it is faster to take the boat around the point to the dive shop than it is to drive). We all got our gear, loaded the boats and set off to the first dive site. As we arrived we saw an oil slick. It seemed to extend for miles. One boat went to investigate and found that the oil was indeed coming from one of the shipwrecks (Hoyo Maru). One team was sent to photograph where the leak was coming from and take still photographs and video. The documentation will be sent to the Chuuk Department of Marine Resources and hopefully gain support and resources to deal with the pollution.
The remaining teams proceeded to Kiyosumi Maru (a 8,614 ton armed transport). She lies on her side in 120 feet of water and rises up to 30 feet below the surface. We ran three Reef Check surveys starting mid-section to the shallowest end (at her stern). Hi Valerie. The growth and fish life on the horizontal surfaces was sparse at best. But on the deck side facing more light the growth was incredible. Corals, hanging vegetation and fish of all types. Schools of small fry swam over head and around us, paying us no particular attention. The colours were wonderful and a tremendous way to finish the dive.
We lunched while sitting on the grass of the “Blue Lagoon Resort” watching the light surf break on the white sand; a welcomed rest. After ample surface time we were off to dive a Myrt (long range reconnaissance airplane). Four teams ran Reef Check surveys. Visibility was poor but everyone completed their assignments, then it was back to the dive shop to wash gear and head back to our quarters (Kurassa Hotel).
Dinner was highlighted by a few rounds of old Kingston Trio tunes.
Yes, there was an equipment find with resulting reward.And now at 9:15 teams are entering data from their surveys and the place is starting to get quiet as folks head off to bed and I say good night for now, Bon a note.
-------------------------------------------
Earthwatch Volunteer, Edward Talbot
This day saw our team up at our early riser time of 7:30 am with the anticipation of hitting the waves around 8:15. But a night of rain and wind greeted us with a day of the same and the prudent course was to wait to see what the weather would do before we boarded our boat for the Blue Lagoon Dive Shop. Our time to decide was 9:00 am at the Kurassa Hotel and by that time the wind had died and under a leaden sky we set out for our ride around the north coast of Weno for the Blue Lagoon Dive Center. Our PI Bill told us that our objectives for the day might shift owing to a report about one of the sunken Japanese shipwrecks (the Kiyosumi Maru) had been seen to be leaking oil and we were to investigate the situation for the Department of Marine Resources who would be fully appreciative of whatever information we could provide on the oil leak if indeed it was observed. An hour later we reached our intended dive site just to the east of the island of Fefan. Our intention had been to send over teams to do 20 meter coral and biologic transects on the hull of the vessel but we observed a plume of oil off to our west and parallel to us. Stretching from a singular point and proceeding to the north we observed a long and expanded stream of what appeared to be an oil leak.
After some discussion and evaluation, the judgment initially was that there was a leak from the 470 foot Hoyo Maru which was a tanker built in 1936 by Mitsubishi and which now lies upside down in the lagoon. Our two boat team with some crew reshuffle now took Bill with several of our volunteer members including Alex and dive master Tammy over to where the leak was apparently originating. The plan was to dive the site to find the source of the leak, evaluate it, and both video and photograph it. This developing problem reinforced the value the presence of our Eathwatch Team could provide to Chuuk in the flexibility we had to respond to this changed situation and develop information that would be of use to the proper island authorities in understanding what was happening. Standing on the deck of our remaining boat anchored above the Kiyosumi Maru, I took a mosaic of photographs that tracked the oil leak from its source off until it could not be seen in the distance – truly a disturbing reminder that the conflagration of the Pacific War as it was played out in Truk Lagoon more than 65 years ago was still impacting our lives and natural environment today.
With proper precautions to avoid contamination for the divers, the team members descended to the hull of the Hoyo Maru and found the source of the leak where grape sized globules of oil could be seen seeping from the hull and rapidly rising to the surface where they burst upon surfacing and spread an ever increasing sheen of oil on the surface downwind from the shipwreck site. Alex expertly videoed the ascending globules and Tammy photographed them as well. On the surface our team volunteers reported the reek of hydrocarbons was strong and pervasive.
This work and events early in our day was disturbing from the aspect of what did the future hold for more leaks and potentially catastrophic hull or bunker failures from the shipwrecks in the lagoon as deterioration proceeded. Questions with answers still to be determined and acted upon.
This day saw our team up at our early riser time of 7:30 am with the anticipation of hitting the waves around 8:15. But a night of rain and wind greeted us with a day of the same and the prudent course was to wait to see what the weather would do before we boarded our boat for the Blue Lagoon Dive Shop. Our time to decide was 9:00 am at the Kurassa Hotel and by that time the wind had died and under a leaden sky we set out for our ride around the north coast of Weno for the Blue Lagoon Dive Center. Our PI Bill told us that our objectives for the day might shift owing to a report about one of the sunken Japanese shipwrecks (the Kiyosumi Maru) had been seen to be leaking oil and we were to investigate the situation for the Department of Marine Resources who would be fully appreciative of whatever information we could provide on the oil leak if indeed it was observed. An hour later we reached our intended dive site just to the east of the island of Fefan. Our intention had been to send over teams to do 20 meter coral and biologic transects on the hull of the vessel but we observed a plume of oil off to our west and parallel to us. Stretching from a singular point and proceeding to the north we observed a long and expanded stream of what appeared to be an oil leak.
After some discussion and evaluation, the judgment initially was that there was a leak from the 470 foot Hoyo Maru which was a tanker built in 1936 by Mitsubishi and which now lies upside down in the lagoon. Our two boat team with some crew reshuffle now took Bill with several of our volunteer members including Alex and dive master Tammy over to where the leak was apparently originating. The plan was to dive the site to find the source of the leak, evaluate it, and both video and photograph it. This developing problem reinforced the value the presence of our Eathwatch Team could provide to Chuuk in the flexibility we had to respond to this changed situation and develop information that would be of use to the proper island authorities in understanding what was happening. Standing on the deck of our remaining boat anchored above the Kiyosumi Maru, I took a mosaic of photographs that tracked the oil leak from its source off until it could not be seen in the distance – truly a disturbing reminder that the conflagration of the Pacific War as it was played out in Truk Lagoon more than 65 years ago was still impacting our lives and natural environment today.
With proper precautions to avoid contamination for the divers, the team members descended to the hull of the Hoyo Maru and found the source of the leak where grape sized globules of oil could be seen seeping from the hull and rapidly rising to the surface where they burst upon surfacing and spread an ever increasing sheen of oil on the surface downwind from the shipwreck site. Alex expertly videoed the ascending globules and Tammy photographed them as well. On the surface our team volunteers reported the reek of hydrocarbons was strong and pervasive.
This work and events early in our day was disturbing from the aspect of what did the future hold for more leaks and potentially catastrophic hull or bunker failures from the shipwrecks in the lagoon as deterioration proceeded. Questions with answers still to be determined and acted upon.
The source of the oil, Hoyo Maru (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Warren Luce aboard the survey vessel and with the oil slick in the background
(Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
30th of July, 2008
By Earthwatch Volunteer, Matthew Leonard.
The team rose, were fed and ready for departure at 08:15 am.
There was a moderate delay (by international airline standards) due to finding the boats and drivers. In the intervening time the volunteers spent time discussing their equipment, putting wetsuits on and off, getting to know each other and wondering if they were in the right place. Gordon the Banker kept the spirits up with a choc-ice each for the adults which did wonders for the volunteers. Dr Bill PI gave increasingly certain assurances and eventually, faced with a volunteer mutiny, his prayers were rewarded.
Both the boats were assembled together in the same place, the volunteers then played a short game of musical chairs in the boats, and then having correctly allocated and matched buddies, BCD, bags to the right boat – departed for the dive site.
The team divided into 2 groups and set off to the first dive site – the Emily a WWII Japanese seaplane in 16 metres of water lying upside down. Many of the team wondered what to expect having never seen an upside down seaplane – however we all found it and enjoyed an interesting dive where we were able to hone our survey techniques and look for some of the corrosion characteristics described by Dr. MacLeod on the previous evening. The teams were expertly supported in developing their transect survey techniques by Mandy (Team Biologist from Canada); Mandy is getting a writing slate with lines on it for Xmas so she can perfect her handwriting so it looks less like magnets on a drunken Russian sailors fridge door.
All divers returned to the correct vessel and we made our way to Etten Island for lunch. Etten was developed as a fighter base for Japanese zeros, involving large scale reclamation and construction of a retaining wall which is still standing, and provides a foundation for several settlements used by the local islanders today.
Fed and watered, both teams proceeded to the next dive site next to Etten island which was a WWII Japanese zero upside down in 8 metres. One group of divers performed a search pattern in the area whilst the more proficient younger divers did some line transects along the reef next to the Zero.
The team then headed for the short trip home across calm waters and had another satisfying meal at the hotel followed by a team debrief / therapy sessions. After day 2 / dive 3 there are yet to be any public requests for changes to buddy teams or accusations of coral damage / littering / equipment theft. Entry and Exit techniques were discussed at length. All volunteers gave a positive feedback on their experience and it seemed most were looking forward to the rest of the trip with vigor and anticipation.
The team then retired to prepare for the next day.
Team – Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the day
1 Cameras Drowned = 1 (brand withheld), no tears observed
2 Lost weights / dropped mask / computers = 0
3 Successful Transects - X
4 Meals – 3
5 DCS/ Injuries – 0
6 Bad Jokes – 2 a minute
7 Tantrums – none publicly observed
8 Poor Photos - 350
9 Happy campers – 8 volunteers
The team rose, were fed and ready for departure at 08:15 am.
There was a moderate delay (by international airline standards) due to finding the boats and drivers. In the intervening time the volunteers spent time discussing their equipment, putting wetsuits on and off, getting to know each other and wondering if they were in the right place. Gordon the Banker kept the spirits up with a choc-ice each for the adults which did wonders for the volunteers. Dr Bill PI gave increasingly certain assurances and eventually, faced with a volunteer mutiny, his prayers were rewarded.
Both the boats were assembled together in the same place, the volunteers then played a short game of musical chairs in the boats, and then having correctly allocated and matched buddies, BCD, bags to the right boat – departed for the dive site.
The team divided into 2 groups and set off to the first dive site – the Emily a WWII Japanese seaplane in 16 metres of water lying upside down. Many of the team wondered what to expect having never seen an upside down seaplane – however we all found it and enjoyed an interesting dive where we were able to hone our survey techniques and look for some of the corrosion characteristics described by Dr. MacLeod on the previous evening. The teams were expertly supported in developing their transect survey techniques by Mandy (Team Biologist from Canada); Mandy is getting a writing slate with lines on it for Xmas so she can perfect her handwriting so it looks less like magnets on a drunken Russian sailors fridge door.
All divers returned to the correct vessel and we made our way to Etten Island for lunch. Etten was developed as a fighter base for Japanese zeros, involving large scale reclamation and construction of a retaining wall which is still standing, and provides a foundation for several settlements used by the local islanders today.
Fed and watered, both teams proceeded to the next dive site next to Etten island which was a WWII Japanese zero upside down in 8 metres. One group of divers performed a search pattern in the area whilst the more proficient younger divers did some line transects along the reef next to the Zero.
The team then headed for the short trip home across calm waters and had another satisfying meal at the hotel followed by a team debrief / therapy sessions. After day 2 / dive 3 there are yet to be any public requests for changes to buddy teams or accusations of coral damage / littering / equipment theft. Entry and Exit techniques were discussed at length. All volunteers gave a positive feedback on their experience and it seemed most were looking forward to the rest of the trip with vigor and anticipation.
The team then retired to prepare for the next day.
Team – Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the day
1 Cameras Drowned = 1 (brand withheld), no tears observed
2 Lost weights / dropped mask / computers = 0
3 Successful Transects - X
4 Meals – 3
5 DCS/ Injuries – 0
6 Bad Jokes – 2 a minute
7 Tantrums – none publicly observed
8 Poor Photos - 350
9 Happy campers – 8 volunteers
Matt and Ed doing transects (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
----------------------------------------------
Next Volunteer Start Here
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
28th of July, 2008
Earthwatch volunteers shopping in Chuuk (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Chuukese boys using an old fridge for a fishing trip--or just perhaps having some fun
(Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Project Team Leader Mandy Hengeveld from Canada brought a box of medical supplies for the Chuuk Hospital--good on ya Mandy! (with Earthwatch volunteer William Forsee and PI, Dr Ian Macleod), (Photograph by Tammy Chan).
Mandy with Hospital Staff--the supplies were very well received (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
27th of July, 2008
The Historic Preservation Office and some of the seized artefacts from the shipwrecks recovered illegally by divers (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
The interpretation sign about the Chuuk Lagoon shipwrecks at the Blue Lagoon Resort
(Photograph by Tammy Chan)
A Sunday BBQ on the beach (Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Reflecting on that fish that got away, or will get away in the future
(Photograph by Tammy Chan)
29th of July, 2008
Earthwatch.org Expedition
Chuuk, Micronesia
July 29th, 2008
My name is Alex Cohen, one of the 8 volunteers for the "Diving the World War II Wrecks of Truk Lagoon” with Dr. Bill Jeffery.
Since we all have a wide range of diving backgrounds and knowledge of the coral reef life, we started the day with a Reef Check lecture on the coral reefs, by Mandy Hengeveld, whose job it is to survey the natural health of the shipwrecks. We'll be working with her to run 'transects,' and cataloging the corals, fish and various invertebrates along a 5 meter wide strip measured along a 30 meter tape.
The purpose is to assess the quality of the reef/wrecks and by performing this over a period of years, to record the changes in the quality of the corals over time on the wrecks in Truk Lagoon.
Following the lecture and lunch we took off to the Blue Lagoon's docks for our first dive. While most of the divers took the boat from our hotel Kurassa, I and two other divers traveled south through town by vehicle to the docks. The quality of the roads is fairly poor as the potholes are absolutely enormous and as plentiful as the stray dogs that mope about looking for handouts. These potholes however, seemed ready to swallow our truck whole but thankfully we encountered none deeper than about half a foot. The road south passes dozens of shops all of which have seen better days, many are closed, possibly quite recently, and the ones that remain are often built of deeply rusted corrugated steel siding.
Once at the dock we took off for the Susuki, to dive on the ship for our checkout by our Dive Master, Tammy. Afterwards we dove for about 50 min to get our bearings, and try doing a trial run transect. While we observed many species of hard 'reef building' coral, the fish appeared to have evacuated the area, and who could blame them given the rather poor 50-foot visibility.
The dive was very good preparation for performing our Reef Check work, particularly for those of us lucky enough to dive with Mandy, who diligently pointed out the differences between bleached coral and recently killed coral. She also pointed out the wide variety of sponges, soft corals and tunicates inhabiting the wreck.
We then washed our equipment and came back to the Kurassa Hotel for dinner and discussion about our day.
--------------------------------------------
Next Volunteer Start Here
Chuuk, Micronesia
July 29th, 2008
My name is Alex Cohen, one of the 8 volunteers for the "Diving the World War II Wrecks of Truk Lagoon” with Dr. Bill Jeffery.
Since we all have a wide range of diving backgrounds and knowledge of the coral reef life, we started the day with a Reef Check lecture on the coral reefs, by Mandy Hengeveld, whose job it is to survey the natural health of the shipwrecks. We'll be working with her to run 'transects,' and cataloging the corals, fish and various invertebrates along a 5 meter wide strip measured along a 30 meter tape.
The purpose is to assess the quality of the reef/wrecks and by performing this over a period of years, to record the changes in the quality of the corals over time on the wrecks in Truk Lagoon.
Following the lecture and lunch we took off to the Blue Lagoon's docks for our first dive. While most of the divers took the boat from our hotel Kurassa, I and two other divers traveled south through town by vehicle to the docks. The quality of the roads is fairly poor as the potholes are absolutely enormous and as plentiful as the stray dogs that mope about looking for handouts. These potholes however, seemed ready to swallow our truck whole but thankfully we encountered none deeper than about half a foot. The road south passes dozens of shops all of which have seen better days, many are closed, possibly quite recently, and the ones that remain are often built of deeply rusted corrugated steel siding.
Once at the dock we took off for the Susuki, to dive on the ship for our checkout by our Dive Master, Tammy. Afterwards we dove for about 50 min to get our bearings, and try doing a trial run transect. While we observed many species of hard 'reef building' coral, the fish appeared to have evacuated the area, and who could blame them given the rather poor 50-foot visibility.
The dive was very good preparation for performing our Reef Check work, particularly for those of us lucky enough to dive with Mandy, who diligently pointed out the differences between bleached coral and recently killed coral. She also pointed out the wide variety of sponges, soft corals and tunicates inhabiting the wreck.
We then washed our equipment and came back to the Kurassa Hotel for dinner and discussion about our day.
--------------------------------------------
Next Volunteer Start Here
25th of July, 2008
Bill on the bow of Fujikawa Maru making assessment before Earthwatch volunteer arrive
(Photograph by Tammy Cham)
Memorial plaque on Fujikawa Maru
(Photogrpah by Tammy Chan)
The mast remains on Fujikawa Maru
(Photograph by Tammy Chan)
Aquatic marine life is prolific on Fujikawa Maru
(Photograph by Bill Jeffery)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
