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)
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