Durban to Mahé, the Seychelles, April 1stto 16th, 2019.
1stApril: Durban
4 April: Europa
6 April: Juan de Nova
8 April: Grande Glorieuse
9 April: Nosy Komba
9 April: Nosy Tanikely
10 April: Assomption
11 April: Aldabra
12 April: Astove
14 April: Alphonse
15 April: La Digue
16 April: Mahé
The Scattered Islands lie in the Indian Ocean and consist of 5 small coral islands, an atoll and a reef and have constituted the 5thDistrict of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) since February 2007. They have never had a permanent population. They are classified as nature reserves. A Prefect has his main office in La Réunion. Associated to EU through the OCTA. They are part of an enormous Exclusive Economic Zone reaching down to the Antarctic. And include Sub-Antarctic: Crozet, Kerguelen, and Amsterdam islands.
All the scattered islands are very small but have large coral reefs and are scientific and operational bases. Kerguelen sometimes has up to 100 scientists. They have a Military base of 40 men plus a police officer. The military do 45 day shifts. One supply ship circulates 4 times a year, based in Réunion, the Austrolabe, they jokingly say they are there to paint coconuts white, but they are there to preserve sovereignty. The Mozambique Channel is renowned for pirates, and some illegal fishing, so patrolling is all part of it. It is an important shipping route in Eastern Africa, and a warm current flows south in the channel making the waters pleasantly warm.
Fishing is regulated: and in this area there are French boats who fish for Tuna, Toothfish and Crayfish, and are based in Réunion or Seychelles.
Countries contribute to International treaties to manage marine resources or protect species under an Antarctic Treaty. Here there are biodiversity sanctuaries and are one of the most important nesting sites for green turtles.
There are high quality science programs on the islands, 20 research programs are running this year with at least 250 scientists. At Europa they expect a ship with 70 scientists to arrive the day after us. This is the largest French natural reserve. A UNESCO world heritage site application has been submitted – hopefully this will be successful.
Another island, Glorieuse with a marine national park is where unfortunately sea cucumbers have been fished out, changing the eco system – as they are natural filters.
The aim is to remove invasive species, replant native grasses and plants. Support sustainable activities; regulate fishing industry and run no impact tourism. Tuna is not well regulated because it is migratory. Ponant is the only ship that has authorization to go once a year with tourists.
Thursday 4thApril
This morning we arrived at Europa, an uninhabited tropical island owned by France and located in the Mozambique Channel. The island has probably been visited by navigators since 16thcentury, and its name comes from the British ship Europa which visited in December 1774. There were several attempts at settlement from the 1860s to the 1920s. The island had never been inhabited until 1820 when the French family Rosier moved there. The island officially became French in 1897. Now it has a weather station and is visited by scientists. It is a small coral island, the first one we encountered in the Scattered Islands group. The local gendarme and one of the military garrison, (seems unlikely but he told us he is a parachutist) came on board. They both carried pistols. When I asked them why they carried pistols on this small coral island, they shrugged and said that it was part of their uniform. We then circumnavigated the island which is surrounded by a coral reef. When we anchored near the entrance to a lagoon, some of the passengers were able to go snorkeling. As the current was fairly strong and it was very deep water, they asked that only very experienced snorkelers go.
There was a big swell and a strong current, but we had to wait until the afternoon when the tide was high enough to cover the reef for us to be able to land by zodiacs. We went for a walk in the low scrubby forest and did some bird spotting. This is a nesting area of the red tailed tropic bird – about 40% of the world’s population nest here. Also, the great frigate bird and the red footed boobie nest here. It is an important site for green turtles who come ashore at night to lay eggs in the sand. One of the local guides from Réunion walked that path covered in broken shells and coral in bare feet. Strange to be walking on this isolated island in the middle of nowhere – just flat with low scrubby ficus trees. Apparently, sisal plants were grown here at one stage, there are still some remaining. Mainly it is birds everywhere and turtles. We saw beautiful spiders and all sorts of insects and tiny crabs.
After our walk we attempted to have a swim. The water was beautiful, but even near the shore the current was so strong it was impossible to swim, you simply had to keep your feet anchored to stop yourself being swept away. Anyway, it was refreshing. Returned to the boat about 5pm. We will sail towards Juan de Nova overnight and will have a day at sea tomorrow.
The birds circling around the ship while we are at anchor are really beautiful, with graceful sweeps and swirls as they came around and around on the thermals. They come so close you could almost touch them. Some of the birds’ wings have the most amazing precise geometric shapes as they spread their wings – beautiful.
We saw two green turtles copulating just beside the boat – the captain called our attention to it. Rather amusing as he announced in his strong French accent from the bridge – “on the starboard side close to the boat you can see two turtles. Uhm, how can I say this in English, uhm, doing their business….” Hilarious.
Friday 5thApril.
This morning we woke up to hot sunshine and a smooth sea – the reflection is burning, too hot to go outside. We have our curtains partly closed, but the balcony door wide open – with hot air coming in. We are travelling north up the Mozambique channel straight into the morning sun. Today is a day at sea, with two lectures. One on sea birds and one on green turtles. I have treated myself to a booking for a rejuvenating facial, so looking forward to that. There is not a bird in sight this morning, maybe we are too far out to sea – we cannot see land in any direction. We should arrive at another of the islands – Juan de Nova tomorrow morning and this evening will learn about what activities we can do there.
What a relief to be travelling on a smooth sea.
We went out on zodiacs at 7am this morning, and because the tide is low and therefore the ship cannot anchor any closer, it was a longer journey than usual. The local gendarme and a member of the parachute regiment of the military came on board and stamped all our passports. The local gendarme this time is a woman and not at all friendly, she discourages anyone from speaking to her. She forbade our group to go on a track across the island because it passes the military camp. What on earth is going on there that is so secretive?
We had a nice walk along the beach. Not much nature to be seen – it is not breeding season for the birds, a pair of pied crows sat on a branch and watched us and some hermit crabs busied themselves in the sand. The tide will be better this afternoon, and the dance team have offered some sessions of aqua aerobics which should be fun. The water is beautiful and is a gorgeous temperature but with a strong current. The sky is quite cloudy and it is very humid, but hot.
Lots of sea, sky, mountains of the Mayotte archipelago, birds flying around shoals of fish, hot and humid. We have just been told the temperature is 30c and the water temperature is the same!!
Monday, Les Glorieuses
This archipelago consists of two islands, Grande Glorieuses and Îles du Lys, with several other rock islets. Thick vegetation covers the island, mainly the remains of a coconut plantation and casuarina trees.
Some of the keen French passengers went on shore at 6.30am so they could witness the raising of the flag at the military camp. The camp consists of 14 Foreign Legion members of the military.
We went ashore at 7.45am a much more civilized hour. After a short walk I spent most of the next hour, swimming a little, floating a little and generally lazing around in the lukewarm beautiful water. Later in the morning John went out snorkeling. They take groups out on zodiacs and drop them into the water at the edge of the reef. Another zodiac waits a short distance away and they slowly snorkel their way to it. It has steps on the side for getting on board again. It has clouded over a bit and there is a swell which makes it rocky and not easy getting on and off zodiacs. This afternoon we will go on land, to laze and swim again.
Strange to be on this island surrounded by casuarinas, the tracks are beds of their needles and nuts just like Tallong! But no black cockatoos and no snakes.
Tuesday April 9thNosy Be and Nosy Tanikely Islands.
Probably discovered by Indian traders in the 15thc. Nosy Be – means big island in Malagasy.
Ylang, ylang flowers, cacao, vanilla and sugar cane give a pleasant scent as we walk around the island. Ylang Ylang is used for perfume essence. The smaller island Tanikely is a marine sanctuary.
We had a great day which started with a trip to shore in a local boat, a walk through the village looking at handcrafts, and then a walk through a park where there we were surrounded by well-fed tame lemurs who sat on peoples shoulders and heads in exchange for a piece of banana. There were chameleons, green geckos, and many birds, all accessible to see. Later in the afternoon we went to the island of Tanikely and spent the afternoon swimming in the luke warm water, John went snorkeling which he thoroughly enjoyed, and the divers went diving! The snorkelers saw magnificent coloured fish, turtles, sea cucumbers, and many other marine wonders.
In the evening it was a White and Black evening, and several of the passengers dined with the officers. We dined with Virginie the Cruise Director - very enjoyable. It’s always interesting to hear the point of view of the some of the crew.
Wednesday, April 10th, 2019.
We are on the way to Assomption Island in the outer islands of the Seychelles north of Madagascar. It is a single coral island 11.6 sq.km in area. The long white sandy beach that stretches on the southeastern side of the island has been named the “best beach in the world” for its white sand, crystalline waters, diversity of marine life and lack of people. It has a small village of 20 people on the sheltered western side.
The officials from the Seychelles will arrive by plane when we reach the island and come on board to stamp our passports. We both had new passports issued just before we left, and they are already full of stamps from these remote areas we have been to. I guess that is how public servants earn their living here!
We had to put the clock forward an hour today – to tie in with local time. We have been able to take things slowly. We woke up to intense heat coming in our balcony door, so had to shut it.
This morning there is a mandatory biosecurity briefing on how we have to behave on Assomption and the precautions taken to protect the island. In other words, all our clothes, shoes, back packs, all gear has to be vacuumed this morning to prepare for a swimming trip this afternoon after we drop anchor – should be around 4pm.
It was 5pm before we got to land on the beach, but it was worth the wait. I had a beautiful long swim in water that was cooler than elsewhere - very refreshing. John went snorkeling and had a wonderful time seeing all kinds of fish and even a green turtle swimming around and not disturbed by the humans who were looking at it through their goggles.
We watched the sunset and returned to the boat for dinner. After dinner the local rangers talked to us about our visit tomorrow to Aldabra Atoll.
Thursday 11thApril.
Aldabra Atoll in a Nutshell. Part of the Seychelles network of islands.
1,000km from Seychelles
We had a briefing from Terence who works in nature conservation for the Seychelles.
It is a coral island with a lagoon only 8m above sea level. 154 km2, 35km long x14km wide. Lagoon 224msq. Basically a research centre. Royal Society began research here in the 1960s.
Seychelles has 2 world heritage sites. Vallée de mai and Aldabra.
What we may see: Bulbul, chameleon, frogs, parrots. Coco de mer – largest nut anywhere.
This is the most remote of the Seychelle Islands. Coastline is rough, limestone and carbonate. It is home to the land giant tortoise, green turtles nest on the beaches, frigatebirds, and the Aldabra rail, a flightless bird. The island is inhabited by a small research team. It is largely inaccessible due to remoteness. Ponant pays to visit and that helps to contribute to preservation. Researches do climate monitoring and there is a weather station.
Giant tortoise monitoring: 150,000 individuals. 5 times more than Galapagos. Key animal in the food structure. Land bird monitoring.
Terrestrial birds: Bulbul, drongo, kestrel, pied crow, white eye, coucul, rail, fudy? Ground dog, ibis, blue pigeon. Night jar – good camouflage. Sunbird (souy monga)
Sea birds: Red tail, white tail tropic bird. Lot of ground nesting. Largest population of red tail in the Indian Ocean. Frigate birds: Greater and Lesser.Shore birds: waders - Migratory.
Vegetation monitoring. Phenology – study of plant behaviour. Many animals depend on plants for survival. Coconut crabs - world largest monitoring. There are 2 types here, the red and purple blue. They climb coconut trees and there seems to be a fairly stable population. A place of nesting for green and hawksbill turtles. Lagoon is an important refuge and foraging site. Oxbill turtles nest in lagoon during the day.
Marine monitoring: Underwater video system is used here. Scuba divers do fish surveys and data loggers.
Sadly there was a 2016 bleaching coral event caused by a cyclone and temperature rise. More than 50% of coral was affected. Some of the more resilient corals are helping the coral to get started again. No fishing allowed here except small sustainable fishing to feed research staff. Marine zone has been extended.
Ecological importance: A refuge for many endangered and unique species. Biodiversity hotspot. The flightless rail has benefitted and increased. Caspian tern is Seychelles rarest bird, only oceanic breeding site in the world. A home of Flamingos, dugong, dolphins and whales. Not many dugongs.
Threats, predators: Invasive introduced species including plants and animals. Climate change, illegal fishing, pollution, natural disasters/ catastrophic events.
It took 20+ years to eradicate goats. 30+ to eradicate sisal. Wild cats still in existence. Rats everywhere are very destructive to plants and small animals. Introduced birds: Madagascar fody and red whiskered bulbuls. Eradication has been successful.
Climate change: impacts on ecosystem, species and human activity.
Illegal fishing: many small ships caught who have been sent in by a mother ship outside the zone. Big problem, not enough man power to monitor.
Pollution: marine debris on beaches, problem for nesting turtles. Cyclones: shelter built in 2017. New solar supply developed. Solar panels established at station by German experts.
12 volunteers came and did a cleanup beach project.
Guardians of Aldabra: they spend 6 months to a year and volunteer for conservation aspect.
We saw many black tipped reef sharks.
Interesting thought that giant tortoises are in 2 parts of the world so far apart.
Aldabra Atoll: is comprised of four large coral islands which enclose a shallow lagoon, and the group of islands are surrounded by a coral reef. Due to its isolation and difficulty of access it has been protected from human influence and therefore has been able to retain a very large population of giant tortoises. It has a research station and contains one of the world‘s most important natural habitats for studying evolutionary and ecological processes.
Getting there: A quick coffee and snack in the lounge before we set out at 6am on zodiacs. It was great to go out at sunrise and before it got too hot. We saw so many animals and birds as we strolled along a coastal path. The giant tortoises were everywhere, apparently there are at least 150,000 on this island, a great deal more than on Galapagos. They didn’t seem to mind us wandering around and madly taking photos. We also saw coconut crabs, flightless birds called the Aldabra rail, and several other birds – lots to see. When I got in the gorgeous sea for a long swim, I was surrounded by black tipped reef sharks, I suppose about one metre long – they were swimming around quite close to the shore and darting around all of us swimmers and snorkelers.
The early start paid off – it was never too hot, and we didn’t envy the other half of the passengers who were only starting at 8.30 as we came back – it was really getting hot by then.
The rest of the day – we read and rested. In the evening we went on a zodiac trip into the lagoon to have a look around and spot some marine life. It was really lovely, we followed some sea turtles, a couple of rays, small sharks, saw many birds and local flying foxes coming in to roost and Dimorphic Egrets settling into the mangroves for the night. A delightful exploration around the lagoon. The strange formations of the limestone and coral rocks and shelves were amazing.
Friday, April 12th
Astove Atoll is a raised coral island of rather peculiar form, a narrow stretch of land almost entirely surrounding a shallow lagoon which has some sandbanks and small islands in it.
In 1760 a Portugese frigate loaded with plunder and slaves went aground here. The crew made off in a long boat for Mozambique leaving the slaves behind. They set up a community and survived on the bounty of the island and the sea.
The buildings here are modern and in good condition. There is a private resort at one end of the island, but we didn’t go near it. This explains the fact that there is an air strip. In the holiday season planes arrive every Saturday – depending on the weather – to bring guests to the resort.
After breakfast we landed in zodiacs and had a walk around the island and to the lagoon where there were herons. Some tortoises were hiding in the shade. Lots of very noisy white terns and gilgils. And another lovely swim in the fresh water.
Alphonse Island:
400 kms south of Mahé, Seychelles. It is a very small atoll, and one of the few outer islands of the Seychelles that offers accommodation in luxury bungalows. There are excellent opportunities for fly fishing, deep sea fishing, diving, and snorkeling. We have to anchor right beyond the reef so the zodiac trip will be longer than usual. We also have to wait for the tide to be high enough to enable us to make the shore. There are groups of divers and snorkelers going out this morning but operating off zodiacs at the outer edge of the reef. We will take a trip to the beach for a walk and a swim. The resort is out of bounds.
Tonight, will be the farewell gala dinner and Captain’s cocktails.
The sea is very calm, and the sun is hot, hot, hot.
We had an interesting lecture on the Evolution of the Creole Language in the Seychelles
Jakawan Hoareau. It is a combination of several languages, but it is one of the 3 official languages of the Seychelles.
The Captain’s farewell cocktail was held on the deck out of doors at the back of the boat. It was a beautiful evening, warm with a slight breeze and most passengers dressed up a bit and rose to the occasion. We had a very pleasant dinner with a couple who were on the boat as long as we were, and after dinner a local group came on board to perform in the theatre. Very jolly and colourful, lots of drums, singing and dancing and reasonably good fun.
The next morning, we spent packing, what a business I do hate it. In the afternoon we went to the island of La Digue, but we didn’t enjoy it much. Too hot and we couldn’t be bothered getting our swimmers and beach gear wet and sandy again as we had to have everything packed that evening. We had a quiet dinner. Then the business of packing the last bits and pieces into our cases and putting them outside our door for early morning pickup. Last night on board. The anchors were pulled up and we set off for Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles.
When we woke up we found ourselves docked right in the town and we had a good view of everyone going about their early morning business. From street sweepers to taxis and people working on the docks. We were booked on an excursion to tour the town, the Botanic Gardens and some photo opportunities. Just as we arrived at the Botanic Gardens a tropical downpour started. Umbrellas appeared from nowhere and we were obliged to go ahead with the walk in the gardens despite the miserable rain. Our feet were wet and we found ourselves wading through puddles. Very uncomfortable. After that session we were brought into the town and the same again. We rebelled and refused to walk around in the rain anymore and went into a café to have a coffee and sit down out of the rain. The tour guide wasn’t very happy with us. We went to a very nice restaurant for lunch and at last we were taken to our hotel. It is very luxurious and I have had a gorgeous swim in what seems to be the hot water of the swimming pool. The pool is enormous. This hotel is a resort and there are various buildings and restaurants in large spread out grounds full of tropical vegetation. The swimming pool winds around a bit and leaves plenty of room for every kind of swimming. It is all pretty glamourous if you want a tropical luxurious resort for your holiday.
There are a group of French people from the ship staying here too tonight so we will be served dinner together, which is all part of the package. Most of them will be flying out early tomorrow and we will have a lazy day here before leaving about 6pm for the airport and our flight to Lyon via Istanbul. So that is the end of this adventure for the moment.
We were very fortunate to have a marvelous group of experts on our Expedition Team, we attended some very informative lectures. I hope you enjoy some of the information below – so much to learn.
Tracking tropical seabirds.
Valentin Nivel-Mazerolles
New technology is being used every day to learn about birds. The first naturalists around the time of 1803 tied some small string around the legs of the birds to identify them. Then carrier pigeons started to be used. In 1907 a German set up a camera on a pigeon, first of this kind. In 1997 the first GPS collar was fitted to a Kenyan elephant – amazing what was learnt about their migration. Now there are many different species fitted with devices and so much can be discovered which is very important from a conservation point of view. It is called ‘telemetry’. Now called biologging.
Where it goes, where it comes, seabirds leave no trace behind him, however it never loses its way. Japanese yoga master.
GPS ARGOS are combined to use on animals so the material can be read on a computer. Research studies can be very expensive using satellites.
A red footed boobie can have a wingspan of 1.4m, and weigh 1kg. August is breeding time, then they leave in March. They always return to the same birth island and same nest. Scientists set up a base station close to nesting place and can read data. Trapping is tricky as the huge beak can be dangerous. Device up to 30grams is placed on base of the tail with strong tape. Tracking tells us that they don’t go so far from the island during the breeding and fledging. Researchers have placed devices on more than 100 of these birds for 4 seasons.
Frigate: Great and Lesser: are the beautiful albatrosses of the tropical area. 1,300 breeding pairs here. They have a symmetrical wing spread and for display the male puffs out a red pouch. They can sleep in their flight. They use the convection of the clouds to soar and they go up to 2,000m plus high. Much yet to discover.
Migratory bird – they will leave after breeding cycle. However, they have the longest parental cycle, and will care for chicks for one year. They teach the chicks to fish, to fly etc. Device is hard to get back. 24 adults and 25 juvenile have been tagged. 1.4kg birds are fitted with a 22 gram device. In the breeding period a long looping foraging trip that can last 6 days, max 12 days when incubating. Longest range recorded 617km, 400km a day. 3701 km once recorded. When they are soaring they are looking for signs of fish, tuna or dolphins, for food. Female gets one sabbatical year, breeds every 2 years. One female went 24 days to Chagos. 10,000 kms in 24 days with one stop.
Sooty Tern: smallest of the three and can only have a max weight device of 3grams. One they measured with a device of 2.6grams.
From Sand to Salt, The Sea Turtles.
By Remi
Oldest fossil was a sea turtle: the limbs cannot fit inside the shell. 120m years ago, they were much bigger than now. Sea turtles show a lot of characteristics of land-living creatures. They are reptiles. Every reptile on the planet hs scales. Their body temperature is directly influenced by their environment. Sea turtles depend on the temperature of the water and the temperature of the air as to when they lay eggs. They need to breathe fresh air.
Their carapace is part of their bone structure, they can’t leave it. Green turtles weigh up to 200kg. Leatherback of 240cm weighed 900kg. Huge. (they have skin above the shell)
They use the front flippers for swimming propulsion, and the back for navigation. Speed: 35kmph. They Migrate more than 20,000km and dive to a depth of up to 1000m.
They live up to 70 or 80 years, and breed about every 5 years. They dive to feed and eat plants and animals above 200 metres. Few food resources are available. Crustaceans, sea weed and grass, Jelly fish, sponges, fish, sea urchins, worms and crabs.
Leather back makes deeper dives. They can stay up to 6 hours under water. Oxygen acquisition maximized. Limited oxygen needed if they sleep under water and therefore can stay much longer. Blood pumped around the body every 9 minutes when sleeping. Before diving they exhale. Vision and hearing is quite sharp, they feed by looking. Not much sense of smell. Lacrimal glands. Salt is their enemy, they get rid of it through nose tube glands. They can smell the currents, and have magnetic and light sensors. Hatchlings have a third eye beneath the skin between the others, but they lose it gradually as they get older.
Mating: length of the day and night – certain times they know when to go back to breeding site, the place where they were born and will find a partner of their own species.
Claw on flipper enables grip on the female when on top. Females will only pickup strongest mate. He hangs on while others are trying to push him off, biting etc. This can last for several days. After she finds the strongest, she will accept penetration into her vagina to fertilise her eggs. After a few days she will go the beach to lay her eggs. For big turtles this is difficult with their massive body weight struggling up the beach, they go at night when it is cooler.
They have to reach past high tide, as soon as they meet vegetation, they start digging a hole, and make a decoy hole first. 50 to 350 eggs. 40-50cms. 1-8 clutches per season. They mate several times in the season. The season isn’t so clear these days, but daylight and night still applies. For about a month the eggs stay under the sand, and the temperature will influence gender. 30c and over will be female, lower temp male. Over thousands of years change would influence gender, but now the change is happening so fast it has consequences – one male for 3 females these days. The young can spend a few days making their way out of shells and making their way down the beach. Their light sensor is blinding, when the sun goes down and the darkness is hitting their shell they come out and run for their life towards the water. Ocean is salvation. Light sensor gives the clue to go to water. Their predators who move fast are crabs, frigate birds, and rats. For the first few days they swim as far away from shore as possible. They don’t feed, they don’t rest, they stay close to the surface to stay warm until safe. They hide under drifting objects and feed on plankton and other small things and rest on the drifting objects.
They can take many years to become adult. It is your size that is important, if you are big enough you can breed, otherwise you have to wait. There are lots of predators in the sea, so very small number survive.
Human interactions: In Aboriginal Wall paintings turtles were linked to early belief in regeneration. Sea Turtles were important – they have always been portrayed as gentle creatures. Sadly, no sea turtle species is safe right now on the planet. Hawksbill is almost extinct, green is in danger. People have used their skins and their shells, fishing: they die in nets. Their scales are collected. Plastic is ingested. Street lighting kills the hatchlings.
They feed on sea grass, if no turtles survive there will be a problem with sea grass. Bio-diversity of the whole island is affected if sea turtles leave. Leatherbacks will eat dangerous stinging jelly fish – if no turtles?
Saturday, 6thApril we are anchored off Juan de Nova, another pretty coral island about 6kms long and 1.6km wide. It is a nature reserve surrounded by reefs which enclose a lagoon. Sea turtles nest on the beaches around the island. Juan de Nova was Portugese who came across the island in 1501. It had never been inhabited when it became a possession of France in 1897.
Plankton, the Foundation of Marine Life.
By Anina
Sunlight is the start of it all, the delivery of energy. And the link between sunlight and marine life is Plankton, everyone starts with Plankton.
In the Habitat of the open ocean, Plankton is the finest drifting organism. It varies in size, the smallest is bacteria, the largest is jellyfish.
50-85% of Earth’s oxygen is produced by phytoplankton, we are not relying on the forests alone. What is not used is sinking, and some of it as respiration returns to the surface making oxygen.
Clear seasons are more productive for plankton therefore high latitudes and cooler waters are best.
In the island of Europa lagoons with mangrove have highest nutrient concentrations and highest bacterial production.
Zooplankton eventually turn into starfish, sea urchins and arrow worms. Whale sharks feed on plankton, they have a special filter pad over their gills. Water runs out and food gets stuck in the filter. They eat 10-20kg of plankton every day.
Seabirds as Sentinels of our Oceans.
Deborah Pardo: Seabirds as sentinels of our oceans
Phd in population ecology
71% of the planet is covered by ocean. It absorbs a quarter of CO2 emitted and absorbs excess heat. It produces half our oxygen and regulates our climate with oceanic and atmospheric circulation
· 1 billion humans depend on the ocean for food
· 40% of humans live at less than 100km from the ocean.
· Oceans offer 17% of the animal proteins consumed.
· 47 million depend on the ocean for work.
The marine biome represents 99% of habitats available on our planet. The yearly number of patents for medicinal products from the ocean is increasing.
Those birds classed as seabirds spend their life at sea but breed on land. 56% breeding species of world seabirds are found around south east Australia and NZ. Some of the seabirds we will see on our voyage:
Terns, noddys, sooty terns and brown noddies.
Tropic birds have up to 1 metre wingspan.
Boobies: masked, also red feet boobies, they breed for life and share duties on nesting, and feeding. They survive for decades.
Frigate birds: Great and Lesser. Above 2 metres of wingspan.
They can remain at sea for months.
Albatross use the wind in a lateral fashion, they never flap their wings, they use the wind to raise themselves and don’t have to use any muscles to keep their wings open.
A great deal of scientific research is done on the island of Europa with tracking devices fastened to birds. They nest in big colonies, not for socializing but to give themselves more protection from predators.
Global threats are from humans. Exploitation, introduction of invasive species and climate change. As glaciers melt it changes the salinity of the ocean and has severe consequences.
Invasive species: mosquitos, rats the master of invasion. They have colonized masses of islands. Rabbits eat vegetation and degrade the terrain with their burrows. Chemicals used by farmers end up in the ocean destroying sea life. Coral bleaching caused by the heating of the ocean which has been made more acidic. Trawler nets destroy the sea floor.
Exploitation: consumption
Too much fishing is destroying the ocean. The long lines kill many birds. They are now trying out weighting the hook lines to make them sink and put up decoys while they are throwing out the bait lines.
Traffic of animals of endangered species is a big problem – 3rdin the world after guns and drugs. And finaly pollution: plastic is a killer.
It all starts with me. Ways we can help protect the ocean: Implement the zero inbox method. Compost. Thrift shop and recycle clothes. Block ads on my postbox. Bicycles. Use vinegar to clean. Join a food coop. Eat less meat, make less rubbish. Donate time to charity. Use no straws, no plastic. No palm oil.
