Our adventure was unforgettable. In the morning, we learned to conduct a coral health survey on the house reef, which is stressed from recent construction and development. We uploaded our data to the international team, knowing it will contribute to real scientific research.
Later, we filmed the amputation of the front left flipper of an adult Olive Ridley sea turtle caught in a ghost net. The infection was severe, but the surgery, performed in a fully equipped and sterile surgical room; was successful. Some turtles recover fully and return to the ocean; others cannot. The marine center is incredibly clean, and the turtles receive exceptional care.
In the afternoon, we went by boat to a nearby reef to remove entangled ghost nets. Visibility dropped to a foot or less as we stirred things up, but we kept thinking of that poor turtle. The dive master said she’d be happy if we removed a 10’ x 10’ piece, but our team cut loose the largest chunk anyone had ever removed. It was so massive that two people had to lift it to the surface with a rope, it was impossible with our BCDs alone. Incredibly rewarding and unforgettable.
Today was just as amazing. We snorkeled up close with enormous manta rays, words can’t describe it, but thankfully we have video! Our dive team is inspiring: an 18-year-old from Sydney, a talented drummer and composer, is joining us to learn diving and hopes to collaborate on music projects. Georgina, our volunteer coordinator from Kenya, taught us how to make bracelets from the ghost nets we remove, and she’s even collaborating on some musical pieces with me.
Our surgeon, Maria from Ecuador (28), the veterinarian from Spain in her mid-twenties, and our dive master Jade from South Africa (28) are all young, brilliant, and welcoming. Even Kenma, the program administrator in his 40s, captained our boat and helped us find the mantas. We may be the oldest on the team, but everyone made us feel completely included.
Day after day, this experience keeps getting richer. More ghost net removal, snorkeling on the house reef, coral surveys, and unforgettable moments, memories that will stay with us forever. We only wish we had more knowledge about identifying coral species, but what we’ve learned so far has completely changed how we see the ocean.
