Dhow Trip

Friday saw our first boat trip, as we went out to a marine reserve to deploy a current meter and test our biological sampling techniques. We learned a lot, some of which will help us simplify our methods, while a lot was just awesome.

We chose Chumbe Island because of it's protected status; hopefully our instrument remains untouched by nets or thieves. The instrument is being used to validate model results, as the variable topography is difficult to resolve. Following a successful deployment here, the instrument will be taken to near Dar es Salaam, where the channel begins and shallows dramatically. With that deployment, we hope to understand the exchange of water between the channel and the open ocean.

With our invitations from the local university, we were greeted warmly after a short boat trip and were allowed to do some exploring on land. The most striking feature of the island was the lighthouse, dwarfing anything else on the island. The lodge itself was spectacular, and provides immaculate views of the surrounding tropical ocean. There is also a mosque, which along with the lighthouse, was built ~100 years ago.

The surrealism of the island gave way to snorkeling as we returned to the boat to begin deployment. I ran support for the divers, helping transfer tools and messages from sea floor to the surface. We successfully deployed the current meter on a small expanse of gradually-slopped sand. I returned to the surface to have lunch and prepare for coral photography.

Coral photography was where we learned the most about our techniques. This process is not simply taking photographs, as I thought, but an intricate underwater dance with the frame, twine, the coral, and the camera. We learned a lot, changed some of it.

Our way home saw some CTD casts and water sampling for Chlorophyll and Total Suspended Solids. We enjoyed beers on the beach and discussed the days events. The consensus was unanimous; deployment was a success, visibility was good, and the weather was beautiful.

Somethings Interesting:

-The 3km long Chumbe Island has been a marine reserve since 1992 (according to the island's guide; Wikipedia says 1994). The reserve extends 300m offshore the Eastern side of the island, with buoys clearly marking the edge. Here the coral drops off from 10 to 40 m. Sadly, the western side of the island has no such protections, and experiences drag-nets and overfishing.

-The eco-lodge provides day trips for $90, or accommodations for $200 a night. Often, local school children make the trip out to learn about their environmental resources.

-Chumbe Island won a sustainability award from the UN in 2000 for the success of it's conservation effort.