Thursday, October 17, 2013

Why are these reefs so healthy?

Five lined snappers on Hadahaa house reef
So for four months now I have been living on this beautiful island paradise, and having lived and dived all over the world, and having experienced some truly magnificent things in the ocean, I was originally dubious as to whether this would live up to my high expectations. However when I reflect on my position as Resident Marine biologist and EarthCheck coordinator here, I really do not think it can get much better than this. I really do have the best job in the world!

I often think back to how sceptical I was sitting in a restaurant in London, talking through the job with my predecessor. I probably even gave a little eye role as she talked about how healthy the reef was and how high the species diversity was. However after living here and diving here for all this time I really can say my arrogance was unjust.

After recently watching Greg Stones' Mission Blue TED talk on The Phoenix Island and The republic of Kiribati, it got me thinking about our atoll and islands here in Southern Maldives.

Greg Stone: Saving the ocean one island at a time.

Some Background: Kiribati is an island nation in the central pacific, it like Maldives has many islands spread over a large area of ocean. The Phoenix islands are a group of sea mounts in the middle of this nation  with no inhabitants and 5 days by boat from the nearest airport. Until recently these islands were the largest marine reserve in the world. But in Greg Stones talk, he tells the tales of the flora and fauna before the marine reserve was set up.

Table corals at Hadahaa House reef.
 Photo credits:  ScubaZoo
Table coral Phoenix islands.
Photo credits: National Geographic
From his stories and imagery the only place in the world where I have visited that comes close to this is the coral reefs I have visited within this atoll (Huvadhoo). Having dived all over the world I am still amazed everyday when I jump in the water here to see such a healthy and diverse marine ecosystem. In fact research by the Marine Conservation Society UK and Reef Check found Hadahaa house reef to have the highest percentage coral cover out of all of the reefs surveyed during a nation wide exhibition in 2009. Surveys were carried out in six atolls stretching from Ha Dalluu in the north to Addu in the south.

The coral reefs in this atoll have flourished even though unlike the Phoenix islands these islands have been inhabited for almost 2,000 years. Not only have they been inhabited but commercial and subsidence fisheries have been on-going here for many years. These reefs also see the same threats that other coral reef ecosystems succumb to such as ocean acidification, rising sea temperatures, impact from tourism industry and population expansion.


So my question is: Why are these reefs so healthy?



Under the water villas at Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa




Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Journey to Paradise

Egypt

So I have recently taken a position as Resident Marine Biologist and EarthCheck coordinator at Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa and I am keen to share my passion for the marine environment with everyone that I can. But firstly let me tell you a bit about myself. I was born in Cairo, Egypt, and it is fair to say I became a seasoned traveller at a young age moving between countries and continents with my parents and siblings until we settled in the UK.


Snorkelling in Fiji

After finishing school at 18 I decided to take a year out before university and travelled to Fiji to work on a volunteer based marine conservation project. I was already a keen diver after learning to dive with school friends in the Red Sea when I was 16. Living on a beautiful tropical island and diving in the crystal clear waters of the Pacific ignited a passion in me that would go on to mould my future. After spending 7 months in Fiji carrying out daily fish and invertebrate surveys, I went back to the UK to start university.


Researching Whale Sharks (Djibouti)
I began a three year degree in Psychology and Sociology and although I enjoyed my degree a lot I did not feel the same way about it as I did marine conservation. As  a result I spent all of my summer vacations volunteering on marine conservation projects. After my first year of university I travelled to South Africa to volunteer on a great white shark project, monitoring Great White Sharks off Dyer Island (famous for its cape fur seal population and thus Great Whites).

After my second year at university, I made my first trip to the Indian Ocean to undertake my PADI Dive Master training in Seychelles, which was followed by three months working for Global Vision International marine program. After my final year at university I returned to the Seychelles to work on The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles Whale Shark Monitoring program. I worked monitoring Whale Sharks in Seychelles and Djibouti, and combined this with travelling in South East Asia and Australia where I got in as much diving as possible. After spending three years combing working in Seychelles and travelling I returned to the UK to undertake my Masters degree. This further fuelled my desire to conserve and protect the marine environment and led me to the Maldives where I spend my days in the water continually being amazed by how incredibly diverse and healthy this marine ecosystem is.


Hadahaa resident Hawksbill turtle coming up for air on the house reef.

Friday, October 4, 2013

A love letter to a beautiful island


Dear Hadahaa,
What an amazing time we’ve had together, the best of times. I hope someday to find colleagues and corals that I love as much as you. Hadahaa, you have been so much more than a job, you’ve transformed me, powering my passion for nature, laughter, children and food. I’m incredibly proud to be a piece of your puzzle. There will not be one day that I don’t think of the 12% of my life I belonged in the Maldives. Does this makes me 12% Maldivian, seems like more dho?
 
These are just a few of the things that will make me smile when I’m daydreaming about you:
-          Chef Sunil’s gooey chocolate fondant
-          Swimming with wild dolphins
-          Laughing with beautiful children on local islands
-          Stargazing and lazing on the roof of the dhoni
-          Dancing like a mad to boduberu drumming
I’m going away for a while, to be a little closer, to a bigger island on the other side of the world. But our relationship is not over and I’m already looking forward to hearing the words “Welcome back”.
 I know that you know, but I’m going to say it again anyway– I’m really going to miss you.
With love,
Arabella