February 2012 Expedition - Day 16 - One day before the last
We head off to work in the morning. The dive boats skim across crystal clear waters, teaming with fish, as we near the reef a large school of spinner dolphins join us, jumping ahead of our bow wave. Overhead a huge flock of Red-footed Boobies, Frigate birds and many species of Tern flock in the warming air. We enter the water and the huge schools of fish obscure the reef. Another day’s work on one of the most marvellous reefs in the world awaits us.
This afternoon Pascaline will complete the next stage in her dive training. All the expedition members are very impressed with how much she has helped us all with our work. It can’t have been easy for her, being so much younger and a far less experienced diver, but she has been superb.
Tomorrow is our last day’s diving, no diving the day before we fly out. All the scientists are pleased with the amount of data that they have been able to collect. A very successful expedition.
Expedition leader Charles Sheppard sums up.
“As with previous expeditions, scientists taking part mostly have two kinds of things they want to do: firstly the “must do” tasks such as monitoring for BIOT’s management purposes, and a second “nice if we could do” list, which would advance the science of the place. Again, with the huge support of the officers and crew of the BIOT Patrol Ship, the Pacific Marlin, I think most of us have made huge inroads into the second list as well as completing the first. We have squeezed a quart into a pint pot thanks to the help we have had from all quarters. Furthermore, we are delighted that two people accompanying us have been fired up to join university Masters courses in subjects related to protecting Chagos, while a third, Pascaline, our Chagossian colleague, has also been stimulated to take a degree in marine biology, in order eventually to continue the work in understanding how Chagos functions as an intact ecosystem and how best to help ensure it stays in such a good condition.This time, we have seen again that these reefs and some rat-free islands are in superb condition, many aspects of which are even better than ever. For probably all of us there is nowhere quite like it. It needs to stay in the condition it is in today.”
The expedition has been declared a resounding success by all members of the team. Much of this is due to the incredible support that the Pacific Marlin and her exceptional crew have given us. I hope that you have enjoyed following our expedition and support this, the biggest of the world’s no-take Marine Protected Areas
With best wishes
Anne Sheppard
Chagos 2012 team member