RTC'83
Contributor
Just finished two days of “Saving Coral”!
I am not what you consider a “tree hugger”; I just enjoy diving. I came down to Cozumel for a week with 3 out of my 4 kids and my wife. Our first stop was with the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program.
The program is led by a very passionate and dedicated man, Dr. German R. Mendez. I do not know how long he sleeps, but his day started with visiting and getting the coral lab ready; then he met us for our class and dives. We finished around 4:00 PM or so; then off he went to meet with some local merchants to explain the importance of the reef and how it impacts the whole community. After that he is meeting with about 22 local DM’s, scuba operators and hotel management to go out and snorkel to trap some of the spawning corals that are virtually extinct and only spawn once a year from 2 to 7 days after the full moon in early August. Who knows what time he will finish tonight, but he will be at it all again tomorrow morning.
Now on to the two days of class. In the first class we learned about different kinds of coral and the threats to and condition of the reef. This was followed by a 45 min dive to the south farm. Next, we learned about fish and their need for a healthy reef and took another 45 min dive to the north farm. On the second day, we learned about diseases affecting the coral and how to prepare the epoxy to reattach broken coral to the reef. Then, we put it all together and dove to clean more reef and reattach more broken coral.
I learned some fancy scientific names of many corals and learned how to handle the weapons of choice for the soldiers of the restoration program— 2 big brushes and a toothbrush.
But the biggest lesson of all was:
You’d better learn to appreciate what we have right now; don’t wait ‘til we lose it. Then it will be too late.
You owe it to yourself to do learn about coral restoration. Mankind will thank you.
I am not what you consider a “tree hugger”; I just enjoy diving. I came down to Cozumel for a week with 3 out of my 4 kids and my wife. Our first stop was with the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program.
The program is led by a very passionate and dedicated man, Dr. German R. Mendez. I do not know how long he sleeps, but his day started with visiting and getting the coral lab ready; then he met us for our class and dives. We finished around 4:00 PM or so; then off he went to meet with some local merchants to explain the importance of the reef and how it impacts the whole community. After that he is meeting with about 22 local DM’s, scuba operators and hotel management to go out and snorkel to trap some of the spawning corals that are virtually extinct and only spawn once a year from 2 to 7 days after the full moon in early August. Who knows what time he will finish tonight, but he will be at it all again tomorrow morning.
Now on to the two days of class. In the first class we learned about different kinds of coral and the threats to and condition of the reef. This was followed by a 45 min dive to the south farm. Next, we learned about fish and their need for a healthy reef and took another 45 min dive to the north farm. On the second day, we learned about diseases affecting the coral and how to prepare the epoxy to reattach broken coral to the reef. Then, we put it all together and dove to clean more reef and reattach more broken coral.
I learned some fancy scientific names of many corals and learned how to handle the weapons of choice for the soldiers of the restoration program— 2 big brushes and a toothbrush.
But the biggest lesson of all was:
You’d better learn to appreciate what we have right now; don’t wait ‘til we lose it. Then it will be too late.
You owe it to yourself to do learn about coral restoration. Mankind will thank you.
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