europe.oceana.org: On-board diary

Last days of the campaign

Ana de la Torriente

26 September, 2008

After all of these months of work, it seems unreal that we have finally reached the end of the campaign. During these last days, there are mixed feelings of happiness and tiredness. On one hand, we are sad to have to leave the ship and stop being constantly on the water. On the other hand, the fatigue from the intense work aboard the Marviva Med and the joy of knowing that we have compiled very valuable information for developing the campaigns and reaching goals - that has to be analyzed- encourage us to leave the ship.

: © OCEANA

With the help of the Rov, we spent the last days documenting the peak of underwater mountain Emile Baudot, located to the SW of Majorca. We made a total of 4 dives with the ROV, and filmed the sea bottoms located at depths between 100 and 330 meters.

: © OCEANA

In some areas, on the sandy-detrital bottom, there were rhodoliths and small rocks covered with coral species. Among the species that inhabit these areas, we found sea urchins (Cidaris cidaris), crabs of the genus Calappa, fields of sea fans Eunicella verrucosa and Paramuricea clavata and fish such as red bream (Helicolenus dactylopterus), swallow tail sea perch (Anthias anthias) and Mediterranean flagfin (Aulopus filamentosus).

: © OCEANA

To finish off the 2008 campaign in the Mediterranean, the Marviva Med will set sail for Barcelona in a few days where the World Nature Convention will be held. It is organized by the World conservation Union (IUCN). We will take this opportunity to show our achievements to the public interested in our work and also to conclude the 2008 campaign.

22 to 25 September, 2008

Thierry Lannoy

On September 21, the dive team contacted the ZOEA dive centre, in Palma de Mallorca. We had already worked with this dive centre on other occasions and they had always been very professional and shown much interest in raising awareness and protecting the reefs in the Balearic Islands.

Responsible dive centres usually constitute a valuable source of information about the conservation of the marine environment and the local dynamics between the different sectors; the personnel at ZOEA proved they were dedicated to these issues. Contact your local dive centre for information about the situation of the marine environment. The beauty of the oceans and seas constitutes their livelihood and they are usually very keen on protecting their workplace for the benefit of all.

: © OCEANA / Carlos Suárez

We organised the first dives in the Sa Dragonera Reserve, an island southeast of Mallorca. Amongst other objectives, we were looking for a specific alga, Cystoceira, in order to document it. This dive spot did not disappoint us because, apart from a large quantity of algae, we also found a well-conserved reef. During the deepest portion of the dive, we spotted an impressive group of barracudas, who seemed the true owners of the place, peacefully dominating their territory. There were more than one hundred barracudas grouped together here and seeing them swim in formation was an unforgettable sight. The presence of such a large group of these specimens is a sign of the reef's good state of conservation.

In shallower waters, we spotted the species that are the delight of the divers in the Mediterranean: salemas, rainbow wrasse, greater forkbeards, damselfish and also the elegant nudibranch, the Flabellina.

For the next few days, we dove near the Island of Toro also located within a marine protected area of the Balearic Islands. We also spotted the barracudas there, in large groups, close to 30 meters depth. We had to carefully plan the dives to take advantage of our time limits. Some of us used a special non-air gas mixture called Nitrox in order to stay underwater longer and document the barracudas.

: © OCEANA / Carlos Suárez

The underwater part of the Island of Toro is formed by vertical walls that fall 50 meters. We used the multi-level technique to organise these dives, starting at the deepest part and then slowly rising and stopping at different depths. This technique allows divers to optimise dive times at each depth and avoid the risk of decompression.

The waters of the Balearic Islands invite you to dive down to the depths. Visibility is excellent (over 40 meters) and the water temperature is 25 degrees at this time of the year.

During the last dives, we filmed the Cystoceira we were looking for. It was a veritable gift; one more offered by the clear and welcoming waters of the Balearic Islands.

: © OCEANA / Carlos Suárez

18 September 2008

Rebecca Greenberg

I wake up at about noon to the boat rocking. While we’ve been navigating we’ve come across some choppy waters. I spend the rest of the night waking up occasionally to the bumpy ride.

When I wake up for breakfast, we’re already at Les Olives. But, there are some technical problems with the radar. We have to get to a port to try and fix it, and since we it’s always best to navigate at night with a good radar, we decide to get a move on towards the port of Palma, Mallorca. By 9 am we’re making our way back. Since we’re arriving in Palma a bit earlier than expected, people take the time during the ride to readjust schedules, plan work, and catch up on emails.

It takes us about 7 hours to arrive. During the trip I see many little flying fish (probably Hirundichthys rondeletii since they are the most common here) and a couple of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba). Once we arrive and dock in the port of Mallorca, the crew begins loading and unloading, cleaning and refilling things. The radar gets fixed.

I stay in the boat and work for a bit and then take advantage of being on dry land to go out and get some exercise. I went for a run along the Paseo Marítimo. However, I started feeling a little bit strange but was thinking, “how can this be? I’m on dry land?!”. To my surprise, my colleagues informed me I had what was known as “land sickness”. After being on a boat all these days, I couldn’t get that “rocking feeling” out of my body. We meet up with Lola, another diver who works with Oceana. Eventually my land sickness goes away, and my colleagues and I enjoy a nice dinner in Palma.

Back to the boat for bed, because at 4am we’re scheduled to sail back out to Les Olives to work with the ROV.

17 September, 2008

Rebecca Greenberg

I wake up at 7:30am to a little bit of boat rocking and the sound of the motor, and look out the small round window in my cabin to see the sea passing by. “Oh no! We´re moving!”, was my first thought. Although I was tempted to stay in bed for the remaining half-hour untill breakfast, thoughts of my seasickness the other day made me hop down from the top of the bunk bed and reach for the pills I had brought along “just in case”. Well “just in case” ended up being a necessity, as I got really seasick on Monday and have taken the anti-seasickness pills diligently thereafter. And I’ve been fine ever since!

Today has turned out to be a fine day, with little wind and a relatively calm sea. This is important, as since coming aboard a few days back, we haven’t been able to use the ROV due to windy conditions, high ocean swells, problems with the lights, the cables… I was eager to see “Roverto” put into action and was told that the technicians that have come onboard in the past couple days are great. Seems the weather will only be ideal to use the ROV today and tomorrow, so I’ve got my fingers crossed. Things are looking good, and it seems that today will be the day!

: © OCEANA / Carlos Suárez

We decide to do a test run, about 2 miles from the coast. We’re located at the northern tip of Mallorca, near Formentor. If all goes well, we’ll move a bit more off shore to this great underwater canyon we found yesterday, at points going down to over 500 meters deep. The test run is successful. After hitting the bottom at 85 meters deep, our trusty little robot shows us red coral (Corallium rubrum) and black coral (Antipathes subpinnata), sea urchins (Echinus melo), anemones (Cerianthus sp.) sea stars (Chaetaster longipes), sea cucumbers (Eostichopus regalis), worms (Bonellia viridis), and gorgonians. A spider fish buries itself in the sand when it sees the robot approaching it. We see the remains of a trawl net.

Lunchtime is 12pm every day. Today we have a curry dish with rice and melon for dessert. The cook has planned a set menu everyday, and I was told there wasn’t much flexibility in this. Since I don’t eat meat, I brought some extra things to eat just in case I was still hungry. But this hasn’t been a problem for me at all! In fact, anytime the meal involved meat, the cook has prepared me a separate meat-free plate! The crew is all really nice, and I really appreciate the consideration they have given me in preparing my meals.

So, onward to the spot we spot we surveyed yesterday. Everyone is anxious to see if the ROV will be successful here. Immersion Number 28 begins at about 1:30. I go into the booth where the technicians and us scientists watch the images of the ROV. Watching the screens, we see that the robot is going deeper and deeper, and the water darker and darker. Then the technicians turn on the light, and a few minutes later the ROV hits bottom. It took about 35 minutes in all for the ROV to get all the way down to 360 meters. This time we see a beautiful Solmissus albescens jellyfish, tiny axe fish, lots of small tube anemones (Arachnactis oligopodus), some shrimp hidden within rocks and some blackbelly rosefish (Helicolenus dactylopterus). But as we’re watching the screens, radars and videos, we see that the ROV is moving further and further away from the boat. It’s too far away and we have to raise it back up to the surface to avoid it getting damaged.

: © OCEANA

Later on, we decide to move on to Les Olives, a seamount halfway between Ibiza and Mallorca. Smooth sailing all the way for the rest of the afternoon. The crew alternate between working and taking in the beautiful scenery of the northern coast of Mallorca, full of steeps cliffs diving into the sea.

16 September, 2008

Carlos Pérez

After leaving Menorca due to bad weather on the northern coast of the island, we now find ourselves on the eastern coast of Mallorca. We’ve taken advantage to let the storm go by, seeking shelter on the coast of Santany. Then, when the storm was dying down (“julepe frescachón”… Felipe Mellizo “Los Tres anillos”), we anchored in the bay of Pollensa. That funny and intelligent journalist reminded us of the sailors who wore three rings on their ears, which meant they had sailed through the three most extreme capes on earth, and were thus granted the right to: Urinate against the wind and Not reveal themselves before any sovereign on the planet.

It reminds me of those documentaries about the Magallanes expedition through exotic lands in which some of the Philippino crew members’ names are Joaquín, José, Camilo, etc…. They study Magallanes (Maguellan, they call him) as if he were an invader (which is exactly what he was) and remember Rizal as a liberating hero who, they always mention, “studied in Madrid...”. I point out that he was a smart guy for wanting to know the enemy inside-out.

The truth is we’ve been trying to leave for a couple of days, doing bathymetric work, diving and “anchor up”/“anchor down”. After the first bathymetric measurements, Riki, Ana and Rebecca have found a promising slope. They are anxious and nervously kick the ROV’s container, like purebreds ready for the race. I give them some sugar and they calm down.

: © OCEANA / Carlos Suárez

Some of us who were here last year with the Ranger recall those days. Oceana’s Board of Directors met in this bay and it was the first time they were able to touch the catamaran that filled so many pages of oceanographic studies and campaigns year after year. I think they liked it.

Mauro and Fleta have disembarked from the MarvivaMed; and Joan, Tomeu and Manuel have also arrived. The ROV has its public, but more importantly, its technicians.

We’re still waiting for the weather to improve. In the Mediterranean, you can’t make plans more than two days in advance. The storm comes and goes as if the Mare Nostrum thought he was all-powerful, while we’re left to count the waves, and they say no two are alike.

A little gift of nostalgia:

"… Oh men, I’ve seen things you would not believe. Attacking burning ships beyond Orion, I’ve seen C-Rays shining in the darkness close to the Tannhäuser Door. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in the rain. It’s time to… sleep?...".

13 September, 2008

Daniel Rodríguez

Today is the 13th. It’s neither Tuesday nor Friday, and I get this number that only substitute goalies wear proudly on their backs.

After an unsuccessful attempt to cross the canal that separates Menorca from Mallorca, due to the weather conditions, we anchor in Cap d´Artrutx, south-east of Menorca. We spend a calm night after a stormy day, and it is the beginning of these 24 hours that I must narrate.

The restful hours went by, without surprises. When the new day dawned, the 13th, reality presented us with a desolate panorama once again: the Menorca Canal was still impassable. And the ship remained where it was. As such, we have time to complete our tasks, each one according to his/her functions, and to begin planning others. We have to take advantage of this time and these circumstances.

After a day of trials with the ROV, at four in the afternoon, it's time for the divers to get into the water. Thierry, Günther, Carlos and I prepare the equipment and cameras.

: © OCEANA / Carlos Suárez

The zodiac’s in the water and Cesar takes us to the dive spot: the Cap d´Artrutx lighthouse, close to where we are anchored.

When we reached the dive spot, we noticed certain currents, the location favours these conditions. We dive into the water and observe that the rock falls, forming a vertical slope for approximately 10 meters. There are blocks, passageways between the rocks, some ledges and caves. The landscape is dominated by Posidonia oceanica and photophilic algae. “Tongues" of white, fine sand contrast beautifully with this underwater prairie.

There is an abundance of life here, more than other dive spots we've visited in Menorca.

We identified: amberjacks, salema, damselfish, perch, rainbow wrasse and seabreams.

In the darker areas, the rocks were “covered” in life. Sponges, bryozoans, algae, encrusting anemones and miriapora, always guarded by cardinalfish.

After a nice, peaceful dive, we return to the “mother ship.”

Once again, we get back to our routine tasks and the computers are working at full speed ahead in the “surveyor room.”

: © OCEANA / Carlos Suárez

The day ends with the sun setting between the clouds behind the Cap d´Antrutx lighthouse, a beautiful post card to remind of us Menorca.

After dinner, we get together to watch a movie. But the real show begins outside. Nature begins an improvised “performance,” offering thunder, lightning and water from all directions.

This apocalyptic special effects show ended this 13th day of September.

12 September, 2008

Menorca

Ana de la Torriente

We reached the port of Maó three days ago. After having worked around Menorca, we landed in this city, which was turned into the capital of the island during the British reign.

Whenever we reach port, everyone quickly disperses and concentrates on different tasks: the ROV technicians take advantage to buy material and make adjustments to their equipment, Carlos and Daniel take photographs of beautiful Menorca, concentrating on ports and ships, Ester, Xavier and I meet with the GOB of Menorca in order to exchange opinions about the actions necessary for the conservation of the island’s marine environment. This association (Ornithology Group of the Balearic Islands), established in Mallorca in 1973 – although the insular association of Menorca was established in 1977 – aims to defend, disseminate and study nature and the environment of Menorca.

On the 10th, we accompanied Xavier to Fornells, where he was invited to give a conference on Menorca’s marine environment in the “Tertúlies” organised by the Es Mercada City Hall every summer. Famous people with some special connection to the island are usually invited to these events.On the 10th, we accompanied Xavier to Fornells, where he was invited to give a conference on Menorca’s marine environment in the “Tertúlies” organised by the Es Mercada City Hall every summer. Famous people with some special connection to the island are usually invited to these events.

Approximately 50 or 60 people were present and Xavier took advantage to make an in-depth analysis of the current situation of the marine environment in the Balearic Islands, with special emphasis on Menorca. Basically, he emphasised that, due to the decrease in marine populations and the collapse of some commercial fish stocks, it is necessary to implement measures that will protect these populations and stocks and allow them to recover, such as the establishment of quotas for commercial species, the taking into account of the waters between the islands in the management of autonomous regions, the elimination of fishing techniques like bottom trawling and the establishment of marine protected areas and their management, through planning programmes and effective inspections.

The place chosen for the conference, Fornells, a traditional fishing port located just inside a marine reserve, the Reserve of Northern Menorca, was the perfect place to discuss and debate the necessary measures for the conservation of resources. Unfortunately, we were surprised by the lack of fishermen at the meeting, and this prevented a useful exchange of opinions and experiences in the search for solutions. Even so, the fact that the local community was present made this an interesting experience, because they were interested in learning about the current situation of the island’s marine environment. The reality of the marine ecosystem was presented precisely to the people who live in direct contact with the sea.

8 September, 2008

Marta Sales - GOB Menorca

Here I am, on board the Marviva-Med traveling through and exploring the northern coast of Menorca, where I was born, the home of my best childhood memories and the main area of study for my doctoral thesis.

Apart from my scientific interest in the ocean, I have been collaborating for two years with the GOB in the Jo dic PIC campaign, which advocates Insular Coastal Planning. This planning consists of regulating the number and location of the moors there should be on the island of Menorca. This regulation should be preceded by studies on load capacities. We advocate this planning in order to avoid situations like the ones that are currently occurring. We are referring to the construction of new docks and placement of new mooring points around the island due to local interests and without taking into account the needs of an island the size of Menorca.

As GOB collaborator and citizen implicated in the conservation of the seabeds, my work on board the Marviva-Med consists of transmitting the information I have at my disposal to Oceana personnel concerning the conservation problems suffered by the island’s seabeds.

On board the ship, time seems to slow down and it doesn't matter if it's Tuesday or Saturday. A normal day on board consists of a dive with the ROV, which allows me to discover the seabeds I would otherwise never see, and a dive with the human team, in which I participate as a “native tour guide.”

5 September, 2008

Silvia García

Cape Bajolí and Marine Reserve of Northern Menorca

End of the day. It’s 20:00 and we’ve just finished the first dive in waters of the Marine Reserve of Northern Menorca. This time, we were lucky, but the experience we have accumulated in the Cantabrian and the Mediterranean allows us to affirm that the absence of fish is alarming. We have verified the lack of fish in the sea during the dive with the ROV this morning off Cape Bajolí, on the west coast of the island, and in waters of the marine reserve. This time, all the members of the dive team agree that the fish are extremely sensitive and easily frightened. Although they spotted various species –groupers, combers, meagres, wrasses, seabreams,…- both the videographer and the photographer had a difficult time filming them, because they were so skittish. This is clear evidence of the ever-increasing overexploitation of this area, constituting a significant factor in the absence of certain species. As such, recreational activities should be taken into account when managing populations and habitats within the protected area.

In the case of the Balearic Islands, there are numerous marine reserves in waters of Mallorca. In Menorca, however, where we are now located, there are barely any marine protected areas, only 5,119 Ha included in the Marine Reserve of Northern Menorca. There are other protected areas on the island, such as the S´Albufera des Grau Natural Park, with its 1745.2 HA of marine protected area, but the management of its seabeds is far from being effective because, amongst other reasons, there is a lack of surveillance in this important section of the park. As such, the activities carried out in this area are abusive and uncontrolled, and there are no consequences, such as sanctions or formal complaints, to prevent them.

The creation of a Marine Reserve involves management actions by the central government and/or the autonomous government of a specific area in order to protect the habitats and species that live therein, as well as the management of the uses and activities developed within that area, such as the extraction of fishing resources, recreational diving, scientific research, the presence of boats, etc. For example, Oceana, in order to document the state of the seabeds and marine habitats of the reserve, must request authorization from the Balearic government to carry out scientific work in the reserve prior to arrival. Each activity developed within a protected area, either land or marine, must comply with the established regulations so as to not damage the environment and should have the corresponding authorisation from the competent government body, if applicable.

September 3-4, 2008

Carlos Suárez - Underwater photographer

My adventure on board the Marviva Med began as soon as I arrived in Palma de Mallorca. It is the first time for me onboard this ship and I am proud to be able to contribute to this expedition. My work will consist in taking photographs of the daily activities on board this 42-meter vessel and to take underwater photographs during the dives, supervised by the person in charge of this campaign, Ricardo Aguilar.

I will not have any problems to get used to the routine onboard and this ship is more comfortable than Oceana’s other ship, the Ranger. I have been on the Ranger many times and am familiar with the work philosophy. The Marviva Med is larger and better equipped. This will allow us to work with the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) at greater depths and with more guarantees. Roverto, as we jokingly call this remotely operated vehicle, incorporates video cameras that allow us to see what is going on at greater depths and during a longer period of time compared to conventional diving techniques (with divers). It is an extremely valuable piece of equipment used to collect data from the deep seas.

After a day using the ROV off the island of Cabrera, we set sail towards Menorca, where we will concentrate on obtaining data and images. The next morning, a dive team gets ready to dive off the western coast of Menorca for the first time, Cape Bajolí. We conscientiously prepare the equipment: tanks, regulators, BCs. The zodiac is ready to go and the divers are prepared to begin their work in Menorca. Apart from Daniel Rodríguez, underwater videographer and close friend, we will be accompanied by Günter Kehren, the security diver, and Thierry Lanois, the dive team leader. Furthermore, this time, Marta Sales, will help us, as well. She is from Menorca and represents the GOB, Ornithology Group of the Balearic Islands for the protection of the natural environment and has much experience diving in these waters.

At last, I am in the water. I feel free and weightless. I like to think I am in my true medium, although I am conscious that it is only a sensation and that, as humans, we are actually intruders in the ocean. As soon as I dive into the water, the warm Mediterranean covers my face. I calculate the water temperature must be around 26 degrees, quite warm compared to what I am used to in the Atlantic, specifically in the Canary Islands, where I am from and where the water temperature is usually never above 23 degrees. I let some air out of my BC and start to descend towards the deep blue. The visibility is amazing, probably around thirty meters. First, I swim down a wall that is parallel to the coastline, approximately a 15-meter drop. Then, the slope becomes gentler, with some large rocks appearing amongst patches of posidonia. The rocks create cracks and grooves that harbour a variety of sessile organisms.

The underwater landscape is very beautiful, but something is missing in this idyllic spot: Where are the fish? A place like this should be full of life, but all we find are some tiny young fish. Hidden in the darkness of a crack, I see a small dusky grouper that swims off when he sees me, like a bat out of hell. This area in Menorca is not protected and the fish seem to know well that when humans and fish come together, the fish will definitely be the losers.

Thoughts of my last dives in the National Park of Cabrera last year fill my mind; I saw huge specimens of groupers and many other fish there. I can't help but compare these two places; so close and yet so completely different. It becomes clear to me that reserves are necessary in order to protect many species and allow them to grow, become adults and begin to reproduce. Without a doubt, what we experienced in Cape Bajolí is the result of human predators. The dive, about which I was very enthusiastic, begins to get frustrating for me. Small seabreams hide amongst the rocks and only a few damselfish seem to be active, swimming around in the middle of the water column. I also spot a few small wrasses trying to remove parasites from other fish, but there doesn’t seem to be much demand for their cleaning services. I am pleased to see a group of cardinalfish hidden in a narrow passageway. Their metallic orange colour brightens up the shadowy-darkness of this place.

Starting 27 meters depth, the thermocline appears and a healthy posidonia meadow stretches out before us. The water here is quite cold, and only a few minutes go by until my body convinces my mind to swim up to the warm 26-degree water, closer to the surface. As I begin to swim up, I see the remnants of fishing gear caught on a small rock. It looks like a longline, or similar gear; proof of the overexploitation suffered by these waters and the life they harbour.

We are getting close to the hour and the air in our tanks is starting to wane. It’s time for a safety stop, to avoid getting decompression syndrome. Once we are again on board the Marviva Med, we inform Ricardo of what we’ve seen and I upload the digital images so they can see what we experienced. The data obtained by scientists and researchers will be supported by these images and will be included in updated reports about the current state of the Mediterranean, more specifically the waters of Menorca. I hope to contribute, in this way, to the conservation of our beloved Mediterranean Sea.