Jellyfish Patch Reef, Belize

Today was our first day of "regular" diving, even though we've already been diving for 2 days. We planned a 90 foot dive for the morning, a 60 foot dive right after lunch, and a 30 foot dive right before dinner.

To start off the day our 90 foot dive was along the edge of the atoll, outside of the protective coral ring. We saw lots of fishes, a GIGANTIC lobster (a few of our sports-fishers were amazed by the size), and some of the same corals we've seen on our other reef dives. Deep dives are always fun, with the chance to see very different types of corals and creatures on the reef. Too bad we can only stay down there 20 minutes!

The second dive was in the shallower area right above where the wall began its steep drop-off. The kids were hard at work doing their science surveys - fish counts and classifying the benthic cover.

And our third dive was at a new spot, which we are lovingly calling Jellyfish Patch Reef. This new dive spot is inside the protected atoll area. From aerial views or satellite pictures, you can see that the Glovers Reef coral atoll forms almost a complete protected circle around the inner lagoon area. The few breaks along this coral boundary are the only ways for boats to get in and out of the atoll. Outside of the coral ring, the wall drops off sharply into very deep depths. Inside of the atoll, depths are much shallower, reaching a maximum of about 70 feet. As all of our Belize group is well aware, the shallow protected lagoon area has much smaller waves. Going outside the lagoon means large ocean swells and a much bumpier boat ride.

Staying inside the lagoon area is new for our group. The patch reef was about 20 feet deep, but the sides sloped down to about 50 feet. We all had to be careful not to go too deep, since our dive was planned for 30 feet maximum depth. And this dive presented a new obstacle: jellyfish! There were large numbers of big moon jellies, which are essentially harmless. Unfortunately, there were also a lot of sea wasps and smaller jellies with a much more painful sting. Cruising around the patch reef on this dive required a sharp eye to watch out for the nearly see-through jellies and quick reflexes to change direction if a collision was imminent. A benthic cover survey and two fish surveys filled out our science for this dive. Morgan and I were actually able to circle the entire patch reef in our 50 minute dive while she performed a fish survey.

~Julie Galkiewicz, Education Officer, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

Our first dive was at a site called the Aquarium. It amazes me how many great reefs are by the island. Our dive was outside the atoll so the waves are bigger and the current was stronger. I saw three huge black grouper that each weighed about 60 pounds! Conner (CHutch) and I went snorkeling on a reef off the coast of our island. It was absolutely beautiful. There were no bleached corals and the reef was so healthy. Our second dive was also at the Aquarium. We did fish counts again. Our third dive was fish counts again. IT WAS MY 100TH DIVE!! We saw a TON of moon jellies. Maddie and I were playing with them. Some of them were bigger than my head.

~Brooke Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

The Great Blue Hole, Belize

The first dive today was at a world famous dive spot - Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef Atoll (seen in NASA satellite image to left). It's an amazing geologic feature - a 400 foot deep hole in the lagoon of the atoll which averages about 40 feet deep. Diving the Blue Hole in Belize is like seeing the pyramids in Egypt. You've just got to do it if you're there!

But to get there required an hour and a half boat ride through 6-8 foot seas. Even with an expert captain, this meant a lot of big ups and downs as

we rode over the waves, and a few hard knocks if the boat landed a bit crooked. This affected people in two ways: 1) seasickness - as a person with a lot of first hand knowledge about this, I prepared for the trip by taking Dramamine and sat in the back where the wave motion wasn't quite as extreme. And 2) soreness - bouncing up and down, side to side, over and over again for 1.5 hours can make anyone sore. And if you're sitting on a hard seat, going airborne over particularly large waves can lead to a hard landing.

After a quick stop at Half Moon Caye to check in, we ran the last bit over to Blue Hole. Unfortunately for us, the legendary great visibility

was significantly lower because of Tropical Depression Alex who had just blown through. But at 90 feet deep, we were able to see the strange wall formations just fine. The hole is absolutely covered in algae, cascading down the sides. It almost looks like a stationary green waterfall. In a few crevices we could see some hardy lobster. Not sure how they plan on getting out of the hole! And there were a few corals as well. Fish were few and far between, although we did see two reef sharks at the beginning of the dive.

The second dive was another science dive - two groups of 'nauts did REEF fish surveys, while the third group worked on coral measurements and identification (the AGRRA belt transect). The coral group is having a hard time finishing their transects in time because there are so many types of coral! Of course, it's always awesome to see lots of coral, but it sure is faster to do this survey back home in Florida.

Our final dive of the day was a night dive, on the same 30 foot reef we've visited twice before (Bev's Garden). But as familiar as the reef may be, it's always different at night. Every diver was marked with a glowstick on their tank, just to give a location. And every diver had a dive light to help them explore the reef. It's always reassuring to have a dive light with you, but sometimes its nice to swim around without it on. That way you get to see what everyone else is doing, and you don't have to worry about plankton swarming around your light.

We saw many of the same creatures we've seen previously on the reef, just acting differently. There were parrotfish asleep in crevices, squirrelfish out and about, and corals with polyps extended to feed. But there were also a lot of new creatures! I saw a baby squid, who accidently ran into my dive light and was so alarmed that he inked. We saw basket stars on top of coral heads, and lots of biolumnescent plankton.

So even with only three dives, we accomplished a lot today, and definitely can't wait for bed.

~Julie Galkiewicz, Education Office, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

The Blue Hole was big and basically empty. We saw a shark (unable to tell what type because it was too far) and a sea turtle, but basically that was it. The algae growing on the sides wasn't too interesting and to be honest, everything else was just dark blue nothing. It wasn't a total bust, though. The reef that formed [circling the Blue Hole] about 30 feet down and went towards the surface (literally like within 2 feet of the surface) was pretty nice. It reminded me of Bev's garden, another site we've been diving on here in Blieze, being that a lot of the coral and fish that I noticed were in both locations and both are shallow reefs connected to long drop-offs.

~Connor Waugh, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

Glover's Reef Atoll, Belize

After all the traveling yesterday, plus the fact that Belize doesn't use daylights saving time and sunset arrived at 6:45, most of us went to bed around 8:30 or 9. And with the sun rising at 5, the whole crew was awake and ready for the day by about 6 am. I know most of the parents of the kids on the trip will be amazed to hear that!

Diving on Glover's Reef Atoll did not disappoint. Our first dive was fairly shallow, with our maximum depth at 30 feet. We wanted to use this dive to get acquainted with any special Belize differences on the reef. Since most of our dives back home on the Springs Coast of Florida only go to 15 feet, 30 feet is a depth we're not used to. We got a chance to explore Bev's Reef, an area right outside the protected inner lagoon of the atoll. There were many more species of coral and fish than we're used to seeing, and the amount of coral was much higher.

The second dive of the day has gone down in the log books as everyone's favorite, or at least top five. In a similar area to the first dive but over the side wall of the atoll down to 60 feet, we drifted along checking out overhangs, looking up valleys that headed towards shallower water, and stared over the edge of the wall into darkness. The leading part of the group even got a chance to see a pod of dolphins swim by, and two or three sea turtles also made appearances.

In between dives, the kids are enjoying the island location, snorkeling out a few hundred feet in the shallow lagoon waters. There are reports of small patch reefs with large coral colonies, and a wide variety of fish.

The third dive of the day was back to Site 1 (Bev's Reef). But instead of taking it easy and exploring, we started our science surveys. Three groups of 'nauts were formed, one to perform a point-count survey method to assess the dominant benthic cover; the second group used a belt transect, measuring and identifying corals along a one-meter wide belt; and the third group swam around the reef and identified and counted fish species. Since this is the first time some of the 'nauts have used these methods, it was important to try them on a shallow site and work out any problems that popped up. The kids have chosen to specialize in one of the three survey methods. This will allow them to become pros, and the TS chapter can rely on them in the future to teach younger 'nauts the survey techniques.

After quick showers (very rustic conditions), and a delicious dinner, we held our final science meeting of the day. The kids reported on what they saw, what successes they had, and what challenges they faced. The rest of the night was spent looking up corals and fishes in ID books in order to learn more about them.

~ Julie Galkiewicz, Education Officer, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

Our first dive was so cool! First time seeing a lot of corals (like Staghorn, Mustard Hill, and Pillar) and fist time seeing Triggerfish and Lionfish. It was really cool watching the parrotfish eat the algae off the coral skeleton. Colin and I went snorkelling after our first dive and saw Boulder Brain Coral, which seemed like it was confused, and there was fire coral everywhere. Our second dive was really cool, too. There were dolphins swimming above us and we saw a couple of sea turtles. I saw another Lionfish and lots of shrimp. Our third dive was at the same location as our first except Danny and I did the coral survey together. I felt so cool knowing the corals. I wouldn't have had a chance at that survey a few months ago. I liked seeing the lionfish, since I hadn't ever seen any before (even though the are invasive to the Caribbean) and all the corals looked like they were straight from my study guide. I'd been used to seeing only 4 or 5 corals in the Gulf of Mexico but here I'm seeing like 20!

~Conner Hutchisson, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

On the first dive we dove at Bev's Garden. I was amazed at how clear the water was and the color of the water was so blue. The water looked like it had just come out of a movie. The first dive I did not see a lot of fish but there was so much coral. It was so beautiful. The second dive was a lot better it was a 60 foot dive at Long Key Wall. Right as we were going down, I saw a Green sea turtle. It was a big one too. While we were swimming along we saw another turtle and when we were following it a dolphin swam right over it and following it was about 6 other dolphins!! It was an awesome sight. That dive I saw a lionfish for the first time. They are not as cool as people said. The third dive Conner and I did coral surveys. I had a good time.

~Danny Alaniz, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

The reefs of the Springs Coast, Keys and Belize (thus far) are immensely different in many ways. While the roles the organisms play are consistent, the players - and sheer quantity - are vastly different. The species diversity is incredible in Belizean waters. For example, I saw Blue Hamlet, Indigo Hamlet, Creole Wrasse, and numerous parrotfish that I have not seen since the Bahamas in 2008. The coral is also healthier, larger and more numerous. There is Porites porites, Montastraea cavernosa and M. annularis, Porites astreoides, and oh so much more. I also saw Acropora cervicornis and Dendrogyra cynlindrus for the first time. In addition to the stony corals, I saw many octocorals, including sea fans, sea plumes and sea whips. I also saw a variety of sponges. On the second dive I saw two sea turtles, one of which was a Hawksbill. I did a fish count on the third dive. Unfortunately I saw a few lionfish on each dive :-(

~Morgan Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

Tarpon Springs Chapter travels to Belize

Our travels to Belize were off to an early start. The connecting flight departed at 6:30 am, so the whole Belize crew needed to get to the airport at 5 am. A long night of packing and preparing, plus the excitement of the trip meant that most of us only got a few hours of sleep. Checking in our bags was an adventure as well. With two free checked bags allowed for international travel, along with the two carry-ons allowed on all flights meant that some of us (definitely me!) were dragging along 4 large bags. Scuba gear and scientific equipment take up a lot of space!

After 4.5 hours of flights, 3 hours of bus travel from Belize City to Dangriga, and 1 hour by boat to the Glover's Reef atoll, we were thrilled to finally be able to drop our bags and start exploring. The island is pretty small (the nature trail around it takes about 15 minutes to walk), but the views are gorgeous! We're sleeping in dorms that are right on the water. The crashing of waves on the reef break will help us fall asleep even faster than the exhaustion alone.

After a delicious dinner and some planning by the adults, the kids had their first science meeting. We went over some assessments (basically quizzes) the kids had taken on the plane ride over to Belize. Instead of regular quizzes in school, though, it's ok to get most of the answers wrong on this assessment. It's to give me an idea of who knows what about the various topics, which include identifying corals, geology, geography, sampling methods, and reef structures. Sounds like a lot, but these 'nauts know so much already! And now I know what to focus on for the rest of the trip.

Tomorrow begins our first day of diving, and none of us can wait to get in the water. We know the dive sites and reefs will be very different from what we typically see on the Springs Coast of Florida, but no one knows exactly what to expect. We'll be amazed!

~Julie Galkiewicz, Education Officer, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

It is so different here than at home. There aren't any real "cities" the same as we picture them. There are huts pieced together and not many cars. Everything looks a bit run down and I can't imagine there are many modern accommodations. On the island, they use solar power, recycled rain water, and compostable outhouses. Electricity is limited. It's strange not being able to turn up the AC or flush a toilet. Comfort isn't the same here. It's not awful though. It's actually very beautiful and strangely relaxing not to rely on electricity and instant comfort when the slightest thing goes wrong. (I'll still be thankful for all I have at home though!) Poverty seems to be the norm here, as opposed to at home where it's the exception.

~Madison Hayes, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

7th Annual NABS Youth Education Summit

I recently chaperoned three SCUBAnauts, Mary and Jessica Silk (St. Petersburg Chapter) and Ashley Hilbert (Tarpon Springs Chapter) to attend the 7^th Annual Youth Education Summit for the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) in Florida City. This 5 day summit was in conjunction with NOAA, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. There were close to 50 youth and adults in attendance. Our NOAA guide for the week was Kathy Sakas (Education Coordinator Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary) and her knowledge of the Keys history and Sanctuary Ecosystems was a constant source of information. Other NOAA educators were Mary Tagliareni (NOAA-Florida Key National Marine Sanctuary) and Timothy Runyan, PhD (Maritime Heritage Program). The youth attended a series of classes on coral reefs, fish identification, neutral buoyancy activities and underwater archaeology. There was a community beach clean-up day, we learned about the Miccosukee Indians and took an air boat ride and of course the youth had opportunities to snorkel and dive on various reefs.

We started our week with Mary Tagliareni giving a class on the Introduction to Coral Reefs followed the next day with an interactive demonstration of four types of instruments used in coral reef research. On Tuesday, the Youth had the opportunity to give back and clean the beach at Bahia Honda State Park. Everyone was issued a bag and glove to comb the beach for trash. Kathy Sakas came back with a collection of trash and turned it into a mini hands-on demonstration for the Youth to see how harmful litter can be to marine animals. Later that evening, the Youth attended an Ocean Science Technology presentation and were taught how to build a Neutral Buoyancy object. Every summit has a fun day and Wednesday was it. We traveled to Key West for a Behind the Scenes Underwater Archeology tour with Corey Malcolm, an archaeologist with the Mel Fischer Museum. The Youth learned how artifacts found in ocean waters are preserved for historical museums. We met up with Mary Tagliareni again and had a tour of the Eco Discovery Center, a very interactive museum open to the public. The evening was topped off with time at Malory Square, a place where local artists sell their art or perform street acts.

Thursday and Friday were primarily snorkeling and diving days. Our SCUBAnaut Youth were able to log four dives; unfortunately due to very windy conditions Aquarius on Key Largo was not possible. Dr. Chris Moses (SCUBAnauts Dive Safety Officer) was able to join the divers the last day and observe their diving skills. The week culminated with a banquet. The guest speaker was Dan Orr, president of Divers Alert Network (DAN). Various awards were given out to Youth participants and SCUBAnaut Jessica Silk was awarded Female Youth Diver. Her award is a testament to the character building and active citizenship promoted in the SCUBAnaut program. Overall the week was jam packed with substantive educational and water opportunities.

~Midge Silk, St. Petersburg Chapter (Adult Leader)

My experience at the NABS/YES Youth Summit was very rewarding. I was able to speak to very inspiring individuals that have an immense love for the ocean and all the animals in it. Mrs. Kathy Sakas was very nice and I'm so grateful to have been able to learn from her. Where ever we went she always had useful information.

One time when we were doing a beach cleanup she collected the weirdest things that were washed up on the sand and even though we were staring at this stuff all day searching for trash I never really stopped to think what that stuff was.

On this trip we were immersed in cultural history, when we toured the Mel Fisher Museum and the Cemetery. We learned about the lives of people during the Middle Passage and how they were treated once they reached Key West. We also got to experience the tourist attractions such as the cat guy who lost a couple of his marbles. We were able to do a couple of dives but the people from the NABS organization really made the trip a fun and rewarding experience. I made some real great friends that I hope to keep in touch with.

~Mary Silk, St. Petersburg SCUBAnaut

Today's Energy Mix: Implications on Ocean and Coastal Resources

On June 9^th, the SCUBAnauts attended the CHOW sessions on energy and it was very interesting. I learned so much more on the oil spill and how it will hurt our economy and our ecosystem. We also learned why we need to help in any possible way to save marine life. We also meet three Representatives of Florida, Congresswoman Corrine Brown (FL-3), Congressman Allen Boyd (FL-2), and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (FL-11). It was such a great experience meeting them and talking about what we do with SCUBAnauts. Also we gave suggestions on how we can help with the oil spill and how to get the word around to kids. It is a couple of moments that I will never forget. Later we visited some of the museums and had a blast, seeing so many exhibits. We also went to see the Washington Monument and the White House. One of the coolest things I have ever seen. This trip is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

- Sofia Alaniz, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

On June 9^th, the SCUBAnauts got to attend the Capitol Hill Ocean Week talks. In the morning we went to a talk, and the topic was Today’s Energy Mix: Impacts on Ocean and Coastal Resources. It was especially intriguing because of the recent events in the Gulf of Mexico, the Deep Sea Horizon Oil Spill. We also meet with three Representatives from Florida: Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Congressman Allen Boyd, and Congresswoman Kathy Castor. We had the opportunity to discuss our opinions on important issues, and ask what they were doing to help ocean preservation. We later visited the Natural History Museum as well as the American History Museum. It was very educational and exciting.

-Brooke Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

On Wednesday, June 9th, we woke up bright and early- we had an important day in front of us. After navigating our way through the basement of Congress, we met with Florida Representative Corrine Brown. She told us about her efforts to create a high-speed train connecting many of Florida’s major cities, bringing us up to the standards set by the more efficient, environmentally sound modes of travel used in Europe, for example. She then let us sit in on a BP hearing where we heard speeches made by many important men and women about the oil spill, which was heartbreaking to hear. We also met with Representatives Allen Boyd and Kathy Castor, who listened to our stories and suggestions and answered our questions about our futures and the future of our environment. Representative Kathy Castor’s district is very close to where we are so she was especially interested in our work. It was a very exciting, empowering day. It was great that we got to have our say and actually have people in power listen to our concerns about our futures.

-Madison Hayes, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

CHOW: A New Nauts Perspective

This experience with meeting Florida and Massachusetts Representatives opened my eyes to the political view involving the oil spill, windmills, and faster transportation. Personally, it was very nerve-racking. However, it was worth every emotion. It did not only give me the opportunity of being responsible, but it also gave me the confidence to approach and carry out a conversation with a Representative. I hope I will be able to do more of these events to build up more confidence and do more with questioning. SCUBAnauts has opened my eyes to a bigger world in politics with oceanic issues.

-Emily Pitchko, Lake Hitchcock SCUBAnaut

This was an excellent experience for me. Talking with Anne Nelson, science advisor for Congressman John Olver, about the oil spill in the Gulf and other things such as windmills instead of oil to fuel homes was phenomenal. Meeting with the Representatives from Florida was also inspiring. I am so excited that I am a SCUBAnaut, and I can't wait to go on more trips. This was the beginning of a huge adventure for me.

-Caity Wilkins, Lake Hitchcock SCUBAnaut

Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Jacques Cousteau

"From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free."

- Jacques Yves Cousteau

While in DC, the SCUBAnauts had the opportunity to attend the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) Awards Dinner. This year’s dinner was especially significant as it marked the 10th anniversary of the NMSF as well as the 100th anniversary of Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s birth. We spent the first part of the evening mingling and conversing with the other guests at the dinner. We had the opportunity to meet many new people as well as reunite with old friends. Most notably we met Jean Michel, Fabien and Phillipe Cousteau, Bob Ballard, and many other notable people within the world of oceanography. Upon sitting down at our table we saw that everyone received a red cap, similar to that of the famed red hat of Jacques Cousteau. We all celebrated his legacy and his dream by donning our red caps in the presence of his family.

-Morgan Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

At the NMSF dinner, we met Jean Michel Cousteau in person. He was a really interesting person to meet. He was one of the people that spoke at the dinner. He did not like the tragedy of the oil spilling into our ocean. We talked to him about the oil spill and ocean conservation. It was a really exciting experience.

-Danny Alaniz, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

At the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation dinner, we met Robert Ballard in person. He was a wealth of information and a very knowledgeable person. I am glad I met him. Robert Ballard was one of the people who found the Titanic after it sunk. We met interesting people such as Jean Michel Cousteau who is the son of the inventor of the Aqua Lung, and Don Walsh who has gone the deepest in a manned submarine. All and all Capital Hill Ocean Week was a great experience and I would love to do it again.

-Colin Cassick, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

Life is all about traveling down the road and adding a few stops on the way. Traveling to Washington D.C. was definitely a stop won to be remembered. The trip started out with the big “BANG” of fun in Capital Hill Ocean Science Week Award dinner. There I met the person who discovered one of the most interesting topics in my life; the R.M.S. Titanic Robert Ballard

(I even got a picture!). I also met the Cousteaus and this too was an awesome meeting since I’ve done a project on Jacques-Ives Cousteau. However, one of my favorite things on this whole trip was getting to receive a red hat just like Jacques Cousteau and traveling on the metro! I’ve learned many things along this trip such as how to mingle with other important people, how to find ice cream in D.C., and most importantly; how to travel on the metro. I hope to go next year!

-Jessica Silk, St. Petersburg SCUBAnaut

Capital Oceans Science Week was a great experience that has really furthered my view of the science world. I was lucky enough to talk to Dan Basta, Director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and it was a real privilege. He was very nice and supportive of the education of young people. Then, I got to meet with Jacques Cousteau’s son, Jean Michel, and his grandson, Fabien, both of which are genuinely nice guys. We were able to get into an intriguing conversation about the unfortunate event of the oil spill. He was quite upset of the horrible event but focused more about how to help the affected areas. He was very inspiring.

- Mary Silk, St. Petersburg SCUBAnaut

,

2010 CHOW: Focus on Clean Energy

Next week, twenty SCUBAnauts from three Chapters (St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs and Lake Hitchcock will be attending Capital Hill Oceans Week in Washington, DC . Capital Hill Oceans Week (CHOW), sponsored by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF), provides our 'nauts with a great opportunity to meet ocean explorers, science and policy leaders. In 2008, while attending this event, SCUBAnauts were invited by White House staff to meet with the First Lady Laura Bush. In 2009, the NMSF recognized SCUBAnauts International for its volunteer and environmental work. This year will have particular significance with the focus on "Clean Energy and a Healthy Ocean: Navigating the Future". The 'nauts will have the opportunity to meet and discuss these issues with members of Congress, including Congresswoman Corrine Brown, as well as ocean and energy experts.

Why Naut Arc GIS?

Four SCUBAnauts from the Tarpon Springs Chapter recently attended the Southeast Regional ESRI conference in Charlotte, NC in April 2010. We were featured as guest speakers in the closing session of the conference as a unique example of the application of ESRI's software. We presented our Chapter's work on developing the first geospatial database of natural reefs along Florida's Springs Coast. The ESRI conference was a great opportunity to boost our public speaking skills. In addition to learning about the software and interesting job opportunities, we met several new and exciting people. This conference gave us a new vigor for exploring the Spring's Coast.

In addition to monitoring the benthic habitat and fish populations, our Chapter has been working with Florida Fish and Wildlife scientists to monitor populations of sea turtles (such as the green sea turtle shown in the picture on one of our study sites).

-Morgan and Brooke Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnauts