CatKnapp, a 38ft Wharram Tiki, sailed from New Zealand to Vanuatu in July to meet up with Magic Roundabout, do minor repairs, sort out crew and sail on to Solomon Islands.

The crew visited Tuo village on Fenualoa Island and Abatai village on Rennell Island, training volunteer Reef Guardians – local men who received ReefCheck training and developed underwater surveying skills, and will be the monitors of the Marine Protected Areas in their reef. The crew’s aim is to assist these men to understand sustainable fishing practices which will be shared with other community members, and eventually they will manage and monitor their own marine resources independently. OceansWatch was able to supply some snorkells and masks and underwater surveying materials, and carry out a number of ReefCheck surveys inside and outside the Marine Protected Areas.

OceansWatch’s practice and support of community development and sustainable livelihoods, saw their participation in local school presentations of marine conservation films, discussions of ways to minimise pollution and damage to the surrounding reefs they rely on for fish, and support of the arts program whereby the money received for billums sold last year by OceansWatch was passed to the weavers – it was nearly twice they would normally receive in payment locally.

It is wonderful to come back to the same communities and see the enthusiasm continue, and the increase in coral health and fish numbers in even 1 year old MPAs. As Chris and the crew meet and develop good relationships with Solomon Island authorities, it’s exciting to be invited to new communities as work spreads about OceansWatch’s marine conservation and community development work.

Other aspects of life in the tropical islands are the difficulty of getting unwell people to the health clinic, shortages of water and food in the dry season when wells become saline, and it is too hot for the staples to grow, and the community being able to raise money to send and keep their children at school. The schools close if the community is unable to raise the money, and children miss out, or have to walk to the next village. We are conducting a village survey on SEM-Pasifika guidelines, and recording the salinity, total dissolved solids and pH of each well, and together with the villagers, may be able to assist in accessing funding.  OceansWatch communicates with member yachts in the area to seek assistance in transporting villagers, and delivering emergency supplies, and through Moana Arts is a sales outlet for traditional craftwork, sending 100% profit back to the village.

Polynesian islanders are famous for their sailing skills, and with the noticable absence of sailing canoes, Chris spent an enjoyable day with the men and women of Abatai village creating a sail and mast for one of the canoes. It is hoped the sailing canoe will assist the local fishermen to fish for deep-sea fish more often without the aid of petrol, thus decreasing the impact of fishing on the coral reef closer into the island.

We are pleased to report the founding of OceansWatch Solomon Islands, with a team of highly skilled Solomon Islanders on the Board of Directors. The registration of this organisation will build OceansWatch’s capacity within the Pacific, increasing our ability to train local people and develop projects through local funding opportunities.

Project boat Magic Roundabout left New Zealand on 27th May 2011 bound
for Vanuatu. With a great weather window opening up it took 9 days to
reach Port Vila where we underwent Reef Check training which taught us
underwater survey techniques. This first involved several theory
sessions learning how to identify fish species, invertebrates and
substrates, followed by a couple of practical snorkel sessions. Once we
were confident with identification, we headed to a local dive centre
where we practiced conducting actual transect surveys on the reef.

After our Reef Check Survey exams, we were ready for helping projects.
The first leg was south to Aneityum – catching up with Tony (the MPA
Manager) and organising Reef Surveys and transfer of information gleaned from past surveys. Then back to Tanna and the world’s most accessible volcano and Erromango, where there is a future effluent worry from the Yacht Club, which is a local eco-tourism dream, slowing comingto fruition.

We headed to the north of Efate to the islands of Nguna and Pele, and there, the crew were involved in projects ranging from collecting cans for a new recycling venture (part of dealing with the big rubbish problem) to collecting Crown of Thorn Starfish (COTS). Also to collect and pot 200 native plants on Pele to help prevent coastal erosion.

Then to Epi and on to South West Bay on the island of Malakula, where the community of Labo village is developing an eco-lodge and with the yearly yacht festival attracting the cruising yachties and tourists, they asked for our help with designing some mooring buoys here so that the yachts do not anchor on their beautiful protected (tabu) reef. Also some garbage awareness for yachties.

We sailed into Port Olry on the north-eastern side of Espiritu Santo, on the 24th August, and here we did some snorkelling reef surveys, mangrove monitoring, and mapped out the three ‘tabu’ areas that were put in place 4 years ago. We carried out some water sampling at the adjacent river mouth and other coastal sites, which showed faecal colliform, and an overgrowth of algae. This information was passed on to the Fisheries Department for further investigation.

We then sailed to the north-east side of neighbouring Sakao Island. We were asked by the Department of Fisheries to collect some survey data to support making the surrounding waters an MPA as there are plans to begin mining on Sakao.

Hello, I’m Vanessa. 33 years of age. Scientist, tree hugger, fish lover and mum. I’ve been working for Noosa Landcare for the last 4 years looking after Noosa Waterwatch, a community water quality monitoring network, and Noosa Bushland Care, a community bushland regeneration network. I also do a fair bit of grant writing and reporting, as well as research into local native plants, climate change, sustainable agriculture and carbon sequestration / environmental offsets.

I finally finished my Science degree (Env Science major, Marine Biology minor) at University of the Sunshine Coast in 2005. I also did my Permaculture Design Certificate with the Permaculture Research Institute in northern NSW. I’ve got a chainsaw license, first aid, blue card, advanced SCUBA certificate, International Yachtmaster coastal powerboat and short range radio license.… I speak French and Spanish and I love travelling and learning about different cultures and communities.

Llittle Luc came along about 2 years ago, bringing lots of smiles and cuddles with him. Together we’ve been on a few adventures around Lake Cootharaba, Harry’s Hut and up the Noosa River, Whitehaven Beach, Blue Pearl Bay off Hook Island, and his favourite word is “boat” (he only knows 3 so far, boat, truck and frog).

I’ve spent about 600 days at sea as a hostess on a three island cruise in the Whitsundays, a decky on a penguin cruise in Melbourne, a skipper on a charter boat between Spain and Morocco… I’ve also spent time working as a translator, a research assistant on raptors, water birds, and aquatic weeds and a fauna trapper of dingo prey on Fraser Island.

I was born in Proserpine and grew up in Airlie Beach. I’ve always been near the water, on the water, under the water. I have never been able to eat fish, so I think I was probably one in a past life.

Not sure what I would like to see OW get involved in. I think it is important to continue with current projects and maintain current levels of involvement. Then maybe extend reef monitoring to other areas, collect temporal data, identify changes in distribution over time and impacts of ocean acidification while working with and exchanging knowledge with indigenous communities.