Our Global Reef Expedition is one of the largest coral reef studies ever undertaken. Throughout the entire mission all our research is supported by the research vessel M/Y Golden Shadow. Now at 20 years old, Golden Shadow is required to
In May 2013, when the science team of the Khaled Bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation plunged into the waters surrounding Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, we discovered a reef in crises. Something had damaged between 80 and 99 percent of the island’s coral
Mangroves are unique trees that grow in intertidal areas of subtropical and tropical regions. They are highly specialized in adapting to distinctive environmental conditions they occupy. For instance, some mangroves are able to absorb seawater from the ocean and expel
Probably the most significant thing I learned on this trip is that it is possible for coral to be resilient to environmental stresses … that reef revival is possible. It was exciting to see the reaction of researchers who studied
Our CREW member Jim has written a blog about his initial experience with us on this research mission: “It is an incredible opportunity to spend time with scientists who are doing the research that gives us the science that we
It’s been two weeks since the Gambier portion of the Global Reef Expedition to French Polynesia ended. In less than two weeks, our science team will be heading back to French Polynesia to conduct research in Rangiroa. In the meantime,
Very few of us are fortunate enough to have opportunities to explore and discover the world, and I certainly consider myself to be extremely privileged to have the full time job as Captain of the research vessel Golden Shadow, living
My two weeks aboard the Golden Shadow have come to a close. During that time, I spent the days diving with the science team. At night, as the ship swayed with the swells of the ocean, I reflected on their research as
The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation works on a global scale to improve our understanding of coral reef health and the ecological integrity of coral reef ecosystems. Pollution, coastal development, overfishing, climate change, disease, and predation can negatively impact
French Polynesia is a long way from my hometown of St. Albert in Alberta, Canada. For many of my students, coral reefs are an abstract concept. Fortunately, in my short time with the science team, I have acquired many amazing
