Solomon Islands

Sneaky Sea Turtle

Written by

Typically, people scuba dive to see beautiful coral reefs that are teeming with life. For most of us (scientists), we are focused on getting our work done, and it’s often difficult to fully appreciate all that is going on around …

The Silent World

Written by

In 1953 Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Frédéric Dumas co-authored the book The Silent World (with the rather verbose subtitle: A story of undersea discovery and adventure, by the first men to swim at record depths with the freedom of fish). …

Sustainable Seaweed Farming – Part 2

Written by

Today is our last day diving and providing education near Malakobi Island. The wind has picked up; however, the sun is still out. Today the education team traveled to Kia to provide their education program. Families in Kia started seaweed …

Sea Turtle Sanctuary

Written by

Today was our last day surveying the Arnavon Islands. The sun was out, the seas were calm, and the diving was spectacular. The Arnavon Islands are uninhabited; however, they are looked after by three communities: Katupika, Kia, and Wagina. Throughout …

Sustainable Seaweed Farming – Part 1

Written by

Last night we transited 10 hours from Gizo Island to get to our new location, the Arnavon Islands. Today, our scientists surveyed the areas around these islands, while the education team conducted a program in the Wagina communities. While visiting …

When is a Coral not a Coral?

Written by

During a recent dive I was struck by the number of Blue Lace Corals (Distichopora violacea) that were present. This is not a particularly rare or usually noteworthy species but it was notable on this dive due to its higher …

Successful Start to Education Seminars

Written by

Today was the first day of the Global Reef Expedition in the Solomon Islands.  The weather was perfect for both research and education. There was essentially no wind today. Looking over the side of the boat was like looking through …

The Pacific Melting Pot

Written by

Our science team has embarked on our last Global Reef Expedition (GRE) mission in Oceania, and the first in the Coral Triangle. We have begun our exploration of the Solomon Islands, a Pacific Archipelago comprised of 992 mountainous islands and …