Amazing Algae

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The average person doesn’t get too excited about algae, which most know as seaweed.  It smells when it accumulates on the beach and rots, it can outcompete coral when left unchecked, and it’s generally considered bad for reefs, especially when …

Surveys and Sampling

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Two days of diving and our coral reef research is well underway in Isle de Pins, New Caledonia.  Although sea conditions were very murky, we explored three lagoonal patch reefs yesterday and successfully completed our standardized coral, benthic and fish …

Tongan Livelihood

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In Tonga, people are dependent on the land and sea for food and it’s a way to make money for their families. Agriculture and fishing form the primary basis for Tongan livelihood.  Handicrafts, pumpkins, fish, and vanilla are the main …

A Gift of ‘Atu

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While visiting the island Ha’ano in Tonga, I was told a Tongan legend of the abundant skipjack tuna that visit the shallow waters near Ha’ano every year. It wasn’t until later that I learned that there was a story behind …

Mangroves of Tonga

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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 …

Sailing Tonga

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Today was our last day surveying and conducting education programs in the Niuas. It has been a successful journey, but now we are headed back to mainland Tonga – a 27 hour transit. Traditionally in Tonga, vessels were a means …

Sea Turtles of Tonga

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Today we arrived in the Niua Island Group. The science team will spend the next two days surveying Niuatoputapu, while the education team will provide land-based education programs. These are also the last two days of our Tonga mission before …

The Niuas – Unlike the Rest

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After 22 dives in 8 days, we are finished surveying in the beautiful Vava’u island group. This afternoon, we are traveling 15 hours to get to our final island group, called the Niuas. It’s the northernmost group of islands consisting …

Backyard Classroom

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It’s not every day that you can look out your window and see a coral reef in your own backyard. For students of the Government Primary School (GPS) in Matamaka Island, Tonga, this story is a reality. Matamaka Provides Unique …