DR - 3/9/15 (Monday) and re-capping Sunday

I had skipped a day, because I had to get my sea legs. What does that require? Holding down my lunch while finding my way around Sea Dragon and working the lines and winches. I thought I could handle it after my time on the tall ship, the Corwith Cramer, through the SEA program. I was wrong. I guess once a puker, always a puker. After taking 3 “crazy dream” pills and many dry heavings, I am much better. Now I can actually enjoy my time here.

But before that on Sunday (3/8/15), we got our initial training on how to sail.

Shanley, the skipper, taught us the logic behind sailing knots, what they are, what they are used for, and how to tie them.

• Figure 8
• Clove Hitch/ Cleat Hitch
• Sheet Bend
• Admiralty = stopper knot
• Square knot
• Bowline

Then Meg, the deckhand, taught the points of sail.

Once we got these basics out of the way, we got ready to set sail from Boca Chica to La Caleta after lunch. But not before Capt. Eric gave us a quick primer on sailing:

-        Bow, stern, port, starboard

-        Main halyard, main sheet and other types of lines

-        Main sail, staysail, jib sheet (or the yankee)

That night, we listened to Eric talk about VHF basics:

-        Know the exact Rule#

-        “Very High Frequency” = VHF

o   Lower freq. = lower range

o   Antennae and powerlines control…

-        H/L button

o   L = 1 watts

o   H = 5 watts

o   25 watts = max (what you are legally allowed to talk)

-        Listen first before talking on a channel

-        Ch. 16 = “hailing/distress” channel

o   Only one line of conversation can happen at once

-        Call up

o   Say name 3x

o   This is “Sea Dragon” 3 x

-  Why 3x? Resolution may not be clear

-        Almost all the time, everyone is on ch.16

o   Then ask the receiver to switch

-        Radio etiquette

o   Repeat 3x if can’t reach person

-        Phonetic alphabet

o   How to spell on radio

Alfa	Hotel	Oscar	Victor
Bravo	India	Papa	Whiskey
Charlie	Juliet	Quebec	X-ray
Delta	Kilo	Romeo	Yankee
Echo	Lima	Sierra	Zulu
Foxtrot	Mike	Tango
Gulf	November	Uniform

-        Radio commands

o   “Over” = conversation is ongoing

o   “Out” = conversation is done

-        3 call types

o   Distress = “Mayday”, “Pan pan” “Pan medico”

o   Urgency

o   Safe Call = “Securite”

o   ** all of these stay on ch. 16

o   ** always log “mayday” calls

-        P.g. 56 = review International Distress Signal

-        Which flare to use

o   Large smoke = daytime

o   Narrow = nighttime

-        P.g. 45 = “EPIRB”

o   Emergency radio

o   Sends out your GPS signal/coordinates

Keene talked about:

- GPS

- Our track so far on Google Earth (from Boca Chica to La Caleta)

We started anchor watch tonight. 

-        Sea waves were 2 m high.

On Monday 3/9/15:

-        We met up with Ruben and the group at a beach in La Caleta. I was surprised to hear Ruben's professional opinion on coral nurseries, which was that they are not a solution to bring back corals. Afterwards we helped moved the cement blocks and other construction materials alongside some of the local fishermen who volunteered. Next, we snorkeled around the area where Ruben and his team were setting up the coral nurseries

-        At lunch time, we tried to set up the ROV, but couldn't do it in time because of the tangled cord. Before we set sail again, Eric taught us how to log our sea travels on nautical charts.

And then we were off. That’s when I got seasick…5 minutes into sailing. Along with Dante and Thalles. After trying to hold my puke in, I decided to let it all out over the platform at the stern of the boat.

            Three pills later I got back to normal. Things looked up when we boarded the dinghy to get to shore. My body was once again re-charged. At shore in La Caleta, we met Dr. Ruben Torres and his interns: Kristine, Marina and Becca. Ruben along with the 3 interns gave us a quick introduction on their background and their coral reef nursery project. The also recruited a bunch of the local volunteers, mostly coastal fishermen, to carry wire meshes and cement blocks to motor boats. We helped as well. Afterwards, we got back to Sea Dragon to get our snorkel gear.

            We could not see much of the bottom while snorkeling at the surface. There was a lot of sediment in the water column. But from what I could see, Ruben and the interns were laying the foundation for new coral nurseries in this area.

Later in the day, we all had lunch with our guests on board Sea Dragon. Then we finally had our interview with Ruben while Keene was recording the whole thing with his GoPro and attached microphone. The thing that stuck out in my mind during the interview was that Ruben made a point to tell us that he doesn’t believe these coral nurseries will amount to much. They are not the solution that will help to bring back coral reefs. This project, in his view, is only a vehicle to get the average non-scientific public involved in habitat restoration and marine protected area conservation. Writing this, I wished I had asked Ruben this question: “Knowing all the obstacles and the “empty” goal of restoring coral reefs, what drives you to do what you do?”