Follow the Journey

Written by Peyton Molacek, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

My first 6 weeks in Koh Tao, Thailand have been full of many, many, many unexpected adventures. I came into this experience thinking I was going to dive everyday and maybe input some data. I never imagined experiencing everything I have so far.

Last week, the other interns and I spent over 6 hours snorkeling in an attempt to find a reported injured sea turtle. Did I expect to find said sea turtle by hour 6? Yes. Did we ever located said sea turtle? No. (That’s a good thing! It means the turtle must have been healthy enough to move locations!) Should I have reapplied sunscreen? YES. Would I go do the whole experience over again? Absolutely.

My experience of the scientific intern side of New Heaven Dive School has been a wild ride. I came here with little to no experience or knowledge in marine biology. Before I thought coral was a plant or a type of rock – turns out coral is an animal! I was so nervous that the other interns would have a major scientific background and I would fall behind.

Luckily, while some interns are completing their PhD and are really insightful about marine biology, others (like me) are here to try something completely out of their comfort zones. I spent my first month going to intensive lectures in the morning and applying that knowledge to our dives in the afternoon. We commonly debrief after the dive and check each other’s data. I’ve learned that conservation diving is almost a complete 180 from “fun diving.” On an everyday dive, I carry a reel to measure the distance, a ruler, my slate to write the data, a dive computer, a compass, and a visibility disk. On a fun dive I jump in the water with me, myself, and I.

My favorite survey to complete is our clam survey. I love giant clams and they are my favorite thing to see in the water. Here on Koh Tao, giant clams are a crucial indicator of coral reef health. Clams contribute to the overall productivity by removing toxins and filtering water as well as providing a safe environment for shrimps, crabs and small fish. At New Heaven Reef Conservation, we have our own clam nursery. By letting the clams start to mature in a nursery in their early stages, we allow them a higher chance of survival once they are transplanted to other coral reefs. We then collect weekly data on where the giant clams are being spotted and how healthy they appear. I even helped repair New Heaven’s giant clam nursery with some wire!

Another unexpected addition to my time here at New Heaven Dive School is the amount of welding or metal weaving I have learned or contributed to in order to build artificial reefs. It is a very complex process that I never expected to be a part of. Currently I am helping Leo (the amazing artificial reef weaver at New Heaven) weave together a meter and a half but two meters artistic structure. Leo’s philosophy is that welding is a old bottleneck that we don’t need to rely on as heavily as we do for artificial reefs. (I was skeptical of this until I tried welding. Turns out: welding is very very very hard. Especially if the power goes out). We plan to build four to five of the metal weaved structures to deploy in later months. I’m even going to build one from start to finish all by myself! I’ve also helped deploy and transplant coral onto coral reefs! It is awesome that I can say that something I made/contributed to is in the ocean.

Carpe Diem: What has challenged you about this experience so far? 

Peyton: To be honest, I’m exhausted, but in the most invigorating way possible. On my plane ride here to Thailand, I had so many doubts. Was I making the right choice? What if I hate it? Will I make friends? I had no idea what I was in for. I will forever be grateful to Kirsty (my idol and the head of New Heaven Conservation). She is the greatest leader and friend anyone could ever know. The amount of international friendships and knowledge I have acquired is crazy to me. I now have friends from all parts of the UK, South Africa, and Australia. Yes there have been some bumps along the way. I may have been locked out of my room in the middle of the night at one point. Don’t worry, Kirsty was there for the rescue! I’ve also fought through travelers stomach issue and lots of sea sickness. I’ve been lost (both on a dive and on land), but eventually found. I’ve been in desperate need of water and electrolytes. I’ve been hangry, confused, and cranky at points. Diving can be very tiring. Even so, I can’t imagine being anywhere else then where I am right now. Like I said earlier: Would I do this whole experience over again? Absolutely.

Carpe Diem: What have been some of the top highlights? 

Peyton: My everyday life outside of water is just as exciting as my life scuba diving. The other night me and the other interns (who I now consider some of my closest friends) went to go see a ladyboy show. We have also seen a fire show, tried Muay Thai classes, attempted to cook some fajitas, played a ton of volleyball, and eaten our weight in fried rice. The small island feel of Koh Tao is something I have never experienced and it is wonderful.

Inspired by Peyton’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey!