Hello all! I’m checking in here from Koh Tao, a small island off the coast of Thailand where the sun is hot and the water is blue. I am here working as an intern with the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program which is actively trying to protect and restore the ocean ecosystem around Koh Tao. On an average day I’ll wake up and be at the dive school by 9am. After setting up my own scuba gear, i’ll help some of the students and other volunteers get their gear and any equipment we will be using for the dive later in the day. This changes on a day to day basis based on the job we are hoping to accomplish that day. Some of these jobs are coral restoration, drupella and crown of thorns removal (both of which are corallivorous species that can do major damage to a reef), coral health monitoring programs, shark and seahorse surveys, creating mooring lines so boats don’t have to drop anchor on the natural reefs, our wildly popular turtle nursery program, and many more.
Since being here I have also had to opportunity to work on some amazing special projects. On my very first day the other volunteers and I helped to create the next biorock that we hope to deploy soon. A biorock is a large metal framed artificial reef that has a low voltage electric current running through it at all times. This promotes the speed at which calcium carbonate is able to grow. With this technology coral has the ability to grow from five to ten times faster than it would naturally, allowing us to diversify and grow the reefs much faster. We have also helped a local artist deploy three concrete structures weighing around five tons each. Last but certainly not least we even got to help the BBC in their efforts to film the behavior of trigger fish and crown of thorns sea stars around the island.
One of the best parts about my time here has been the chance to be a part of such an international community of volunteers. I have made friends from France, Australia, England, Argentina, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Spain, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and more. It has opened my eyes to the different cultures of the world and given me a chance to learn about the cultures, histories, and languages of all these wonderful places. Although it doesn’t have a very strong sense of Thai culture because the island is mainly a tourist location for divers, with thousands of international travelers there is no lack of culture. Koh Tao fully embodies Thailand’s sense of “sabai”. This basically translates to “its all good”. The island has a very relaxed vibe that has worked its way into my soul. It’s hard be have a bad day when you are living where most people go on vacation. I fill my free time reading, eating, practicing my Thai, Burmese, or French, depending on who I happen to be with, or trying to educate myself about the complex ocean ecosystem that has taken over my life for the past couple months. It’s safe to say that not a moment goes by I’m not grateful to have such an amazing opportunity.
Being here has opened my eyes to a whole new world. I’ve learned so much about our oceans and how I can do my part to save them. With rising temperatures the oceans are becoming both warmer and more acidic, threatening both the coral reefs and all the other ocean life. Groups like New Heaven are educating 100s of people while restoring and sustaining a reef that sees hundreds of thousands of divers. It’s truly an inspirational community and thanks to Carpe I’m blessed enough to get to be a part of it.
