"It’s been over month since I’ve volunteered with CICP and its been one of the best experiences I’ve had so far! We’ve been monitoring the corals, hiking, beach cleaning and snorkelling. I’ve learned quite a lot about coral life forms and the scientific names of different corals and I’ve been able to identify some of them while snorkeling together with Margaux. I’ve also been learning about different fish, and I’ve encountered quite a few that I’ve been able to identify them very easily.
Just last week, we came across a Hawksbill turtle which was resting on the corals while having a little snack. We took loads of pictures of it so we could then come back to the office and observe the picture of the turtle by looking at its different scute (scales on the face) patterns and identify it through the use of Interactive Individual Identification System (I3S). This program allows us to identify each encountered turtle and allow for a turtle adoption program as we track their moves and behaviours around our reefs. I also came across a baby eagle ray which was swimming past me very fast but I managed to get a good look at it and it was very beautiful. I’ve also seen three feather tailed rays which camouflaged very well as they were about the same colour as the sand but as we got closer they got up and left as we snapped a few pictures of it. That week we also had clients who were very interested in the sea and really enjoyed and appreciated our company while snorkelling as we showed them some of our beautiful corals such as Pocilliopora, Platygyra, Acropora and much more. After the snorkel the clients came to thank us and started sharing stories about their underwater experiences which was very interesting to hear as I always love talking about the ocean and sharing my love for it with other people; it’s a great satisfaction to know that other people share the same love for it as I do. I’ve also come across quite a few other animals such as squid, barracuda, which didn’t look very friendly, and even a lion fish which was very beautiful, but of course I couldn’t go very close to it. On some days the weather here on Cerf wasn’t very good, but we don’t let that stop us! Just the other day we were able to finish the hike together with clients who were really determined and quite satisfied by the mesmerising view at the viewpoint staring at the beautiful islands such as Moyenne and Sainte Anne and the clients really enjoyed it! I am very eager to keep coming to Cerf and to learn so much more about the corals and fish!"
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So, time flies! It’s been a month since i started working here and it’s probably one of the best experiences ever. I enjoy being here with Margaux and also with the corals and fishes. These past few weeks we’ve been doing a lot of coral monitoring and I’m also working on the coral’s and fish’s names fishes. We also have clients coming in for snorkelling and hiking which is interesting and fun. Sometimes when we have clients, Margaux does the coral monitoring while I show the clients different life forms of corals.
There was one day we went out to monitor the corals and saw a hawksbill turtle! We took a lot of pictures so we could check later on that week if it’s a new turtle or a turtle that’s been around for a while using this amazing program called Interactive Individual Identification System (I3S). We had to make sure we took clear identification shots so we can compare this turtle’s scute pattern to ones already in our database. Normally on a busy day we can have clients going snorkeling with us in the morning and in the afternoon we can bring them up to the hiking trail. Last time we brought a couple up at the hiking trail to visit the cemetery and the view point with a nice rest stop view at the beach. I’m sure they loved it as they even opened up a coconut to drink the water and eat the coconut inside. And speaking of coconuts, we encountered a fun coconut crab! Later on that week we had a group of clients which wanted to do some snorkelling around Sainte Anne and Moyenne islands. There was a group of 10 and we made sure that they had the time of their lives snorkelling as we explained the reef structure, pointed out different species of reef life and reminded the group of safe snorkel practices. It really made my day snorkeling somewhere different. We saw a small moray eel which was exciting and different types of reef fish. Once we had a client that didn’t know how to swim so we taught him how to in the pool first then we moved in the sea so we could bring him out for snorkelling. Even if that day the visibility wasn’t good, he did appreciate our swimming lesson. We did manage to spot a lionfish and remove floating plastic bags from the sea. Later on that day we went on the hiking trail to clear the path way to ensure easy passage. So far I’m enjoying myself here and everyday we’ve been helping and watching the corals. Sadly, there was one Favia coral colony which died from the Black Band disease, a bacterium which causes an oxygen poor environment and smothers the coral. But luckily there are other beautiful colonies of this coral around. Its important to never touch the corals so we don’t spread these diseases to healthy colonies. Im enjoying seeing the reef life (with even a few beautiful jellyfish) and I look forward to learning more! ;) Coucou tous le monde ! Déjà 8 semaines dans cette aventure seychelloise, les jours passent à vive allure ! Des rencontres extraordinaires m'ont permis d'apprendre beaucoup sur les habitudes et la culture ici bas. Grâce aux mésaventures de Chloé j'ai pu mettre en pratique mais faculté de secouriste, dans son combat de pied avec un clou rouillé, elle a perdu la bataille. Nous avons bien ris lorsque je l'ai porté sur mon dos de l'Habitation à Fairy tern. Rien de grave c'est l'essentiel ! Tout les matins sont magiques en snorkeling, les client sont intéressante et intéressés par tout ce qui les entourent. C'est un plaisir de leur faire partager des connaissances et mon amour inconditionnel pour l'océan, chaque jour est un nouveau trésor. Sur l'île la vie est calme et le monde sauvage des insectes nous rattrapes par moment, mais elle reste extraordinaire et son charme me trouble a chacun de mes réveils. Le staff de cerf resort n'est pas toujours toujours des plus souriant mais une fois intégrée, ils deviennent tous attentionnés et chaleureux. Devendra m'a fait découvrir les saveurs culinaires du Népal autour d'un dîner parfait, Narris m'a conduit au abord de Moyenne Island pour y apprendre d'avantage sur le parc marin. En vivant ici, j'ai aussi la chance d'apprendre bien plus sur la vie animal et végétale que je l'aurais espéré. Les noix de coco n'ont plus de secret pour moi, toute comme l'utilisation du matchiki pour les ouvrir. Tout les fruits sont attractifs et d'une fraîcheur inégalée. Mahe aussi m'a réservée bien des surprises, j'ai rencontré le responsable du Galatea, le bateau de croisière le plus prestigieux de l'île grâce à qui j'ai pu commencer mon Advance PADI au sein de Blue Sea Diver. Je croise les doigts à présent pour avoir le temps de le finir et l'obtenir bien évidemment. Je suis impatiente de voir enfin les rockpool de Mahe et faire ces Hiking trail qui me donnerons une vue de carte postale dans les hauteurs de l'île. A présent, je vous laisse pour célébrer mon anniversaire autour d'un BBQ sur la plage en compagnie de mes amis |
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August 2018
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