Update from our Expedition Manager: The Joy of Fish!

From Ruth:

I have now been in Andavadoaka working for Blue Ventures for 7 months. I've been 'fish enabled' for about 5 of those months, and am out there doing fish point outs and tests with volunteers during their training period, and collecting data towards the end of the expedition.

In order to be science enabled I had to get 98% on my in-water and computer fish ID tests. With 150 fish to learn, it was quite daunting initially and took me quite a while before I was confident in the water to know what I was seeing. The most amazing thing about this is that 5 months on, I still get a thrill when I'm diving and I can identify the majority of the fish that I'm seeing on a dive. I love it when one of our 150 fish shows up on a dive if I haven't seen it for a while. I saw a scythe triggerfish today and greeted it like an old friend because it's been months since I saw one. I felt so happy that I saw it, and instantly knew what it was. I have Tristan (one of our field scientists) to thank for this, as his training was rigorous and, at times, relentless. But it was all worth it.

But being able to identify fish on site is not the most amazing thing about diving here. It's the fact that there's more fish out there that I don't know. Last week, I had a fantastic dive on one of our near shore sites and was so excited by the new fish that I'd never seen before, that I had to rush back, go to our fish ID books, and work out what they were. It was a great feeling to identify them, and know that in over 400 dives (not just here!), it's possible that I've never positively identified those fish before - possibly never even seen at least one of them before. Just in case you're interested, they were: a yellowsaddle goatfish, a blackedge thicklip wrasse and a sunset wrasse. I'm sure that no matter how many fish I learn, I'll never lose the thrill of coming back from a dive with a new fish to identify, look up and write into my log book.

Sexual health message spread through drama

It's a Saturday. Not that the days of the week bear much consequence to our working week here in Andavadoaka; but it is a Saturday, Saturday 10th May. An important meeting is to be held with all parties involved within the Velondriake, just south of here. As a result much preparatory work has been done in the build up to this meeting and most of the BV staff have set off in the early hours to attend.

As we wake, it is uncharacteristically cloudy, the sea is eerily still and hazy but there is an air of calm tranquility pervading CoCo Beach. New life has begun in the form of 3 kid goats just outside my hut. I watch in awe as they take their first milk. But my mind is somewhat distracted despite the beauty that surrounds me, as today is one of personal significance. For some, 6 months may seem like a long time to work in a community but with just 6 weeks left, I feel like my work has really only just begun. As well as being the medic for the expedition,I also have the privilege of running a family planning clinic in the village. From the outset I have found this a particularly rewarding part of my role; providing a well needed service in this beautiful part of the world. Despite the Catholic prevalence in the village, it is a well received service and clearly appreciated by the women who attend the clinic, who see the value of family spacing; and I may add, no objections have been made by the Catholic church.

However, what has struck me since my arrival is the limited use of condoms and the apparent lack of awareness of the gravity of STI's. For this reason, I have felt compelled to impact upon this knowledge deficit and impress upon those around me the importance of condom use in the prevention of STI's. Up until now I have tried a tentative approach to the subject with the occasional condom demonstration delivered at meetings. Even these events would cause me a sense of anxiety for fear of causing offence or not being well received; soon alleviated by the constant hilarity that the subject brings about. Knowing full well that a condom demonstration here and there would not suffice to bring about behavioural change, I knew the campaign would have to scale up at some point to be of any relevance and to have any appreciable impact.

I have always had in mind that a theatrical approach to delivering a message is a well established and effective means of conveying ideas and if i could somehow draw upon the skills of those around me and somehow create a piece of drama addressing the need to practice safe sex, then maybe just maybe, a wider audience would be addressed,with a greater impact. Um, timing is the key, and with one week left of this expedition and having been afflicted by minor illness for the first part of it, was i being slightly ambitious in thinking that now was the time to put this concept into action.

What with the constant niggley feeling that now is always the time, and with the constant sense of urgency and feeling that, if action is not taken soon in this beautiful country then, quite possibly it is in danger of replicating the devastating picture that faces many parts of Africa, I started to put pen to paper. I knew it was ambitious, i knew that Saturday was important and that there would be an absence in Malagasy staff who are always so supportive and fundamental in meetings or functions. I knew it was a tall order but i also knew that the volunteers on this expedition were more than capable of carrying it off; their dramatic skills had already been proven in a previous afternoon of fish demonstrations, they were willing and very able performers.

I presented a script to a rather reluctant Malagasy scholar. Fortunately he was immediately taken enough by it and he translated it pretty quickly and by Wednesday morning we had a definitive Vezo script. Being a Vezo himself, Taylor was able to translate the script in a readily understandable form for the village, misunderstandings avoided, humour conveyed and not lost in translation; a perfect outcome.

Despite the lack of time, despite the loss of my voice in the next days, Saturday 10th came round all too quickly. 4pm we had said to the village when we advertised our play but by 4.30, there were still only a few kids hanging around the sound system we had rigged up. Where was everybody? We sent some boys around the village to further advertise the show, and still 20 minutes later very few people had come. Dismayed and confused, i couldn't quite understand the poor turn out. Ordinarily, when BV has performed in any way it has been well met with large numbers attending; what had gone wrong? Where was everyone?

As it transpired, when Taylor toured the village, he discovered that the common belief was that there was a fee to be paid to our show. With that myth dismissed, the crowds arrived, at last we had an audience!

So this was it - all age groups present with varying members of the community and a whole lot of them. I had already discussed with myself the possibility that it would not be well received, the horrendous possibility of what would have happened if offence had been caused and not having the usual support of our Malagasy staff to smooth things out if required. It could go 2 ways and as I prayed that it would go as I intended, the show begun!

With the first bursts of laughter from the audience I relaxed and thankfully watched the crowds as they watched with curiosity and amusement at all of us make fools of ourselves. Thanks to the brilliance of Taylor who orchestrated our cues and narrated the story, we delivered a ground breaking repertoire. Without the goodwill of all the volunteers it would not have been possible.

So a huge thanks to all those involved and of course to all those in preceding expeditions who gallantly donned their t-shirts, with varying condom awareness messages embroidered on them. Collectively, BV staff and volunteers have helped to augment awareness; even if if this is only the tip of the iceberg, those involved have played a huge part in positively impacting upon this small community. The journey of awareness has only just begun but i feel so fortunate and honoured to have been a part of it. My heart has been warmed.

Becks (BV Expedition Medic)

Ode to Expedition 37

You arrived on the camion all tired and weary
the hours of bumping making your eyes look all bleary
we can't believe six weeks has passed
it really has gone so very fast
we hope you've had a blast and a ball
because the things you've done have been far from small

After your efforts, the beach was pristine
Compared to before it was a sight to be seen
Richard was here and Ruth was a bit stressed
But she needn't have worried, he was more than impressed.

Someone brought vao vao, it was up there with the best
A fisherman in Lamboara had found a turtle nest
To be made into an omelette was to be the hatchling's fate
but because of all you, they are now protected - which is "turtly" great!

Now onto Radoko's favourite subject, which as you all know
is condoms/kapoty and putting on a show!

So then there was the play
what a marvelous ground-breaking day
You and me together in true camaradarie
all last minute, but you showed great bravery
delivered in a brilliant impressive style
even with the recent absence of Eamonn and Kyle

Thanks to you all for this momentous event
To Radoko you will never know how much it all meant
A ceremony in the village, and everyone went down
Tokagasy at lunchtime when the pseudo-environment minister came to town

Now as well as all these events that happened the last few weeks
A few fishy tales will be remembered as one of the peaks
we all had a laugh - it was a bit of a farce
especially Debbie's great big white ****!
And Sam regaled us with a fantastic story
Which was in parts hilarious and in others a bit gory!
Tori & Vic sang us a great song
snapping the limelight, they could do no wrong.

Getting lots of science completed as well as having fun
you will be pleased to know that we got everything we needed done.

To Bevato some travelled in search of baobabs and mangroves
but we spent a great deal of time just
watching praying mantis and gekkos
Living on a prayer and summer of 69
At the tops of our voices, it all sounded fine?!
We mustn't forget those that have already gone
and of course Ruth teaching us a song about a "guy called Ron?!?"

With all those handsome guys and pretty girls so fair
It is only right that there should be romance in the air
so now you're heading off to Canada, Switzerland or Devon
But when you get back you will dream of Andava and expedition 37!!!!

By Charlie & Becks (Andava resident Poet Laureates)

"We Love Our Snappers!"

Another song to help identify different species of snapper...

"We Love Our Snappers!"

(To be sung to the tune of "Can't take my eyes off you")

When you are learning your fish,
Can't give your snappers a miss,
Continuous dorsal fin,
Often higher where they begin,
With slightly upturned snouts,
And downturned mouths
This makes them look quite sad,
But they’ve teeth that make them look bad

The Bluelined has four lines,
A yellow body that's streamlined,
But don't get too bemused,
The Bluestripe's easy to confuse,
Count the lines; Stripey's got six,
So don't get in a fix

Now we don't have far to go,
There are only seven to know,
Bluelined, Bluestriped, Black and it's juvenile Twinspot, one spot, black spot and big eye, Bluelined, Bluestriped, Black and Big Eye, Twin, One and Black Spoooooooot!

We know our snappers,
Because they're medium sized,
We know our snappers
They are nektonic guys

We know our snappers,
And their emarginate tails
We know our snappers,
With their continuous fin,

We know our snappers
They eat other fish,
They are oblong fishes with triangular heads...

Silver, reddish or yellow,
The One Spot's a lonely fellow,
Twin Spot has two light spots,
Located near to his top,
Browney yellow in colour,
He's a little bit duller,
As is his brother the black,
But the juvenile's all that,

Silver with yellow brown stripe,
The Big Eye is a nice type,
Of fish to have for tea,
As is the whole family,
The blackspot has just one spot,
And a yellowey bot,
He also has stripes,
And hunts in the night,
Bluelined, Bluestriped, Black and it's juvenile Twinspot, one spot, black spot and big eye Bluelined, Bluestriped, Black and Big Eye, Twin, One and Black Spoooooooot!

We love our snappers,
And if it's quite alright,
We'll eat our snappers,
For dinner every night,
We thank our snappers,
For be-ing just so yum-my!

By Tori Jordan and Vic Nott

Three weeks in

From Sam:

I finally arrived at the site at sundown on April 1st, easily the longest transition period I’ve had from one place to another. That said I really, really loved the trip through Madagascar. I had a great time bonding with the other 11 volunteers in my van while we drove, saw a national park (and lemurs!), kept driving, barely slept and had a nice half day hike through an even better national park (with more lemurs!) The landscape was really fantastic, a combination of the endless plains of the Serengeti as well as jutting rock formations that made for some really incredible views. My camera is more or less dead, but luckily I’m with a bunch of shutter bugs and I think I’ll be able to get a CD full of pictures at the end.

In the three weeks I’ve been at the site next to the village of Andavadoaka I have learned how to scuba dive, attaining my Open Water status and soon Open Water Advanced. On a painful note, I have had some issues with one of my teeth on occasion. The change in pressure when I go down too quickly makes air unable to escape from my top left molar, possibly due to issues with a filling I have there. It was very unpleasant and I honestly cannot recommend it, but luckily it’s only happened twice and I’m fine as long as I descend slowly. That said, if you think you have a cavity or have had fillings, do yourself a favour and get a check up with your dentist.

Memorizing all the fish and benthic is difficult but rewarding, and those who prepare beforehand are rewarded with precious free time. As an avid reader and someone who is composing a daily journal, every extra moment you can get is a godsend. I don’t often mind myself sweating from exhaustion, but I am kept very busy.

It is interesting spending back to back time at two conservation centers and picking up on the many similarities and crucial differences, many of which I believe are probably related to the donation I gave each site in order to volunteer. Here, the relationship with the community is incredibly positive, very much off the beaten track – Andavadoaka is the subject of a single paragraph in Lonely Planet – and the meals are fantastic (if not a bit repetitive. Bring Marmite, Nutella, and any other spices, sauces or drink mixes, they will be a great commodity and a powerful bargaining tool!)

One of the highlights here probably occurred a few days ago, when I spent two days on the small island of Nosy Mitata with a family there. I went spear fishing with them and had a very insightful look at how the locals live, as well as a reminder that neighbouring village Andavadoaka is by far the most highly populated village around. It’s population? 1,200.

Sometimes they caught animals that we're trying to protect, but preaching to them would have been wrong, even if I possessed the Malagasy vocabulary to do so. Rather, it let me really understand where Blue Ventures stands and what it is all about.

Three weeks down, three to go, and I have to say that it feels just right as the midway point. I am not panicking that the time has gone by in the blink of an eye (though in some ways it has), nor am I worried that three more weeks with my fellow volunteers and staff will be the end of me. Well I'm off, I need to enter today's data before going into Andavadoaka to witness a village ceremony.


From Kat:

21/04/08

Hello to all out there in the internet world,

It's been another good week at Coco beach and beyond. On Friday, five volunteers me(Kat), Debbie, Mike, Anita, Maikel and Taylor all went north on a pirogue with Vezo staff member Angelo to document our sea cucumber farm. The waves were high and the ride was very wet and salty but we made it safe and sound.

Upon arrival, the President (mayor) of the village greeted us politely and brought out mats for us to use for our stay instead of sleeping on the sand. Angelo had brought supplies for cooking and proceeded to start our dinner. As we were only lying about Anita and I jumped up to help Angelo with the cooking. I've missed cooking a bit as all the meals at Coco Beach are prepared for us. I began chopping onions in a bowl while standing and using a very dull knife. Luckily fingers were not added to the mix. We helped start the fire in the cooking hut and started on the fish. Anita took charge of the rice.

As Angelo felt Anita and I had control of everything he and Mike went to sit with the Nahodas (elder men) of the village and discuss our business for the evening. It's customary to always stop in and speak with the Nahodas and/or President of the village upon arrival and departure. They always need to give permission for our activities.

Back in the cooking hut Anita and I are slowly attempting to find our footing in this foreign kitchen. No pot handles so we use sticks to lift the lids. Always watching your flame so it doesn't get too hot or burn out. Cooking with salt that is not crushed up into tiny dissolvable particles. It's all a bit disorientating. The fish went fairly well. Unfortunately Anita's rice didn't go so well. She is used to letting water boil and adding the rice after boil then simmering the heat until done. The rice here needs to be added to cold water and brought to a rolling boil or else you get very hard rice in the center and mush on the outside. All the women of the village had a good laugh at the Vaza who can't cook and then we remade the rice. Dinner was quite tasty.

At 11pm when the tide had gone out and the moon "lit" our way we headed out the the cucumber pen. It a 10X10 meter pen way out from the beach only noted with four sticks marking each corner. We had quite a bit of difficulty walking out through the dips and valleys that were the sandy bottom but made it out.

Mike, Anita and I hopped into the pen and began snorkelling around picking up the cucumbers as we found them through the sea grass. Handing them off to Maikel, Debbie, Taylor and Angelo who were measuring and weighing all of them. Upon collecting about 70 of the cucumbers and noticing (and avoiding) the lionfish who had taken up residence in the pen Angelo announced the scale was no longer working. AHHHH! Madagascar troubles!!!! We all tried to solve the problem but to no avail. We had to return the cucumbers to their watery slumber and return to the beach for rest ourselves.

In the morning after gathering our things and wishing the President good healthy wishes we headed home. Hopefully we will try again later this week with better results.

Well wishes and happy lives to all
Kat, Expedition 37

The journey to Andavadoaka...

From Sam:

On Getting Here

After twenty three hours in the air (which itself was preceded by a night in the Guatemala City airport), it would not be hard to have other individuals irk me. But to my pleasure, the five other Blue Ventures volunteers I met up with at the airport were all exceedingly friendly. We arrived at our hotel around 1:30 in the morning and until 4 we were hanging out in the lobby, chatting and drinking cold THB.

In the morning we met five more members, and took off for a three day long trek through Madagascar to Andavadoaka. Even when we were driving rather than hiking through incredible landscapes to see lemurs and swim under lush waterfalls we all got along great and bonded quickly. The way I figured it, you’re bound to get along with others who have the guts to spend six weeks in Madagascar doing reef conservation work. The views out the window certainly didn’t hurt either.

In my short time on this planet I have been to my fair share of places, but Madagascar stood out to me for its jutting rock formations and red dirt houses that initially littered the sides. I have heard some call it ‘The Eighth Continent’ for its landscape, and I am inclined to agree.

When we arrived in Tulear on the west coast, we were all very tired, but there was more travelling to be done. A flatbed truck carried us plus the other volunteers and staff who we rendezvoused with down the coastline. While some will tell you that the bouncy nature of this ride makes it a mission to be feared, I found it to be great fun. Even so, when we finally arrived in Andavadoaka, framed by the golden glow of the sun lowering under the sea, I felt truly elated to be where I was.

All in all I left in a shuttle for the Guatemala City airport at 6:30PM on the 26th of March, and arrived at 5:45PM on April 1st. The journey required two airlines, three cars and four flights to be completed. But having now been here for a week and a half it was undoubtedly worth it (and then some).

And from Kat:

I’ve been here in Andavadoaka for just over a week. It’s been a whirlwind adventure so far with arriving in Tana exploring the city streets and meeting many of my volunteer pals there. Quite a few of us then proceeded on a taxi brousse trip for three days on our way to Tulear. Dave, our guide, was a wonderful help teaching us about the country as we drove and our stops in a couple parks to trek through the forests and see lemurs (as well as so many other animals and plants) was a fabulous way to introduce ourselves to Madagascar.

Along the way all the volunteers seem to bond well to each other in the relaxed if very cramped van that we travelled in. Once we made it on site at Andava I was so glad to have that time to meet everyone as the work begins quickly. I’ve been learning so much about the people of Andava and how BV has had an impact and continues to strive to create a more positive impact each day.

I haven’t had the opportunity to do scientific diving exercises as of yet since I’ve been learning to dive here onsite but can’t wait to get started on that soon. The training for diving has been tough; our confined water dives aren’t in a pool but in “calm water” shallows but both Richard and Al, our dive instructors, have been incredible and make you feel safe through all the training. We have only a couple more training dives left and then on to the open water dives!

So much happens here you can’t participate in it all. Yet that’s part of the joy of being here. Gathering before dinner to have Vao Vao and learning all that has happened in the day is exciting to say the least.

Expedition 36- veloma in verse!

So let's talk about expedition 36

You may at times have felt it a bit fixed
what with no viz, we've all been in a bit of a tizz
What with all the storms, we've all been a bit forlorn.

No diving today, that's what we say!
we have ridden the storms together, so no more talk of the weather
But let's talk about what you have done.
At moments you have completely shone
and for sure we will be sad to see you all gone
'cause your achievements have been very long.

We had a fantastic open day
when all the kids came out to play
the children got dunked and sucked on some air
they didn't see fishes but they didn't care.
Turtle racing was fun, and we put on a show
- even the president had a go.
Monsier Roger even joined in the fray
making Beck's heart leap with his condom display.

Your posters were super, smashing, great
A real asset to the collection to date
The pirogue race will surely be remembered by all
Great strength was shown, i think you'll agree we all had a ball.
Then onto the singing, our time in the spotlight
I hope we didn't give the villagers too much of a fright.

Technical problems and hitches galore
But Bic's presentation still wowed the floor
It was great, but we mustn't forget
Expedition 36... isn't over yet

Yet more bad weather, and more rain that fell
So off to Bevato, we all yell.
Up there we have mangroves and baobabs too,
but watch out for mosquitos when doing a poo!
Climbing up trees and traipsing through mud,
and even more mosquitos sucking your blood.

On our return, it's like a new place.
No wind and good viz, and now a smile on your face.
Now three and a half kilometre square of belts
in only four days - watch our scientist's hearts melt.

You have all been so great, so bask in your glory
when you regail to your friends expedition 36's story.
And especially remember when talking of Andavadok
Explain about the fashion of wearing one sock.
So never forget your Vazaha foty foty
and always remember mampiasa kapoty!!!

* Editors note: "mampiasa kapoty" means "to use condoms"

Charlie (Field Scientist) and Becks (Expedition Medic)