Tuna fishing - Maldivian style!

First up...apologies for no pics here yet. I had an issue with a memory stick and lost a few photos aahhhhh!!! All is not lost though, someone else has copies. Will upload them when I get them. In the meantime, you will have to simply imagine what went on...

Anyone who knows me even a little bit will know I love fishing. So when we were asked to go out on one of the local fishing boats after tuna (skippies) and to fish using an old-school pole and line method, I didn't even have to think twice.

The afternoon started off catching bait fish in the harbour before we'd even cast off. Everyone gets involved...including some guys just hanging around the harbour. After a few net drags, we had a tank full of bait fish and took off.

It didn't take long to get outside the atoll to the fishing grounds but did take a bit longer for the skippies to pop up to the surface. Then it was all on...

A couple of guys threw handfuls of baitfish over the side to keep the tuna up. The other guys lined up along the back of the boat with their lines in the water and simply swung the fish back into the boat when they hooked up.

Sounds simple enough...believe me, it's a real skill! You have to have such strong arms, legs and abs to keep your balance, hold the 5 metre pole out (and keep hold of it when a tuna hooks up), swing the skippy in, shake it off the line and start again. Then you have to keep a close eye out for the guy next to you that you don't get slapped in the face by a flying skippy...

Morten was allowed his own pole...the rest of us girls had to 'help' the guys! I started to get the hang of pulling in the skippies - gently does it so you don't rip the hook out of their mouth. Then we hooked up a yellowfin tuna. Not a huge one but big enough to need some extra help from the guy next to us to drag it in (I'm not as strong as I thought!)

Even sitting up on deck watching was fun. And I'm sure the guys found all the screams of excitement and encouragement funny every time one of our team hooked up a fish.

We ended up catching a small bin of fish, maybe a couple of hundred kilos - not one of the most successful fishing trips for the guys. I had such a blast though and it was so good of the captain to take us all out to experience a rare way of commercial fishing.

Caring for endangered green sea turtles

I have asheh kuda velaa's to look after!!! (8 little turtles!)


Collecting the turtles

Bringing the turtles home

It's been a fun, busy, exciting couple of weeks getting the tanks, equipment and systems set up along with training the new volunteers in the procedures and general animal husbandry practices. We are into a pretty good daily routine now - including early morning 730am wake ups! (I'm used to sleeping in and staying up till all hours of the night here...)

Measuring the straight carapace length

Measuring curved carapace length

Ross preparing the fodder

The little guys are putting on weight, feeding and swimming well, and are becoming a star attraction every afternoon. We get a constant stream of people stopping by the marine centre at feeding time. The kids love seeing the turtles eat - and I'm pretty sure most of the adults enjoy to seeing them too.


Feeding time

Turtles in their new tank

It has been fascinating for me to see how quickly the tanks and water pump system was set up. We currently have a pretty basic setup that involves connecting a bunch of pipes, hoses and electrical cables together (my electrical apprenticeship has begun), then flicking the switch. One lucky person stands waist deep in the sea with the pump, a second person holds the power cables and the new sea water flows into the tank. The system works adequately for our purposes now, although a better pump system - where we won't have to get wet - is under construction.



Not a turtle

While we are near maximum turtle capacity right now, the plan is to set up more tanks to allow Atoll Volunteers to take on the rehab and release of more turtles in the future. 

I have loved getting back to looking after rare and different creatures again. And my brain has had a decent workout researching everything 'turtle' and setting up systems from scratch. 

When we got the first turtles, I only had 3 weeks left on Naifaru so I tried not to get too attached to them. But for anyone who knows me well, that was a pointless exercise! They're not cuddly and I can't take them for a walk but they are so cute - especially up close. They recognise me at feeding time and have individual behaviours and physical patterns that I now recognise too.

More feeding...

It will be sad to leave them in a week, but I know they will be in Thuday's capable hands and that I have had a part to play in helping a few more endangered green turtles survive.

OK, so I was a little excited when I got the first 7 :)

Kurendhoo Island trip

Our day trip to Kurendhoo meant I have only about 1180 islands left to visit in the Maldives!
 

Chloe and I

 

Wandering the streets with everyone

Chloe and I tagged along with the Sharjah school students for a day of community service, general sightseeing and more yummy food.

It was one of those scorching days with no wind and crystal clear skies putting the temperature well into the high 30s (at a guess). The boat ride over was smooth and I was tempted many times to 'accidentally' fall over the side.



Local wildlife

The most obvious differences between Kurendhoo and Naifaru for me was that Kurendhoo is covered in trees and felt like it ran at an even slower pace than Naifaru. It was so relaxing and I felt at home immediately (not sure how I'm going to cope with the bustling madness of Auckland if I return...)
 

The piles of rubbish

Plastic, plastic, plastic

We started off with cleaning up a section of beach that was covered in rubbish. We split it up into plastics, metals, compost and everything else. Within about 45 minutes, we had some pretty impressive piles of rubbish and were all sweating profusely in the heat. 



Tuna drying

Chillies

Choco, Chloe and I took off for a look-see around the island. Much like Naifaru, there are a few main roads with heaps of narrow paths linking them. We wandered over most of the island, coming across chillies and fish drying in the sun, some super brightly painted homes, a handful of shops and a fantastic mural.


Brightly coloured home

The mural

Being Friday, all the shops were shut and we were craving a cold drink. A friend of a friend of a friend of Choco's took us to her friends place where we were spoiled with fresh mango juice and fruit. I do love how friendly and welcoming people are!

LUNCH!

Lunch was at a cafe and we were treated again with rice, curries, fish and sweet drinks. I'm really going to miss the traditional foods here...the flavours are a divine mix of spicy chilli, lime juice, coconut, fish and a few others I don't know. The best thing to do is just try everything!



Choco and Chloe

 I've really learned to make the most of every trip opportunity that comes up as I never know when or if I'll get another chance again. This was no exception and I have some more fab memories, pictures and experiences with friends.



Haven't seen one of these in a while!

Graffiti on the local football stadium

Night turtle patrols and swimming with Manta Rays

I think this has to have been one of the most exciting weeks so far. A friend had come across manta rays while he was out fishing early one morning and was good enough to take us out to find them again.

First we came across a big pod of Spinner dolphins first who rode the bow waves and entertained us with their amazing midair spins and flips.

Then came the part we had been waiting for.  We slid quietly into the warm water and swam towards 3 mantas. Excitement overcame us. We tried to follow the rays but they quickly and effortlessly swam away from us. A few more tips from Nahid again to stay still and we were rewarded with the mantas coming back to check us out.

It sent my adrenalin levels sky high as one swam towards me, only diving down at the last possible moment. While my brain was telling me it only ate plankton and wasn't interested in eating me, seeing that huge open mouth swim towards me had my body screaming to go into flight mode!

It was such an incredible privilege to be able to swim and get so close to these graceful creatures, certainly an experience I won't forget.

Lighting fires...

At the end of the world

An overnight trip to Dhidhoo Island was planned for the Sharjah students to complete their solo overnight camping trip for their Duke of Ed awards and we got to go too. All trips away mean a large group of locals have to come along too. Mostly it's for the safety of everyone. I do find it a bit of a overkill from what I'm used to back home, but it's great to have them along and a good way to get to know more people. 

The guys are fantastic and do most of the camp setup and cooking. I'm so used to doing most of this that to take a back seat feels really strange! Although I did get to find my own bit of beach to set up my mosquito net and sleeping bag :)

The outside of Dhidhoo is where the turtles come up to lay their eggs. A wander along the beach revealed about 40 old nests so I had great expectations for the night ahead. 

We weren't expecting any action until about midnight when the tide was high. But about 830pm, a frenzy of calls came through...a green turtle was on the beach making a nest! 

The turtle's nest

It was probably the most amazing thing I've ever seen. This huge, prehistoric-looking reptile sitting up in the vegetation digging her nest and sending sand flying out behind her. I couldn't take any photos as the flash would disturb her but the vision is seared in my memory. Unfortunately, she decided not to lay that night and slowly dragged herself back down the beach and into the calm ocean. 

Measuring turtle tracks

A group of students helped out with measuring the tracks and recording details for our turtle nesting records. Then it was back to patrolling the beach and waiting for the next turtle to come to shore.

Turtle tracks!

Phosphorescence runway lights

5am...just before sunrise

Unfortunately, no more turtles showed up, but a whole lot of phosphorescence did.  Tess, Collette and I were wandering along the beach admiring all the sparkly blue lights and trying to take photos of it by the light of the full moon. I have to admit, I don't function well on 1 hours sleep any more and had to have a nana-nap the next afternoon :). It was such a magical night though and I will happily give up more hours sleep to do this again. Amazing!!! 

Natural jacuzzi on the island

Relaxing around camp

Views from the bedroom window ;)

Guarding the nest :)

More fishing nets washed up on the shore

Marine programme progress...turtles, trees and talks

Our turtle enclosure is up!

It may look pretty small and basic but it will be good for looking after the few small turtles we expect to have at first. We moved the baths that will be the tanks for the hatchlings across this afternoon. The trench for power is being dug. Our husbandry manual is basically complete. And depending on weather and boat schedules, we will have most of the equipment we need to complete the setup this weekend (it all has to come from Male).

Bringing the turtle tanks over

Turtle tanks (aka baths)

Tess inside the turtle enclosure

We have been asked to give some turtle husbandry training to people on nearby Felivaru (the island with the tuna canning factory) so have been preparing for that. They are raising the green turtle hatchlings in an effort against the poaching that would otherwise happen and are keen to learn good practices for handling and rearing turtles. They also want to monitor nesting sites on the island so we'll be training them to identify turtle tracks and nests. We plan to combine the data they collect with our own to learn more about the breeding habits of turtles in this atoll.

The training was meant to happen this Thursday but has been postponed for about a week. Which is quite normal. It did frustrate me to begin with, however I've learned to just go with the flow. I've also learned to have presentations and information ready to go as we could suddenly be called on to give the presentation with less than a days notice! It was a relief to find out we don't have to present it in Dhevehi. While I understand or occasionally get the gist of conversations, speaking it is a whole different kettle of fish!

L-R: Sam, Patchi, Chloe, Rachel and Alka

Four more volunteers arrived in Naifaru this week with three volunteering in the marine programme. Sam, Chloe and Rachel have been a great addition and it's fab to have the extra hands to help out. And while Alka didn't sign up for the marine programme (she's teaching in the local school), she's still dragged in to help us when school is over.

We've all been working hard out around the marine centre to get it finished.  We've planting about another 60 trees and have started to paint the walls of the centre. The only thing about the extra trees means there's more trees to be watered each morning. They do look pretty cool though and I'd love to say I'll be back in about 6-7 years when they're fully established...wait and see!

Digging holes - tough in the coral ground!

Alka and Kanma planting coconut trees

Kanma getting water from the well

Watering trees

Now, we (volunteers) can't take all the credit for getting the marine centre to where it is. Most of the really hard work is done by a couple of local guys. One guy in particular is quite cool - Riffa. He's from Bangladesh and speaks only a little English and even less Dhevehi. Our conversations are limited but we still manage to laugh a lot!

Riffa

Inside of the marine centre painted

And I've already mentioned that we do beach clean ups. We've had more people join us each week. Last Sunday we had about 8-10 locals come along and we cleaned up a huge stretch of beautiful beach. It was great to get so much done - I originally thought it would take us weeks to finish that section. 

I'm recording (roughly) how much rubbish is collected each clean up. It would be really interesting to sort through it and see the relative proportions of each type of rubbish - plastic, tyres, glass, clothing, fishing lines etc but have not had time yet. For now, we will clean it up and look at gathering more data later.

Next week we have 14 students arriving from Dubai to work in the marine and waste management programmes (so many people here now, it's fantastic!) I've got a couple of talks to prepare to give to them and we will be taking them out and doing a lot of practical activities. I'll update you next time on what we get up to! 

I'm so enjoying getting stuck into both the theoretical and practical sides of this programme. There is so much to do and I've found that by simply taking small steps towards a goal each day, it hasn't taken long to see real progress being made! So exciting!

Alka with Asfaru