7:30am marks the beginning of a diving day for the Thailand Expedition. Team members who are collecting data for the day set off for their journey to Chalong Pier bright and early, making sure they have all kit required for the day. They then head over to Sirolo, the boat the team has been using to venture out to the specific dive sites to collect sufficient data.
The boat sets off from the pier at 8am, on a two hour journey to the dive sites. During this time, the coral and fish teams revise their plans for the day over breakfast and a morning Milo (the best chocolate milk). They look at maps of the dive sites and familiarise themselves with the area. A dive leader is assigned and specific scientific equipment is given to each individual. Every team member has had the chance to put their underwater navigation skills to the test, hoping to successfully lead the other divers around the dive sites, as well as relocating the boat at the end of the dive. A briefing for each team is conducted on the journey, reminding each team member the safety precautions that have to be followed, and also the methodology for the data collection process.
At approximately 10am, the divers kit up and prepare for their first dive. Following buddy and equipment checks, everyone is ready to make that giant stride into the water! Coral and fish teams then venture under the water and make their way to the data collection site. Both teams conduct a 5m bubble check, making sure that all equipment works sufficiently before diving deeper to begin their data collection.
Data collection for the coral project begins at a depth of around 10-12m. This is when one team member performs random fin kicks to begin the data collection process, and to prevent potential bias of sites occurring. The other two team members follow closely behind, ready to perform their role for the dive. One divers responsibility is to lay the transect carefully around the coral site. During this time, another member is responsible for the chains- these are used to wrap around the transect on any sandy areas, to prevent the transect line from floating away from the site. This puts the divers buoyancy control to the test, making sure they don’t kick the coral and lay the chains gently. Following this, Shion is able to begin her data collection, by taking pictures of the coral along the transect line. After this, transect 1 is complete. Scientific equipment is collected and the team then random fin kick to another site where the process is repeated.
Meanwhile, the fish team are beginning their data collection. The team navigate to a sandy area to lay their 2m transect. Once the transect is positioned, the team remain in their diving positions for three minutes, allowing for sediment to settle- making sure their buoyancy is under control during this time. Following this, data collection can commence. For a five- minute period, the team record any fish observed within a 2m radius of the transect line on their slates as well as maintaining their buoyancy. Multitasking at its finest! When the time is up, data collection for that point count is complete, and the dive leader can guide the team to the next site.
Both teams surface from the dive after 30-45 minutes of underwater time, marked by a safety buoy which two members from each team use. The coral team have been able to conduct 3 transects on one dive, and the fish team 3 point counts. Both teams have vastly improved their familiarisation of the dive sites as well as air consumption, allowing them to perform more data collection on each dive. Once the divers return to the boat its debrief time. They then have the chance to relax on the boat until they arrive at their next location, taking in the beautiful scenery along the way.
Again, for the next two dives the same process for each team is repeated and after the third dive, team members return to the boat and prepare for the journey back to the pier. During this time, Shion and Fraser have had the opportunity to conduct questionnaires to other dive instructors on the boat. They have surrounded the perceptions of healthy coral and fish abundance. The team have been lucky enough to spot some Bryde’s Whales on the way back to land- the first wild whales some of our team members have ever seen! The journey back allows the divers to unwind after a busy day, and relax before data collation begins after returning home. Overall, the divers have a fantastic day, and cant wait to get their fins back on and into the water to collect more data for each project!
Comments