After 6 amazing weeks, the Thailand 2019 expedition has come to a close, so we decided to ask each member of the team some questions about their experience in Phuket!
Melanie (3rd year Marine Biology and Co-leader, Shark Project)
So how did your project go?
"My project got off to a pretty slow start due to some logistical reasons. We had a couple of ups and down with our accommodation that delayed data collection. Using the snowball sampling technique, we’ve managed to get a lot more interviews rolling in which is really good. So far, we’ve got about 25 divers which is a really nice number. There’s been a lot of really interesting information that we’ve found out. There seems to be a trend in people’s perceptions of declining leopard shark populations which is something I’m going to explore further in my project write up. Getting the interviews with the Thai locals like the fisherman and the Thai market sellers has been really interesting. We’ve had to use a translator, which our translator Mali and been fantastic, and also May who has helped translate down at the Sea Gypsy Village. It’s been very interesting seeing different sides of people’s opinions who all work in the ocean and see first-hand what’s going on".
How did you find being a leader on the expedition?
"Co-leading was always going to be a big task to take on, there was so much to organise because it’s the first year that we’ve ever run an expedition to Thailand. Because I used to live here, there was a lot of the logistics that were being relied on me to organise. It was very challenging, but I feel like it’s been very rewarding. Managing a team is a task in itself but it’s been a real big learning experience for me. I feel like I’ve improved a lot of skills in team management and communication, so it’s been a really worthwhile challenge to take on. All the skills I’ve learned will be transferable into future career options as well which is a real bonus of leading an expedition. It’s been stressful at times, but it’s also been a lot of laughs as well. I feel like it’s all gone really well".
What have been your highlights of the expedition?
"I’ve really loved getting out and helping the dive projects. It’s been nice to get back in the water here, in a place that I’ve dived thousands of times. I really enjoyed our trip to Ranong on the Thai-Burmese border. We got to drive through the national parks with all the waterfalls. Going to the landing sites and seeing what the commercial fishing trade is all about and how it operates. The days off going to places like Bang Pae waterfall was really beautiful. We got to walk up through the jungle and into the waterfalls for a nice and refreshing swim".
What will you miss the most about Phuket?
"I think I will miss the weather. It’s been amazing weather given the time of year that were here. It should be monsoon rains and we’ve had nothing but sunshine after the first week so that’s been really nice. I miss all my friends out here. It’s been nice to catch up with old ones and make new friends too. Expedition life has its challenges but it’s also really fun living with the rest of your teammates and getting to know everyone as well as you do, so I’ll definitely miss the team loads".
Whats the first meal you will have when you get back home?
"I’m probably gonna be missing Thai food so much that I’m gonna go for a Thai takeaway. I’ll probably eat some som tam and some Massuman curry".
Shion (3rd year Marine Biology and Co-leader, Coral Project)
So how did your project go?
"I think my project overall went pretty well. We didn’t get to as many sites as I’d originally planned because of weather and logistical reasons but I’ve manged to get to a fair few sites, seven in total. I’ve got some good data from it that I’m excited to analyse so I think it’s gone really well. I’ve really enjoyed the social aspect of the project as well rather than it purely being an ecological project. Working social science into the project should work really nicely with the data that I’ve got. I hope it’s a project that can be continued into the future".
How did you find being a leader on the expedition?
"I really enjoyed being a leader of this expedition, especially because Melanie and I had a really good relationship. We met in Egypt last year and that’s where the idea of a Thailand Expedition was conceived. Since then we’ve worked really hard throughout the year to get this expedition together. There have been times where it’s been really stressful being overloaded with uni work whilst also planning the expedition, however it’s all turned out nicely and the team worked together really well. I’ve learned a lot throughout the last year about leading trips like this and hopefully it’s a skill that I can use in the future".
What have been your highlights of the expedition?
"I think my favourite part of the expedition was the first day we were all properly together, we went down to the beach. Running down to the beach and jumping into the water with our snorkels and getting into some warm water was so nice. Also, the food too, especially going to the night market and trying all sorts of interesting things such as boiled egg on a stick".
What will you miss the most about Phuket?
"Definitely the heat, I’m really not looking forward to going back to cold Scotland after being in nice warm weather for so long. Also just being able to go diving on a regular basis. I’ve never been diving in Scotland, but I can imagine it would be pretty cold and not as good. Diving in 30-degree water at least three times a week has been really nice".
Whats the first meal you will have when you get back home?
"I’m going to go to any cheese shop, buy a selection pack of cheese and then eat it all. They do have cheese in Thailand but it’s very expensive. I’m going to gorge myself on dairy!"
Nicole (4th year Zoology)
So what have you enjoyed most on the expedition?
"I’ve enjoyed the science, just all the science. The social aspect has been really good too as I’ve made lots of friends".
What will you miss the most about Phuket?
"Being on the boat, its’ just really nice".
What skills have you learned on the expedition?
"I’ve learned a lot of diving skills, dive reading skills, buoyancy and social science".
What are your favourite animals that you have seen on the expedition?
"Seeing sharks is just awesome. I really like the pink skunk anemonefish too, they’re really cute. The peacock mantis shrimp and boxfish were really cool as well".
Whats the first meal you will have when you get back home?
"Something refreshing".
Fraser (3rd year Marine Biology, Fish Project)
So how did your project go?
"My projects been very well. We’ve got a lot of point counts and it’s been very successful. We’ve also collected a lot of questionnaires, a lot of data and hopefully that will give us an accurate representation of the diversity of the different dive sites".
What will you miss the most about Phuket?
"I’m gonna miss a lot of things, ranging from diving almost every day to drinking Milo, just everyday life in the nice tropical heat. I’m gonna miss it all".
What has been your favourite dive site?
"When we were on our Advanced Open Water course, we went to the Phi Phi Islands and it was the most beautiful conditions. The coral was beautiful. We saw about five blacktip reef sharks. The marine life out there was just insane. The schools of fish and the scenery around the Islands. We got to see Maya Bay, the amazing film ‘The Beach’ was filmed with Oscar worthy acting by Leonardo DiCaprio. Eating lunch with that view was very nice and it was just a beautiful dive site".
What are your favourite animals that you have seen on the expedition?
"Seeing the eagle ray on one of our dives was very nice, the way it just swam along so elegantly. The Blacktip reef sharks were very cool. The Geckos make a funny noise. Camilla has got to be my favourite animal though. Camilla is a dog owned by the owner of our old house we stayed in before we had to move out due to some leaks. She was a very strange dog. She wouldn’t let you pet her but liked to get really close behind you and eat your shorts. She also liked to eat all our clothes from the drying rack and growl at us every morning when we tried to come out. She would take the clothes, rip them up and bury them around the garden which I thought was a very strong power play, but the girls didn’t like it".
Whats the first thing you will do or the first meal you will eat when you get home?
"The first thing I’m gonna do is sleep, for about a day. I’m going to eat lots of cheese too".
Abby (2nd year Immunology)
What have been your highlights of the expedition?
"Aw there’s so many to choose from but if I was to narrow it down to two. Diving every day, I never realised how much I would enjoy it. It’s just been so great to get out and dive here, compared to cold Scotland. Imagine diving in the loch and then diving in 30-degree waters it’s such a big difference. And probably visiting Big Buddha, I really liked seeing the temples after our school visit".
What skills have you learned on the expedition?
"Well for Melanie’s project, definitely interview skills, there’s a certain way you have to come across and have to be fully engaged in what’s going on for Melanie as she’s asking a lot of questions for us to pick up any information that she’s maybe missed out. The CPC coral analysis for Shion’s coral project and Rstudio workshop with Charlotte and Neil are really going to come in handy next year especially".
What has been your favourite dive site?
"Definitely Racha Noi Bay North, that was amazing. Fraser and I were doing our point counts that day because of the site where we’re navigating to it takes longer to swim to the sites we need to point count at so after we finished our two point counts we would just go on a wee dive about and the coral was absolutely amazing. So blue, colourful and there were so many different fish there as well. Plus, the good thing is you didn’t have to navigate your way back to the boat. You just hold up your SMB at the pickup point, which was really good".
Whats the first meal you will have when you get back home?
"Even though I’m not back on a Sunday, I’ll want to have my Sunday dinner, my steak pie, my mash and my veg. And I’ll be unpacking as soon as I get back, because then I’ll go away to Milan the next day but I’m really excited to see everyone".
Emma (2nd year Zoology)
What have been your highlights of the expedition?
"I think one highlight was definitely when I spotted a whale from the boat. I really really wanted to see one and when I thought I saw a fin no one believed me at first but then it came up and we were like ‘woahhhh’ so it was very cool. Another one would probably be fooling around in the pool with everyone. That happened a couple times and it was very fun".
What skills have you learned on the expedition?
"I learned how to use CPC software, which I’m really happy about because I might want to do marine research later on into University. I’m really happy that I could see the social science aspect of Melanie’s project and go with her for interviews. I also learned so many fish and coral species which I’m really happy about as it makes diving more fun when you can recognise all the wildlife".
What are your favourite animals that you have seen on the expedition?
"I love boxfish, they’re so cute, especially the the small yellow ones with lots of spots on them and I also really like the ones that are blue that just have spots on the top. I also love the Nudibranchs and how you have to search for them".
Whats the first meal you will have when you get back home?
"I’m gonna have cherry fruit soup when I get back to Hungary made by my mum. I’m gonna be so happy".
Helen (2nd year Marine Biology)
What have been your highlights of the expedition?
"Doing the fish data collection with Fraser has been really fun, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I really enjoyed doing my divemaster training, even though I haven’t done much of it so far, the stuff that I have done has been good. I enjoyed the waterfall a lot. That was a really good day off, I had a really nice time. Because we had a difficult start to the expedition it’s been really nice to see it all come together in the last four weeks".
What skills have you learned on the expedition?
"How to do dive leading. How to handle different kinds of equipment underwater as we’ve all had a go of laying transects, Shion’s transects and chains. How to be a bit more independent in finding stuff to do for myself as I have a different role from last years expedition. It’s quite good to take initiative".
What has been your favourite dive site?
"Shark point for sure! The coral is so nice, soft coral and hard coral. There are so many fish. It’s quite easy to navigate too".
Whats the first meal you will have when you get back home?
"Macaroni cheese for sure. Lots of cheese".
Gregor (2nd year Zoology)
What have been your highlights of the expedition?
"Taking part in all the data collection for all the projects has been especially fun and also fascinating. I really enjoyed our days off too, visiting the night market, Bang Pae waterfall and the Phi Phi Islands".
What skills have you learned on the expedition?
"Learning to scuba dive was an especially useful skill that I learned on this expedition, which allowed me to take part in lots of the Scientific diving. Learning more about social science through Melanie’s project has really fascinating too and has now inspired me to pursue a social science project for my dissertation".
What are your favourite animals that you have seen on the expedition?
"Seeing the hawksbill sea turtles whilst diving was brilliant. And the Macaques were very fun for taking pictures. I also really love the Tokay geckos and the cuttlefish".
Whats the first meal you will have when you get back home?
"I’m looking forward to making myself a big pot of veggie chilli, maybe over a baked potato!"
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