Day 5- Coral Reef Studies at Puako

Day 5: Maverick Chin

After arriving in the rock beach of Waimea, I proceeded through 2 stations, one of which was mapping intertidal life while the other involved measuring the salinity, pH, and oxygen content of the water. However, the station that really stood out to me was the third and final one I partook in: the snorkeling and fish counting station. Although I've snorkeled before, both during this trip and on family vacations, this experience was unique because I got to see a much wider variety of ocean wildlife than I'd ever dreamed of experiencing. After making my way down the rocky shore, I eagerly donned my snorkeling gear while listening to a safety lecture from James, the instructor of the station. As I stepped into the ocean, I felt the cool water lapping at my feet. Glancing around, I became entranced by the shapes of the rocks and coral that were refracted by rays of sunlight. As Cheyenne led the way into the water, I submerged my head and followed. While swimming away from the shore, I noticed a sea turtle eating algae from a rock and silently marveled at its ability to cope with the harsh environmental changes that humans have imposed on the fragile ecosystems of coral reefs. After swimming for a few more minutes, my group and I were instructed to line up and count the species and number of fish that we observed while snorkeling. After hearing exclamations of delight from my fellow group members, I knew that we had arrived at the bulk of the reefs along with its accompanying wildlife. As I cruised through the waters, I observed many vibrantly colored fishes, ranging from the more common Yellow Tang to the light- absorbing Goldring Surgeonfish to the black and yellow Longnose Butterfly. After recording the types of fish we observed, James and Cheyenne led us back to shore, where we collected the equipment and headed back to debrief the stations. In a day filled with all sorts of fun and excitement, this experience had the most profound impact on me. While it allowed me to view the beauty and uniqueness of coral reefs, it also made me a bit sorrowful to see firsthand evidence of the environmental changes that have wrought havoc on the fragile ecosystem that coral reefs depend upon. Not only has this program made me more aware of the problems we currently face in our oceans, but it has also taught me that examples such as this negatively affect us humans as well. Swimming through a coral reef while filled with knowledge regarding its health has enlightened me and I can definitively say that this program has bettered my understanding of the environment as a whole.

Maverick prepares to enter the ocean for fish counts.

Kayla Tai
Today was very exhilarating because of the many lessons we learned from Puako bay and the movie we watched called Chasing Ice.  At Puako Bay, our group rotated around three different workshops: the water quality table, the tidal pools, and snorkeling.  My personal favorite was the water quality table where we tested the various characteristics of the water and differentiated between fresher and saltier areas of the ocean.  We also saw how an acidic solution (the sample we used was vinegar) reacted with coral/sand; the coral dissolved!  This helped us understand how ocean acidification can harm the coral reefs.  Overall, I truly enjoyed the entire experience at Puako bay because of the knowledge and suntans we gained.  Later in the evening, we watched a fascinating and inspiring film called Chasing Ice.  The film taught us all how powerful photography and videography can be by physically representing the constant change our world goes through.  In regards to climate change, James Balog takes amazing photos of melting ice caps and glaciers which illustrate to normal citizens of the world the dangerous effects of global warming.  This film inspired me to be as motivated as James was, and I will definitely apply that knowledge as well as the Puako bay experience in my life for the future.

Kayla enjoying the beach at Puako.