Recently in Island Travel Category
We just got this GLOWING update via email from our field rep in Indonesia about the 99,000-acre marine reserve off the coast of Daram Island. (Seacology is funding the construction of a community center in nearby Fafanlap village in exchange for their support of the reserve)
It was so great we just had to share:
The last time I dived this site was with the Seacology trip in 2007 and while it was spectacular four years ago, the reef has exploded with fish life since then. For the first time we saw schools of Napoleon wrasse, blacktip sharks and aggregations of big grouper, all of which seem to have been locally extinct on most Indonesian reefs for over a decade. There were so many fish on this dive that our heads were spinning. I was emphatically pointing one way and Mark was emphatically pointing another way the whole dive. I came out of that dive exhilarated and full of joy and hope that other reefs in the Misool area, with continued protection, will also look like Fafanlap in just a few short years. If they do, I can foresee that S.E. Misool will have THE best diving in the world, hands down.
As school years wind to an end, you may be starting to plan summer vacations. This year, make your summer travel as earth-friendly as possible, with these helpful green travel tips:
- Travel of any kind--cars, planes, or even
trains--creates carbon emissions that add to the harmful greenhouse gases in our
atmosphere, increasing the negative effects of climate change. Reduce your
impact by donating to a carbon offset fund. Seacology's
Carbon Offset Fund supports alternative energy and reforestation island
projects to offset your carbon emissions.
- If you are visiting a coastal area, make sure to
bring your sustainable
seafood guidelines, which list which species are overfished and endangered
and which are safe to eat.
- Reduce plastic waste on your trip by bringing
along a reusable water bottle and reusable bags.
- Endangered species can sometimes turn up in
meals or souvenirs--you don't want to accidentally bring home a keychain from a
loggerhead sea turtle! Familiarize yourself with the world's most endangered
species with the color photos and detailed information on ARKive.org.
- Get inspiration for exciting trip destinations
at Trazzler.com, a Seacology supporter
and leading travel website.
- Consider joining Seacology on our upcoming trip
to Chuuk,
where we will explore underwater coral reefs, shipwrecks, and visit a Seacology
project site.
Above, the rainforest Seacology is protecting on Fefen Island in Chuuk.
Seacology
Program Manager Karen Peterson recently returned from a trip to Indonesia,
where she traveled with our Indonesia Field Representative Arnaz Mehta and
visited Seacology projects. One of their
site visits was on the island of Java, where Seacology has funded a multi-purpose
community building in support of the replanting of 72 acres and protecting a
total of 267 acres of no-take rainforest. Below is Karen's account of her
visit.
On October 24, Arnaz and I flew to Bandung, Java, overnighted, then were met at the hotel by Mandalemekar project coordinator Irman Meilandi. We then drove four hours to the village. Though the road approaching the village was not of the same level of ruggedness as what we had experienced on Flores Island a few days earlier, rain has made access into and out of Mandalamekar challenging. Fortunately, the roads were in decent shape for our arrival.
Right, Karen, Arnaz, and Mandalamekar villagers at their local waterfall.
What are today's hottest travel destinations? You guessed it--islands! Lonely Planet, one of the world's leading travel guides, just released its annual list of the top 10 sites to visit. From Polynesia to Iceland, islands dominate the list:
- Marquesas Islands, Polynesia
- Westfjords, Iceland
- Shetland Islands, Scotland
- Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- Chilean Patagonia
- Gili Islands, Indonesia
Of the mainland sites, two--Sinai, Egypt, and Istria, Croatia--are peninsulas (or, etymologically, nearly islands!) and another is a coastal region--West Coast, USA. Only one inland destination made the list: Cappadocia, Turkey. So if you are planning a trip in the near future, islands are clearly a good choice.
How
would you like to swim next to a 50 foot whale? With the help of Seacology and Trazzler, you can! Submit your travel
writing to Trazzler's Smart
Travel contest by November 15 and you might win a spot on a Seacology
ecotourism adventure to swim with humpback whales in the Polynesian island of
Tonga.
The
Smart Travel contest asks: Can Travel Make Us Better People? Do you think
travel can make the world a better place? Is it possible to make a positive
contribution to a community just by visiting?
Since
islands appear in every corner of our planet, Seacology board members, supporters,
and staff frequently travel to islands around the world to visit Seacology
project sites and meet with communities we've helped.
Now,
Seacology has teamed up with Trazzler,
an online travel website that recommends personalized travel experiences to its
users. Trazzler allows you to submit personal, one-of-a-kind trip descriptions,
and then share and suggest them to other Trazzler users. Trazzler promotes
Smart Travel--trips that are more than just a visit, but instead allow you to
truly explore the world around you as an active, rather than passive, traveler.
Trazzler believes that travel can be a good thing in the world--that it can make
the planet a better place to live, and make us more conscientious people and
global citizens.
Seacology
is helping Trazzler put this idea to the test. Trazzler users can enter the Smart Travel contest
and submit their own trips. Two lucky winners will be selected to join
Seacology on an ecotourism adventure to swim with humpback whales in South
Pacific island of Tonga. Tonga is one of the few locations in the
world where humans can swim with humpback whales. The 10-day trip will begin in
Nuku'alofa, Tonga's capital and continue north to the Ha'apai island group,
where travelers will have the opportunity to swim with humpback whales. In
addition to up-close whale encounters, the trip will include opportunities for
snorkeling and several night dives amidst Tonga's pristine coral reefs--and a
visit to the Seacology project in the Ha'apai islands, where Seacology is
establishing a marine reserve.
So what do you think--can travel make us better people? Join Trazzler today and share your life-changing trip experiences in the Smart Travel contest!
You see, Tuvalu is understandably very concerned about the rising oceans due to global warming. In other parts of the world, this change might impact the types of crops that are grown, how much energy is used, and the introduction of new tropical diseases. In Tuvalu, rising oceans may submerge the entire nation under water. As Samuel Johnson said, "The prospect of being hanged focuses the mind wonderfully." Indeed, for Tuvalu the prospect of being drowned does cause a nation to take rising sea levels very seriously. Unfortunately for Tuvalu, the negative impacts of the rising oceans are already being experienced in terms of stronger storm surges that reach farther inland. During my recent visit, many village elders described how this is already happening, with areas that never before experienced flooding now regularly underwater during storms.
It
is well known that mangrove forests ameliorate the impact of storm
surges. As was seen in the great Southeast Asia tsunami several years ago,
villages that kept their mangrove forests intact suffered less damage than
those that had cut their mangrove trees down. Consequently, the Tuvalu atoll of
Nanumea approached Seacology for support of a win-win project. Nanumea
has a population of 660 people and outside of government employment there are
no (as in zero) paying jobs on the island. Everyone lives off the bounty
of the land and sea in a subsistence fashion. Therefore Nanumea was
seeking support for the renovation and expansion of a Woman's Centre where the
local women can make traditional handicrafts for sale in the capital city
of Funafuti. In exchange, the people of Nanumea would begin a two
acre lagoon based mangrove nursery and reserve, planting over 1,000 mangrove
seedlings along the coastline. Seacology's response was a resounding "YES."
Along with Seacology president Ken Murdock and 42 other guests on Zegrahm
Expeditions' exploratory cruise ship the Clipper Odyssey, I recently attended
the official opening of the Nanumea project. As we came in to the lagoon
on our zodiacs, we were serenaded in traditional fashion by villagers who came
out to greet us on their kayaks. After receiving flowered headdresses
from the wonderful Pula Taofa, coordinator of the Tuvalu National Council of
Women (TNCW), and other high ranking village representatives, we walked over to
the new Women's Center. The speeches made by Pula and her colleagues from
TNCW were very moving and made it clear that the Women's Center will allow
women to earn income from the manufacture of traditional handicrafts and give
them not only much needed income but also a sense of independence and
accomplishment. It was then time for Ken Murdock and me to cut the ribbon
officially opening the new Center (see photo below).
Photo credit Ramona Wilson
It is very much in the tradition of Seacology to get our hands dirty (in this case literally) and lend a hand to our projects. The photos below show Jerry and Don Zieglar with a mangrove seedling (left), and local women planting mangroves (right).
With our work completed, it was now time to celebrate. The village put on
an incredible fest featuring pigs and chicken baked in an earth oven.
Afterwards, we were treated to a wonderful performance of singing and dancing.
Ken Murdock and I made our way through the 80 villagers singing in a tight knit
circle around a large drum and joined the villagers in the drum circle, which
was a very moving experience.
As a surprise to my fellow passengers, Seacology had arranged to be the first
major customer of the Women's Handicraft Center and with our support, the
village presented everyone with gifts of beautiful handmade dresses, necklaces
and fans. It was an event that none of us will ever forget.
Less than ten years ago, marine biologists discovered that during the months of
June to September the world's largest aggregation of whale sharks takes place
off the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. In recent years they can be
found north of Isla Mujeres, a small island just off the coast of Cancun.
A smaller number can also be found off of Holbox Island near the northern tip
of the Yucatan Peninsula. Whale Sharks are listed on the International
Union of the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN's) Red List of Vulnerable Species,
meaning their future is in danger.If our new island projects made you
wistful for an island adventure of your own, why not consider joining Seacology
on one of our upcoming trips? Seacology trips visit some of the world's most
pristine and remote islands, combining rugged adventure with luxury travel for
the experience of a lifetime! Our trips include stops at Seacology sites, where
we meet island villagers and tour the projects and reserved we've helped fund.
Read on for more information on our upcoming trips, and we hope you can join
us!
Do you think travel can make the world a better place? Is it possible to make a positive contribution to a community just by visiting?
Now,
Seacology has teamed up with Trazzler,
an online travel website that recommends personalized travel experiences to its
users. Trazzler allows you to submit personal, one-of-a-kind trip descriptions,
and then share and suggest them to other Trazzler users. Trazzler promotes
Smart Travel--trips that are more than just a visit, but instead allow you to
truly explore the world around you as an active, rather than passive, traveler.
Trazzler believes that travel can be a good thing in the world--that it can make
the planet a better place to live, and make us more conscientious people and
global citizens.
Seacology
is helping Trazzler put this idea to the test. Trazzler users can enter the Smart Travel contest
and submit their own trips. Two lucky winners will be selected to join
Seacology on an ecotourism adventure to swim with humpback whales in South
Pacific island of Tonga. Tonga is one of the few locations in the
world where humans can swim with humpback whales. The 10-day trip will begin in
Nuku'alofa, Tonga's capital and continue north to the Ha'apai island group,
where travelers will have the opportunity to swim with humpback whales. In
addition to up-close whale encounters, the trip will include opportunities for
snorkeling and several night dives amidst Tonga's pristine coral reefs--and a
visit to the Seacology project in the Ha'apai islands, where Seacology is
establishing a marine reserve.
So what do you think--can travel make us better people? Join Trazzler today and share your life-changing trip experiences in the Smart Travel contest!
Image from Wikimedia Commons
