you know you’ve made it when you get featured in a talk about conservation photography -thanks Steve De Neef!! ;-)

This is a snap from steve’s presentation at ADEX in Singapore…if you want to find out more about Steve, his photography and conservation in the Philippines then check out his website - www.stevedeneef.com

Without giving too much away, he’s a bit of a wizard with a camera…
Go and have a goosey.

A quick hi hello to all my new followers, like to think you’re just behind me in the blue….thanks for keeping me company ;-)  Will have more shark news for you soon…

We’re currently up to shark number 19 here…wit woo.  

Quick stop the search, I think I’ve found it, I think I’ve found paradise. 

Ok so a few tweaks need to be made, mainly the exclusion of the 11 mangy dogs we currently live with (though plus side –they have a crush on Gonzo), but the little barangay (village) of Son-ok in Southern Leyte is a pretty good match: a village nestled on the coast, looking out towards Sogod Bay and the island of Limasawa, where the sunsets are breathtaking, the people are welcoming and the green mountains that surround the blue waters make you feel like anything is possible in a place so picturesque.    

This is my new home.  Well at least for now.  It’s a little bit rural, we are still to find a fruit stall, the internet is questionable and we are beginning to wonder where we’ll find a fridge for the new house…. well that’s what we will be thinking once we have actually found a house in the first place! But it’s beautiful and was well worth the two-day journey to get here.  

The journey itself, took its toll on each of us in it’s own way – Gonzo needed food (cue angry monster), Ale was a little tired and wide eyed, jess was sleepy, and I was delusional, or perhaps more fitting, crazy.  My state of mind first became apparent when on arrival I changed into what Ale has described as something the Mel B (from the Spice girls) would wear (minus the attitude).  I like to blame it on the heat/exhaustion/journey (any other suggestions welcome) - it really was the first thing I could find that would cover me from the mosquitoes (honest!).  And so after anticipating our arrival for so long, this is how I first introduced myself to the rural community of Barangay Son-ok.

Classy.   

By the next morning the crazy in me had diluted, just in time to meet the mayor (phew).  Add a few days of sorting things out – taking over a family home (poor people)…searching for a house (still searching), writing articles for books (another day chained to the computer), checking out the local Marine Protected Area (MPA), marvelling at the landscape, being chased by children, eating rice, rice, rice…on Saturday we finally made it into a boat and out to sea to look for sharks! 

And what a day!  You know how I was talking about first impressions.  Well let’s just say this is maybe NOT the way to do it (not that I’d know anything about this, of course). 

Wetsuit clad…sunglasses on, cue sea breeze and heart beat flutter…we are off to find a whale shark. The midday sun was hot, the sea glittering and for a moment I thought I’d died and gone to heaven ;-) 

Tourists boats frequent the cool waters of Sogod Bay between the months of October and June, cruising the calm waters for the worlds largest fish.  The number of tourists here is much lower than that in Donsol and Oslob, coming in at around 2000 per year, as opposed to Oslobs’ 100,000 and Donsol’s 27,000 (figures for 2012).  The tourism practice here is an example of a much lower impact practice than those found elsewhere in the Philippines: less invasive, with (we believe) less of an impact on the shark.  Studying tourism and shark behaviour here is an important measure in ensuring the best interaction guidelines are developed and that the population of whale sharks frequenting the Bohol Sea (and the Philippines) are protected, both for the welfare of the species and for the communities here. 

That’s why we’re here setting up a new research project.

And so, there we were skimming the water, searching for a hint of a shadow….ooo ooo is that a shark…no no, sit back, relax, lub dub lub dub, my heart was so excited.  Ok shark spotted!  Quick, quick fins on!  I’m ready (obviously ;-) )… “Gonzo..ready?  Gonzo?!”

Gonzo: “quick sal in the water” (push)

(Me) - “what!?” (glug glug)

(Gonzo) “…my fin…I’ve dropped my fin!!??  Grab it!”

“Where is it?”

Ale – “Sally WHAT are you doing in the water?!!”

Boat men: “here, it’s over here” 

(Me) “where? where did it go?”

(boat men) “here, here…..swim, swim, here!”

(Me) ‘Here?!’

Deep breath, under I go……

“WOOAHHHH WHAle shark!!!”  That’s not a fin. 

Ale –“have you id-ied”

Me - “No I haven’t got a camera”

Ale “WHAT the hell are you doing?!”

And so that is how I ended up face to face with my first whale shark of the year, without a camera and without Gonzos fin.   And yes, THIS IS also how we, as researchers first introduced our selves to the Tourism industry here in Southern Leyte.  Hugely professional, as always ;-)

Luckily, we managed to get our act together and photo-IDied 3 new sharks (by new I mean 3 new individual whale sharks that have not been photo-identified before).  Incredibly Gonzo even found his fin – ok so it was dancing in a current 8 meters down, but fortunately we have a new friend – Ery – one of the whale shark spotters here – who as well as possessing a wicked laugh, is an incredible swimmer.  In fact I have an inkling that he may be related to superman, for he retrieved Gonzo’s fin without even taking a breath, and you know since that memorable day, we’ve been out on the water and see him swim what must be 20meters down to help us ID whale sharks.  Sometimes he swims so deep, I lose sight of him in the deep blue sea, until what seems like minutes later when he reappears, swimming powerfully towards the surface.  MADNESS.

And so the adventure continues.   There’s still a long way to go (like sorting the boat, a house, the research strategy, mending the car, treating the 11 mangy dogs) but we are here, the sharks are here, and hopefully with a few tips from Ery we’ll all be living underwater in the blink of an eye.

And so, a week on and I already feel like I’ve been in the Philippines for a million years.  Perhaps the greatest thing to come of this is that fact that I have not, I repeat, HAVE NOT been sweating uncontrollably like a mad woman.  Thank goodness for that.  I mean seriously.  Thank you. 

Aside from the obvious positive, there have been a few other highlights in coming back to this wonderful country:

1)   Swimming and snorkelling in the sea is actually like flying over a tropical land where all the trees (corals) are colourful and most of the residents (fish) are all wearing their best make-up. So swish.

2)   It’s OK to have coffee and ice cream for dinner. Mmmmm

3)   The people are lovely…

4)   Singing is obligatory :-) 

And the not so positive:

1)   Being reminded that here you are a giant, and finding a belt long enough to fit your waist, will require some rooting around and will make you feel like/wonder if you are obese…

2)   Mosquitoes!  How could I have forgotten that they like the taste of British blood.  Gutted.  And while the bite is annoying…the fact that some carry Dengue (Breakbone fever) makes the smell of insect repellent that much more appealing….(really… really?!) 

3)   Being reminded that tradition and conservation are often two very different things and that each must be respected in their own way.  I think working with communities towards more sustainable practices is one of the most challenging things we do. 

And who is this we I speak of?  We is LAMAVE – the Large Marine Vertebrate Project in the Philippines set up by Italian NGO (non-government organisation) Physalus.  The project is headed by Physalus president and all round pasta lover Dr Alessandro Ponzo.  Working with him, are a mixture of Filipino and international crazies passionate about marine biology, the Philippines and conservation.  Hello.

I worked with LAMAVE for a little while in 2012, mainly on their project studying the effects of feeding on the whale shark population in Oslob, Cebu.  This year I’ve come back to help set up one of our new projects in Southern Leyte, a more rural province in the middle strip of islands in the Philippines known as the Visayan region.  I cannot wait.  Unfortunately before we go searching for sharks there’s quite a bit to do, and so for the past week we’ve been ‘preppin’….writing grant applications…yawn….getting the car fixed….diving (just for fun) and checking out rare black coral…wit woo….unfortunately I didn’t do this too gracefully due to my BC (the jacket you wear which has your tank attached to it) auto-inflating…disaster and potentially v dangerous… but I did learn a valuable lesson in the process and provided great entertainment for the others, ah the joys of being the class clown. 

But alas time is passing and things are slowly getting into shape… hopefully by this time next week, I’ll be able to introduce you to my first whale shark since returning to South East Asia….yes please.  

So it was around this time last year that I was getting oh so nervous in the hope we’d film one of these - a mobula!

Braced with an underwater crew I found myself a third of the way to America on the island of Pico in the Azores.  Our mission: to film mobulas, volcanoes and sperm whales.  Needless to say things went swimmingly ;-) …

This is a still taken from the footage shot by underwater cameraman Gavin Newman.  The diver is our presenter, Iolo Williams, and the Mobula well that’s a Mobula tarapacana, also refered to as aSicklefin Devil Ray, Spiny Mobula, Chilean Devil Ray or Box Ray. It’s thought that these flying water babies can reach almost 5m, and although little is known about them there is a prominent population here in the Azores.  

This one was filmed 45 nautical miles (about 85km) off Pico Island (Azores) above a seamount called Princess Alice.  The mount, which makes up part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the longest running mountain range in the world (albeit underwater!) is thought to have a bottom depth of 2993m and reaches up to just 35meters from the surface.  The topography of the mount makes it a great place for Manta Rays, Mobulas, Sharks, Baracuda and Jacks.  

This footage featured in a ‘Antur Y Gorllewin’, a 6 part series that Aden Productions made for the Welsh Channel, S4C. 

Oh and if you’re wondering about the whales…stay tuned and I shall reveal all! x

Sitting in Cebu airport, the realisation that I will be back on UK soil in 3 days is slowly becoming more real.  This time next week, I will most likely be sat at my computer editing the footage I shot whilst on base with Coral Cay Conservation.   Hmmm…time certainly does fly…. and now with a few minutes on my hands I’ve somehow found myself wearing my “reflective hat”…and looking pretty swarf even if I do say so myself….but anyway back to the first train…Coral Cay…how did it all pan out?

Well one thing for sure is that I learnt an AWFUL lot.  And while the most important lesson I learnt was how to deal with and work with a fire breathing Expedition Leader that doesn’t know how to work with women and is perhaps the most sexist, patronising and rude man I have ever worked with…..there were also a few more inspiring lessons in the mix too.  My marine knowledge grew, what with having Napantoa house reef (perhaps the most beautiful reef I shall ever see) right on my doorstep, but also my understanding of Marine Protected Areas- their significance and their establishment flourished during my time at Coral Cay. 

And while I didn’t quite learn all that the volunteers do – coral, fish and invert ID, survey techniques, I learnt something even better.  For being responsible for filming what it is exactly that Coral Cay do (behind the scenes as it were), I was allowed to delve deeper into the community and to really witness what great things they actually do, do.  However the problem I fear is that I was an exception.  I don’t believe that volunteers joining expedition get to see all that Coral Cay do, and if I’m honest it is these things that the volunteers fail to see that are the most inspiring.  Here’s hoping this video I’m soon to put together will help shed some light on the secret saviours of coral cay.  Fingers crossed mon frères, fingers crossed.

For an NGO that appears (in my opinion) to sell itself on science and community commitment Coral Cay is quite the mixed bag.  I’m not saying they don’t do these things, because evidently they do, its just from my experience many of the volunteers seem to be seduced by the science but unfortunately disappointed by the lack of surveys they actually get to carry out.  I doubt that this is true for every volunteer, rather I think it depends on when volunteers arrive and when the next batch of volunteers descend on base, for it is this high turn over of volunteers that take away from the surveying.  All volunteers must be qualified up to PADI Advanced Open Water before they start Coral Cays intensive Science Development Course.  A great course, that will broaden the knowledge of even the most keen underwater naturalist.  It is the knowledge volunteers learn on this course, that I consider to be one of the greatest things volunteers take away from expedition – the ability to confidentially identify all kinds of corals, invertebrates and fish.  The programme is tough as there is a lot to learn, and it is essential that volunteers reach a high level of diving and species identification in order to carry out survey techniques.  And there lies the problem.  Volunteers joining expedition for a short period, often only just manage to learn the survey techniques before they have to go home, whilst long term volunteers, who have more time, are often hindered from carrying out surveys as they are roped into training up new volunteers that arrive on base…and suddenly you realise that everyone is working hard towards conducting surveys, but no one is in actually carrying out any surveys! 

OK. So in truth volunteers do conduct surveys (they must do) because since Coral Cay first came to the Philippines in 2002 (CCC’s longest running base) they have managed to survey the whole of Sogod Bay, which is damn right pretty impressive.  Sogod Bay is Southern Leyte’s golden gem – a beautiful bay, rich in marine biodiversity.  Whale Sharks are seen here annually and if you’re lucky you can see Whales and Dolphins, usually sheltering themselves in the bay from storms or rough seas.  But the true gems of Sogod bay are the corals and the superb marine life that go with them.  The coral reefs are simply amazing – Napantao, Coral Cays house reef is hands down the most beautiful reef I have ever seen.  Aside from how beautiful they are, whats really important is just how valuable they are to local people.  They provide livelihoods, mainly for local fishermen, but also more recently for diving tourism.  This is the reason why it is essential that these reefs are protected.  Q Coral Cay Conservation and their mission statement: 

‘ Providing resources to help sustain livelihoods & alleviate poverty through the protection, restoration & management of coral reefs & tropical forests. ’

Coral Cay prides itself in working with individuals from all levels of the community.  Whether it be teaching children in the local school, leasing with Barangay Captains (essentially the village mayor) or working with the Provincial Government.  These relationships are key to the success of their work. 

The information Coral Cay obtains through their surveying helps local baranagays (villages) establish Marine Protected Areas (MAPs), areas of the sea protected from over fishing and coral damage.  They used to be referred to as Fish sanctuaries, but as Dags, the local Community Liason Officer at CCC quite rightly pointed out, Fish sanctuaries imply that only the fish need protecting, Marine Protected Areas on the other hand protect the whole ecosystem – from the substrate to the corals to the fish.  This is fundamental, as with every habitat – it’s the success of the entire ecosystem that creates sustainability, rather than the success of one species.  

Fishermen are not allowed to fish within the MPAs and the local Bantay Dagat (guardians of the sea) are responsible for making sure no illegal fishing happens.  This may seem like local fishermen are being denied fish, but MPAs are actually doing the opposite.  The purpose of MPA is to protect the fish, so that they can grow.  Bigger, less stressed fish reproduce more and more reproduction obviously means more fish.  The idea is that the  offspring of the fish within the MPA will move out and into areas where fishermen can fish.  The MPA is effectively making sure fishing in these areas is sustainable.  Without the presence of an MPA, these areas would quickly be fished out, thus jeopardising the potential of the seas for future generations. 

Unfortunately the concept of MPAs doesn’t always sit well with local people, and often even when villages do go ahead with establishing MPAs, its often the case that not everybody in the community wants the MPA.  However the success realised by communities who do decide to establish MPAs is incredible.  Fishermen really do see the difference in the number of fish available.  For Dags, the community liaison officer at CCC this is one of the most rewarding parts of his job.  However the problem, according to him, is that often these effects aren’t realised for quite a few years, which makes it difficult to convince people of the long term bennifits of MPAs rather than the short term bennifits of overfishing. 

And here’s the clincher.  This is where the saviours of Coral Cay work their magic.  The saviours being the people that work as part of the community day in day out.  For me this is Dags, the local Community Liaison Officer and Heather the Education Officer.  Their passion and enthusiasm is the silver lining of Coral Cay.  This is where Coral Cay becomes magical.  

Both Dags and Heathers role focuses on communicating with the local people, the provincial government and everyone in between.  They are responsible for encouraging, educating and helping people understand their ecosystems and how best to protect it.  Understanding and working with local people is the key to successfully protecting Philippine Reefs.  These reefs don’t belong to foreigners, and while foreign volunteers and staff bring passion and willingness as well as the much needed man power to help protect these habitats, we can’t forget that ultimately they belong to the local people here.  This is why its so great to see local people being employed by Coral Cay.  They are essential to Coral Cays success in protecting Coral Reefs.

Almost all staff volunteering for Coral Cay come from a scientific background - but what unites them is their passion to share this knowledge with each other and the people here in the Philippines.  As long as Coral Cay keeps sharing this knowledge through its commitment to the community and it’s counter part scheme* then hopefully Philippine Reefs will continue to be protected.  

*CCC’s counter part scheme that offers individuals living in the Philippines the opportunity to join expedition to learn to dive, complete Science development training so that they can then apply these skills to their work and to future conservation efforts in the Philippines.  If you would like to find out more about CCC’s counter part scheme then you can contact them through their website:  http://www.coralcay.org/contact/

So I’ve arrived at my new home: Coral Cay’s base in Napantao….Southern Leyte. And I tell you, it’s nothing like I’d imagined. Tucked away a million miles from everywhere, it really feels like it’s out on a limb. Maybe that’s just because it’s in Southern Leyte. Everything’s a bit more rural here- I’m talking lush green mountains, rice paddies, barangays dotted here there and everywhere, dirt tracks and bags being strapped onto motorcycles, steep hills and rough seas. Leyte is certainly different to the rest of the Visayas….gone are the cool cats of Cebu, with their tarmac roads and beach bum style, gone too are the laid back boholions and their little jeepney tricycles. Yes indeed in fact Southern Leyte reminds me a lot of Sorsogon – the province in which I started in, back in my ‘Donsol Days’. It’s green, it’s mountainous, it’s rocky road ready, but most of all it’s a little bit old school. The people are less urbanised, the tourists fewer and am I really ready for this…English is less prevalent….yes I feel I may be about to delve, and perhaps become entangled in more traditional Philippine roots…

So that’s Leyte from a Sally’s eye view…but what’s Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) like? I know how great is it, that I can read your thoughts?!

Sooo let’s see. What can I say, what can I say. Well my first impressions are a little bit mixed. The base is, well it’s, so it’s all a bit random. Yes, random certainly works. If I had to describe it, CCC you’ll hate me for this but the first word that comes to mind is…derelict. Painted with murals from past volunteers the place is certainly colourful, but it seems like nothing is finished…everything is half done and if you look beyond the murals the cracks in the walls make you wonder why the place hasn’t fallen down yet. Ok so maybe I’m being a bit harsh….perhaps its partly to do with the somewhat patronising and prompt “welcome” I was given by the current expedition leader (totally going to get in to trouble for this later…). I’m sure he’s a great guy, but I tell you, way to make a girl feel like this is going to be a great place to be for the next 5 weeks!! The weird thing, I suppose, for me, is that CCC have been based here for what 4 years….yet from the little land they have outside it looks like things are still being prepared…the place is overgrown…with bits and bobs scattered everywhere…it seems a shame…I guess I’m basing my opinion on previous experiences of being on base camps, where volunteers have made the place “pretty” and found ingenious ways of making benches etc….perhaps the reason for the lack of this here, is simply that nobody here has time because they are too busy doing surveys. Maybe that’s a good thing.

Anyway, I’m sure it will come to life as soon as everyone’s back – you see with the exception of a few people, everyone is out on survey – on the pacific coast as the sea conditions here in Sogod bay are too rough for diving. So there you go CCC, show me what you’ve got, let the place come to life with people and laughter….or else I might just cry. Nah serious. I’m excited. Show me what you’ve got and we’ll try and share it with the rest of the World!!