Things which go curious

This last week I was at GVI’s remote base camp on Curieuse island. The work we did there was to support the local management agency (SCMRT) with helping out on their base and around the island.

The week was a nice change of pace to the diving and coral work we have been doing over the last few weeks. At this point I am fully checked of on coral identification underwater and we are in the process of collecting data with our “quadrates” and transit lines. What this means is we take a PVC pipe square down which is 3m X 3m and then identify all the recruitment of new coral 5cm and less in size. Recruitment means new growth.

Curieuse island was reached by taking a ferry boat from Mahe over to Praslin and then a SCMRT support boat over to Curieuse. Curieuse is typically only visited by day users and the entire island is considered a marine park with only foot trail access. Visitors stop by the SCMRT ranger base for tours, pick nick and beach time. There is also historical museum/house which was the islands resident doctor’s quarters when the island was still a leper colony.

At this point week 5 is completed and early next week we will be getting about 7 new people for those who are staying for a 5 week block. We are also loosing about 5 people from the first batch of 5 weekers.

The following are the next set of pics.

Enjoy and type at you soon.

-Larry }:->





Boat trip from Praslin island



Secluded Beach view on Curieuse



Amazing coast line on Curieuse



Local residents... these were all over the place.



There were lots of these land tourtuses on the island