Mediterranean 2006 Expedition: On-board Diary
Back aboard in 2006
Author: Julie Cator
Date: May 16, 2006
I arrived from Brussels and joined the rest of the crew of the Ranger in Santa Margherita in Northern Italy, our base this week to explore and document the Portofino Marine Park. I am looking forward to another week on board, after my great experience last year during the turtle tagging campaign.
Read More...Back aboard in 2006
Author: Julie Cator
Date: May 16, 2006
I arrived from Brussels and joined the rest of the crew of the Ranger in Santa Margherita in Northern Italy, our base this week to explore and document the Portofino Marine Park. I am looking forward to another week on board, after my great experience last year during the turtle tagging campaign.
Read More...Ermenegildo Zegna Regatta in Portofino
Author: Marta Madina and Concha Martínez
Date: May 13, 2006
The Ranger arrived at Portofino (Genoa, Italy) on Thursday. We were interested in documenting the marine protected area of Portofino. On the other hand, we had been invited by the Fondazione Ermenegildo Zegna to bring the Oceana Ranger and to participate in a well attended press conference, as that weekend there was the 25th Ermenegildo Zegna Regatta.
Read More...Bringing the Ranger to Brussels
Author: Julie Cator
Date: May 10, 2006
This isn’t a diary from the Ranger today, but from Brussels. While the Ranger and crew are diving in Corsica, I’m here in my natural environment with other Oceana Europe staff, hosting the Oceana Board meeting. It is the first time that the Board and many of the staff members have visited Brussels, as our office there is relatively new, and it was great to show them at first hand the policy work of the Oceana Europe office with the European institutions.
Read More...L’Ille Rousse at 46 knots ahead
Author: Carlos Pérez
Date: May 9, 2006
We are anchored opposite the port of L’Ille Rousse on the northern coast of Corsica. You can’t go above deck without having your toupée carried away by the wind. Since early morning, having extricated myself from the middle bunk for a change, we have been accompanied by winds of up to 80 km per hour. Luckily, they are coming from the SW which means that our anchor position is affording us an excellent protection against the swell. Today, we have had to suspend the dives we had scheduled as a result of being unable to ensure diver safety with the dinghy.
Read More...Corsican coast
Author: Carlos Pérez
Date: May 8, 2006
We finally reach the Corsican coast. Today’s challenge was to use our tri-dimensional probing equipment for the first time to scan the work bottom and to chart its relief. The truth is we have been left open-mouthed on looking at how after each scan the seabed increasingly became a relief image which enabled our team to see its structure from several angles, simulating an underwater camera. It is like being able to “cut a slice of the ocean seabed and serve it at table”. We are thrilled with the machine.
Read More...Wait for the next chance
Author: Carlos Pérez
Date: May 7, 2006
Sunday the 7th and we continue on our way here after the marvellous experience with the basking sharks. The sea was calm and the only thing worthy of note was a couple of ocean sun fish swimming close to the surface, as is their want. They tarried just long enough for us to have fitted ourselves out and prepared the film equipment to get some shots of them before deciding to return to the sea’s depths. All part of the job! Our divers have the patience of Job.
Read More...Navigating among basking sharks
Author: Carlos Pérez
Date: May 6, 2006
Today they have spoilt an hour’s shut-eye. Thank goodness! If they had not done so I would have torn their hearts out. My watch runs from eight to twelve, but at seven in the morning I jumped out of bed with the sleep still sitting heavy on my eyelids. What in the name of all that is holy did they want? Well, what had they spotted but a group of somewhere between three and five basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) peacefully feeding, without a worry in the world, right up against the Ranger.
Read More...First Day
Author: Carlos Pérez
Date: May 4, 2006
Because of the bad weather (there was a lot of wind) , the Captain, Jordi, decided to stay a day longer. Today we breakfasted well; some white coffee and croissants in the port of Torredembarra.
The first officer of the boat, Carlos Pérez, held a meeting in the morning to explain the tasks entrusted to each member of the crew and to find out their needs. Then he went off to buy the last few things that were necessary on board.
Read More...
