Pg 091 Chatty Report

Punta Gruesa A
New
Year
Begins!


weekers,
Kendall
Davis
and
Hilary
Dibdin,
spent
the
 first
ten
weeks
of
their
stay
here
in
Punta
Gruesa

as
 part
of
the
coral
reef
monitoring
program.
They
will
 now
 undertake
 their
 PADI
 Divemaster
 course
 in


The
 first
 phase
 of
 the
 year
 brought
 with
 it
 big


Playa
 del
 Carmen
 gaining
 valuable
 experience


changes
 here
 at
 Punta
 Gruesa.
 Three
 new
 staff


before
heading
to
Pez
 Maya
to
put
 their
newfound


members
 joined
 the
 team
 and
 were
 quickly
 put


skills
into
practice.



through
 their
 paces
 learning
 the
 fish
 and
 coral





species
 lists,
 practicing
 their
 boat
 driving
 skills
 and


The
cruise
ships
continue
to
disembark
in
Mahahual


getting
 to
 grips
 with
 base
 life.
 Luli
 Noriega
 Pons


bringing
tourists
and
an
economic
boost
to
the
local


from
 Mexico
 City
 was
 previously
 part
 of
 GVI’s


community.
 Each
 week
 the
 tour
 jeeps
 and
 their


National
 Scholarship
 Program
 before
 undertaking


passengers
 arrive
 at
 Punta
 Gruesa
 for
 a
 couple
 of


an
 internship
 in
 Pez
 Maya
 at
 the
 end
 of
 2008.


hour’s
relaxation
on
the
beach.
Many
of
the
tourists


Rowana
 Walton
 from
 the
 UK
 has
 worked
 with
 GVI


are
 interested
 in
 the
 work
 GVI
 is
 doing
 here
 and


since
2005
as
Volunteer
Coordinator
in
both
London


take
 time
 to
 approach
 the
 staff
 and
 EMs.
 We
 are


and
 Playa
 Del
 Carmen.
 Chris
 Mason‐Parker
 also


always
happy
to
answer
their
questions
and
spread


from
 the
 UK,
 is
 new
 to
 GVI
 having
 arrived
 straight


the
 conservation
 message.
 The
 continuing
 rise
 in


from
SE
Asia
where
he
had
been
working
for
marine


tourist
 numbers
 and
 construction
 of
 associated


conservation
organizations
since
2006.



businesses
 in
 the
 area
 has
 once
 again
 produced
 a





strong
interest
from
the
local
community
in
the
GVI


Not
 only
 was
 it
 the
 first
 phase
 of
 the
 year
 but
 also


TEFL
 program.
 This
 level
 of
 enthusiasm
 was
 also


the
 beginning
 of
 GVI’s
 second
 year
 here
 in
 Punta


evident
 in
 the
 EMs
 who
 put
 hours
 into
 planning


Gruesa.
 January
 9th
 saw
 the
 arrival
 of
 twenty‐two


lessons
before
traveling
to
Mahahual
each
Thursday


Expedition
 Members
 with
 a
 diversity
 of
 ages
 and


to
teach
their
students.


backgrounds
 and
 from
 all
 corners
 of
 the
 globe
 for





what
 was
 set
 to
 be
 the
 busiest
 phase
 yet.
 Having
 met
in
 Playa
Del
 Carmen
the
night
before,
many
of
 the
EMs
had
already
got
to
know
each
other
over
a
 cold
 beer
 and
 arrived
 at
 site
 on
 a
 gloriously
 sunny
 day
 in
 good
 spirits.
 They
 quickly
 settled
 into
 their
 new
home
and
the
phase
was
underway!
 
 A
couple
of
firsts
for
this
phase
included
the
arrival
 of
 two
 week
 and
 twenty‐week
 EMs.
 The
 twenty









 





TEFL
Community
work,
Mahahual


At
 the
 five
 week
 stage
 we
 sadly
 said
 goodbye
 to


returning
 to
 the
 reef
 regularly
 to
 see
 what
 further


four
of
the
EMs
and
were
joined
by
two
more.
They


discoveries
are
to
be
made.


were
 quickly
 followed
 by
 the
 arrival
 of
 three
 EMs
 from
 Pez
 Maya
 as
 part
 of
 the
 base
 exchange
 program.
It
provided
an
opportunity
for
three
of
the
 Mahahual
EMs
to
visit
Pez
Maya
and
gain
a
glimpse
 of
how
our
sister
site
differs
in
terms
of
location
and
 daily
routine.
The
exchange
was
a
huge
success
and
 we
look
forward
to
repeating
it
again
next
phase.
 


Towards
 the
 end
 of
 the
 phase
 we
 undertook
 a
 number
of
exploratory
dives
and
discovered
a
spur
 and
 groove
 reef
 200m
 east
 of
 the
 reef
 area
 we
 currently
 survey.
 Characterized
 by
 high
 spurs
 separated
by
deep
canyons
with
a
depth
of
around
 30m,
 the
 reef
 supports
 a
 high
 diversity
 of
 fish
 alongside
 several
 large
 coral
 formations.
 Turtles
 have
 been
 seen
 on
 each
 dive,
 as
 have
 Black
 and



 The
 first
 phase
 of
 2009
 has
 been
 one
 of
 new
 discoveries!
 Within
 the
 lagoon
 we
 have
 located
 an
 area
of
coral
reef
previously
undiscovered.


Nassau
 grouper.
 The
 tops
 of
 the
 larger
 spurs
 situated
 at
 18m
 make
 the
 site
 suitable
 for
 future
 underwater
monitoring.

 
 
 On
 only
 the
 second
 day
 of
 the
 phase
 a
 handful
 of
 staff
and
EMs
had
the
first
of
what
would
be
several
 encounters
 with
 bottlenose
 dolphins
 over
 the
 coming
 weeks.
 On
 the
 journey
 to
 one
 of
 the
 dive
 sites
 we
 passed
 a
 pod
 of
 twenty
 individuals
 and













Perhaps
the
most
exciting
characteristic
of
this
new
 site
 is
 the
 high
 abundance
 of
 juvenile
 fish
 rarely
 encountered
elsewhere.
As
would
be
expected
from
 an
area
of
this
nature,
the
protection
the
site
offers
 away
 from
 the
 majority
 of
 predatory
 species
 encountered
 outside
 the
 lagoon
 has
 led
 to
 the
 formation
 of
 a
 reef
 community
 rich
 in
 biodiversity.
 Several


species


of


immature


Damselfish,


Butterflyfish,
 Wrasse
 and
 Parrotfish
 have
 taken
 up
 residence
 among
 the
 coral
 formations,
 making
 this
 location
 ideal
 for
 snorkel
 spots.
 
 We
 will
 be


quickly
 jumped
 into
 the
 water
 to
 spend
 time
 snorkeling
with
them.

In
addition
to
dolphins,
it
has
 been
 a
 fantastic
 phase
 for
 spotting
 turtles
 with
 all
 three
regular
visitors
(Green
turtle,
Hawksbill
turtle
 and
 Loggerhead
 turtle)
 commonly
 seen
 on
 dives.
 One
lucky
EM
had
an
extra
special
encounter
when
 a
 green
 turtle
 decided
 to
 approach
 her
 on
 a
 dive
 placing
 its
 head
 next
 to
 her
 in
 a
 rare
 moment
 of
 closeness.
 This
 phase
 also
 saw
 an
 unusually
 high
 number
 of
 ray
 sightings.
 On
 many
 of
 the
 dive
 sites
 large
 Southern
 Stingrays
 were
 seen
 lying
 on
 the
 bottom
 often
 in
 groups
 of
 four
 or
 five.
 Spotted
 Eagle
Rays
were
also
abundant,
almost
always
seen


in
 the
 lagoon
 feeding
 on
 molluscs
 and
 crustaceans


monitoring
program.
Each
morning
at
6am
two
EMs


buried
in
the
sand.



and
a
member
of
staff
have
been
walking
North
and


Unusual
 sightings
 included
 a
 seahorse
 in
 the


South
of
the
base
alongside
 the
 mangroves
and
on


seagrass
 beds
 in
 front
 of
 the
 beach
 and
 the


the
 beach
 recording
 the
 different
 species
 in
 the


discovery
 of
a
resident
toadfish
at
 the
dive
site
Los


area.


Milagros.
 Located
 at
 12m
 next
 to
 a
 large
 patch
 of





Cliona,
 ‘Toady’
 is
 regularly
 seen
 with
 his
 head





poking
out
of
the
hole
he
inhabits.



Male
lineated
 woodpeckers
 are
frequently
 seen
in
the
 mangroves
 near
to
base.



 Not
 to
 be
 out
 done,
 the
 terrestrial
 fauna
 of
 the
 Yucatan
 have
 also
 made
 their
 presence
 felt
 this
 phase.

 Tarantulas,


scorpions,


hummingbird


moths,


raccoons
 and
 a
 variety
 of
 lizards
 have
 made
 an













appearance.
 A
 family
 of
 iguanas
 have
 made





themselves
 at
 home
 in
 the
 fuel
 shed
 behind
 the


Armed
 with
 a
 notepad,
 camera
 and
 binoculars
 we


Palapa,
 taking
 time
 out
 from
 sunbathing
 in
 the


have
 been
 successful
 in
 making
 a
 number
 of


middle
of
the
day
to
stroll
around
the
base
oblivious


positive
 identifications
 and
 have
 compiled
 a


to
all
around
them.


comprehensive
 species
 list.
 Next
 phase
 we
 will





commence
the
monitoring
program,
recording
daily





sightings
on
one
of
the
four
chosen
routes.

 
 Unfortunately,
 the
 weather
 gods
 were
 not
 smiling
 upon
 us
 during
 the
 first
 phase
 and
 strong
 winds
 meant
that
there
were
certain
days
where
we
were


One
of
the
iguanas
takes
time
 







 out
to
explore
the
dive
shop.






 
 
 
 The
 diversity
 of
 bird
 life
 in
 the
 area
 is
 no
 less
 impressive,
 and
 this
 phase
 we
 have
 taken
 the
 first
 steps
towards
implementing
the
Punta
Gruesa
bird‐

unable
to
get
the
boats
out
and
survey.
This
did
not
 stop
 us
 getting
 in
 the
 water
 though!
 The
 diving
 continued
 with
 visits
 to
 nearby
 Cenotes
 Ocom
 and
 Azul,
as
well
as
Laguna
Azul
where
we
encountered
 freshwater
Mexican
snapping
turtles.
 Day
 snorkeling
 trips
 were
 also
 organized
 into
 the
 Sian
 Ka’an
 Biosphere
 Reserve.
 On
 a
 previous
 camping
trip
a
 couple
of
 the
EMs
had
discovered
a
 shipwreck
 sitting
 stranded
 on
 the
 reef
 surrounded


by
 healthy
 corals.
 We
 returned
 to
 the
 nearby
 area


It
was
also
around
the
full
moon
that
we
took
to
the


and
spent
a
few
hours
snorkeling
around
the
wreck


water
 in
 front
 of
 base
 for
 a
 night
 snorkel.
 At
 only


in
 amongst
 the
 coral
 gardens.
 The
 reef
 is
 home
 to


two
 metres
deep
the
 lagoon
is
 ideal
for
snorkeling,


huge
 Elkhorn
 corals
 and
 a
 variety
 of
 Brain
 corals.


and
at
this
time
of
the
month
there
is
little
current






Reef
 fish
 were
 abundant
 as
 were
 Barracuda
 and


to
speak
of.


Yellow
stingray.
It
is
a
beautiful
setting
with
no
one


Although


very


for
 miles
 around
 except
 the
 Pelicans
 that
 perch


familiar
 with
 the


upon
the
ships
rusting
skeleton.


area,
 the
 lagoon
 changes
 beyond
 all
 recognition


at


night.
 Grunts
 were
 found
 among


The
stranded
shipwreck
in
the

Sian
 Ka’an
Biosphere
Reserve.










 


In
 addition
 to
 diving
 cenotes
 and
 lakes
 in
 the
 area,
 GVI
 Punta
Gruesa
has
been
helping
out
our
project
 partners
 –
 Amigos
 de
 Sian
 Ka’an
 (ASK)
 –
 by
 accompanying
 them
 on
 dives
 to
 look
 for
 spawning
 aggregations
near
Mahahual.

Each
year
at
the
same


hiding
 the


seagrass
beds,
avoiding
a
number
of
creatures
 that
 rest
 by
 day
 and
 emerge
 to
 hunt
 in
 the
 shallows.
 Several
 stingrays
 were
 seen
 as
 well
 as
 Caribbean
 reef
 squid
 attracted
 by
 the
 lights
 of
 our
 torches.
 One
 of
 the
 highlights
 was
 viewing
 corals
 with
 their
 polyps
 extended,
 transforming
 their
 appearance
 from
that
of
the
daytime.
 


time
 Black
 Grouper
 congregate
 in
 numbers
 at





particular
 locations
 to
 spawn.
 For
 years
 fishermen


Back
 on
 land,


in
the
area
have
targeted
these
aggregations
but
in


and
 this
 phase


recent
times
the
number
of
fish
observed
has
been


witnessed


decreasing.
ASK
are
studying
these
aggregation
sites


grand
 opening
 of


and
 working
 with
 local
 fishers
 to
 promote


the
 Punta
 Gruesa


sustainable
 fisheries.
 
 Over
 a
 period
 of
 four
 days


Multi
 Purpose
 Sports
 Arena
 (PGMPSA).
 
 An
 area
 of


around
 the
 full
 moon,
 a
 few
 lucky
 staff
 and
 EMs


land
 near
 the
 beach
 was
 cleared
 by
 several
 of
 the


went
 along
 to
 search
 for
 the
 aggregations.
 Several


EMs
 and
 two
 football
 goals
 were
 constructed
 from


Black
 Grouper
 were
 observed
 providing
 a
 positive


old
wood
and
discarded
fishing
nets.

The
new
pitch


sign
 and
 ASK
 will
 be
 continuing
 their
 research
 over


has
 already
 hosted
 a
 number
 of
 matches
 and
 we


the
coming
months.


hope
to
organize
a
game
against
the
local
fishermen


the


in
the
near
future.


It
 has
 been
 an
 extremely
 busy
 phase
 and
 a
 great
 start
to
the
year.

With
so
much
already
planned
we
 can’t
wait
for
the
next
phase
to
start!