Hammerhead sharks, incredible visibility and Christmas pudding were just some of the highlights for the small but enthusiastic RLS team who recently voyaged to the Coral Sea for the last Lap of Aus trip of 2020.
Hammerhead sharks, incredible visibility and Christmas pudding were just some of the highlights for the small but enthusiastic RLS team who recently voyaged to the Coral Sea for the last Lap of Aus trip of 2020.
The odds were against them – mid-pandemic, facing crew shortages, border closures, and a looming La Nina cyclone season with a human cyclone-magnet on board. Despite this, a plucky group of RLS divers were able to complete a remarkable number of surveys in October during their trip from Airlie Beach to Thursday Island onboard Eviota.
In early 2020, COVID-19 brought the majority of Reef Life Survey’s field activities to an immediate halt. Fortunately, a group of determined NSW volunteers and recognition that SCUBA diving does, in fact, classify as “exercise”, has allowed for the continuation of essential long-term monitoring of Sydney’s changing reefs.
2020 has seen the world come to an almost complete standstill but the need to collect robust data and to continue monitoring the marine environment remains a high priority.
Fortunately, an easing of restrictions in WA in early April provided a perfect opportunity for a team of [socially-distanced] RLS divers to head out & complete the 13th consecutive year of monitoring at Rottnest Island.
RLS divers and seastar aficionados rejoice! Following discussions with experts, two often indistinguishable Nectria seastar species have become one..
