24 April 2007
Beautiful sunset and a fantastic electrical storm in the distance.
The night sky filled with millions of stars, can see the plough and
the milky way. Early to bed, no electricity anyway. Sound asleep.
Sudden rush of wind through the hut, shutters clattering, chilling wind and
rain from every angle. Too cold to sleep, but so wet and windy
outside. Arise and attempt to find flip-flops not yet taken away by
the wind, bring in all the were dry, but are now wet belongings. Close
shutters against the wind. Find the sleeping bag and huddle down for
the night. Storm passes over head, can see the lightning move from
the south window past the west facing door to the north window.
Ahhh! nearly gone now. The wind dies down, the rain thins out. The
night is quiet all over again and has brought a refreshingly cool
morning. Oh! And now the mosquitoes!
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Madagascar: Not all Work Work Work!
22nd April 2007
Not all Work Work Work - though sometimes it does feel like that!
We do get days off. Every 6th day is a no-dive day and a day off in
general. It normally starts the day before with compulsory Boat
Maintenance, which in itself is pretty fun and easy.
Get in the water with mask and brush and scrub all the green/brown off the bottom of the boat. In the boat, remove the wood slats, remove the excess
water and scrub clean the base. On land scrub all the green off the
wood slats then float back to the boat. The hard part is motivating
people to undertake this mammoth task which takes all of 30 mins if
everyone helps out.
Party Night is next on the agenda, the one night in the week when
more than one beer can be consumed. This is most often a dress-up
event and the more bizarre the better, with a new theme chosen each
week. It truly is amazing what people can turn out with the very
limited resources we have here. But each week brings something new
and occasionally a little disturbing. Food is often a little more
special and we have a few awards to give out: Soa Bei and Tie Bei,
and the repercussions of each. More of the party atmosphere generally
ensues until the party is moved to the village to an epi-bar of
choice. Lots of dancing, Malagasy style, with a few of the favourite
fazaha (foreigners) tracks on a loop. Quick nips out to the loo
(beach, behind your pirogue of choice). The evening wears on.
This particular party night saw few of the staff out on the town as
we were planning a staff dive the next day for day off.You cant drink
and dive! Some reconnaissance dives for the new MPA sites.
A 4am-alarm call, dark dark dark, kit ready, boats prepared. Hello
and goodbye to the volunteers not yet gone to bed from the night
before! Off at 5:30am and arrive at the dive site in the Baie des
Assassins as 6:30am. Quite a large swell and some decent waves out,
pretty nippy as well. Five to dive and one to boat marshall (safety
and security are everything here). 27degrees, my how things are
getting chilly. Found the site that we had marked out on a previous
visit and listed coral species, fish and overall topography. A deep
site, 27m and a lot of pretty tabular corals and reef fish at the end
of the dive, whilst the beginning was more large pelagics and schools.
Out of the water and time to collect breakfast in the nearby fishing
village, Antsepoke. A shark and turtle data collection village, so we
got to see photos taken for the project, which included family shots
and a parade through the village, and not so many sharks or turtles
(small reprimand on battery power and the lack of after video clips
of loved ones!). Hmmm Delicious! Bok Bok (bit like a semi-dense doughnut hole)
and tea.
Second dive to a similar site. More soft coral, big groupers, unicorn
fish, nudi-branch etc. Nice diving, but still 4am is an eeeeeeeeeeeearly start!
Had to pop to another village to collect shark and turtle data, to
Laguna Blu to talk to the dive instructors there (possible working
relationship), and then off to lunch at Manga Lodge resort (where we
met all the volunteers who had walked over from Coco Beach). Moody
French patron, but beautiful chocolate sauce desert.
De-kit back at Coco Beach, staff meeting (next day planning),
volunteer meeting, dinner. No power again so early to bed after all
satellite phones and GPS are in the right hands for the 6am dive the
next day.
DAY OFF!
Not all Work Work Work - though sometimes it does feel like that!
We do get days off. Every 6th day is a no-dive day and a day off in
general. It normally starts the day before with compulsory Boat
Maintenance, which in itself is pretty fun and easy.
Get in the water with mask and brush and scrub all the green/brown off the bottom of the boat. In the boat, remove the wood slats, remove the excess
water and scrub clean the base. On land scrub all the green off the
wood slats then float back to the boat. The hard part is motivating
people to undertake this mammoth task which takes all of 30 mins if
everyone helps out.
Party Night is next on the agenda, the one night in the week when
more than one beer can be consumed. This is most often a dress-up
event and the more bizarre the better, with a new theme chosen each
week. It truly is amazing what people can turn out with the very
limited resources we have here. But each week brings something new
and occasionally a little disturbing. Food is often a little more
special and we have a few awards to give out: Soa Bei and Tie Bei,
and the repercussions of each. More of the party atmosphere generally
ensues until the party is moved to the village to an epi-bar of
choice. Lots of dancing, Malagasy style, with a few of the favourite
fazaha (foreigners) tracks on a loop. Quick nips out to the loo
(beach, behind your pirogue of choice). The evening wears on.
This particular party night saw few of the staff out on the town as
we were planning a staff dive the next day for day off.You cant drink
and dive! Some reconnaissance dives for the new MPA sites.
A 4am-alarm call, dark dark dark, kit ready, boats prepared. Hello
and goodbye to the volunteers not yet gone to bed from the night
before! Off at 5:30am and arrive at the dive site in the Baie des
Assassins as 6:30am. Quite a large swell and some decent waves out,
pretty nippy as well. Five to dive and one to boat marshall (safety
and security are everything here). 27degrees, my how things are
getting chilly. Found the site that we had marked out on a previous
visit and listed coral species, fish and overall topography. A deep
site, 27m and a lot of pretty tabular corals and reef fish at the end
of the dive, whilst the beginning was more large pelagics and schools.
Out of the water and time to collect breakfast in the nearby fishing
village, Antsepoke. A shark and turtle data collection village, so we
got to see photos taken for the project, which included family shots
and a parade through the village, and not so many sharks or turtles
(small reprimand on battery power and the lack of after video clips
of loved ones!). Hmmm Delicious! Bok Bok (bit like a semi-dense doughnut hole)
and tea.
Second dive to a similar site. More soft coral, big groupers, unicorn
fish, nudi-branch etc. Nice diving, but still 4am is an eeeeeeeeeeeearly start!
Had to pop to another village to collect shark and turtle data, to
Laguna Blu to talk to the dive instructors there (possible working
relationship), and then off to lunch at Manga Lodge resort (where we
met all the volunteers who had walked over from Coco Beach). Moody
French patron, but beautiful chocolate sauce desert.
De-kit back at Coco Beach, staff meeting (next day planning),
volunteer meeting, dinner. No power again so early to bed after all
satellite phones and GPS are in the right hands for the 6am dive the
next day.
DAY OFF!
Madagascar: Multiple Evacuations!
10th April 2007
We wanted to call in the chopper, but it was busy!
A day in the life of expedition manager in Andavadoaka, with Blue
Ventures.
Morning arrives, I get a message from the medic that the patient is
improving and that he should be fine to continue with us on site. A
car is going north to Morombe, but the patient will be OK on site and
looks to make a full recovery. A massive relief as we do not want to
have to evacuate anyone when they have only just arrived.
BUT by 4pm the patient's condition has changed from stable and improving
to a medical emergency and we start the medivac procedure. How do we
get the patient out? There are lots of options but nothing is fast in
Madagascar and everything involves a lot of talk and planning. We use
the 3.5 Euros/min satellite phone to call the doctor in England for a
second and expert opinion and contact all medical facilities in
Tulear to find out whether we can have the patient fixed there.
Bingo, there are facilities with opthalmic divisions, but will they be good
enough to cure an eye ulcer? The night is drawing in and it
is getting late. Ideas of a 4x4 coming to pick up the patient are put
to bed, and an ever-worrying volunteer decides that if the insurance
company agrees the chopper is the way to go. The fastest means of
transport out of here. Even at 6.5K dollars that the volunteer was
prepared to pay for his sight. Of course that would be the case if all
the choppers were not being used in the north to help out with the
evacuation from the Cyclone up there.
I have to find an alternative. I call MAF pilots and am informed that
my best option will be to get the patient to Morombe (where the 4x4
went earlier, rubbish!) as a flight to Tulear from there will be
leaving at 10am the next morning. Late at night a lot of favours
needed to be asked. The rain was coming down and wind picking up.
(I failed to mention earlier that we were having a really bad bout of
bad weather,with what appeared to be the tail end of a cyclone. Transport
anywhere was an issue.)
I tried the catholic mission to see if their 4x4 or quad bike could
make the journey. Unfortunately the 4x4 was with the father
currently out of the village, and quad was not happening. Next port of
call was to ask Mr. Coco if he could drive us to Manga Lodge, a
French resort south of us, to ask them for use of their 4x4. However,
they had a baby with them and did not want their vehicle out of their
sight (understandable, but it wasn't going to help us). Asked Mr.
Coco if he would be prepared to drive to Morombe, as he was supposed
to be doing the journey in an extra day or two, though to be fair
with the bad weather destroying the road I was not convinced that the
car/ 4x4 would make it.
I also requested for one of the blue ventures local boat drivers to be
up at 5am so that I could make a decision
then (weather dependent) as to the mode of transport that the evacuee
would have. And after giving the patient a full briefing about all
that would happen, his medical options and who to talk to, it was
time for was bed for me, only to get up a few hours later to find
that neither boat nor car driver were up or ready to go.
Mr. Coco refused to go, so it was down to my speed boats to take said
patient all the way to Tulear, to meet some of our staff already
there, and be put in a 4x4 (arranged after he had left from Coco
Beach), to take him to the airport (a strip, not aware of the plane
that would be landing there at 10 00hours). My drivers returned at
1:30pm and my role in the evacuation was complete, apart from the
maternal worry about my volunteer getting his eye fixed somewhere in
Madagascar.
At lunch just moments after one evacuation has been finalised and out
of my logistical range, the daughter of a French lady working in the
village brought in her daughter with a head injury. The paramedic on
site treated the wound, but by the evening the request came to borrow
much of our fuel for another medical evacuation to Tulear, but this
time with the catholic mission speed boat. We found out a couple of
days later that this speedboat broke down on the way to Tulear and
took 2 days to get there!
And then.....local staff member Thomas had excruciating tooth ache
and needed to go to Tulear! Thankfully I found a 4x4 that was going
that way and managed to pack him off to get fixed.Now, 2 weeks later,
he has only just arrived back on-site as there is no power in Tulear,
there are student riots, and no transport!
Just another long day!
Our patient was very fortunate to be treated by a Malagasy educated
in Cambridge. He made it back to site on a fish truck, and a week
later was able to go in the water, undertake the PADI dive rescue
course and dive once again in Vezu (the tribe of fishermen on the
south-west coast) waters.
The sun is shining once again and all is well in 'remote' paradise
We wanted to call in the chopper, but it was busy!
A day in the life of expedition manager in Andavadoaka, with Blue
Ventures.
Morning arrives, I get a message from the medic that the patient is
improving and that he should be fine to continue with us on site. A
car is going north to Morombe, but the patient will be OK on site and
looks to make a full recovery. A massive relief as we do not want to
have to evacuate anyone when they have only just arrived.
BUT by 4pm the patient's condition has changed from stable and improving
to a medical emergency and we start the medivac procedure. How do we
get the patient out? There are lots of options but nothing is fast in
Madagascar and everything involves a lot of talk and planning. We use
the 3.5 Euros/min satellite phone to call the doctor in England for a
second and expert opinion and contact all medical facilities in
Tulear to find out whether we can have the patient fixed there.
Bingo, there are facilities with opthalmic divisions, but will they be good
enough to cure an eye ulcer? The night is drawing in and it
is getting late. Ideas of a 4x4 coming to pick up the patient are put
to bed, and an ever-worrying volunteer decides that if the insurance
company agrees the chopper is the way to go. The fastest means of
transport out of here. Even at 6.5K dollars that the volunteer was
prepared to pay for his sight. Of course that would be the case if all
the choppers were not being used in the north to help out with the
evacuation from the Cyclone up there.
I have to find an alternative. I call MAF pilots and am informed that
my best option will be to get the patient to Morombe (where the 4x4
went earlier, rubbish!) as a flight to Tulear from there will be
leaving at 10am the next morning. Late at night a lot of favours
needed to be asked. The rain was coming down and wind picking up.
(I failed to mention earlier that we were having a really bad bout of
bad weather,with what appeared to be the tail end of a cyclone. Transport
anywhere was an issue.)
I tried the catholic mission to see if their 4x4 or quad bike could
make the journey. Unfortunately the 4x4 was with the father
currently out of the village, and quad was not happening. Next port of
call was to ask Mr. Coco if he could drive us to Manga Lodge, a
French resort south of us, to ask them for use of their 4x4. However,
they had a baby with them and did not want their vehicle out of their
sight (understandable, but it wasn't going to help us). Asked Mr.
Coco if he would be prepared to drive to Morombe, as he was supposed
to be doing the journey in an extra day or two, though to be fair
with the bad weather destroying the road I was not convinced that the
car/ 4x4 would make it.
I also requested for one of the blue ventures local boat drivers to be
up at 5am so that I could make a decision
then (weather dependent) as to the mode of transport that the evacuee
would have. And after giving the patient a full briefing about all
that would happen, his medical options and who to talk to, it was
time for was bed for me, only to get up a few hours later to find
that neither boat nor car driver were up or ready to go.
Mr. Coco refused to go, so it was down to my speed boats to take said
patient all the way to Tulear, to meet some of our staff already
there, and be put in a 4x4 (arranged after he had left from Coco
Beach), to take him to the airport (a strip, not aware of the plane
that would be landing there at 10 00hours). My drivers returned at
1:30pm and my role in the evacuation was complete, apart from the
maternal worry about my volunteer getting his eye fixed somewhere in
Madagascar.
At lunch just moments after one evacuation has been finalised and out
of my logistical range, the daughter of a French lady working in the
village brought in her daughter with a head injury. The paramedic on
site treated the wound, but by the evening the request came to borrow
much of our fuel for another medical evacuation to Tulear, but this
time with the catholic mission speed boat. We found out a couple of
days later that this speedboat broke down on the way to Tulear and
took 2 days to get there!
And then.....local staff member Thomas had excruciating tooth ache
and needed to go to Tulear! Thankfully I found a 4x4 that was going
that way and managed to pack him off to get fixed.Now, 2 weeks later,
he has only just arrived back on-site as there is no power in Tulear,
there are student riots, and no transport!
Just another long day!
Our patient was very fortunate to be treated by a Malagasy educated
in Cambridge. He made it back to site on a fish truck, and a week
later was able to go in the water, undertake the PADI dive rescue
course and dive once again in Vezu (the tribe of fishermen on the
south-west coast) waters.
The sun is shining once again and all is well in 'remote' paradise
Madagascar: No Power and No Volunteers
4th April 2007
We have a generator at Coco Beach and it isn't the most reliable
piece of kit. I was warned that it was a little ill a few weeks in
advance and that we would only have power in 3 hour instalments whilst the oil was changed for each session. Then it went
down, in a fluctuating current kind of way, with the lights
flickering and becoming brighter then flickering in a downward spiral
until there was no more.
Sporadic electricity lasted 2 days before the generator died. This
was as the last group of volunteers (vols) were leaving and we were
going into interphase (time in-between expeditions to get everything
sorted on-site). No electricity for the entire interphase time as a
new generator (rust bucket) arrived from the capital Tana (with the
patron) and surprisingly (!) didn't work. Had to go north to Morombe
to be fixed and eventually return. A trek every evening to the other
side of the village ensued to find a generator that was working
enough for us to power up computers to get a little work done.
Always limited communication here in Andavadoaka. We expected the new
volunteers to arrive on-site the evening 2nd. Expected a days delay,
so were not surprised to hear over the BLU radio system that the 3rd
was the actual arrival day. Staff on-site sat out on the veranda
eating Kapiki (peanuts), drinking beer and waiting expectantly.
Dinner arrived and was devoured and we eventually called it a night.
5am a little knock at my door. Oh! They have arrived through the
night! Nope only 2, who had spent 6 hours in a Zebu cart (cow pulled
cart) to get to Andavadoaka to inform us that the truck bringing the
volunteers here had broken down about 2.5 hours drive away.
5am then was time for my day to start:
Wake up local staff Thomas, send him off to
Laguna Blu (Italian resort down the coast) so see whether their
camion (truck) could go and pick up all our weary travellers.
Wake up Vola (another local staff member and researcher) to find out
whether the 4x4 used by some visiting scientists at her residence
(Chez Antoine - the generator source) could be used in the rescue
mission. Contacted all 4x4 owners in the village and at Coco Beach.
There were enough 4x4s to pick up everyone and their bags, but the
excuses arrived, 'I donít have a spare wheel', 'I canít go!' and 'No,
it is not possible' (a grotty old French tourist).
Borrowed a 4x4 and driver to arrange the Laguna Blu camion to go and
collect, however on arrival they explained that the vehicle was not
really travel worthy for such a distance and they feared it too would
break down. A wasted journey, again!
My backup plan was then in action: Contact the catholic mission to
see whether we could use their 4x4 to collect the volunteers luggage
and then send our two speed boats (vedettes) to collect all the
volunteers and staff left stranded in the Baie des Assassins. Drivers
at the ready (we had to borrow a boat from WCS as one of ours had
been beached before the drivers/captains left), staff in place and
water and bread to be taken to sustain the troops. All out at 10:30am.
1300 Sat- phone call from Bic with the vols., the boats are stuck at
the wrong village, the tide is low and they could not collect the
bread and water (which incidentally went missing permanently). No
chance to send any more resources out there, so instructed them to
wait for the tide to become more favourable and return at 16:30 with
the boats.
First boat, our fast Tson Tso, arrived at 18:00, second boat arrived,
passengers a little more bedraggled, everyone seemed in pretty good
spirits, had been well looked after, had had a nice evening camping
out on the beach and a very tasty turkey dinner! Excited to finally
be here, have a wash and start the adventure all over again
This will be a good expedition!!
Of course still no power until 2 days later, but we have volunteers now.
We have a generator at Coco Beach and it isn't the most reliable
piece of kit. I was warned that it was a little ill a few weeks in
advance and that we would only have power in 3 hour instalments whilst the oil was changed for each session. Then it went
down, in a fluctuating current kind of way, with the lights
flickering and becoming brighter then flickering in a downward spiral
until there was no more.
Sporadic electricity lasted 2 days before the generator died. This
was as the last group of volunteers (vols) were leaving and we were
going into interphase (time in-between expeditions to get everything
sorted on-site). No electricity for the entire interphase time as a
new generator (rust bucket) arrived from the capital Tana (with the
patron) and surprisingly (!) didn't work. Had to go north to Morombe
to be fixed and eventually return. A trek every evening to the other
side of the village ensued to find a generator that was working
enough for us to power up computers to get a little work done.
Always limited communication here in Andavadoaka. We expected the new
volunteers to arrive on-site the evening 2nd. Expected a days delay,
so were not surprised to hear over the BLU radio system that the 3rd
was the actual arrival day. Staff on-site sat out on the veranda
eating Kapiki (peanuts), drinking beer and waiting expectantly.
Dinner arrived and was devoured and we eventually called it a night.
5am a little knock at my door. Oh! They have arrived through the
night! Nope only 2, who had spent 6 hours in a Zebu cart (cow pulled
cart) to get to Andavadoaka to inform us that the truck bringing the
volunteers here had broken down about 2.5 hours drive away.
5am then was time for my day to start:
Wake up local staff Thomas, send him off to
Laguna Blu (Italian resort down the coast) so see whether their
camion (truck) could go and pick up all our weary travellers.
Wake up Vola (another local staff member and researcher) to find out
whether the 4x4 used by some visiting scientists at her residence
(Chez Antoine - the generator source) could be used in the rescue
mission. Contacted all 4x4 owners in the village and at Coco Beach.
There were enough 4x4s to pick up everyone and their bags, but the
excuses arrived, 'I donít have a spare wheel', 'I canít go!' and 'No,
it is not possible' (a grotty old French tourist).
Borrowed a 4x4 and driver to arrange the Laguna Blu camion to go and
collect, however on arrival they explained that the vehicle was not
really travel worthy for such a distance and they feared it too would
break down. A wasted journey, again!
My backup plan was then in action: Contact the catholic mission to
see whether we could use their 4x4 to collect the volunteers luggage
and then send our two speed boats (vedettes) to collect all the
volunteers and staff left stranded in the Baie des Assassins. Drivers
at the ready (we had to borrow a boat from WCS as one of ours had
been beached before the drivers/captains left), staff in place and
water and bread to be taken to sustain the troops. All out at 10:30am.
1300 Sat- phone call from Bic with the vols., the boats are stuck at
the wrong village, the tide is low and they could not collect the
bread and water (which incidentally went missing permanently). No
chance to send any more resources out there, so instructed them to
wait for the tide to become more favourable and return at 16:30 with
the boats.
First boat, our fast Tson Tso, arrived at 18:00, second boat arrived,
passengers a little more bedraggled, everyone seemed in pretty good
spirits, had been well looked after, had had a nice evening camping
out on the beach and a very tasty turkey dinner! Excited to finally
be here, have a wash and start the adventure all over again
This will be a good expedition!!
Of course still no power until 2 days later, but we have volunteers now.
Madagascar: Who is Who with Blue Ventures in Andavadoaka
April 2007
International Staff
Jenny (me) - Expedition Manager
Garth Cripps - Project co-ordinator, works on the research proposals
and takes volunteers on trips to the new Marine Protected Area (MPA) sites
Pierre Maison - Dive Manager (soon to leave site unfortunately)
Ida Vincent - Field scientist, Swedish but lived in Australia
forever. Background in marine biology.
Sophie Benbow - Field scientist. Used to work in the London BV
office. Background marine mammals.
Malagasy Research Staff
Vola - Masters from Florida University, arrived at BV on an
expedition scholarship. Works on loads of projects inc. Shark and
turtle data collection, sea cucumber farming, womens group, Marine
Protected Areas (MPA), translation.
Daniel - Long standing 3 years research on Octopus reproductive
systems, currently finishing masters. General good guy and the local
ladies seem to love him.
Gildas - Trained as a law student, arrived at BV in Andavadoaka on a
short-term contract and now runs the socio-economic projects and
surveys in all the MPA villages, organises meetings about the future
eco-lodge.
Local Malagasy Staff
Bic - trained up research assistant, dive master. Knows all the
sites, has been with BV from the beginning. Works on the MPA, fish
monitoring projects and mapping of the Baobabs. Can fix most dive
equipment, trained electrician, runs Club Alo Alo, the marine
education program in the village.
All around good guy.
Thomas - assistant on the shark and turtle project, dive master in
training. Drives the boats, helps out on all dive courses. He used to
be a shark fisherman, but now teaches people how to sail a pirogue in
his spare time.
James - Boat driver, used to fill tanks. Is starting his Dive Rescue
course soon. Helps the dive manager fix equipment. Is great on the
guitar and helps Bic run Club Alo Alo. Needs help learning English.
Angelo - Runs the compressor to fill tanks, learning how to drive the
boats, works on the sea cucumbers, collects water samples (to be sent
back to London for analysis). Our newest member of staff, great fun,
learning English fast.
Marcellin - Boat driver, just finished his advanced PADI course.
Fila - guards the eco-lodge land
Zafi - guards Coco Beach and all our dive equipment. Makes great
necklaces
15 Blue Ventures staff in Andavadoaka, Madagascar. An array of skills
and research projects.
International Staff
Jenny (me) - Expedition Manager
Garth Cripps - Project co-ordinator, works on the research proposals
and takes volunteers on trips to the new Marine Protected Area (MPA) sites
Pierre Maison - Dive Manager (soon to leave site unfortunately)
Ida Vincent - Field scientist, Swedish but lived in Australia
forever. Background in marine biology.
Sophie Benbow - Field scientist. Used to work in the London BV
office. Background marine mammals.
Malagasy Research Staff
Vola - Masters from Florida University, arrived at BV on an
expedition scholarship. Works on loads of projects inc. Shark and
turtle data collection, sea cucumber farming, womens group, Marine
Protected Areas (MPA), translation.
Daniel - Long standing 3 years research on Octopus reproductive
systems, currently finishing masters. General good guy and the local
ladies seem to love him.
Gildas - Trained as a law student, arrived at BV in Andavadoaka on a
short-term contract and now runs the socio-economic projects and
surveys in all the MPA villages, organises meetings about the future
eco-lodge.
Local Malagasy Staff
Bic - trained up research assistant, dive master. Knows all the
sites, has been with BV from the beginning. Works on the MPA, fish
monitoring projects and mapping of the Baobabs. Can fix most dive
equipment, trained electrician, runs Club Alo Alo, the marine
education program in the village.
All around good guy.
Thomas - assistant on the shark and turtle project, dive master in
training. Drives the boats, helps out on all dive courses. He used to
be a shark fisherman, but now teaches people how to sail a pirogue in
his spare time.
James - Boat driver, used to fill tanks. Is starting his Dive Rescue
course soon. Helps the dive manager fix equipment. Is great on the
guitar and helps Bic run Club Alo Alo. Needs help learning English.
Angelo - Runs the compressor to fill tanks, learning how to drive the
boats, works on the sea cucumbers, collects water samples (to be sent
back to London for analysis). Our newest member of staff, great fun,
learning English fast.
Marcellin - Boat driver, just finished his advanced PADI course.
Fila - guards the eco-lodge land
Zafi - guards Coco Beach and all our dive equipment. Makes great
necklaces
15 Blue Ventures staff in Andavadoaka, Madagascar. An array of skills
and research projects.
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