Camping
Punta Cana area is the most visited tourist destination in the Dominican Republic, and is heavily dependent on pristine white sand beaches and healthy reefs to bring in tourism-based revenue. While most of the reef is unprotected and exposed to disturbances like overfishing, there is one protected site called the Aquarium, which also serves as a popular dive site and the focal site for our coral gardening program. Punta Cana Ecological Foundation, www.puntacana.org, Fundacion Ecologica PUNTACANA (facebook)
Protections from fishing benefits coral reef communities. Surveys have shown clearly that protected sites in Punta Cana have higher coral cover and lower macroalgal cover, compared to similar unprotected reef sites....
Everyone I know has a mentor- a person who impacted them when they were very young. A few people grow up with their mentors, sharing opportunities and adventure and an equal level of friendship. This was one of those weekends that I had with my students in which I know that my mentor would be proud. And its a weekend here in the Dominican Republic that years from now I bet I will remember in good faith. I lived as Leigh Mallory would expect I live- camping simply with students in an unusual place. Doing something for others and sharing a great story.
I'm sitting in a mowed meadow in Punta Cana Resort where there is no resort. or is there? Somehow along the way, this exclusive island resort was abandoned for newer more luxurious buildings while this space slowly gave way to overgrowth. And then a privately funded ecological center was born out of necessity; these lovely beaches were losing the things that attract tourism economies because of misuse and overfishing. The research center moved into the building, started projects that incentivize change and somehow, our school was involved. Teachers with years ahead of me at CMS set up this pilot camping retreat. We would camp in the meadow and spend time rotating through model restoration work stations: turtle habitat, mangrove expansion, coral reef gardening, and ridgeway hawk habitat.
Talk to everyone- research leaders were really interesting. They sincerely wish to see more Dominicans involve themselves in ecology, biology and the future of the island. Sadly most research grants and positions go to international students. Money and glamor lacking or is it? My husband can't stand sitting idly on a beach. He would go on vacation if it entailed being useful and making a difference. He'd spend all day planting mangroves, setting coral in ocean beds, raking, entering data. He'd rather gather for a buffet dinner with locals anywhere than people just in from tanning or tennis.
selfies with tents rolling away.
Who knew that my casual experience with lifetime of camping would become expertise? Setting up 25 tents is really not a big deal. Standing back and teaching students to set up tents takes patience and anticipation of what we see as simple but to them is literally a ..... knot. Hours later students had tents up, pegged and flys tied as rain raced through. These 15 minute storms nudged us to move with efficiency, or to pack for the unexpected. If food was left it, it was soaked and thrown into compost. So students learned the benefits of being prepared.
Winds were gusty, air temperature an unusual 65?, enough to want a long sleeve shirt. The ocean was cool. Too cold and rough for snorkeling and setting up coral gardens, paddle boarding through mangroves and enjoying that fact that work would be balanced with beach play.
rebuilding the beach wonders, one coral cookie at a time.
aparrently, tarantulas do not mind chatter. We did see legs suddenly shrink inside rocks and some skttered for shadows, but one the size of my palm slowly walked, but I think a tarantela dance is how they walk. feeling with feet before moving. Moving with diabolical grace or with sudden hurry.
And cooking meals- life here in the DR is not rich in self reliance but in designated duties to those with service in mind. Students are studied in education and charity work, writing and reading and promoting political circles but have few opportunities for living simply. Chopping vegetables, flipping burgers, building a camp fire are novelties. Preparing meals for 50 peers was downright monumental in its task. But with few exceptions students dove right in with washing dishes, prepping salad and fruits and lovely meals. They were often gathered in large circles, rolling and laughing with one another or throwing footballs, frisbees and using the wide open spaces that we seldom find in the urban scapes of Santo Domingo. It was such a luxury to just walk down a garden path or out to the beach alone. Security guards accompanied the students but when I offered to let students deliver snack packs to each work station they delighted in being unchaperoned for less than a 1/4 mile. Even when we returned to chaperoned hikes into a beach grove where fresh water pools sufficed as our one cleanse diving and swimming and snorkeling about. And despite a seguey or errant car, it was quiet,
i slept soundly and without awakening, The rain grew steady int he night, the cold air settled, a breeze blew- nature's AC.
favorite- mangroves
: full moon- play in the ...... light. Dominicans seem rather noisy and chatty to me. I've been on moon walks before
quiet whispers become a humdrum. Shrieks and loud talking between groups several feet apart.
"Quiet- I want to see an owl". "I'm quiet. YOu are talking. but I want to see an owl, so don't talk, well you can't expect
me not to talk.
Well, then you won't see an owl.
But I want to.
Protections from fishing benefits coral reef communities. Surveys have shown clearly that protected sites in Punta Cana have higher coral cover and lower macroalgal cover, compared to similar unprotected reef sites....
Everyone I know has a mentor- a person who impacted them when they were very young. A few people grow up with their mentors, sharing opportunities and adventure and an equal level of friendship. This was one of those weekends that I had with my students in which I know that my mentor would be proud. And its a weekend here in the Dominican Republic that years from now I bet I will remember in good faith. I lived as Leigh Mallory would expect I live- camping simply with students in an unusual place. Doing something for others and sharing a great story.
I'm sitting in a mowed meadow in Punta Cana Resort where there is no resort. or is there? Somehow along the way, this exclusive island resort was abandoned for newer more luxurious buildings while this space slowly gave way to overgrowth. And then a privately funded ecological center was born out of necessity; these lovely beaches were losing the things that attract tourism economies because of misuse and overfishing. The research center moved into the building, started projects that incentivize change and somehow, our school was involved. Teachers with years ahead of me at CMS set up this pilot camping retreat. We would camp in the meadow and spend time rotating through model restoration work stations: turtle habitat, mangrove expansion, coral reef gardening, and ridgeway hawk habitat.
Talk to everyone- research leaders were really interesting. They sincerely wish to see more Dominicans involve themselves in ecology, biology and the future of the island. Sadly most research grants and positions go to international students. Money and glamor lacking or is it? My husband can't stand sitting idly on a beach. He would go on vacation if it entailed being useful and making a difference. He'd spend all day planting mangroves, setting coral in ocean beds, raking, entering data. He'd rather gather for a buffet dinner with locals anywhere than people just in from tanning or tennis.
selfies with tents rolling away.
Who knew that my casual experience with lifetime of camping would become expertise? Setting up 25 tents is really not a big deal. Standing back and teaching students to set up tents takes patience and anticipation of what we see as simple but to them is literally a ..... knot. Hours later students had tents up, pegged and flys tied as rain raced through. These 15 minute storms nudged us to move with efficiency, or to pack for the unexpected. If food was left it, it was soaked and thrown into compost. So students learned the benefits of being prepared.
Winds were gusty, air temperature an unusual 65?, enough to want a long sleeve shirt. The ocean was cool. Too cold and rough for snorkeling and setting up coral gardens, paddle boarding through mangroves and enjoying that fact that work would be balanced with beach play.
rebuilding the beach wonders, one coral cookie at a time.
aparrently, tarantulas do not mind chatter. We did see legs suddenly shrink inside rocks and some skttered for shadows, but one the size of my palm slowly walked, but I think a tarantela dance is how they walk. feeling with feet before moving. Moving with diabolical grace or with sudden hurry.
And cooking meals- life here in the DR is not rich in self reliance but in designated duties to those with service in mind. Students are studied in education and charity work, writing and reading and promoting political circles but have few opportunities for living simply. Chopping vegetables, flipping burgers, building a camp fire are novelties. Preparing meals for 50 peers was downright monumental in its task. But with few exceptions students dove right in with washing dishes, prepping salad and fruits and lovely meals. They were often gathered in large circles, rolling and laughing with one another or throwing footballs, frisbees and using the wide open spaces that we seldom find in the urban scapes of Santo Domingo. It was such a luxury to just walk down a garden path or out to the beach alone. Security guards accompanied the students but when I offered to let students deliver snack packs to each work station they delighted in being unchaperoned for less than a 1/4 mile. Even when we returned to chaperoned hikes into a beach grove where fresh water pools sufficed as our one cleanse diving and swimming and snorkeling about. And despite a seguey or errant car, it was quiet,
i slept soundly and without awakening, The rain grew steady int he night, the cold air settled, a breeze blew- nature's AC.
favorite- mangroves
: full moon- play in the ...... light. Dominicans seem rather noisy and chatty to me. I've been on moon walks before
quiet whispers become a humdrum. Shrieks and loud talking between groups several feet apart.
"Quiet- I want to see an owl". "I'm quiet. YOu are talking. but I want to see an owl, so don't talk, well you can't expect
me not to talk.
Well, then you won't see an owl.
But I want to.
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