Written by Alison Barrat

One of our aims in coming to Palmerston was to transport official representatives of the Cook Islands Marine Park Steering committee to this remote island. The committee is on a fact-finding mission, to determine what people think of the marine park, and more particularly what they think of a proposal on how the park should be used.

A hermit crab on one of the beautiful beaches of Palmerston Atoll

The park will be a multi-zoned park, allowing some activities, like local fishing, while excluding others. During their time on Palmerston, the committee held a public meeting to discuss the plans, and then went door to door to collect feedback from the islanders. Armed with the thoughts of the Palmerston islanders the committee will now take their findings back to the government in Rarotonga.

Some of the scientists from the Golden Shadow sitting with a curious resident of Palmerston Atoll

(Photos by Alison Barrat)

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Written by Ken Marks

For the last 3 days we surveyed the reefs around the remote Palmerston atoll. We were privileged to dive the reefs around Palmerston and to make a shore visit to meet its inhabitants and discuss our research with them. For the most part the people who live on Palmerston are members of one extended family, descendents of William Marsters who settled here in 1863. On board the Golden Shadow we brought several members of the Cook Islands Marine Park (CIMP) Steering Committee.

The Golden Shadow off of Palmerston atoll

The committee is tasked with spreading news of the Cook Islands Marine Park to all the inhabited islands within the archipelago. Two years ago, when the Cook Islands Marine Park was dedicated it was the largest marine park ever created. It covers an area of just over a million square kilometers, almost twice the size of France. We were warmly welcomed by the islanders during our visit and were grateful for the opportunity to assist the steering committee with the logistics of reaching this remote island of the Cook Islands archipelago.

Welcoming reception that the residents of Palmerston gave to the scientists and steering committee

(Photo 1-Alison Barrat; 2-Ken Marks)

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Written by Dr. Brian Beck

During this mission in the Austral and Cook Islands, we have covered more miles than any other Global Reef Expedition mission. During this month we will have surveyed 8 different islands in two countries and the Golden Shadow will cover 1650 nautical miles (1900 miles, 3056 km).

The Golden Shadow at the harbor in Rarotonga

During this mission we will have started just outside of the tropics in Raivavae and moved slowly north the entire mission. Many will know that it gets colder the further away from the equator you get, and water temperature is the same. So as we move from one place to the next the divers are happy to be further north and in warmer waters. The coldest we have recorded was 25.05 degrees (77.09 F) and the warmest so far has been 28.63 (83.53 F). That may not seem like a huge change in temperature, but it makes a big difference to the divers, and it also makes a big difference to the coral reefs! While there are cold water corals, the majority of hard corals like warm water and is why you find them in the tropics.

This graph shows that the waters around each island have gotten warmer the further we move north

(Photo 1 Erwan Delrieu-Trottin)

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Written by Jacqui Evans, Te Ipukarea Society

In Rarotonga, I joined the Golden Shadow to research the presence and distribution of Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) on Aitutaki and Palmerston. I aim to collect this data to add towards a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) analysis I’ve just completed with the help of the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF). A KBA analysis is used for both terrestrial and marine environments. It selects sites for conservation based on whether they contain globally threatened species, restricted range or endemic species, bioregionally restricted species assemblages and/or globally significant congregations (breeding colonies etc).

A humphead wrasse lying on its side at a cleaning station

Aitutaki island has been identified as a KBA. Marine species that trigger Aitutaki’s KBA status are the endangered Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas). Palmerston has also been identified as a KBA due to the Humphead Wrasse, Green Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) and Big Eye Tuna (Thunnus obesus). During our time in Aitutaki, 17 Humphead Wrasse have so far been found at seven dive sites. On one dive, a Humphead Wrasse was found lying on its side getting cleaned by two cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). It will be interesting to see what Palmerston has in store.

(Photos by Badi Samaniego)

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Written by Dr. Serge Planes and Dr. Jeffrey Williams

After starting the barcoding of the total fish fauna at Moorea (Society Islands, French Polynesia) in 2006 under the BIOCODE project (http://mooreabiocode.org/), CRIOBE has spent the last 7 years continuing the genetic barcoding of coral reef fishes over the 118 islands, 5 archipelagos and 5.5 million km² of French Polynesia. Of course the project could not visit every single island, but the project hoped to visit all 5 archipelagos for the fish surveying and sampling. Moorea has been sampled, the Gambier was surveyed in 2010, the Marquesas in 2008 and 2011, and now finally the Australs during this trip with the Global Reef Expedition. The Living Oceans Foundation has made it possible to survey fishes at Raivavae, Tubuai, Rurutu, Rimatara and Maria Islands.

We discovered this distinctive new species of yellow-barred Dwarfgoby in the Austral Islands, which is fully grown at about 25 mm in length. It lives on coral reefs at depths of about 25-30 meters

The survey resulted in the surveying of more than 300 species and we collected specimens representing about 14 new species that will be described over the coming years. In addition to these new species, this was also the opportunity to record new occurrences for many species previously unreported from the Austral Islands (about 20 new records). The results of this sampling program will be analyzed genetically and our findings will be made available internationally on the FISHBOL database.

The colorful reddish pink wrasse is similar to the Eightstripe Wrasse, but we have discovered that this color form is actually an undescribed species in French Polynesia

With this survey completed, we have now collected over 5000 vouchered fish samples for French Polynesia.  These samples will provide one of the most extensive databases of fishes worldwide for a region as large as French Polynesia.

(Photos by Jeff Williams)

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Written by Dr. Andy Bruckner

Upon arrival in Rurutu we made a shocking discovery – the reefs were nearly devoid of living coral.  We learned that the island had been devastated by a bad outbreak of crown of thorns sea stars (COTS) that occurred in 2006-2007. All corals were consumed nearly in their entirety from very shallow water to 40 m or deeper. Colonies remained in growth position, although piles of rubble were present in sand channels and grooves between coral heads and coral spurs.

A crown of thorns starfish coming out to eat coral

Unlike Society Islands, there were very few tissue remnants left on colonies, and only low numbers of recruits present. Much of the deeper framework consisted of very large and very old mountainous colonies of pore coral (Porites lobata) which grow only a cm or so per year. Because these colonies had few remaining tissue remnants, their recovery is likely to take decades. What was remarkable was the low amount of algae and the dense populations of sea urchins (in deeper areas we counted hundreds in each 10m x 1m belt transect). This may be good and bad for the corals (dead corals were covered in nice pink coralline algae, but there was a lot of erosion of the skeletons).

A long dead branching coral which has been overgrown and eroded

A large cluster of long spiny sea urchins (Diadema)

Our next stop, 82 miles away, was Rimatara. The reef was similar in that there was virtually no living coral. Local divers indicated an outbreak of COTS had also occurred, but more recently – the last starfish were spotted only a year ago. What was different was a lower number of sea urchins, much more algae and a complete absence of new baby corals. The positive though, the large Porites colonies often had tissue remnants, suggesting they may recover more quickly.

A mostly dead coral with arrows pointing to the tissue remnants remaining

In both locations a few survivors were found – basically two species – some larger colonies of cauliflower coral (Pocillopora verrucosa) and stout finger coral (Acropora humilis). Coral cover was less than 0.1%.

One of the few healthy looking Acropora we saw on the “dead reefs”

Because these islands are so small, they lack lagoonal habitats, and devastation by COTS affected the entire island, new corals will not come from local sources – they require an outside source. This may take a while though, as the closest island is Tubuai, 115 miles to the southeast and Marie, 120 miles to the northwest. Currents during winter (June-September) are predominantly from the west to the east, while spawning occurs around December when most of the water flows from east to the west. Fortunately, Tubuai has not been affected by COTS and it has a very healthy coral population which could provide new corals that can recolonize the reefs of Rurutu.

A cluster of soft corals. This is often what we would see on the reefs that were mostly dead

(Photos by Andrew Bruckner)

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Written by Dr. Brian Beck

Back in November/December 2012 we were in the Tuamotu Islands on our second mission in French Polynesia. During that mission we had two local researchers (Nina and Bertrand) looking at turtle abundance on the atolls. We would drop them off on land each day and they would walk the beaches looking for turtle nests and tracks. While walking along the shore of Toau they came across a whale skull. When reports of the skull came back to the ship, we decided that it would be worth collecting this skull and taking it back to be displayed at The Institute for Research and Development (IRD). The skull was estimated to weigh 70kg so we figured it would be quite easy.

An easy hike along the beach to find the whale skull

Six of us headed off to recover the skull. We got dropped off in the twin vee and had to walk about a mile and a half to reach the skull. Walking along the shore of Toau, we noticed the large amount of buoys, fishing nets and other boating debris all washed up on the shore. This is a common site on all of the islands we have visited. On the populated islands, people will collect a lot of this material and recycle it for other uses.

Lots of buoys washed up along the shore of Toau

A yellow buoy recycled as a hanging planter

When we finally arrived at the skull we noticed a lot of other bones from the whale lying around so we gathered those up as well. We also found a couple of teeth belonging to the whale, which helped us to identify it as a sperm whale. However, the very first thing we noticed was that the skull was definitely heavier than 70kg (much heavier)! So we had two options left to us, carry it back along the shore the way we came, or try to cut across the island which would be a much shorter distance (400 meters), but there would be a lot of thick vegetation to get through.

Serge and Bertrand realizing that the skull is a lot heavier than 70kg

We started walking along the coast, but quickly started to realize that it was going to be too difficult to carry it all the way back along the coast. We made the decision to try and cut across the island. It took some searching, but we found an area that was “passable”. Bertrand went ahead to find a way through the thick trees while the rest of us took turns carrying the whale skull and laying down fallen palm leaves to make it easier to walk over the ground cover. After a lot of sweat and second guessing the decision to come and get the skull, we made it to the lagoon on the other side of the island. Unfortunately where we came out was too shallow for the boat to make it to the shore. This meant another 300 meters of carrying the skull through the water. The upside to this was that there was no more vegetation to worry about; the down side was that as soon as the skull hit the water, all of the pores and empty spaces filled with water and it became much heavier.

Carrying the skull across the lagoon to reach the boat (barely seen in the background)

The skull finally on the twin vee

Once the skull was on the boat, the weight became a problem yet again. It was so heavy that it grounded the boat in the sand and we had to push the boat into deeper water. Eventually we were able to get into deep enough water for us all to hop in the boat and we made it back to the Shadow. The skull is now displayed at IRD and was well worth the effort.

The sperm whale skull on display at IRD

(Photos 1-6 by Brian Beck; 7 Serge Andrefouet)

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Written by Dr. Andy Bruckner

Coral communities on the first two islands in the Australs were very unusual, compared to all other reefs we looked at in French Polynesia. Unlike other fore reef communities, a very wide shelf surrounded each island, extending from the reef crest, adjacent to the lagoon, hundreds of meters offshore before plunging steeply to the depths.

A typical mid depth assemblage of hard (Leptoria, Astreopora and Pocillopora) and soft corals

The shallow reef transitioned from a high energy reef crest dominated by branching corals, mostly stout finger corals and thick tables of Acropora and cauliflower corals (Pocillopora), to a spur and groove structure with narrow scoured hard-bottom channels and wide flattened spurs. The spurs in shallow water (to 10 m depth) were constructed mostly of low-lying massive star corals (Astreopora), with some larger outcrops containing other massive species such as Favia and a brain coral (Leptoria) seen previously only in Mangareva, along with short, stout branched and digitate Acroporids and Pocillopora.

Astreopora becomes more dominant in about 8 meters of water

From 10-15 m depth, the grooves were colonized by small pore corals (Porites) and an unusual massive coral we had not seen before (Hydonophora), while other encrusting, plating and boulder corals were found on the tops of the spurs. We also found another unique coral which forms potato-chip shaped colonies and extends its yellow to lime green polyps in the day (Turbinaria) and several other sheeting corals on the sides of spurs.

A colony of Turbinaria

Many areas from 5-15 m depth had high numbers of soft corals, many which were over 2 m in diameter. In deeper water, the reef gradually transitions from Astreopora to a community with very dense cover of large massive and lobate corals (Favia stelligera, Pavona clavus), flower corals (Lobophyllia) and dense thickets of stout-branched staghorn corals (Acropora). At 20-25 m depth another species that forms large tables (Acropora cytherea) become abundant; we only observed this species in Mangareva as well. Still deeper, these are progressively replaced by large flattened domes of pore coral (Porites), some that are over 5 m in diameter and centuries old.

Pavona surrounding large colonies of Lobophyllia

A big table of Acropora cytherea

(Photos by Andrew Bruckner)

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The Golden Shadow arrived in Papeete, French Polynesia back in July 2012 and for the past eight months Papeete has been our home, but we said goodbye last week as we started our final research expedition in the Austral islands. We will spend the next 2 weeks surveying in the Austral Islands and from there we will not return to Papeete, but instead sail out of French Polynesia and into the Cook islands.

M/Y Golden Shadow

Before leaving Papeete we took an evening to share some of our initial research findings with local scientists, representatives of our partner organizations, and government officials. A full analysis of all the data we gathered will take months but we have seen some observable trends during our field work.

Dr Andy Bruckner gives a scientific update with French translation by Clare Pasdelou

We displayed images from some of the remote sites we have surveyed during our field research and were delighted that the French Polynesian Minister for Education, Tauhiti Nena, came to encourage us on our continued scientific journey. It was a great way to say good bye to Papeete.

KSLOF Executive Director Philip Renaud and Minister for Education Tauhiti Nena

Photos by 1 Michele Westmorland, 2 and 3 KSLOF

Written by Dr. Andrew Bruckner

Our final Expedition to French Polynesia takes us to the Austral Islands, the southernmost group of islands located from 500-750 km from Tahiti.  We are exploring four small high islands: Raivavae (16 sq. km), Rimatara (8.6 sq. km), Tubuai (45 sq. km), and Rurutu (32.3 sq. km), and one low island, Maria.  These islands are estimated to be about 12 million years old, having formed over a volcanic hotspot. The islands are an extension of a submerged mountain chain that also includes the Cook Islands, our next destination on this mission. The Austral Islands are the most remote, and also the coldest islands in French Polynesia, especially in winter (July-October) when humpback whales reside and reproduce here.

The overflight track for the Austral Islands

Raivavae, with a population of just over 1000 people, has three main villages. These are concentrated near the coast, at the base of Mt. Hiro, a 437 m tall extinct volcano. The island is surrounded by a very large and shallow lagoon with a shallow passage to the open ocean on the northern end.

The high island of Raivavae

Rimatara, also with 3 main villages and about 950 inhabitants, consists of a small, fertile nearly circular volcanic plateau. The plateau is covered in dense forest vegetation and is surrounded by an 8-10 m tall, uplifted fringing reef. The tallest point (Mt. Uahu) rises from the coast to about 106 m.

Tubuai, the administrative capital of the Austral Islands, has the largest population in the Australs (approx. 2050), with most residing in one main village. Tubuai is an extinct volcano with two volcanic domes. The domes form a group of mountains demarcated by faults (a “massif”), culminating in a 422 m high peak (Mt. Taita). The east coast is an uplifted coral reef adjacent to a circular lagoon and white sand beaches.

The fore reef off the coast of Tubuai

Rurutu is most different from the other islands in the archipelago.   Its structure is formed by an ancient coral reef that was uplifted (known locally as a makatea), to create sheer, karst-eroded limestone cliffs.  These karstic cliffs are pock-marked with giant stalactite and stalagmite-filled caverns, caves and grottoes.  The larger caves found here once supported ancient settlements, and their remains can be seen through numerous burial grounds, ancient marae (sacred places) and numerous artifacts and treasures. The island is fringed by a continuous coral reef, so there’s no lagoon. There are, however, lots of bright white coral sand beaches. The highest point, Mt. Maureva, rises to an elevation of 398 meters.  Approximately 2015 people inhabit three main villages.

Fringing reef directly off the coast from uplifted fossil reefs in Rurutu

Maria is a small atoll with four densely forested islets and a very shallow lagoon. It is uninhabited. Once, long ago, Maria supported a penal colony.

The low island of Maria

The high islands are well known for their traditional art of weaving of coconut and pandanu leaves into hats, purses, mats and baskets. The fertile soil supports a wide variety of crops including potatoes, taro, coffee, vanilla and bananas, as well as coconut palms.  The largest and most productive giant clam fishery in French Polynesia is located in the Austral Islands.

As we complete our aerial surveys of the Austral Islands, the M/Y Golden Shadow is en route to Raivavae, where we begin our coral assessments.

(Photos by Andrew Bruckner)

To follow along and see more photos, please visit us on Facebook!  You can also follow the expedition on our Global Reef Expedition page, where there is more information about our research and team members.