Suzanne Nielsen is Saba's correspondent for the St. Maarten Daily Herald. She has also co-authored a book with Dr. Peter Schnabel about Saba's ethno botanical and pharmacological uses of tropical plants.  Many of the articles and photos on this news page are courtesy of Ms. Nielsen.

 


©octopus photo courtesy of Roger Hanlon


Dr. Roger Hanlon of Woods Hole
©photo courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald

Link here to see Roger's report
from the first visit

 

 


Steve Ormeroid, Leda Brewer & Jeff Bozanic


Brewer inside second cave.


Leda Brewer with Saba Comprehensive School student Peter Johnson.  After the expedition, a multi-media presentation was provided to all students at the school.


©photo courtesy John Magor

Recording a 'marked' Tropicbird and her egg were just one of the delights of amateur birders who joined Sea & Learn expert Tadas Birutis and local bird enthusiast Evette Peterson.  Birders learned that Saba hosts the largest population of Red billed tropic birds, representing 14% of the world's population of this endangered species.  Habitat threat from coastal development is the demise of the bird in most areas.  Saba's dramatic shoreline  prevents coastal development; therefore, serving as the natural sanctuary for these cliffside dwellers that return to their original nesting sights once sexually mature.  

 


©photo courtesy John Magor


Marine biologist Alex Cliffe (right) briefs his lay scientists before they start their seahorse survey.


A Longsnout seahorse from the Saba National Marine Park. 
©Photo courtesy John Magor.

 



Dr. Naomi Rose came to the islands of Saba and St. Maarten to lecture concerned citizens of the risks and ramifications associated with dolphinariums.

 

 



Artist Mark Hagan prepares divers for an Aquasketch© dive.
photo courtesy of Michael Chammaa


Divers create art with the Aquasketch @ Ladder Labyrinth
photo courtesy of Michael Chammaa


 

 


 

Suspected turtle nests have been cordoned off at Cove Bay.

News from our previous events in 2004 & 2003

This page of our website is kept on line for you to continue to enjoy the stories and accomplishments of our organization since its inception:

December 2004--Sea & Learn is proud to announce the winning of another international award.  Presented by Unterwasser Magazine and VDST, German Federation of Scuba Diving, Sea & Learn on Saba won 2nd prize for its scientific work with Project Seahorse.

   

Sea & Learn's Second Year Is a Grand Success.  More than double the amount of experts entertained and enlightened more than double the amount of attendees.  Saba School children from ages 5-16 had bi-weekly presentations in subjects ranging from muck diving to cave exploration.  The Ranger/Scout Club, associated with the Saba National Marine Park, tripled enrollment during the month-long event.  The intrigued youngsters participated in weekly hands-on field projects from cactus planting and lizard surveys to seahorse identification. 

In addition to working with Saba's school children, this year Sea & Learn is proud to report the inclusion of students from the neighboring island of St. Maarten and St. Martin.  Students made a day trip on The Edge ferry.  The visiting islanders first enjoyed a presentation at the Saba Marine Park multi-media center.  They were next taken by buses to Windwardside to conduct a field project after having lunch.  Each student personally donated $1 to Saba's Marine Park.

Come join the fun!  Plan to visit Saba for an upcoming event or make plans for October 2005.  Whether your dream is to capture underwater images or to understand the fragility of our turtle population, Sea & Learn offers something for everyone. 

There's no reason you can't participate as well.  Remember, Sea & Learn on Saba is fun, it's free and it's for everyone.  For more information or a reservation, email:  info@seaandlearn.org or contact one of our sponsors. 

Shark Expert part of Sea and Learn
photo of Mark Marks and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald
©shark research  photos courtesy of Mark Marks

SABA—International shark expert and research biologist Dr. Mark Marks lectured Monday evening to a crowd of about 75 at the Brigadoon restaurant in Windwardside.

Marks’ talk was accompanied by close ups of his personal encounters with White sharks, all taken in open water without the protection of a cage. Many of the photos were taken off Dyer Island, South Africa, where Marks conducted his studies in the behavioral ecology of the White Shark over an eight-year period. Although the white shark is relatively rare, it is wide ranging in all seas in both hemispheres.

Marks reminded his audience that there are more than 500 species of shark or rays, basically unchanged over seven million years. He compared the intelligence of the shark with that of a domesticated household pet. “These are the world’s largest carnivores at more than 21 meters and are highly self aware,” Marks said. Since these sharks are warm blooded, they can move very quickly and unpredictably, which allows them to track and capture other intelligent species, such as dolphins.

While undertaking shark research off Guadalupe Island in Mexico, Marks noted 66 different shark behaviors and was able to observe the shark’s social interactions and possible cooperative hunting. He noted that the shark would sometimes attack, but not necessarily kill its prey, or again kill it, but not completely devour it. “The simple answer to this is that they have had their fill, and it’s easy for them to come by the next meal,” Marks explained.

Marks will meet with the children’s Scout group on Wednesday afternoon, and will give another public lecture on Friday evening. During the week, he will be available to resident and tourist divers as this week’s Sea and Learn nature expert in residence.

 

 

Octopus Expert Explores Saba
photo of Roger Hanlon and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald
©octopus photo courtesy of Roger Hanlon

SABA —Marine biologist and octopus expert Dr. Roger Hanlon used local and visiting divers for his octopus research on Saba ’s reefs last week.  

Hanlon, who is senior scientist at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, gave two public lectures during his week on Saba , his first time to the island. His research is sponsored by the Sea and Learn Foundation through an AMFO grant.

The purpose of the research was to document camouflage behaviors of octopus and flounders in shallow water. Hanlon made over a dozen dives, with each dive lasting almost two hours in the shallow environment of Tent Reef to the west of Fort Bay and harbor mooring sites to the east.

He showed guests Saturday night at the Swinging Doors sensational footage of a small defilippi octopus quickly burying itself completely in the sand in the mooring area. He said the segment was good enough to be shown on television nature show.

Hanlon found four species of diurnal octopuses. One sighting caused special excitement. The octopus showed “mimic” behavior, as it tried to get away with flounder-like movements. Hanlon said that more documentation would be necessary, such as a video. If it were true mimic behavior, it would be the first observation of this outside Pacific diving sites.

Hanlon has asked local dive masters to keep track of octopus sightings, observe and document behaviors, and to take videos whenever possible. He plans to return to Saba next near to follow up on the study.


Experts explore Paris Hill caves 
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald
©photos courtesy of Jeff Bozanic

SABA—Suspended from a rope, with all gear and helmet removed to fit into the narrow passage, Leda Brewer was pulled back to safety from her attempt to come to the bottom of a Paris Hill cave. Any further descent, she determined, was decidedly unwise. 

LOCATION
Brewer and two cave experts recently explored to their depths two Paris Hill caves as part of the Sea and Learn Nature program. Paris Hill is the base of a rocky formation above the cable office in The Bottom. The formation is known as “the whale” since it has that appearance from The Road. From the seaside, the “tail” of the whale resembles a triangular tent and gave Tent Reef its name. According to locals, mariners used the tent as a navigational aid since its aspect is so distinctive from a distance.

The caving expedition actually started more than a year ago, when local dive shop Sea Saba had the idea to take advantage of Saba’s caves and cliff faces an alternative terrestrial sport: rock climbing/cave exploration. Brewer, a dive instructor with Sea Saba, was a seasoned rock climber and first explored one of the caves a year ago. She was anxious to complete her voyage to the bowels of the island, but expert cavers were necessary for a save exploration. 

The experts arrived in the form of Jeff Bozanic, underwater cave diving specialist and Steve Ormeroid, who is Administrative VP of the American Speleological Society. The men have worked together for 20 years on cave diving projects in many parts of the world. The cave exploration was part of the Field Study portion of the Sea and Learn experience. 

UP THE HILL
The effort was community wide: interested locals provided a sunrise “sherpa” service and carried expedition materials up the hill on a new path recently constructed by the Saba Conservation Foundation. The team of three had considerable gear, including ropes, helmets, carabineers, specialized climbing apparatuses, and food/water. Tents for an overnight at the end of a 14-hour day were also part of the matériel.

A core team was posted at the mouth of the cave in case a rescue operation was needed. At 8am, the trio entered the first cave. It went down about 150 feet and most of it was a “climb down.”

The second cave was more challenging with a 300-foot descent, and several vertical drops, requiring the use of the specialized equipment. Brewer said the caves were totally dark, lit only by helmet lights and an occasional photoflash.

The team took measurements of the length of the caves by a rope knotted every 10 feet. A compass gave direction, and an inclinometer indicated depth. These measurements resulted in rudimentary maps of both caves.

Bozanic was expecting and hoping to find that the caves ended in water, since that is his specialty. However, both caves are actually granite fissures; full of unstable “talus” or debris in some spots, and they narrowed and petered out.

As the smallest team member, Brewer doffed all equipment including helmut to explore cave 2 as far as possible. She confirmed that she felt fresh air on her face at the lowest point in the cave – about 300 feet from the entrance – but passage was too narrow to continue. She was also out of earshot, and realized that any call for help would go unheeded. The passage was so narrow that she was unable to pull herself out, but was hauled out on ropes by her companions.

LOCAL LEGEND PUT TO REST
Old-timer stories have it that three children disappeared into the caves, and that a chicken had flown through the cave and was later found at sea. However, the only signs of life found by the team were a few old goat bones and graffiti from 2001 scrawled on a rock surface.

The crew gave their report, illustrated by cave slides, to a capacity audience at the Sea and Learn evening lecture series. As part of the Sea and Learn school program, Brewer took her climbing gear to St. Johns schools and demonstrated her equipment. Standing as a patient model, student Peter Johnson was soon kitted out in the heavy gear and helmet sported by the well-dressed speleologist.

The students were interested in this unique exploration of the island, and cautioned that it is a dangerous sport and needs proper guidance and experience.

 Project Seahorse launched on Saba
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald
©seahorse photos courtesy of John Magor

SABA—The Saba National Marine Park has been chosen as the first location in the Caribbean for a pilot study under “Project Seahorse.”

Project Seahorse is an international and interdisciplinary marine conservation organization, working in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Philippines, Portugal, U.K., and U.S.A., under the auspices of The Zoological Society of London and other international conservation organizations

British marine biologist Alex Cliffe, who is Senior Aquarist at the London Zoo, conducted four field surveys and located four “long snouted” seahorses at mooring sites off Fort Bay pier during his tour as guest lecturer at the Saba Sea and Learn Nature Series.

Volunteer lay scientists undertook exploratory scuba dives and recorded on special underwater paper, details of the animals found, including location, sex, size, color, etc. It is not unusual to find seahorses in the Marine Park, but this is the first time sightings have been officially recorded. Local dive masters/instructors will continue the work of monitoring the Saba seahorse population in the pilot study, and will forward their results to Cliffe.

Cliffe said that seahorses are territorial, usually remaining in an area about the size of a normal living room. They live for about seven years. One unusual feature is that the males carry the fertilized eggs in a pouch, and give birth to approximately 300 young at a time.

The seahorse family (Syngnathidae) has been on Appendix II (threatened species) of the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since May of this year. Cliffe said that this measure has already been affective: British customs officials have made several confiscations of unauthorized shipments of live seahorses.

Cliffe said that harvesting seahorses for use in traditional Chinese medicine is a multi-billion dollar business in the Far East. Since fisherman have themselves realized that the seahorse population is dwindling and thus threatening their livelihood, they are anxious to put pregnant males in a special underwater cage where they stay until the young are born and replenish stock. Project seahorse is active in the Philippines and has successfully trained the local population in these pioneering conservation efforts.

 

 

Sea and Learn hosts dolphin expert
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald
©dolphin photos courtesy of John Magor

SABA—Dr. Naomi Rose, sea mammal expert from the animal advocacy group Humane Society International, gave four talks during her two-day stay on Saba, at the invitation of the Sea and Learn Nature program.

Rose said her first contact with the Netherlands Antilles had come from Saba resident Angelika Hartleib of Saba, who was concerned about the proposal to create a “Swim with the Dolphins” feature on St. Maarten. Concerns soon reached critical mass, with a vigorous correspondence between Rose, her charitable organization, and concerned citizens on both islands, and led to her trip to the Windward Islands.

She first stopped on St. Maarten, where she gave four presentations, two radio talks, and several newspaper interviews. On her two days on Saba, Rose spoke to three school children groups and gave an evening Sea and Learn Lecture. She said she would welcome the opportunity to speak to government officials about the project, and would return if an appointment could be set up.

There are about 15 dolphins facilities in the Caribbean with a dozen more on the drawing board. Rose said the facts do not bear out any benefits to this type of captivity for dolphins. On the contrary, life expectation and mortality are much higher.

She said there are two areas where dolphins are captured: the Solomon Islands and Cuba. Regardless, dolphins are protected worldwide under the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which requires certain documentation attesting that exported mammals are a “non-detrimental finding.” Rose said that there is no scientific information that can attest to this

There is, however, a great deal of information regarding the negative aspects of keeping dolphins in captivity. Rose recommended substitute activities such as interactive media, which gave a very good idea of how these animals behave. “Seeing them in a small pen is not true to life,” she said. She added there is no spin off value since visitors to such facilities are entertained, but not changed to be more animal friendly or ecologically aware

 

Underwater drawing launched at Sea and Learn
photos and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald

Saba—Why would you want to draw underwater, is the first question that springs to mind, when confronted with a strange apparatus called an “aquaSketch.”

Mark Hagen, inventor and artist, is quick to answer: “The immediacy and elusiveness of the artistic first impression!” For him there is no doubt that sketching impressions on site, and not from an underwater “reference photograph,” is hugely important to the creative process.

Hagen’s answer is a devise that looks somewhat like a child’s “etch-a-sketch” toy, but is vastly more high tech. The patent is pending on the product, which had its debut during the month-long Sea and Learn event on Saba.

The completely submersible aquaSketch is a plastic frame with a strip of Mylar paper stretched between two rollers. It can contain up to 10 feet of paper, which is advanced as the artist begins each new 8.5x11-inch sketch. The frame is a bright florescent yellow acrylic, making it easy to locate if dropped, however, the neutrally buoyant device will not stray far under water.

A pullout drawer has a graphite pencil, an eraser, a sharpener, and special French oil and wax crayons, which hook onto the palette with Velcro. Hagen said that colors underwater are tricky, even at 30-40feet, as the water absorbs colors. It takes a bit of practice to pick up the appropriate crayon.

Hagen brought two versions of the acquaSketch to Saba: a wrist model, which dive masters enjoyed as they fired off quick messages to their divers, and the sketch model for budding underwater artists. Still in the pipeline is an “in-between” model, good for text or drawing, also with a drawer for accessories.

 Hagen first met with his students, who had enrolled in the Sea and Learn event. After a quick class in drawing – some of the students were totally untrained – the group went out the next day on the dive boat. After quick onboard instructions at the Ladder Labyrinth dive site, everyone got into the water, was handed their sketchpad, and descended to 40 feet.

Hagen was the last one in the water. “Everyone got to work furiously, as soon as they made the sandy bottom,” marveled Hagen. After the dive, the next step was to take the drawings and run them through the scanner at the Peanut Gallery. Class members then took this copy and colored and revised the original impression, which was displayed at a public reception later that day.

Hagen, from New York, is an enthusiastic scuba diver and environmentalist, and donates 5% of all proceeds from the sale of his marine work to coral reef protection organizations. The acquaSketch is manufactured in New York and sells there for about $350.

 

Nice timing!
Turtles Nest at Cove Bay
While Sea & Learn Turtle Expert on Saba
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald and David Kooistra, Saba National Marine Park

SABA—Turtle nests were discovered this week at Cove Bay beach. Marine Park Manager David Kooistra took immediate action to cordon off the area to keep the nests out of harms way. Divers in the Saba Marine Park commonly see turtles while snorkeling or on scuba, but nesting has become less common.

Turtle tracks were spotted from the airport by Vincent Hassell, assistant airport manager, who called Sue Hurrell, a Saba Marine Park volunteer. Hurrell said that there were tracks all up and down the beach, but it was impossible to tell how many turtles had come ashore, but they located about seven possible nests.

Puerto Rican turtle expert Dr. Pedro Rivera, on Saba for the month-long Sea and Learn project, visited the site and said that the nests were probably made by Hawksbill turtles, since it is their mating season. The turtle is on the endangered species list, and only about 1% of the offspring survive to adulthood.

It is important to leave the nests undisturbed, since the eggs are normally laid in a hole more than two-feet deep. Rivera speculated that the turtles had in fact accomplished their task and laid eggs, given the amount of energy spent in coming ashore through the rocky debris and digging the pits.

There are usually more than 100 eggs in each clutch. Rivera said the turtles would normally return in 10-12 days to lay more eggs, and would repeat this behavior several times during the mating season.

A resident of Hell’s Gate was not surprised, and recalled turtles nesting in Cove Bay and Spring Bay in years past. Large turtles can often been seen in both bays from as far away as the curve in front of the Hell’s Gate Catholic Church at an altitude of about 1,300 feet.

Both areas had more sand in the past, Sabans recalled. Cove Bay now has arc lights near the recreational pavilion, which are on all through the night. Rivera proposed changing these to low pressure sodium, since the bright mercury vapor light can confuse the turtles.

 Micro Projects Approved!
Sea & Learn w/Project Seahorse
Sea & Learn & Octopus Camouflaging Research
Sea & Learn Paris Hill Cave Expedition
   

 

 

 

 

 

Lt. Governeor Solignier Opens Sea & Learn 2004
Jan Post--Marine Biologist Explains the Importance of Biodiversity
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald 

SABA—“Sea and Learn will help you dig a little deeper, explore a little more, and appreciate and enjoy much more profoundly,” said Lt. Governor Antoine Solagnier as he opened the first Sea and Learn event, a public lecture by Dutch Marine Biologist Jan Post. 

Post spoke to a crowd of more than 40 tourists and locals, who gathered Friday night at the Swinging Doors, to hear about symbiotic associations, where different species live together in a mutually helpful relationship. Post’s PowerPoint presentation had many interesting photos to illustrate his points.

An example of a symbiotic relationship is a cleaning station, where small fish or shrimp eat parasites off a large fish, which stay immobile while the beautification takes place. Small shrimp are so sure of their safety that they advertise to the larger animal by waving their tentacles to get attention.

Post said that a coral reef is rich in species because of the hiding places it provides, and symbiotic relationships are a part of this, like the trumpet fish which places itself vertically in a forest of gorgonians and can hardly been seen.

Sea creatures, such as flounders, stone fish, frog fish, octopus, pipe fish, mimic their surrounds to provide camouflage by changing their color and even texture to match the background, making them almost invisible. The Pacific Ocean clown fish has found a mechanism to live peacefully within the stinging tentacles of the anemone for protection.

 “Sea and Learn” is a month-long celebration of biodiversity on land and on sea, with experts in many fields lecturing to the general public and to the Saba schools. Schedules of events are posted in public places throughout the island. All events are free.

AMFO is a program within the Netherlands Antilles funded through Holland.  Approval for funding of programs is supervised by the NGO Office on Saba with overseeing from both St. Maarten and Holland. 

 
 

 
 

Micro Budget Funding Provided by AMFO
Three Special Projects Approved

October 2004--Funding for special projects within the normal Sea & Learn program has just been approved by AMFO.  This funding is specifically designated for 3 research projects to be conducted during Sea & Learn.

Project Seahorse, the international organization that monitors seahorses around the world is sending a representative to Saba to set up the organizations first pilot program in the Caribbean. 

Dr. Roger Hanlon of Woods Hole Oceanographic has conducted research on octopus camouflaging around the world.  He will bring his expertise and techniques to Saba to monitor our resident cephalopods.

World renowned cave diving and re-breather expert Jeffrey Bozanic and National Speleological Society Administrative Vice President Steve Ormeroid join Saba's resident climber and caver Leda Brewer to explore the terrestrial cave at Paris Hill.  A special support team for the expedition will be headed by "Crocodile" James Johnson in cooperation with the Saba Conservations Foundation.   

 
   

Saba's Local Iguana Population Healthy
Racer Snakes Live Primarily on Saba Lizards
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald

 SABA—Professor Bob Powell gave a slide show about his work June 17th at the Brigadoon, after spending research time on the island.   

Powell, who teaches biology at Avila College in Kansas City, MO, is working on a book about the amphibians and reptiles of the Windward Islands. He currently is on a three-week field trip with university students on St. Eustatius, and came to Saba on a photo shoot for the book. He said the West Indies is a particularly rewarding destination for study because the students can gather a lot of data in a short time.  

Powell’s talk, entitled West Indian Lizards and the Snakes that Eat Them,” was accompanied by spectacular close-ups of the animals, many only inches long. Powell told his audience that there are about 600 vegetated islands in the West Indies.  Their reptilian populations are very diverse, but have only been seriously studied over the last 25 years.  

Commenting specifically on Saba’s reptile population, Powell said that it appeared that Saba’s population of iguanas was very healthy, although it would be difficult to get an accurate count because of the island’s difficult terrain. He said that goats and iguanas do compete in the wild, but it seemed that the goat population had not endangered the iguana population. 

He explained that many species arrive in the West Indies in the soil of imported garden plants or attached to other vegetation or fruits. It is important for scientists to create a baseline of information on the animal population to make sure that these “uninvited guests” do not prey on endemic populations pushing them into extinction.

Powell will return to Saba in October as a guest of the Sea and Learn program sponsored by local and regional businesses. The Sea and Learn program is a promotion to attract tourists to the island. It brings expert naturalists together, who share their knowledge with tourists, Saba school children, and the general public at evening lectures, dive trips, and day excursions.

 
   

Coral Reefs Can Be Saved
The Effects of  Greenhouse Gases on Our Reefs
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald 

SABA—At a public lecture June 20th at Tropics Café, Dr. John Ware told his audience of the continual and documented damage to coral reefs and their possible demise. The main culprits are heightened water temperatures and increased amounts of carbon dioxide, coming from what is now called as the “green house” effect.

Nevertheless, Ware encouraged his audience to be optimistic about the future of coral reefs. He said that we can all help preserve the health of this precious resource by becoming good ecological citizens. This would include being better consumers, buying vehicles that economize on fuel, lobbying to get manufacturers to lower consumption of fossil fuels, and encouraging the United States to sign the Kyoto Agreement.

Ware illustrated his talk with slides of coral bleaching events, which can lead to the killing off of these animals. He said that the phenomenon of El Nino led to increased water temperatures, which are inimical to coral growth. Over development of coastal areas also pumps pollutants into the water. He pointed out that the first coral diseases were only discovered in the late 1970s, and now there are more than a dozen recorded, but the cause for only one is known to scientists.

Ware was on a private dive trip to Saba. He is an officer of the Coral Reef Society and uses his skills as a control systems expert to model scientific data on coral adaptation through his company Sea Services..

 

 

 

Sea & Learn Program Wins Project Aware Environmental Achievement Award
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald
SABA—Sea Saba Dive Center recently received an award by Project Aware, a Foundation of PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors), the premier international dive association of the United States.

The award is in recognition of a dive operation that has shown exemplary effort in educating customers about the importance of conserving the aquatic environment in 2003. The Project AWARE Foundation Environmental Achievement Award honors dive retailers and resorts that operate in an environmentally responsible manner and promote Project Aware’s mission of conserving underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. The Award reads for “dedication to environmentally responsible business practices and commitment to conservation of the underwater environment.”

In August last year, Sea Saba and Juliana’s Hotel, together with local and regional sponsors, put together a special month long program called “Sea and Learn.” They invited about 13 experts in the fields of biodiversity, marine biology, butterflies, tropical forests, orchids, and other natural sciences to spend a week on Saba in exchange for sharing their expertise. The experts were available on dive boat and land tours, in public evening talks, and at special educational lectures given for Saba’s schoolchildren. One unusual element was that the entire island was able to attend any of the public sessions, which were of a high professional quality including unusual underwater and field study photographs.  According to Johanna van’t Hof of Juliana’s and Lynn Costenaro of Sea Saba who were responsible for the organization of Sea and Learn, they are in the process of forming a Foundation with other interested parties as a base from which to continue this educational effort every year.

 
   

Suzanne Nielsen is Saba's correspondent for the St. Maarten Daily Herald. She has also co-authored a book with Dr. Peter Schnabel about Saba's ethno botanical and pharmacological uses of tropical plants.  Many of the articles and photos on this news page are courtesy of Ms. Nielsen.

“Sea and Learn on Saba:” a model for eco-tourism education and promotion
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald
Suzanne Nielsen, journalist for the St. Maarten Daily Herald thought Sea & Learn on Saba was such a success that she wrote the following article to apply for an award in journalism for a Caribbean eco project.

Saba—Local dive operator Lynn Costenaro of Sea Saba had no idea her modest notion of boosting tourism over the slow month of October would explode into a multimedia event involving many island businesses, local school children, Saba University, and bring most of the community together. The idea was born at the March New York Trade show, “Beneath the Seas,” where Costenaro realized from her networking contacts that getting expert naturalists to spend a week on Saba was feasible. The point would be to create an informal learning experience, which would update tourists and locals about environmental concerns and their complexity, give participants an appreciation of nature in the tropical climate, and allow them unstructured access to expert knowledge.

The guest lecturers would give free evening talks open to the public, using local restaurants as a casual venue. They would also be available for client field trips in exchange for a complementary week on the island.

Costenaro had a running start on speakers with a high-level “seed” group of island residents: the marine biologist, who created the Saba Marine Park; a pharmacology professor (for medicinal plants); a trained entomologist; an ornithologist studying sea birds on Saba; and a published master underwater photographer. In the end, the local roster increased to include turtle experts from Antigua, a forestry professor from Puerto Rico, an orchid enthusiast from Florida, an English marine biologist, a butterfly authority from St. Maarten, to name only a few.

Back on Saba, Costenaro turned to the group of restaurants/hotels she works with on her packaged dive tours. Would they help with donated services and support the program? They quickly understood the concept and joined up. Promoting Saba’s tourism is a major earner for the island. Revenues from the annual 25,000 tourists affect hotels, restaurants, gift shops, grocery stores, and Saba’s National Marine Park, which collects a dive fee. With a dip in revenues since 9/11, it was time to generate a new approach. “We could have put more money into advertising,” Costenaro explained, “but why not experiment?” “Sea and Learn on Saba” went up on Sea Saba’s web site, notices were sent to over 70 publications, and flyers were posted on island and on St. Maarten.

The new “Sea and Learn” team quickly came up with additional ideas, like school lectures. Team member, Johanna van t’Hof, owner/operator of Juliana’s Hotel, scheduled more than 17 lectures at Saba’s two schools totaling 275 students.  The elementary school program was so successful that it morphed into a juried essay contest “Life Under the Sea” with prizes awarded. A resident retired American was so taken with the program that he donated an additional $150 in prize money. Creative writing teacher Brother Clayton, who supervised the children, said new careers had opened up: “All my students now want to be marine biologists,” he enthused. The program at the high school was unfortunately problematic. The teenagers were bused down to a University classroom, but their teachers did not accompany them. Without supervision, students roamed the building and visited the shops. Sea and Learn organizers had to pull the program because of the unacceptable level of liability. The team is optimistic that the school will pick up on the opportunity for supplemental learning next year.

Putting it together
The dive shop normally gives weekly public client orientation briefings on a large-screen TV for new arrivals. These take place at a local restaurant, which also generates business as people stay on for dinner. Costenaro knew she would have to upgrade technically to reach a larger audience, since local attendance was expected. She purchased an LCD projector and hired a local multimedia expert to set up the equipment and monitor the presentation, which was now of professional quality. This was no small feat, since presentations rotated between five restaurants, each with its unique configuration. At the final awards presentation to over 100, the screen was hung between two flagpoles at the end of a hotel swimming pool. Lights (and an inflatable shark!) were in the pool, adding to the festive atmosphere, and creating an outdoor amphitheater with surround sound. Costenaro emphasized that the equipment investment was key in offering high-quality instruction and attracting people to return. All presenters were already practiced in public speaking and creating powerful computerized presentations.

Report Card
Business did not increase this first time, viewed as experimental. “But it WILL: the word is out,” Costenaro affirmed. All participating businesses heard rave reviews from local and tourist guests. Results are already in: a January dive group has requested a mini eco-series with local experts, and Costenaro has a list of 15 new experts for October 2004.  “We proved that this type of collaborative effort works and that sustainable tourism is an educational imperative,” she said. It was also the buzzword for the many entities that donated or discounted their services to the project. These entities see an advantage as they may now tout their involvement in environmental education and protection at the community level. Other benefits are emerging. The guest lecturers also networked amongst themselves and are spinning off synergistic projects of their own. Forestry expert, Costa Rican Professor Pedro Rivera is mapping a project to bring a Smithsonian group to monitor the health of Saba’s rain forest. Floridian orchid expert Stewart Chipka has asked resident insect expert Mary Roduner to monitor moths as orchid propagators in his absence.  Pharmacology professor Peter Schnabel is working on a tourist reference on medicinal plants with a local author.  Dr. Steve Simpson from the University of York, U.K. extended his stay to one month, with sponsorship from several organizations, including British Airways and the Royal Historical Society. Simpson conducted about 60 surveys while on Saba, and is currently documenting and evaluating the Sea and Learn program as a model for education in eco tourism. His published document should also be of value to the local government in forming its environmental protection/preservation policies.  Saba’s Lt. Governor Antoine Solagnier was present at the final poolside multimedia event and awards ceremony. “I suddenly realized that government often stands in the way of these private initiatives. We need to do all we can to support this creativity,” he commented.
 
 
 
 

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When Bug and Orchid Experts Meet...
Scientific study on orchid pollinators under way
photo and article courtesy of Suzanne Nielsen & St. Maarten Daily Herald, Orchid by John Magor
SABA—Saba’s Lady’s Lash orchids and their pollinator are the subject of a scientific field study underway above Hell’s Gate. On a hillside facing St. Maarten where the orchids grow in profusion, Florida orchid expert Stewart Chipka and entomologist Mary Roduner have placed two traps to catch moths to determine what species actually is responsible for the pollination of the orchid species. They suspect that it is a type of Hawk moth, of the Sphinx family. The experiment will run for the rest of the week. Roduner, currently residing on Saba with her medical student husband, will continue the work at other island locations, while Chipka returns to Florida to prepare a scientific paper.

The traps are 3.5-gallon plastic buckets, with a drainage hole and an insecticidal strip on the bottom. A stainless steel funnel is inserted into the bucket and topped with an ultra violet bulb. This night light attracts the moths, which drop through the smooth-sided funnel to the bottom. A photocell activates the lights, in turn powered by a rechargeable battery pack. The traps are monitored every day for specimens, which Roduner preserves in silica gel. 

It is known that the male moth mistakes the orchid for a mate, since the plant gives on a chemical compound similar to the pheromone of the moth female. When the male inserts his proboscis into the orchid, pollen sticks to it and is deposited in the next orchid the male moth visits.Chipka will use his field microscope to determine whether pollen found on the moths is from the Lady’s Lash, and Roduner will return to the United States in August with the preserved moths to make an exact determination of its species.

This is Chipka’s fourth study trip to Saba and his work will result in a booklet on the island’s orchid population.
 
 

Other stories reported
on Sea & Learn
Shark Expert

Octopus Expert
Studies Camouflaging
Techniques & More!
Paris Hill
Caving Expedition

Project Seahorse
Launched on Saba
Rose: Effects of capturing dolphins

aquaSketch first trials on Saba