Last issue you
got my spiel on Virginia's Artificial Reef Program. You know a
little bit about what Mike Meiers and crew have been up to and
what to expect from them in the future. Now I would like to
give you a glimpse into what goes on when an artificial reef
addition is actually put together and deployed.
When
Mike invited me to come out and join a group of middle school
students who were going to "build" the reef balls I figured
that there couldn't be that much to it. What I learned
however, is that to do it right (not just dumping large
household appliances overboard) you need a few more materials
than one finds in your own backyard. The focus of this
particular group was the tireless volunteers from an
organization known as The Reefball Coalition.
Lena Jankowsky and Jason
Seeley operate an organization that brings together artificial
reef programs (such as our VMRC program) and volunteer groups
to build and deploy artificial reefs. Although Hampton Roads
is not the most exotic location the two have visited–I think
they're in Dominica right now–their energy and enthusiasm for
our project was contagious. (Note: you can see their other
projects at www.reefballcoalition.org) The program they have
developed includes a week long excursion for the volunteers
including visits to local places of interest, fun trips such
as kayaking or scuba diving as well as educational and
informative lectures regarding the importance of reefs to our
ocean health.
Follow the evolution of an artificial reef as you join
Page Hutchinson's 8th grade science class from Burley Middle
School in Charlottesville, local dive club Hammerheads
president Charlie Watts, with assistant Josh, and Lena and
Jason from The Reefball
Coalition. |
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On Location at Craney Island Coast Guard
Station.
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The first thing to do was to assemble the
four-piece fiberglass molds on their plywood bases.
Jason explains the basics while charlie & Lena
demonstrate, with a little help from
Josh! |
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Some basic hardware, a little bit of elbow grease
and voila! Reefball
mold. |
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The kids jumped in with both knees and made short
work of assembling the
ten
molds. |
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