Crown-of-Thorns Cleanup!

Martin & I went diving on Sunday; but it was anything but the lay-back-and-relax, let-the-current-carry-you, scenic tour we're accustomed to here in the world of Bunaken diving... we were on a mission to rid the local reef of the insidious "Crown-of-Thorns" Starfish (COTS). Armed with nothing but bamboo tongs, we scoured the reef for several hours.

This colourful, spiky critter naturally occurs in tropical coral reefs, but is very invasive in the reef ecosystem... more so in many areas because their natural predator populations (especially the Napoleon (Humphead) Wrasse fish and a Triton seashell) are declining due to exploitation and over-fishing. Could a change in climate also be a contributing factor? I'm not sure, but I wouldn't rule it out entirely.

So what do they actually do to the reef? Well, they basically eat it alive. The COTS feed on coral polyps (you all know coral is 'animal' not mineral, or plant, as most people believe, am I right?). They use their suction-cup feet to manoeuvre their way over the reef, then they basically extrude their stomach outside their exoskeleton (body) to cover a section of coral. The stomach then releases its digestive enzymes and they go to work!

Even though they are causing damage to the reefs, I find reason to marvel at COTS. They are voracious predators... one individual can consume up to 6 square meters of living reef in a year!

Anyway, because these little devils are nocturnal feeders and tend to tuck themselves in holes and under the reef to stay out of the sunlight during the day, it was no mean feat collecting them up! The local guys here say that for every one that we found during the day there are surely 4 more that we could find if we hunted at night.

For various reasons we didn't. Although it wasn't the official reason given, I have a feeling that the danger factor was the deciding factor. The long spines contain poison, which inflicts great & long-lasting pain if you get pricked. A friend of one of the local men we dove with was 'bitten' (that was his terminology) and became violently ill for a couple of days (including nausea and vomiting). Just another minor marine terror that I find myself in close proximity with!

The haul.

The Indonesian Government takes action regarding Bird Flu???

Given the rising number of cases of Avian Flu virus in humans, and the fact that Indonesia has the highest number of deaths attributable to bird flu thus far, the Government has decided to change a few things…

I just read an article in the Jakarta Post claiming that the Indonesian Government intends to implement a law that will see residential chickens banned throughout the archipelago!? This in an effort to curb the spread of the disease.

Boy do they have their work cut out for them!!! This is a country where street poultry is rampant (I mean, I literally have to watch my step on the way to work for chicken $#!*). In a place where there is no more common scene than chickens in the backyard, front yard, rooftop, fencepost or street-corner, I have to question whether or not this will be an effective fix.

We are taking our own precautions, and although we haven’t cut chicken and eggs completely out of our diet, we are being careful about how we prepare them, and of course, we’re not petting chickens on the street.

Singapore!

I would never have imagined as I drank my first "Singapore Sling" at a bush party in Madoc that I'd one day be hanging out in it's birthplace, the Raffles Hotel. (The real thing is much better than the backwater teenage concoction, I must admit, although still slightly disgusting!) The hotel, a veritable landmark in Singapore, is swank; Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling both stayed there in their day... we're staying a couple of blocks away, in a place more within our budget!

Unfortunately we're not here on a pleasure cruise... we came so that Martin could have his hand repaired by a qualified surgeon.

Martin had a run-in with a window pane back in mid-January... but wait, it's mid-February you say! Yes, we went to Emergency at the public hospital in Manado... however the medical care there was LESS than adequate! At least, what I saw didn't inspire confidence -- the doctor opening Martin up farther to 'look around' for the tendon -- apparently their anatomy courses aren't comprehensive so they do their studies on live specimens! I had further proof that my hunch was right about the inferior repair of Martin's hand when, after 3 weeks, the tendon ruptured again!? At this point, we flew to Jakarta with our boss (who was just completing a site visit and review with us in Manado) to get checked out by a more capable doctor... Of course, we flew into Jakarta in the middle of the worst floods they have seen there in 5 years! -- the city was SOAKED ! ... BUT we were referred here, to Singapore, for surgery...

... and are VERY relieved. The surgeon was fantastic and did his best to repair the mess the Manado doctors made of Martin's wrist and hand... he thinks that Martin should recover full mobility and almost-normal sensation in a couple of months.



To the left... post-op... back of Martin's wrist, before he got sewn back up!






Of course, we're trying to make the best of our time here... Exploring the sights around this modern metropolis.... which doesn't even feel like it's part of Asia!? It's hard to believe they're neighbours with Indonesia... cuz these two countries are WORLDS apart!!! Anyway, we're enjoying the incredible variety of food, as well as our air-conditioned hotel room (complete with tv and hot water!!!) until tomorrow when we head back to Indonesia.