Earthwatch Institute	Robben Island Museum	Marine & Coastal Management (DEAT)	University of Bristol

Earthwatch 2003 Project: South African Penguins

Diary of Team 4

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2005 Teams: 1; 3; 4; 5
2004 Teams: 1; 2; 3; 4; 6; 7
2003 Teams: 1; 2; 3; 4
2002 Teams: 1; 2; 6
2001 Teams: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6

Photo ADU/Earthwatch Team 4, 2003

Thursday, June 26, 2003

Team members met at the aquarium and were greeted, dined, and ferried to Robben Island. Team members are Sophy, Rachael, Annette and Nita; PIs are Bruce and Duncan. Orientation to the house and a fine home-cooked dinner got us off to a great start.

Friday, 27 June 2003

Up at 7 a.m. to another perfect weather day. We covered the project's nesting area in the morning with Duncan and Mario-about a 100 nests. Then a late lunch, r & r, and the game count drive before a splendid braai-vleis with guests Dieter and Vince. A discussion of fine wines, liqueurs, and chocolate, put the finishing touches on a spectacular day.

Saturday, 28 June 2003

Another "summer" day. Off early to study area. Split into 2 teams-Mario, Annette, Sophy and Duncan, Nita, Rachael-and then joined to compare notes. Then off to catch missed nests. After lunch one group to road watch (prison to town) and the other to beach for retraps. Beach group enjoyed penguin antics-seem more amusing away from nests. Road group had moments of high concern with speeding vehicles at the penguin crossing. Near misses and birds definitely disturbed. A few regular offenders noted and one confronted by Bruce. She did not tak e it well. Much data, education, and other more severe interventions (speed bumps, lost jobs) will likely be necessary.

Sunday, 29 June 2003

Can the weather get any nicer? 27 degrees predicted today. A VERY interesting day. Picked up Mario and Bruce confronted driver of last night's speeding bus. Two groups off to count moulting penguins and waders around entire perimeter of island. Bruce found an oiled penguin which he put into SANCCOB box to be picked up later. High drama much of the rest of the day. Bruce spotted two poachers in wet suits pulling bags from the sea, ran off for the chase, called securicor, and the villians were apprehended. Police from Cape Town sped over on a boat, arrested and handcuffed the thieves, and took them back to CT to be arraigned tomorrow. We only heard about this via reports and Duncan's pics, and earnestly continued our survey, dedicated volunteers that we are. Finished survey later that afternoon and frantically searched the island perimeter for missing team members for quite some time. Of course, they turned up with a logical explanation.

Monday, June 30, 2003

Caught first ferry with our penguin to mainland, where Bruce so kindly commissioned a government vehicle to take us around today. First stop SANCCOB to drop penguin off. Had an excellent tour and all were very impressed with this fine organization. Then a nice drive up to the Boulders to see the beautiful views from the mountains and the penguin colony there. Birds much more tame and relaxed, swimming in crystal clear turquoise water. A nice lunch and sleepy drive back down. Shopping at V & A for essentials-wine and chocolate--and ferry back. Dinner at the restaurant in town. Another perfect weather day.

Tuesday, July 1, 2003

Woke up to the first cloudy day on the island. A slight bit of rain while we checked for oiled birds and rescued four oiled and two injured penguins in the morning, and two more oiled in the afternoon. Checked Earthwatch nests and conducted a prison/town road watch again. Checked the beaches again in the afternoon and fortunately no new oiled birds showed up, other than those likely seen earlier. Perhaps the crisis is minor and over. The schedule was thrown off again, but all seem to appreciate the disturbing, but important, work done today.

Wednesday, July 2, 2003

Quick check of the beaches again and it was nice to see clean, white penguins. Checked Marine and Coastal Management nests in the morning, then home for a quick lunch. Visited the Hartlaub's gull nest site and were impressed by the Hitchcock-like experience of aggression and noise. Looked for colored rings but saw none. Nice, close, safe views of several female ostriches for the first time. Trapped and obtained diet samples from five penguins, and finished the day with a good inventory of retraps. Weather was a bit cooler and much windier, but the sun was back. Have heard stories from Duncan all week about last year's big storm, which left a big impact on the beaches, roads, and nests.

Thursday 3 July 2003

The day started out a little windy but the sun came out for us later in the moring! To start the day we split into two groups to do retraps of penguin tag numbers. Mario, Duncan, Annette and Sophy went to area I and Bruce, Nita and Rachael went to area AA behind the beach and the area behind the leper grave yard. We then met up at noon and took a drive to the landing strip to see if a helicopter that had been flying around the island would actually land or not. It didn't. we then drove back to the house and on the way came across a adult mole snake in the road!

After lunch Sam arrived to take over from Bruce and Duncan . We then said our good bye to the two boys.

Later about five Sam and Annette went out to attach GPS loggers to two penguins. While they were out Jenny arrived with more food supplies!

After dinner Sophy and Sam started filling in the nest card that the boys had not looked properly for!!!!!

Friday 4 July 2003

The weather was again windy but sunny. After checking emails at Mario's office we then as one big group (although Nita went back to rest her saw knee) went to re-check the Earthwatch penguin nests which also involved closing some nests that had been empty for a while.

After luch Sam went off to check her penguin's nests and Sophy, Annette and Rachael finished sorting through the nest cards and closed more nests that will need their nest tags removing next Tuesday morning.

About half four in the afternoon some of us went to do retraps at the boardwalk hide (Annette, Nita and Rachael) and some went to attach GPS loggers to more penguins.

Saturday, July 5, 2003

Another gorgeous day. In the a.m. Rachael, Sophy and Jenny checked her breeding success nests; Mario, Sam, Nita, and Annette established 10 new Earthwatch nests. Saw a great school of dolphins feeding; Mario took some video-he shows such delight when he sees such a sight. Low point of the morning-a dying penguin chick. Short discussion about what to do (nothing to euthanize on the island). Our vet nurse wisely thought it would expire soon and best to leave it to die peacefully without the stress of transport. Free afternoon, Sophy, Annette and Rachael took a bike ride on the south coast. We did a game count before dinner (saw 2 huge male ostriches) and had another nice braai with Dieter and Vince (more wine and chocolate!). Great walk on the south coast with the group after dark with the bright light of a quarter moon. Cape Town lights beautiful at night.

Sunday, July 6, 2003

Up early for a road count before breakfast. Then back for a big brunch and out for a beach clean up and check of the new nests. Watched several humpback whales moving along the shore, quite close. Heard their deep blows first. Broad smile from Mario again, "This is why I like my job." Free afternoon again, another bike ride around the island for some, r & r for others. Retraps before dusk at the beach and the hide. Les Underhill here for dinner and he gave a great slide presentation about the Treasure oil spill. Rather overwhelming to see the penguins and beaches we've enjoyed the last 10 covered with oil. An impressive process of rescue and reintroduction.

Monday, July 7, 2003

Day off! Although, wouldn't you know, the first rather bleak and cloudy one that we've had so far. But everyone seemed to have a good time. Nita went shopping at the waterfront mall; Rachael spent the day with her sister and a friend; Annette and Sophy went to Kirstenbosch and climbed part way up Table Mountain before clouds set in. Errands run and a slow, very wobbly ride back on the Susan Kruger.

Tuesday, July 8, 2003

Our last day on the job finally arrived! For the mornings activities part of the group went to go check the Earthwatch nests for the last time and others went to change new yellow pending nest to accepted red nests and to get some more retraps of penguins nesting behind the beach.

After lunch and a rest we went down to the beach and collected four full rubbish bags with garbage and fishing wire!! While Annette was down there she also got some more retraps done.

When Jenny and Sam picked us up we done round the Island to watch the sun go down!! It was a extremely beautiful evening which we enjoyed in the bukkie with a glass of red wine each and a bag of crisps!!!

Wednesday, July 9, 2003

Our last day on the island is a cloudy one, but it's still beautiful and we'll be leaving with many fond memories. The volunteers took the prison/island tour and it was interesting to hear some more details about the places we've been walking by for 2 weeks. Arrived back to the house to a very pleasant surprise-sparkling clean! Thanks leaders!!