We're now blogging over at tracc.org!

We're now doing all our blogging over on our new web site http://tracc.org ! Please check us out there...

Exploring a whole new world through scuba diving.

My first week at Tracc was spent doing my open water dive course. Instructor Katie introduced me to all the gear, explained how to set it up and what each piece does. After self-study and knowledge reviews it was time to hit the water for the confined water dives. Being in a tropical location without a pool the confined water dives are done in shallow open water. After feeling comfortable with breathing underwater and mastering all the skills necessary it was time for the open water dives.

We Need A Wave Of Change

Recently I watched the movie “A plastic ocean” described by Sir David Attenborough as “one of the most important films of our time”. It features devastating and far reaching consequences of our addiction to plastic and the steps that must be taken to save our oceans, our planet and ourselves. The film’s message raises the awareness of plastic pollution and the existing solutions.

Returning to Pom Pom island, the place of magical sunsets.

Last December my daughter and I spent 2 weeks volunteering at TRACC. We had an amazing time and loved every minute of our stay. We snorkelled every day and observed a big array of marine creatures. We both don’t have a marine science background and learned so much. Everyday marine science officers Jo and Allia made sure there was a project we could help with/work on even as non -divers. We collected coral and made coral biscuits, cleaned bottles for the making of artificial reefs, we did turtle surveys, underwater reef cleans and the list goes on.

Sunday - Fun Day

There is a tradition at TRACC to down tools on Sundays and just find fun things to do. It's always a bit of a surprise waiting to see what the crew will think up to entertain us with on Sundays. This week was a double treat as the dive masters chose two separate islands to explore from the water.

Visit from Ross School - New York

It is not uncommon for new people to arrive at the TRACC campsite when the boat returns from Semporna with fresh supplies. New people are quickly assimilated into the TRACC community. However this week it wasn’t one or two new people arriving but 30 new people arriving as the Ross School stopped by Pom Pom island as part of their Borneo field trip. A video record of the Ross School visit is also on youtube. Ross School Visit to TRACC

Boats arriving with students from Ross School

Week of extreme training

This week the TRACC camp has been dominated by advanced training with 3 courses taking place throughout the week. These were the EFR (Emergency First Response) the rescue and the dive master courses. The TRACC Tech diver Iena has been kept extremely busy but so have most of the other members of the TRACC team who have been acting as either people needing rescue or people being hysterical because they know someone needs rescue. Of course it was all acting and nobody actually was in distress but the acting was very authentic and anyone walking past would have been forgiven for being a little confused about the all the action.

Week 1 in paradise for a new media intern.

Well it’s been approximately one week since I arrived at the beautiful tropical Pom Pom island to help out as part of the Tracc program. So today I must ignore the lure of the water, the call of the marine world just a short walk across the sand. Tracc is a very special destination for many reasons, the camaraderie, scenery, diving, snorkelling and the great food. However one thing above all sets TRACC (Tropical Research And Conservation Centre) above any other holiday destination I could think of. At best when we go to a reef resort all we can hope for is to have zero negative impact on the marine environment. This includes not touching the bottom, wearing marine friendly sun screen, and removing all rubbish. TRACC takes zero impact one step further by it’s visitors having a positive impact on the marine environment. It’s always great to see a turtle relaxing on the sea floor but it’s that extra bit special when you see the turtle sitting amongst a part of the reef which the team has restored.

An incredible intern experience

On Monday I finally had to bid TRACC farewell. It was about the hardest goodbyes I have ever had to do. My days at TRACC have been some of my happiest and I am so incredibly greatful for the opportunity to be the social media intern at TRACC this summer.

Local staff at TRACC

Day to day life at TRACC is only made possible by the dedication and help of our incredible local staff. They are behind the scenes cooking, cleaning, filling our tanks, building, and maintaining our camp. We are so greatful for all that they do for us, and are proud to employ local to ensure money is going into the local economy to support local families. I had a chat to a few of our staff about their jobs and why they like working at TRACC.