Our Canadian Friends

TRACC was recently joined by a wonderful family of four for a few days as part of their round the world adventure. Astrid is a teacher and Andrew is a computer developer. They decided to take a year out with their children, Sebastian (11) and Nicolas (9) to see the world. Along the way they have tried to volunteer and participate in the places they go to as much as possible. We have loved having them around, bringing new questions, mad monkey climbing skills, and creative ideas to TRACC. Malaysia was their first stop in Asia, after coming from South America. You can follow their adventure here- YouTube.com/adriftcanada

What made you want to leave your lives in Canada for the year?

Nikolai-  mum and dad travelled round the world when they were younger and decided when they had us that they wanted to do it again so that we could have the same experience.

What is it like travelling with children compared with your previous travel experiences?

Astrid-  With kids it is very different. To begin with we are taking care of another persons welfare- so we have been a lot more reserved about things such as transport, accomodation, safety etc.
I think the most interesting part is to see the children's experience of it. They have a much different view- they are open and flexible, less attached about how things should be- so long as somewhere to sleep (even if it's the floor) they are happy. They are open to new experiences, more so than adults. They have unique interactions with locals that adults not have- they give hi five to other kids and get their hair touched all the time!

How did you find TRACC? And what made you want to come here?

Sebastian- we came here to volunteer- and I am definitely coming back.

Astrid- we actually found TRACC 3 days before we arrived here through the web. Knowing what we know now we would have planned to stay longer, but we have more booked for after this so can't be as spontaneous as we would have liked.
We have done some volunteering in South America (an animal rescue centre in Peru and a dog rescue centre in Ecuador). We tend to seek out places where we can be useful with our travel- the kids get bored of sight seeing, so going somewhere we can do something is great! The first time traveling
 it was about being a tourist, seeing museums and temples. Now we are doing experiences to learn, and meet people.

What have you done while you have been here? What was your favourite activity?

Sebastian and Nikolai- we have been Snorkelling, paddle boarding, coral BISCUIT making, eating, patting dogs, and doing monkey bars.
BISCUIT making was our favourite! Because we got Collect coral, make concrete, and put the coral plants underwater. The water is super clear but it is sad to see dead corals.i like the chillness of TRACC- we have structure but free times to go what we like too.

Astrid- the whole thing is a big learning experience. I had no idea you could garden underwater and grow coral. To be able to go see how it is grown and used by underworld world. It is great Snorkelling with a purpose- and seeing results of what is being done.

What is your favourite marine animal?

Sebastian: Sea lions, but here- turtles- and there are lots!
Nokolai: sharks or turtles, and Otters!

Thank you Andrew, Astrid, Sebastian, and Nicolas for sharing your experience with us!

Palten Part 2 - Changing Ocean Perspectives at TRACC

Palten started working at TRACC about a year ago. In part two of our interview he shares some knowledge about what he’s learned from TRACC and how his view of the ocean has changed.

“What I want to do is show my family, the beautiful things to see underwater, so they can appreciate them, and how the conservation work would make their lives easier.  Now I only tell the stories, when I can take them for a dive its better that they can see themselves.”

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Gon & Lark: Did you know about the work TRACC is doing before you started working at TRACC.

Palten: Before I started working here I did not know about TRACC. I only knew Miti (another TRACC staff from Kalapuan). When Miti paid me to make the bottle reef I asked Miti what it was used for. Miti said only to throw it the sea. I was curious about why. At that time I only did what Miti told me to do because of the money. When Miti told me about throwing the bottle reef in the sea I wondered what would happen after with the bottle reefs.

G & L: Now do you know why TRACC puts out the bottle reefs?

P: To effect the fish and because it is beautiful, and with more corals there will be more fish. Because we have planted all the corals there, the fish will have a place to sleep. If it’s just sand the fish will have no place to hide.

G & L: Since working at TRACC How has your view on the ocean and Marine Conservation changed? What have you learned since starting work at TRACC?

P: My view of the sea has changed after doing the conservation work because the people I dive with love the ocean and it’s life. Now, I also have the same view. I love the fish; some of them are so cute. Some people that dive with me, show me really beautiful things that I can see underwater and now I am really interested. I have seen most of them before, but I didn’t care before. Now I appreciate them. The more I see them the more interested I am. Before there were a lot of beautiful things, now I see something that is more beautiful and there are always new beautiful things every time I go diving.

G & L: Why do you think it is important to conserve the marine ecosystem?

There are many beautiful things in the ocean and many fish, this means we can fish them. Without the fish there is no food.

G & L: How would you spread the message of conservation to your family, the village of Kalapuan and the wider Bajau community?

P: I want to take my family diving to show them the beautiful things in the ocean.

G & L: What are your plans for the future?

P: If possible I want to be a Divemaster. To be a Divemaster at TRACC would be good.  What I want to do is show my family, the beautiful things to see underwater, so they can appreciate them, and how the conservation work would make their lives easier.  Now I only tell the stories, when I can take them for a dive its better that they can see themselves.

G & L: If you were not working for TRACC do you think you would go back to blast fishing?

P: If life becomes really hard, I will do whatever I can to support my family. Even bomb fishing. But since I started working at TRACC I do not want to be a fisherman again.

Read Part 1 of the interview! 

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If you want to help with any marine conservation activity, please 
check our website http://tracc.org or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org 

For more updates on TRACC check out our Facebook, Twitter or Google +

More Marine conservation projects

Reef conservation would not be possible without generous financial support from

GEF /SGP for Malaysia who are helping our community activities and coralreefcare.com who generously provided materials to build the new reefs.

If visits to Tracc are not possible then please help with financial support and follow their projects on Facebook.

Palten Part 1 - Former Fisherman to Aspiring Divemaster

Palten comes from the neighboring community of Kalapuan, just a 15-minute boat ride away from Pom Pom Island and TRACC. As a Bajau, he’s always fished and knows so so much about the ocean. At TRACC he’s a general handy man, doing all the things needed to keep camp afloat. He’s great with tools, boats, air compressors, kitchen knives, cement mixers, and just about everything else. He happily shared some of his vast knowledge with Gon and I about fishing and how his view of the ocean has changed since starting work at TRACC. 

this is part 1.  Read part 2 here-->

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Gon and Lark: I understand that fishing is part of the culture of the Bajau people and of Kalapuan. Can you tell me a little about the fishing methods of Kalapuan and your personal history fishing?

Palten: There are 44 ways of line fishing, more than 20 ways of net fishing, 7 ways to spearfish, traps for prawns and lobster, and Sahat traps for mantis shrimp.  There is fishing with bare hands, compressor diving fishing, and bomb fishing.

To catch octopus we make a fake octopus and place it near another octopus and pull towards the surface on a line. The female octopus has small suckers on her arms and the male octopus has large suckers, if the octopus is pregnant it will have a bigger head (because of the eggs in their mantel).

To catch cuttlefish we dive down and look for the eggs. The cuttlefish always lay in the same area and when they deposit their eggs in the coral the adult cuttlefish guard the area for a few days and then disappear. A few days before the eggs hatch many of the adults come back. But very close to hatching the he really big cuttlefish will be near the eggs, this is when we catch the cuttlefish.

When we see a big school of fish we put a big net, maybe 100 meters with a 1000-meter rope, around the whole school and wait for the tide to go down. Then we pull pull pull to make a circle around the fish.

I know all the different ways to fish. I started to fish 15 years ago and now I am 23.

G & L: You mentioned bomb fishing as one of the ways to fish. Why did you use bomb fishing?   

P: If the area is only one or two meters it is ok for using the net so we use the net. If the site is deep and a lot of coral we cannot use the net so we use the bomb. Nets can be used in open sea or sandy places. If we go net fishing and we find a big school of fish but there is a lot of coral in that place, it will destroy the net, so we go back another day with the bomb. 

It is the easiest way to catch fish, because for bomb fishing because you get fish you didn’t see when checking out the place and it does not destroy the net.

G & L: Did you know about the effects of blast fishing at that time?

P: Yes – they break.

G & L: Did you think it was a problem?

P: No I didn’t. The coral is useless for us.

G & L: How did it feel to bomb fish compared with the other methods of fishing like net and line fishing?

P: The fishing depends on the site and the fish. The fishing is all the same.

G & L: When and why did you start working at TRACC?

P: June last year (2015).  When Miti (another member of the TRACC staff from Kalapuan) was building his house he hired me to help him build it. Later, when Miti was making bottle reefs, he hired me to help him make the bottle reefs. When TRACC moved the camp back to Pom Pom Miti introduced me to Dino (another TRACC staff member), who hired me to work a short while at TRACC. After awhile TRACC offered me a permanent job.

I am staying here to work for TRACC because it is more fun then fishing and close to Kalapuan. Before I worked in Kota Kinabalu with construction, and at a car wash. I didn’t like it because it was too far from my village. It’s hard to work in Kota Kinabalu as a Bajau and its far away from home.

G & L: Do you feel connected to the ocean?

P: I like to see the marine life, I can make a living from the ocean, and sometimes there are places that are beautiful. I miss the ocean when I do not see it. When I was in the city, even though I did not fish, I would walk to see the ocean.

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Read part 2 of the interview to discover how Palten's view of the ocean has changed since starting to work at TRACC. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

If you want to help with any marine conservation activity, please 
check our website http://tracc.org or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org 

For more updates on TRACC check out our Facebook, Twitter or Google +

More Marine conservation projects

Reef conservation would not be possible without generous financial support from

GEF /SGP for Malaysia who are helping our community activities and coralreefcare.com who generously provided materials to build the new reefs.

If visits to Tracc are not possible then please help with financial support and follow their projects on Facebook.