Cape Town - Seychelles and Mauritius are special to many South Africans who enjoy holidays on these islands, with their beautiful beaches, clear waters and reefs that provide sheltered lagoons for water sports, including diving that reveals tropical marine wonders.
Turtles drag themselves ashore to lay eggs from which hatchlings run the gull gauntlet to the sea.
As the islands occupy strategic positions in the Indian Ocean with its currents and range of meteorological conditions, the waters off those islands provide a barometer of the state of the ocean.
The sophisticated polar supply and research vessel SA Agulhas II left Cape Town six weeks ago, on a voyage that is very different to her usual polar and sub-polar island trips. The tropical sea area off Mauritius and Seychelles was her destination, and aboard were about 20 scientists who, during calls at Mauritius and Reunion, were joined by others, making a research complement aboard of about 100 people. Besides those studying oceanographic aspects and marine life of the Indian Ocean, the ship also is carrying media folks – film-makers, photographers, divers, artists and authors.
Commanded by the highly experienced Captain Knowledge Bengu, the ship has provided a platform for so much research in the Southern Ocean. Now, chartered by Société des Explorations de Monaco, this fine vessel, with her laboratories and other facilities for maritime research, is being used for intensive studies of tropical waters.
The Indian Ocean Expedition is endorsed as a contribution to the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development 2021-2030, and is co-ordinated by Monaco Explorations that is funded by the Monaco government. Among the many organisations involved are the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Oceanographic Institute, the Scientific Centre of Monaco and the Yacht Club of Monaco.
Continuing the ideals of his great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert I of Monaco, HSH Prince Albert II’s own desire is to make the protection of the planet, and particularly of the ocean, one of the important priorities of his reign. Displaying his personal interest in the work being done, the prince, as well as the Seychellois deputy president and a government minister, spent a night aboard SA Agulhas II during her research programme at the Aldabra Atoll and were highly complementary about the state of the vessel and the professionalism of her on-board team.
Lasting about two months, the 7 300-nautical-mile voyage is obviously a magnificent opportunity for scientists from dozens of highly regarded international institutions to undertake research covering corals, sea temperatures, currents, meteorology and a range of marine plants and animals.
Among the areas of concentrated research was the Aldabra Atoll between Madagascar and Seychelles, an island group that is part of Seychelles and that lies about 700 nautical miles south-west of the capital Victoria on Mahe Island.
Aldabra is an outstanding example of a raised coral atoll that, due to its remoteness, has remained largely beyond human influence. However, a recent documentary on Seychelles showed thousands of slip-slops and plastic beach toys – carried by currents from the tourist beaches on the eastern side of the Indian Ocean rim – that had washed up on the atoll. Sadly, such problems affect marine life. A turtle was shown with a plastic shoe in its mouth, while others had plastic items ensnared in their flippers, evidence of how prone the pristine islands are to pollution, caused by carelessness thousands of nautical miles away.
On that idyllic place are unique vegetation species that, over thousands of years, have adapted to the environment, while it is home to the largest giant tortoise population anywhere. Data-gathering at nearby Saya de Malha, the largest subsea bank, is the most intensive and most critical as it is likely to reveal much to help in the understanding of the sensitive formations.
Another archipelago that the ship will visit is Saint Brandon, about 270 nautical miles north-east of Mauritius. It consists of more than 30 small islands, some of which are sandbanks atop extinct volcanoes, and surrounded by coral reefs.
As the islands are so environmentally sensitive, shipping accidents can cause great damage to the coral reefs and to the wider spectrum of marine life.
SA Agulhas II is due back in Cape Town at the end of the month, and, no doubt, the voyage will have been a resounding success, with researchers having gathered interesting and important oceanographic and marine biological data relating to that part of the Indian Ocean.
As the ocean is receiving an increasing focus by scientists in terms of climatic cycles and conservation, it is exciting that this specialised South African ship, crewed by South Africans, is playing an important role in research projects beyond her usual operational area. And she is flying the South African flag in ports of our island neighbours, a major diplomatic mission that should engender pride in South Africans.
Managing the government-owned vessel is Amsol that, among its other work, also operates the standby salvage tug. Nearly two years ago, the company received an inquiry from Monaco Explorations regarding a possible charter of SA Agulhas II for the Indian Ocean trip, and the company has worked closely with them, planning meticulously for this remarkable voyage.
SA Agulhas II is too valuable an asset to the global marine scientific community to be alongside for extended periods. Hopefully, following the success of the current mission, other similar opportunities for research voyages will arise for her.
Cape Times