Thailand: Day 14

Surin → Kari Buri

The powder fine sand shimmers in the moonlight and trickles between my toes as I trace designs with my feet. I sit on the southwest shore of Surin Nua, serenaded by the rhythmic pulse of the sea as it greets the shore while a cool breeze brings tidings of a new day. Still. Silent. Calm. The sun bursts out of the ocean as a glowing red beacon lighting up the sky in one brilliant instant. Good morning sunshine, good morning Surin.

*****

The past 2 weeks in Thailand have been an extraordinary experience, one that I'll have to catch up on in the future... I've spent the last 6 days in Thailand's Mu Ko Surin National Park with Wildlands Studies, camping on the beach, conducting coral surveys, and enjoying the company of 17 incredible individuals. The park is a good hour from the mainland by speedboat, just far enough from civilization to attract it. Surin is a destination spot for divers and snorkelers. Both Thai and international tourists arrive on Surin's shores daily to experience its unique underwater world.

However, paradise is not without its own troubles. In 1998, a global rise in ocean temperatures facilitated a worldwide coral bleaching event which affected Surin's reefs, and more recently a second more devastating bleaching occurred in 2010. It has been an interesting and inspiring experience to survey and snorkel sites so recently destroyed.

There is evidence of rejuvenation and coral recruitment in spite of all the environmental stress. Clearly, the Acroporidae family of corals was most impacted from bleaching here, as vast forests of dead branching Acropora littered the substrate of every site- and yet in the midst of all the rubble, numerous Acropora recruits, small "baby" corals were observed. Heights varied but the average was about 3 cm, which ages these recruits at about a year old. Coral recovery must have begun very quickly after water temperatures subsided. Another positive observation of Surin's coral reefs has been the presence of a diverse and seemingly healthy population of reef fishes and invertebrates, as well as a few turtle sightings and black tip reef sharks.

The resilience of the coral reef ecosystem is remarkable, but celebrations must be put on hold as reef health is impacted by an overwhelming number of factors. Ocean temperatures, human impacts, acidification, natural disasters... the list is long and varied. I only hope that as we continue to learn more about this critical environment, the knowledge gained will help to mitigate human impact while providing insight into other stressors.

*****

The Wildlands team is heading to the mainland today, leaving Surin behind and beginning our trek south to Trong. It'll be 4 days until we get back into the ocean- I miss it already.