Version 1.2 July 2020
Background Info
Coral Sea Foundation and Sea Women of Melanesia expeditions into the marine environment must be planned carefully, so that there is a clear understanding of the objectives of the trip, the gear and personnel needed, the risks involved, and the financial costs to the Foundation. These guidelines should be used to create an expedition plan before each trip and then submitted to the CSF Directors for checking, review, approval, and funds transfer.
PLANNING ITEMS
- 1. What are the Objectives of the expedition?
This is where you set out the overall objectives of the expedition
Examples:
- To collect a set of reef monitoring images from Big Fish Reef LMMA.
- To visit landowners at Gudpla Village to deliver aid and discuss LMMA setup.
- 2. Where are you going on the Expedition, and how will you get there?
This is where you set out exactly which locations you will visit on the expedition, ideally with place names and GPS coordinates derived from Google Earth or the GPS unit (if you have been there before and have a marker), and tell us how you will get there.
Examples:
Big Fish Reef LMMA near Coconut Point on Jungle Island. GPS 9° 28.015'S 150° 59.586'E
Access via Longboat from Buai Town.
- Gudpla Village on Kakaruk Island. GPS 11° 19.329'S 153° 6.978'E.
Access via longboat from Bigpla Town then walk on bush track to Village.
- 3. Who are the landowners for the locations you will visit, and do you have permission?
In this section you should list the Clan names, Clan leaders and their contact information, and describe the nature of the permission obtained (verbal, phone call, written, digital) to visit the area. Permission should be obtained for every visit, and community leaders should be advised and encouraged to be present for the SWoM / CSF visit so they can clearly understand the reasons for the visit and can ask any questions. You should also have permission from the LLG Ward Member and any other relevant government departments to visit the area.
- 4. Who is going on the Expedition?
This is where you set out the people that will be involved in the expedition. This might be the SWoM team, friends and family members for support and safety, dinghy operators, and Landowners.
Example:
Name Role
Martha Eimba SwoM team leader
Daisy Parascos SwoM team member
Waiyaki Nemani Landowner
Cousin bro 1 helper / security
Cousin bro 2 dinghy operator
- 5. What are the details of what you will do on the expedition?
This is where you provide the details of exactly what you will do on the expedition, and how long it will take.
Examples:
- Collect 30 digital reef monitoring images using the CSF underwater camera at each of three locations in the Big Fish Reef LMMA.
- Conduct three Visual Surveys at Big Fish Reef LMMA for fish, corals, invertebrates and reef damage using the CSF LMMA survey method.
- Deliver one box of Oil of Oregano, one box medical supplies, 5 tee shirts and 10 copies of LMMA checklist to landowners at Gudpla Village. Hold meeting with clan leaders to discuss benefits of LMMA and role of CSF in supporting LMMA application.
- 6. What are the expected weather, sea and tide conditions for the expedition?
This is where you explain the likely conditions you will encounter on the expedition. All marine operations can potentially be affected by weather, so it is particularly important to incorporate these checks into your planning. You can consult with the CSF Directors to get an up-to-date weather forecast, plus you can check it yourself on the internet at www.windy.com
Example:
Winds expected to be 5-10 knots at Big Fish Reef, sea conditions slight, current slight to moderate, tide incoming during surveys and high water at 1130, possible light rain showers in the area.
- 7. What equipment will you need to complete the expedition?
This is where you make a checklist of the items that you will need to complete the expedition. Checklists are very important, especially for expeditions to remote areas – if you forget something essential, you cannot go back at get it!
A good habit is to make the list, check the items off, and then double-check it. If it is an important expedition, then even triple check! Also think about having spares of items that are critical to the success of the expedition or your safety.
Example:
Here are some items you may need for a CSF / SWoM expedition:
- Digital Camera and charging cables
- GPS and spare batteries
- Survey manual
- Survey Slate, underwater paper, rubber bands and pencils
- Snorkelling gear (mask, snorkel, fins, rash vest or lycra suit)
- Freshwater
- Food
- First aid (incl. vinegar for marine stings, tweezers, band-aids, bandages)
- Hat and sunscreen
- Rain jacket, spare clothes
- Communications (radio, or mobile phone, and means of charging)
- Waterproof bag or container for stay-dry items
- Bush knife
- Basic tools or multitool knife (screwdrivers, pilers, adjustable spanner )
- Matches or Lighter
- Torch and spare batteries
- Rope
- Sleeping mat & blanket, tarp (if overnight trip)
- Bottle of methylated spirits (used for cleaning fuel contaminated by water, lighting wet fires)
For trips by dinghy, if possible, the vessel should have:
- Reliable motor
- Enough fuel for the trip (see section below)
- Anchor line with anchor or weight
- Signal flares
- Spare rope
- Lifejackets for all onboard
- Bucket for bailing
- Tarp for covering gear
- Paddles
- Spare spark plugs and plug spanner
- Basic tools (screwdrivers, pilers, adjustable spanner )
- Bottle of methylated spirits (used for cleaning fuel contaminated by water)
* Note – we understand all these items may not be present on a Melanesian dinghy, but we see this as an education exercise so we want you to know what should be present.
- 8. What will the expenses of the expedition be?
In this section you calculate and summarise the expected expenses and budget for the expedition. Items can usually be grouped into the following categories:
Transport
- Vehicle hire (if needed)
- Dinghy hire (if needed)
- MPV or ferry passenger fares (if needed)
- Dinghy fuel costs (see point B below)
Gear and consumables
- Village aid items (medical items, water tanks, school books, etc.)
- LMMA management gear (survey manuals, LMMA MP checklists, snorkel gear, UW paper, slates)
- Food
- Essential expedition equipment (see point 6 above)
Wages & payments
- pay for SWoM team members
- pay for vessel operators
- pay for assistants / security
- pay for on-site accommodation (if needed)
IMPORTANT POINTS
- The Coral Sea Foundation does not pay landowners for the right to visit their area and help them with their LMMA process. Along with our partners at PNGCLMA, we are providing this service free of charge as support to the community, and even a single day visit to survey a reef costs us several hundred kina / dollars. We will of course cover accommodation, food, and fuel costs and other similar costs associated with our team being at the village, and provide aid materials to the village, but we do not make cash payments to communities or individuals for site access.
- It is necessary to make good estimates of the fuel required for an expedition, so that your dinghy does not run out, and also so that the Foundation is not scammed by dinghy operators for excessive payments.
First, estimate the likely distance travelled during the expedition, in nautical miles or kilometres. This can be done easily using the Google Earth app on a computer or your phone, and the CSF Directors can assist.
Second, once you know the distance, calculate the expected fuel use. A 40hp outboard on a 21 or 23ft dinghy with 4-5 people onboard uses about one litre of fuel per nautical mile travelled. (A nautical mile is 1.85km).
So, for example, if you needed to go 6 nautical miles to Big Fish Reef LMMA and then come 6 miles back, plus do some driving to three sites while at the reef, your fuel calculation would be:
Base to reef: 6nm
Reef to base: 6nm
Site Ops: 2nm
Sub-Total 14nm
Fuel used: 14 Litre
Safety (20%) 2.8 Litre
TOTAL 16.8 Litre
*Note a red fuel tank is 25 Litres. Make sure you understand your local fuel costs – PNG is typically about K5 per Litre, Solomons about S$10 per Litre. So, the example above would be K84 or S$168.
*If the dinghy has a 60hp outboard, then it will use about 25% more fuel, so you can do your calculations based on 1 litre per nautical mile and then multiply the final fuel amount by 1.25.
- 9. What are the Risks Associated with the expedition:
All operations in the marine environment come with associated risks of injury or death to participants. An important part of expedition planning is the listing and assessment of these risks, and then careful thinking about how the risks can be managed. For every expedition you should know, check, and list the nearest first aid clinic and hospital to your proposed expedition site in your Expedition Plan.
In assessing risk, think about these two things:
- The likelihood that the hazard will occur?
- The consequences of the hazard occurring?
A risk-assessment matrix (below) is therefore a helpful way to think about and manage expedition risks. Think very carefully about any hazards that fall into the High or Very High category!
Risk matrix
Some typical risks associated with marine expeditions in Melanesia, and actions to reduce risk, are as follows:
Dinghy engine failure: have spare spark plugs, tools, methylated spirits, paddles, and communication device (radio or phone)
Bad Weather: check forecast before departure. Abort trip if weather turns bad en-route.
Currents at site: check before entry. Make sure dinghy operator knows “pickup” and “help” hand signals and pickup point.
Reef cuts and scratches: cover up the body, use proper dive technique, apply first aid immediately
Animal stings and bites: be aware of contact with the reef. Check local advice for crocodiles in the area, don’t dive late afternoon. Leave the water if sharks are present and acting aggressively.
Infectious Diseases: Use mosquito repellent, mosquito nets and long clothing in malarial areas. Observe covid-19 social distancing and personal hygiene protocols.
Sunburn & dehydration: keep fluid intake up, wear a hat and shirt to prevent sunburn
In water distress: do not snorkel if tired, weak or sick. Snorkel and dive in a buddy pair.
Raskols / Sea Pirates: check local advice on raskol areas. Don’t tell unnecessary people where you are going. Travel early if possible, or use GPS to travel at night if need be and the operator is skilled in navigation.
- 10. Useful Web links
Mapping:
Google Earth on the internet (has a measure function): https://earth.google.com/web/
Weather:
Windy weather forecasting: www.windy.com
Tide forecasts:
Milne Bay: https://www.tideschart.com/Papua-New-Guinea/Milne-Bay/
Kimbe: https://www.tideschart.com/Papua-New-Guinea/West-New-Britain/Kimbe/
Munda: https://www.tideschart.com/Solomon-Islands/Western-Province/Munda/
Survey manuals and Field guides:
