Tara’s stopover in Djibouti
Logbook / Written by Eric Roettinger / 22 Feb 2010
After sailing through the Red Sea along the coasts of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Tara reached Djibouti where the schooner was prepared for the upcoming exploration of the gulf of Tadjoura and the bay of Ghoubet with its exceptional coral and marine biodiversity. In order to complete and set up the macrophoto studio onboard, I had the pleasure of joining Tara in Djibouti.
This log is published in Tara Expeditions / Title image credit: Eric Roettinger/ Tara Oceans
- KEYWORDS
- BIODIVERSITY / TARA / RED / SEA / DJIBOUTI
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Tara arriving in Djibouti
Onboard Tara
Tara docked at the harbor of Djibouti
Harbor workers
Djiboutian cows
Dromedaries
Harbor security
Lophothericles popovi
Tara leaving Djibouti
Harbor of Djibouti
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eric is a developmental biologist currently working on marine invertebrates in Mark Martindale’s lab at the Kewalo Marine Station in Hawai’i. He is also co-founder of Kahi Kai and has a keen interest in portraying and protecting the fascinating, colourful and highly endangered marine world.
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Since the departure of Tara in September 2009, the scientists onboard mainly used the schooner to catch plankton from the Mediterranean and the Red Seas. After her arrival in Djibouti on the 24th of January 2010, the scientific samples gathered thus far were prepared to be shipped to Germany, where they are then dispatched to the different labs around the world awaiting detailed and careful analysis.
At the same time, the plankton sampling platform was quickly turned into a logistic diving platform, and Tara prepared for the upcoming coral reef study. During this leg of the trip 6 scientists in association with the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche of Djibouti (CRED) explored the Gulf of Tadjoura and the Bay of Ghoubet with its understudied coral reefs. In just 2 days, the crew and scientists unloaded the samples, refilled the food stocks, refueled Tara, completed regular maintenance operations, met to define upcoming dive sites and security measures and welcomed the french ambassador, television crews and school classes.
At this time, I did not have the chance to put my head underwater or to test the macro-photo studio I setup onboard with local sea creatures (but instead with an amazingly colorful grasshopper!). However, I had the great pleasure of meeting the passionate crew and scientists onboard Tara, sharing their feelings about this amazing scientific expedition and an exceptional human adventure. In addition, I had the rare opportunity to interact with the enthusiastic crowd working at the harbor of Djibouti and observe local curiosities, like dromedaries embarking on a ship going to Yemen or the loading of oxen on a dhow using a crane.
Please visit oceans.taraexpeditions.org for updated information about that expedition.
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