Exploradores Marinos Visit Coral Fincas

Exploradores Marinos, la Isla de Culebra were off to Playa Soldado yesterday to learn about the coral fincas and the coral transplants. The kids were escorted by Explorer mascot Doyle, who is believed to be part bat and part Labrador retriever. He also looks a lot like a four legged barracuda and is believed to scare any aggressive fish away before we enter the water.
In between grilled hotdogs, noodle sword fights and Jean Franco stabbing his hand on a long spiny sea urchin, a good time was had by all. The very brave volunteers helping with this weekend's expedition were Alejandro Beher and Deli from ATANI on the big island.
Aldo Gonzales donated the refrescos, manned the grill and proved to be an excellent snorkelling guide.
We saw a yellow tailed snapper that was apparently tagged on, or near the no take reserve area on the other side of the island!
Sponsors included La Asociacion de Pescadores de Culebra, Centro de Apoyo a la Familia, and the Culebra Marine Center.
Hey what's a coral finca? Look at http://coralfincas.blogspot.com/

Group photo featuring mad craziness water tricks!
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Group photo...well sort of..these are not that easy to catch!
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Well organized camp! Hey looks like the office!
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Aldo getting way to much help with the grill...Macuto demonstrating a sense of humor about the noodle.....well you just got to laugh!
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Doyle pretending to be a sand zombi on the beach...
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Hey stick your finger inside and shake hands with Mr. Pinchy! Don't worry kids were told that Mr. Pinchy, the Hermit Crab who moved into this Queen Conch shell needs water to breath and was immediately evacuated by Explorer snorkelers and replaced to his underwater realm. Sea creatures like this are best observed under the water...so air does not get inside the shell.
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

All shells found had large hermit crabs inside and they were released to run wild doing what hermit crabs do....hey what do hermit crabs do. They can't BBQ underwater. We saw one trying to change into a larger shell....
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

SCARFING HOT DOGS....apparently after the Jean Franco learned about grabbing sea urchins.
Photos by Alejandro Bejer

The native Kendrickicus culebrensis. Indegenous and endemic to Culebra this creature is part turtle and part fish. Once the Kendrickicus enters the water you cannot get it out. Also fanatical about watching sea turtles nesting and night and known to write poetry about these experiences.
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Alan crawls up out of the primordial soup and beaches himself exhausted. Macuto and Ceasar debate what to do with this strange creature.
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

How many heads are out there? Aldo waving and Macuto freezing to death..
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Aldo with Explorers, apparently the Before shot as Jean Franco does not have urchin spines sticking out of his hand.
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Hot Dogs! I love Hot Dogs!
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Macuto, Ceasar and Doyle....ahhhh, no comment...
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Ceasar apparenlty just learning what goes in a hot dog!
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Aldo and the kids preparing whatever hotdogs are, as we are not entirely sure....
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking

Bananas and hotdogs on the grill...wait, who's got that knife? You can poke an eye out kid!
Photos by Mary Ann Lucking