Successful Inaugural Megafauna Expedition

We are just now back from the inaugural Megafauna Expedition, with the MV Sea Esta docking at the Townsville breakwater marina yesterday.

What a privilege, to see so much coral, so many fish all the way to the Garden of Porites at Myrmidon Reef.  A huge thankyou to Adrenalin Dive and Robert, Kass, Nadine but especially the skipper Paul Crocombe.

The weather was trying at times, creating treacherous conditions especially at Chicken Reef and for the night dive at Grub Reef, but none of the three photographers who boarded the boat – Dave Baxter, Jenn Mayes, and Laura Boderke – ever shied from the expedition’s purpose.

The team managed to dive every location including to photograph the giant clams at Grub reef where the Royal Australian Navy was involved in their successful translocation back in 1994 as part of Operation Clamsaver.

Data scientist Ewa Buczkowska supervised the measuring of 14 giant clams at Grub Reef, and also the measuring of giant Porites spp. in the ‘Garden of Porites’ at Myrmidon Reef.  There was also a drift dive along the outside eastern wall at Myrmidon Reef, a location that may not have been scuba dived for over a decade.

At Myrmidon Reef we did remember the late Robert McCulloch.

There will be a documentary with the expedition filmed (underwater, topside and aerial with drone) by Stuart Ireland and so-far presented by Fred Pawles.

Charter of the MV Sea Esta was made possible by philanthropist Simon Fenwick.  Simon was also part of the scuba team involved in every aspect of its success including the measurement of giant clams at Grub Reef.

The extraordinary diversity of megafauna photographed and filmed at the Yongala wreck on the first morning is still the subject of accurate measurement including a tawny nurse shark, giant Queensland grouper, Maori wrasse,  eagle rays, sea snakes and so much more.

Team clockwise from left in the featured photograph are Dave Baxter (underwater photographer), Fred Pawles (presenter and scuba diver), Fiona McKenzie (lookout supervisor, strategist and scuba diver), Rob (first mate, dive deck supervisor), Nadine Huth (scuba buddy for Jenn Mayes), Seb Falk (scuba buddy for Laura Boderke), Simon Fenwick (philanthropist, narrator, and scuba diver), Laura Boderke (underwater photographer), Dave Armstrong (scuba buddy for Simon Fenwick and medic), Saxon Davidson (scuba buddy for Ewa Buczkowska), Paul Crocombe (skipper), Jenn Marohasy (co-ordinator, deck hand, and scuba diver), Stuart Ireland (cinematographer including underwater, topside and aerial), Ewa Buczkowska (data scientist and scuba diver), Jenn Mayes (underwater photographer), Kate Armstrong (scuba buddy for Dave Armstrong), Kass (cook and scuba diver).