Thanks to Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) – Te Kura Moana!
Two students from Wellington who treasure te taiao were selected by Mountains to Sea Wellington (MTSW) for a funded trip to snorkel in the legendary Poor Knights Island marine reserve, courtesy of Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR)!
Recipients Te Ao Rangi and Malachi both participated in MTSW’s EMR snorkelling programmes and were selected for the trip based on projects they have undertaken that show their enthusiasm and care for the marine environment.
Malachi from Crofton Downs Primary was chosen as part of the art Brian Stafford-Bush art competition, having created a striking image of a diver who is embracing and protecting the animals of the sea.
After his big dive at Poor Knights, Malachi said “Being able to see the biggest sea cave in the entire world was the best experience I’ve had.”
Malachi travelled with his guardian Nicole, who added “The colour of the water was so blue and hearing the singing in Rikoriko cave was beautiful. Thank you so much for this experience.”
Te Ao Rangi from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Nga Mokopuna in Seatoun was chosen to participate because of her work as a Kura Kelper, assisting with Love Rimurimu seaweed restoration and monitoring efforts.
She travelled to Poor Knights Island with her Dad, where they both enjoyed experiencing a different coastal ecology than their usual snorkelling spots in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
Te Ao Rangi says “I really like going into the caves and seeing the school of fish swimming under us and it was really cool because I also saw heaps of things I wouldn’t see in Wellington.”
Her dad Hohepa added “Jaques Cousteau was not wrong when he said that the Poor Knights Islands was one of the top dive spots in the world, it was unbelievable!”
Connecting whānau and the moana
The trip took place on 17 May 2024, and marked the 23rd year for the Poor Knights competition organised by Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) - Te Kura Moana. Sponsored by Dive! Tutukaka and The Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation, EMR is a programme of the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, a national organisation aligned with Mountains to Sea Wellington.
The snorkel site this year was the stunning ‘Garden’s at Maroro Bay,’ part of the Poor Knights Islands that have been protected by no-take status since 1981.
Participants were treated to an amazing show of fish including blue maomao, black angel fish, tāmure/snapper galore and the friendly sandagers wrasse.
A big highlight for many was exploring the caves and witnessing the bright blue glow of the water. With this being the first time most of the students and guardians had ever visited the Poor Knights!
An annual tradition…
EMR started in Tai Tokerau/Northland in 2001 and since then has supported thousands of young people from across New Zealand to have a first hand experience snorkelling our coastal environments. This year’s trip included 28 students and 26 guardians representing 25 schools from 7 regions of Aotearoa including Northland, Auckland, Taranaki, Gisborne, Wellington, Nelson/Tasman and Canterbury.
“Action projects this year included monitoring rimurimu with the Love Rimurimu project in Wellington, eDNA monitoring, video projects to promote local marine reserve and nesting box monitoring for the little blue penguin," says EMR founder Samara Nicholas.
The Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation supports this special prize for young kiwis that have experienced the marine environment with EMR and display that passion and experience through art.
Experiencing Marine Reserves acknowledges Ngātiwai as mana whenua, mana moana of Aorangi and Tawhitirahi.
Image credits: Lorna Doogan and Sophie Journee
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