It’s Halloween and the ships crew have been busy.

Since we are still at sea, all I have to tell you is what I have gleaned from lectures shared with us.  Today it started with “chat” with Daniel the cruise director.  Mostly it was stories of people that have arrived and stayed in the…

Cook Islands.

Earnest Hemingway’s wife described them as the most romantic in world. 

20,200 population. 10,368 visitor in ‘23.  It is comprised of 15 islands.

Cook arrived in 1773 & 77, but they were not named by him. There had been others Europeans that arrived before and after.

Politically, it is connected with New Zealand but is not governed by it.  It is self-governing and a territory of NZ.  NZ has no authority over the  islands.  The people though, are citizens of NZ.  Apparently it is one of those countries used for hiding money like the Cayman Islands and others.

Aitutaki Island…. Most spectacular in the islands/world.  The lagoon…..on Foot Island Tapuaerau …Ureia Beach, great for laying on the beach, sea swimming. “Visitors Rock”…. 

Show port facilities 

Rarotonga….volcanic island so different than Aitutaki ….black rock beach, Aria beach, Muri beach 

Take bus all way around…one way for 10 NZ dollar?

Look for $3 Cook Island dollar bill.

Next lecture Scary Weather…..by Dr. Charlie

He has written a book called “Florida Weather and Climate”

Automated weather is updated about every 5 min.

GEO station rotates 22,300 miles above the earth

Doppler radar

Reflectivity…rain fall plus wind velocity

Stable weather …..is air pushing down that brings clear weather 

Weather balloon (radiosondes) are released synonymously around the world at noon and midnight GMT.  They rise to 120,000 ft  in 1 hour and 45 min.  They increase in size from 6ft in diameter to 30 ft and then burst.

Severe thunderstorms are “over” 58 mph (93 kmh).

Hail…7 inches in diameter

 People that have been struck by lightning, continue to have neurological problems even if lightning doesn’t kill you. 

Most fatalities from lightning are males and start of the season is in June in Florida

Tornadoes run Counter clockwise direction in north hemisphere

Tornados start in spring. They used to be predominately in Tornado Alley  but now more to Tornado Dixie which is more easterly.

Waterspout is a tornado over water.  Dust devils are also tornados.

Fog and smoke can be deadly when they cause is car pileups on freeways.

Extreme cold…Antarctica

Heat waves….in 2010, 56,000 died in Russia

Wildfires

Rainfall flooding 

“Drought caused” flooding caused a disaster with rainfall yesterday in Valencia with 20 inch falling in 8 hours …picture.

China has had the most people to have died from drought caused flooding. In 1975, 200,000 + died when dam burst.  There have been others.

Next lecture Coral Gardens and Gardeners….Isabelle Groc

Julia Baum from Victoria is doing reach on Christmas Island  in Kiribati to see how people affect coral reefs.

Corals Flower are animals related to jelly fish and sea anemones.  Soft coral are best for building reefs.  Hard corals harbour algae to partner with soft corals.  They are the rainforest of the oceans.  1 billion people world-wide, live within 100 kms from coral reefs.  50% of reefs have been lost in 30years, due to pollution, overfishing, climate change.  23-29C is the optimum temperature for coral growth.  1 degree can start coral bleaching.  If temp returns to normal they will recover.  1985- 2018 …87% experienced bleaching.

El Niño…every 2-7years, lasts 9-12 months …causing warming of oceans.  2015-16 El Nino …90% of coral died in Christmas Island.  10% survived.  Some algaes that live in the hard coral is the secret to recovery.  Polluted areas have less chance of recovery…..if they are healthy they have a better chance.  Takes more than 10 years for recovery.

Convict tang fish and parrotfish help recovery.  If no damsel fish then the coral stops growing.

Coral gardeners are seabirds.  If there are rats then there were no seabirds.  Albatross’ are the most contributors to recovery.   Seabird despite this 700 times higher.  Dolphin poop helps with recovery too. They rest in shallow waters in the morning after hunting during the night.

Titouan Bernicot started Coral Gardeners in 2017.

Goal to start 1 million corals by 2025.

When we were snorkelling above the beautiful coral near Savusavu, we were told that there was a nursery close by that had helped to make the coral gardens what they are.

Today is Halloween and it’s a party with a lot of people dressing up. These are some……not too good pictures but you get the idea.