Event for the ocean-minded
Community Snorkel celebrates birthday for marine reserve
Mountains to Sea Wellington (MTSW) put on a birthday bash like no other for Ka¯piti Marine Reserve by inviting around 70 participants to don fins, wetsuits, and snorkels to celebrate 30 years of marine protection.
The annual Ka¯piti Marine Reserve Community Snorkel, hosted by the charitable trust MTSW, is designed to create a greater connection between locals and their watery backyard, encouraging a better understanding of conservation issues, and fostering kaitiakitanga (guardianship).
If the sold-out status of the event on Sunday was anything to go by, it was a great success.
It just so happens that this year’s event fell on the 30th year of the marine reserve.
“This is all about helping participants build a real connection to their local environment,” MTSW programme co-ordinator Joe Warmington said.
“Seeing the utter joy on the faces of participants leaving the water, and hearing them talking animatedly about buying their own equipment to keep snorkelling, is such a reward. It’s everything we hope to get out of these events.”
It’s quite the mission getting so many locals in the water safely, but MTSW’s awesome group of volunteer snorkel guides make it look effortless.
“The Ka¯piti community snorkel event was a fantastic way to celebrate Ka¯piti marine reserve and the biodiversity and conservation values it protects,” Guardians of the Ka¯piti Marine Reserve chairman Ben Knight said.
“We are super grateful to Mountains to Sea Wellington for running this annual event and giving people the opportunity to experience Ka¯ piti marine reserve and the incredible life it protects for themselves.”
And for three inspiring students — Kahurangi of Titahi Bay Intermediate and Abigail and Elysha of Discovery School — the trip was sponsored by Greater Wellington Regional Council as a prize for the leadership they’ve shown in taking environmental action in Porirua.
Kahurangi was excited to talk about everything he saw on land and in the water.
“We saw some red moki and blue moki, we saw weka chicks which were really cute, and hihi too.
“I totally want to come back out here to Ka¯piti.”
Another participant was also enthusiastically chatting about the experience. “It was fantastic and the water was really warm too. Heaps of pa¯ua, schools of fish and lots of salps and big jellyfish. I’d never heard of slaps and a few other animals before so that was really interesting.”
Participants and team members can only make it to the island with the support of Ka¯piti Island Eco, who ferry the snorkellers out to the island on a series of sailings through the morning.
“This is our fourth or fifth year now and it’s as popular as ever,” Ka¯piti Island Eco owner/operator Glen Cooper said. “Big thanks to Mountains to Sea for organising it and making it such a great day for our local community and marine reserve.”
It’s a while until the crew sets sail again next summer but there’s always plenty of ways that the local community can take action for the reserve.
The Guardians of the Ka¯ piti Marine Reserve are always happy to point people in the right direction.
If you can’t wait for another opportunity to jump into the water with MTW, there’s three more free community events coming up over the next few weeks.
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Visit MountainsToSeaWellington. org for more information.