A perfect day at Cave Bay
Twenty-one pupils from Northland (including Pukenui, Te Kura Kaupapa Ma¯ori o Te Tonga, Totara North and Paparore) and Auckland schools have had their turn at snorkelling the waters around the Poor Knights Islands courtesy of Experiencing Marine Reserves.
Joining them aboard the vessel Perfect Day were two youngsters from each of the other six regions where EMR operates (Taranaki, the Coromandel, Gisborne, Wellington, Nelson and Otago).
This year’s destination was Cave Bay, featuring the sheer cliffs of Tawhiti Rahi and rocky boulders on the bottom, the local residents including blue mao mao, two-spot demoiselles, stingrays, black angel fish, marble fish, blue fish and large snapper that cruised nonchalantly by.
The Poor Knights Islands marine reserve has been protected since 1981, and Cave Bay has had full no-take protection since 1998.
The competition trip, sponsored by Dive! Tutukaka and the Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation, dates back to 2002, when there were just three students from three Northland schools. This year 27 schools from eight regions were represented with 33 students, 30 parents and eight supporters.
“Since 2002 we have taken representatives from 301 schools, totalling 441 students, on this annual trip,” EMR national director Samara Nicholas said. “It’s just as special for the adults on board as it is for the students.”
The participation of youngsters from the regions was enabled by the Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation, which covered their costs including flights, transfers and accommodation in Tutukaka.
The students were selected on their EMR action projects and enthusiasm shown when studying and experiencing the marine environment. The programme involves leaning about marine biodiversity in the classroom, snorkelling in a pool and investigating the local marine environment before experiencing a marine reserve and taking action with regards to marine conservation in the children’s communities.
“This year we also introduced a new prize for a male Northland high school student who shows talent for free diving,” Ms Nicholas added.
“It was won by Te Kura Kaupapa Ma¯ori o Te Tonga o Hokianga student Croatia Rudolph.” Kaitaia College student Manaakitia Hoepo will have a special role at next month’s National University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival.
Forty-eight groups of students from around the country will perform, while Manaakitia, who was named best performer for Te Tai Tokerau earlier this year, will deliver a speech, as an Inspiring SGCNZ Alumnus speaker, and will mentor the young actors.
Manaakitia admitted that he had been surprised to be named as Te Tai Tokerau’s best performer.
“From a child I was always very flamboyant and theatrical, but coming from a low-income family it was very hard for me to pursue my theatrical tendencies, and instead I focused on my school studies,” he said.
“I decided this year that I would share my life experiences at schools around New Zealand, going on a tour, which I named The Perception is Reality Tour. I tell students about how, even if you come from negative situations, with the right mindset, you can achieve anything, and you should never let your past dictate your future.”
Tauraroa Area School and Whanga¯rei Girls’ High are the only Northland Schools that will take part in the festival, in Wellington over Queen’s Birthday weekend.