Project Update: August 2009
Hope is the name of the first rehabilitation patient at the SAMREC Centre at Cape Recief.
The more than 60 % oil covered juvenile African penguin was discovered by Rainer Schimpf, of Ocean Messengers and Guido Wätzig of Scuba Schools International (SSI) at the North End beach across from SAPPI.
Rainer Schimpf was showing Goido Wätzig Algoa Bay and the potential danger coming from Coega and the present pollution from Port Net and the oil storage. As they stopped at North End beach they watched some Southern Right Whales in the surf, in very dirty sea water and Guido expressed his concern and understanding for the urgent need of creating more awareness and education. Then they spotted the little penguin at the edge of the beach inside a sand dune. Rainer knew instantly that something was wrong with this vulnerable and prestige creature and climbed down the edge to rescue the penguin. Covered in oil, Rainer and Guido contacted Libby from SAMREC. To Rainer's surprise this is indeed the first patient for SAMREC and therefore was given the name “Hope” by Petra Schimpf.
Rainer explained to Guido that it is a shame that neither Portnet nor the oil companies responsible for the pollution take any serious action. There should be a reasonable plan to support NGOs and support active help for these creatures. Furthermore only Ocean Messengers is actively educating people with films and dive programmes. Funds for this are all international - not one sponsor came from within South Africa – it’s a shame! A possible world heritage site, Algoa Bay, destroyed and no one seems to care.
Guido Wätzig is part owner of SSI (Scuba Schools International; www.divessi.com). SSI has more than 40 year's experience in professional dive training and is present worldwide in more than 110 countries, hence the biggest dive training organization on the globe.
Committed already, Guido partly sponsored the Ocean Messengers 100 Dive project, where 100 Open Water Dive Qualifications were handed out to mainly previously underprivileged people, and government officials like MCM, NP and Police, to create awareness and knowledge about the sea and to see first hand and with their own eyes how fragile the sea is.
The concept is clear, only once seen directly and personally and professionally trained by SSI Dive Schools future and present generations within South Africa and the world can change the pollution to and into the sea. 71% of the earth surface is water. If the water is polluted and the ocean dies, we humans stand no chance.
Recognizing the urgency, Guido and SSI committed further and are partly sponsoring a further 200 Open Water Qualifications in 2010.
The legacy of 2010 needs to be taken into the sea and Ocean Messengers and SSI will make a change to the good within the oceans!