Эта история является частью кампании GenOcean - официальной кампании Десятилетия океана, рассказывающей о мероприятиях Десятилетия, сотрудничающих организациях и океанических лидерах, которые уделяют особое внимание молодежи и возможностям гражданской науки, чтобы помочь всем и каждому стать теми изменениями, в которых нуждается океан.
For Dr. Gregory J. Barord, connecting with the ocean is not reserved solely for those who live on its coasts. As a highschool marine biology teacher in landlocked Iowa, USA, Barord teaches the next generation about everything from whales, dolphins and fish, to his favorite, the nautilus. But it wasn’t until a trip to Fiji that many of his current students truly experienced the marine ecosystem, and it is a trip they will not forget.
Barord designed the expedition to this tropical destination in a way that would provide the class of 37 students, many of whom had never experienced the ocean before, with opportunities to assist conservation organizations, work together in high stress situations and learn about a new culture, community and history.
As an endorsed Ocean Decade Action, this expedition addresses three Ocean Decade Challenges:
2 – Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity;
9 - Навыки, знания, технологии и участие для всех; и
10 – Restore humanity’s relationship with the ocean.
Read about their epic journey and new learning experiences, that occured in just over a week but left a lifelong impression.
This travel diary has been adapted from the original blog written by Dr. Gregory Barord and his Marine Biology students at Central Campus – Des Moines Public Schools.
Day 1: Travel Day
Suitcases were packed and we said our goodbyes. Our first flight was Des Moines to Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, where we had a layover, so we split into groups to get food before going to Los Angeles for another layover. Take off to Fiji was smooth and the majority of us took the chance to catch up on sleep before we landed. This was just the start of our expedition. Dr. Barord had flown to Fiji a few days early to get things set up and be ready to roll right when we arrived.
Day 2: First Day in Fiji; University Visit
After landing, we went through immigration and customs, exchanged currency and met Dr. Barord at the Nadi International Terminal. We took a group picture before loading our bus and starting the drive to our first destination, Uprising Beach Resort in Pacific Harbour, Fiji. We saw lots of pretty sights and occasionally caught glimpses of the ocean. We made it to our housing, got food and our room assignments. Later we toured the University of South Pacific and learned about their marine science programs and students’ work. Rain encouraged us to practice our writing skills while waiting for the boats.
Day 3: First Day of Nautilus Research
Starting the day, we went for a beach walk and morning yoga after the night’s rain had lightened up. After eating breakfast, everyone loaded onto the bus to head to the Royal Suva Yacht Club and then boarded the boats for our first day of work. Arriving at the first buoy, students on the research boat took turns pulling in the trap, and with the help of Dr. Barord, the nautiluses were measured and sampled (the tissue and shell samples were collected non-lethally and prepared for later analyses). By the time we arrived at the second buoy, half of the students had begun getting seasick and had run to the sides of their boats. A smaller boat helped pull the trap up this time, giving the sick and tired students a chance to recover. When the second trap was reset, all students jumped into the water to release the 14 nautiluses that had been caught. After getting to land, students loaded onto the bus again, where they were taken to a mangrove forest and told stories based on their knowledge of the mangroves. The day closed with a Fijian dinner called ‘lovo’ and fire dancers showcasing the traditional art form practiced in Fiji, and other Pacific islands.
Day 4: River Tubing and Village Visit
We got up at 5:30 AM, went on a beach walk, practiced yoga and ate breakfast as usual. But after that, our day was unique as we were visiting a Fijian village called “Sabata.”
We toured around and learned about their culture, and then after an hour said “Moce!” (goodbye) and boarded the boats. Next we took a boat ride to visit a waterfall, grab some lunch and then tube down the river. Once back at the resort, we helped move mangroves into planted pots as part of a mangrove restoration program. After dinner and an evening beach walk, we headed off to bed to recharge for the next day.
Day 5: Nautiluses and Coral Reef Snorkeling
We kicked off Day 5 bright and early with beach yoga. We practiced with our feet in the ocean as the sun rose — definitely one of the most peaceful moments of the trip so far. After yoga, we took a beach walk, chatting with friends and picking up trash along the way. Then it was a quick breakfast before heading to the Royal Suva Yacht Club to board our boats.
Once we arrived, we participated in the traditional harbor opening ceremony, where each boat sails past the yacht club commander and receives a blessing with holy water by a priest for safe travels. Then we got on our assigned boats for the day and set off to get to studying nautiluses.
Out on the water, the first nautilus trap was brought up by hand while the rest of us jumped in the water with our snorkel gear to watch. Inside were four nautiluses, five prawns and a tiny green-eyed shark! After we learned a bit about it from Captain Lyle, the shark was safely released — though it gave a few swimmers a good scare as it darted past them. The second trap had four more nautiluses, eight prawns and one crab. After observing and documenting everything, we all got in the water with snorkel gear to release the nautiluses and watched them gently sink back down into the deep.
We finished the day with a snorkel at a coral reef where we spotted moon jellyfish. The reef was beautiful, but the jellyfish gave most of us “micro stings,” and life jackets made it tough to move around freely. After dinner, we ended with a long beach walk to reflect on the day. That’s when we realized we were all seriously sunburnt. Bright red backs, shoulders and legs all around. Safe to say, no one forgot their UV shirts after that!
Day 6: Nautiluses, Museum Visit and a Rainforest Hike
We started the day with our daily beach yoga, watching the sunrise on the beach and preparing for the day. Next, we headed out to the boats to continue our nautilus research. For lunch, we headed to a local mall to try new foods on our own, and then from there we headed to the Fiji museum where we learned about the culture and history of this island. Our day was not quite over as we headed to Colo-Suva Forest Park for a hike in a rainforest. It was hot but we all persevered and supported each other, even two chaperones that were a little bit behind the group!
Day 7: Final Nautilus Research and Island Transfer
Another early morning, but our last one that started with trap pulling. This was also our last day of our “good luck snack” of sausage rolls and chicken pies on the boats providing us a little extra luck in getting our gear back and catching lots of nautiluses. We quickly tagged and identified 16 nautiluses just in time to make it back to the bus to catch the ferry for our next hotel! Today, we were headed to Port Denarau for a ferry to Beachcomber Island Resort with clear blue water and white sand. We spent some time walking the island and finding washed up coral and little critters which inspired a trivia game with the group. We ended the night with limbo and games before debriefing and preparing for the next day.
Day 8: Snorkeling Adventure and Karaoke
Yoga at 5:45 in the morning had become our routine. Then, we individually found five different things along the beach to draw in our notebooks and then drew one image in the sand. After breakfast, most of us went off to snorkel from the beach. Later, we went on a small boat ride further offshore to snorkel the giant coral reefs.
Our snorkel time ended and we went back to the island by boat, where we couldn’t stop the fun and continued to snorkel around the beach. We watched as a group of people made a sort of seafood dish, called kokoda, which is fish marinated in vinegar and lime juice, mixed with onions, coconut milk, tomatoes and cucumbers. We all got to try some and it was delicious! Then, we got to see the turtle conservation work being conducted on the island, hung out at the pool and watched the locals skillfully climb a coconut tree and husk a coconut.
Later in the afternoon, you guessed it, we went for another snorkel adventure around half the island. We closed the night with dinner and karaoke. Even Dr. Barord sang a song, ending the night on a fun note before getting ready for the next long day.
Day 9: Farewell to Fiji
It was our last early morning yoga followed by breakfast. Then we finished packing so we could leave the island by 11. But, before leaving Fiji, we got to meet folks at Walt Smith International who taught us about coral and fish conservation and collection. We toured their facility and got to learn about their aquatic animal shipping process, how they maintain the health of their fish and how they make their cultured rock, skills any marine biologist would appreciate on this trip. After that, we went to the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, where we saw tropical plants and went on a hike to a lookout point. The garden had over 2,000 orchids alone! The hike was fast-paced and grueling, but we all toasted to each other’s hard work with cold, fresh fruit juice at the end which made it all worth it. Then we made our way to the airport in sweaty clothes, changed into our business casual outfits and were ready to board for our nighttime flight from Fiji to Los Angeles.
Students Reflect at Home in Iowa
When the class returned home and got back into the flow of normal classes, they reflected on some of the biggest challenges of the trip.
“The greatest challenge we faced throughout the rougher patches was keeping our composure when certain issues occurred amongst our group,” shared Vianne Stroope-West. “For second-years and third-years, especially those who have been on trips in the past, consistent reflection of our gratitude was a bit easier. Or a better way of saying it, we know when to and when not to take challenges personally. As difficult as it may have been in the moment, each obstacle was a memorable learning opportunity we can look back upon in the right way as we re-adjust to Iowa. At the end of the day, we learned to laugh it off and continue looking forward. Finding the takeaways in every tough situation made the whole trip worthwhile in the moment and in the long run.”
“I can’t think of what I found challenging, I found everything as something I wanted to do, other than the chili hot peppers,” said Adeline Brody.
“The most challenging part for me was having to leave and come back home,” said Addison Stone. “I found something I’m passionate about and saw a glimpse of what to work towards, but I had to come home and finish my work here first.”
Students also looked back on what surprised them the most.
“I was surprised by the way the kids lived in the villages and how they had to journey through the forest and up the river to get to another village to attend school,” said Nolan Gee.
“Something I learned on this trip that surprised me was how much people can keep pushing when things get hard,” added Adeline Brody. “I saw my classmates throw up, get sunburnt, get tired, be hungry and they kept persevering throughout the entire trip. Everyone took every opportunity given to them during this trip and gave it their best. For some that meant measuring a nautilus, and for others it might’ve meant conquering their fear of the ocean and going snorkeling. It was amazing seeing everyone learn together and keep trying, including showing up for the 5:45 AM beach yoga we did every morning and getting on the boat by 6 AM. Everyone showed up and tried every day.”
Thinking forward, students now have a clearer picture of what it means to have a career in ocean science.
“It was a great experience from working and talking with the locals and getting to see what a marine biologist does,” said Finn Graves.
“Collaborating was hard sometimes, with people in our expedition and with the locals, but I’ve never seen people more kind and willing to work and help us,” said Keira Wysong. “I’m really grateful for the Fijian fisherman that helped us with our research and the other students for being just as interested and pushing forward with our work. The trip and the Marine Biology course really opened my eyes to how interested I am in the relationships between organisms. I will soon be going to Iowa State University to pursue a degree in Biology and Ecology.”
Why It Mattered
This trip was never about tourism, it was about transformation. It was about putting students in direct contact with the ocean they’ve studied from afar. It was about building bridges between the American Midwest and the South Pacific. It was about listening as much as leading.
As an endorsed Ocean Decade Action, the expedition aimed to empower youth through ocean literacy and cross-cultural engagement. And it worked.
“The Ocean Decade is about thinking globally, acting locally and connecting deeply,” Barord said to his students on their last night in Fiji. “You’ve done that. And now, it’s your turn to carry that forward.”
Paying it Forward
The students returned to Des Moines with more than just photos and souvenirs. They returned as emerging ocean advocates, educators and bridge-builders. They will be sharing their findings with the broader school community, writing reflections and proposing new sustainability initiatives for the city of Des Moines.
They will soon release a blueprint that shows how even landlocked students can have a direct impact on ocean conservation through education, empathy and engagement. Follow their journey in the GenOcean campaign.
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