14 – 24  July, 2012

An Interdisciplinary Program for Students and Educators

Travel to Fiji with Dr Richard Murphy, marine biologist with Jean Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, and Jill Caporale, professor of biology at Northern Virginia Community College, to explore Marine and Terrestrial Ecology, Environmental Science, Cultural Values and Sustainable Living across the Curriculum.

Our focus is on how nature works, how people interact with it and what lessons it offers to humans for sustainable living. It is a natural history program that explores the diverse ecosystems and culture of Fiji as a lens through which we can take a fresh look at our own communities and address the question of what we should do differently to create a more sustainable future. This is far broader than just marine biology by design.

This course is geared for individuals of all disciples and designed to increase your understanding of basic ecological concepts and relationships between humanity and nature, with a focus on how our society can create more sustainable communities. We encourage students and educators to join us for this unique experience, exploring Fiji’s marine and terrestrial ecology, learning about ecological principles that affect all natural systems, and investigating connections – between cultures, between people and the environment and between academic disciplines.

This program is designed to have relevance to all majors and address the greatest challenge our species has ever faced – sustainable living.

Activities include:

• Snorkel excursions on coral reefs
• A night snorkel
• Kayak exploration of mangroves
• Intertidal exploration
• Rainforest exploration
• Village visit with traditional feast and dancing/music
• Investigation of green development with a visit to the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort
• Daily lectures, AV presentations, discussions

Credits:
The course content outline will be available under Ocean Futures Society and may enable the student to get credit from his/her own institution. Credit would come from Dr. Murphy and Ocean Futures Society.

Location:
The course takes place here at Daku Resort.

Cost:
The cost of the course  is AUS$2800 twin share: this includes accommodation, all meals, course fees and expeditions as listed, and the return domestic flight from Nadi International Airport to Savusavu.

Bookings:
You’ll find a booking form at: www.paradisecourses.com
Or feel free to telephone: (02) 8094-1613
or email: susan@paradisecourses.com

Travel:
Please arrive in Nadi on July 13 so that we can get you onto the flight to Savusavu on July 14. We will arrange for you to spend the night in Nadi (included in cost). You will leave on Tuesday July 24 arriving in Nadi by 1.30pm. This gives you plenty to time to make the connection with the Virgin Pacific Blue or JetStar flights if you are returning to Australia; if you are travelling on Air Pacific you will need to spend the night in Nadi (not included in cost). If you are connecting with the Air Pacific flight to LAX you will have the day free in Nadi before you make the connection in the late evening (2230).

Lecturers:

Richard C. Murphy received a Ph.D. in Marine Ecology from the University of Southern California. He began working with Jean-Michel Cousteau and his father, Jacques Cousteau, in 1968. Since that time he has been involved in a wide variety of projects and expeditions in many remote areas around the globe. Dr. Murphy’s role in these expeditions has included serving as chief scientist, photographer, writer, educator, or project director. He has participated in Cousteau expeditions conducted in such places as Papua New Guinea, Fiji Islands, the Caribbean, Indonesia, the Mekong River in SE Asia, the Amazon, Sea of Cortez, Australia and New Zealand.

Since 1973 Dr. Murphy has been involved with Jean-Michel Cousteau in the creation and implementation of field study programs for students of all ages. The objective of these programs has been to share the wonder and importance of the ocean realm with the public. Drawing on over 30 years of exploring and studying a wide variety of ecosystems and cultures, Dr. Murphy states, “I believe a better understanding of how nature works can not only promote an appreciation for the value of our natural heritage but also help guide the next generation in living more sustainably on the planet.”

As an educator, Richard Murphy is dedicated to sharing the wonders and value of nature with students and the public. His goal is helping people better understand how nature works, with a focus on ecological processes that are fundamental to all systems – marine, terrestrial and human. With this understanding, students and audiences explore how we can live more sustainably and gently on the planet.

This interdisciplinary and holistic approach is infused into all of the programs Richard creates. Because coral reefs are threatened and possess many parallels to human communities, Dr. Murphy has created a number of products and program that focus on reefs.
www.rcmurph.net

Jill Caporale
Assistant Professor of Biology and Natural Sciences
Jill Caporale is an Associate Professor of Biology and Natural Science at Northern Virginia Community College in the United States. She holds two Masters Degrees, one in Molecular/Cellular Biology and one in Communication, both from American University. Professor Caporale is active in the promotion of integrating environmental science into other disciplines and will be discussing this concept as well as health implications of anthropogenic environmental changes.
sites.google.com/site/jillcaporale
www.nvcc.edu/home/jcaporale

Ocean Futures Society
Our mission is to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean’s vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet.
www.oceanfutures.org

21 – 28 April, 2012

9 – 16 June, 2012

22 – 29 September, 2012

(if these dates don’t suit you, please contact us; we are often able to arrange small groups at other times)

A fantastic week of snorkelling, learning and exploring in Fiji

8 Days / 7 Nights

The reefs around Vanua Levu provide some of the most rewarding snorkelling in the world. If you don’t want to dive the reefs, this week will give you the chance to see sharks, rays, turtles and many species of reef fish and corals.

In the evenings, an experienced marine biologist will give talks on the marine environment and brief you on the next day’s snorkel. He will come with you to guide the snorkel and point out some of the wonders of the ocean on an all-day field trip.

Below the water is definitely the centre of the week, but we’ll also show you a lot of Fiji above the water. Visits to schools, farms and villages are included.

Marine Biologist Johnny Singh studied at the University of the South Pacific in Suva. He has worked in Savusavu for the past 6 years and knows the reefs and marine life of the area intimately. He is a keen underwater photographer and illustrates his talks with his own wonderful photos and videos. He is a passionate conservatioist, and his enthusiasm for ocean life is contagious.

Itinerary at a Glance

The course runs for 7 days; the last day is a travel day.

You should book your flights to arrive in Savusavu on the first flight from Nadi at 7.00am on Saturday – and you are welcome to arrive earlier in the week or stay on later – we’ll just charge you at regular room rates less 15% if you’re on the course.

Saturday
Introductory lecture and field trip with Johnnie Singh.

Sunday
Field trip day with Johnnie Singh.

Monday
Morning: Field trip.
Afternoon: Town Visit.
Evening: Lecture on Conceptual Coral Reefs

Tuesday
Morning: Filed trip.
Afternoon:Pearl farm visit.
Tapa demonstration.

Wednesday
Morning: Field trip.
Picnic lunch and boat / beach trip.
Evening : Lecture on ‘Cities under the sea’

Thursday
Morning: Field trip.
Afternoon: Excursion tolocal village.
Evening dinner in town.

Friday
Morning: Field trip.
Afternoon: Free
Evening: Lecture on Coral Critters

Saturday
Leaving Ceremony and departure to Nadi.

Cost: F$1665 twin share. F$1615 is approx AUD$1050 / US$850 – we take payment in Fiji dollars and your bank will advise you the rates they charge. Single supplement F$400.

Includes accommodation, all meals, excursions, equipment. Does not include travel – but we are happy to advise.

» » Make a booking

21 – 28 April, 2012

9 – 16 June, 2012

22 – 29 September, 2012

(if these dates don’t suit you, please contact us; we are often able to arrange small groups at other times)

A fantastic week of snorkelling, learning and exploring in Fiji

8 Days / 7 Nights

The reefs around Vanua Levu provide some of the most rewarding snorkelling in the world. If you don’t want to dive the reefs, this week will give you the chance to see sharks, rays, turtles and many species of reef fish and corals.

In the evenings, an experienced marine biologist will give talks on the marine environment and brief you on the next day’s snorkel. He will come with you to guide the snorkel and point out some of the wonders of the ocean on an all-day field trip.

Below the water is definitely the centre of the week, but we’ll also show you a lot of Fiji above the water. Visits to schools, farms and villages are included.

Marine Biologist Johnny Singh studied at the University of the South Pacific in Suva. He has worked in Savusavu for the past 6 years and knows the reefs and marine life of the area intimately. He is a keen underwater photographer and illustrates his talks with his own wonderful photos and videos. He is a passionate conservatioist, and his enthusiasm for ocean life is contagious.

Itinerary at a Glance

The course runs for 7 days; the last day is a travel day.

You should book your flights to arrive in Savusavu on the first flight from Nadi at 7.00am on Saturday – and you are welcome to arrive earlier in the week or stay on later – we’ll just charge you at regular room rates less 15% if you’re on the course.

Saturday
Introductory lecture and field trip with Johnnie Singh.

Sunday
Field trip day with Johnnie Singh.

Monday
Morning: Field trip.
Afternoon: Town Visit.
Evening: Lecture on Conceptual Coral Reefs

Tuesday
Morning: Filed trip.
Afternoon:Pearl farm visit.
Tapa demonstration.

Wednesday
Morning: Field trip.
Picnic lunch and boat / beach trip.
Evening : Lecture on ‘Cities under the sea’

Thursday
Morning: Field trip.
Afternoon: Excursion tolocal village.
Evening dinner in town.

Friday
Morning: Field trip.
Afternoon: Free
Evening: Lecture on Coral Critters

Saturday
Leaving Ceremony and departure to Nadi.

Cost: F$1665 twin share. F$1615 is approx AUD$1050 / US$850 – we take payment in Fiji dollars and your bank will advise you the rates they charge. Single supplement F$400.

Includes accommodation, all meals, excursions, equipment. Does not include travel – but we are happy to advise.

» » Make a booking

Marine Photography with Daniel Schwartz and Jean-Michel Cousteau L’Aventure

Under the guidance of skilled underwater photographer, Daniel Schwartz, we’re offering two very special weeks of diving and photography in Savusavu, Fiji.

Diving will be at the famed Namena Marine Reserve and the magnificent reefs around the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort.

Daniel will lead daily dives (with cameras!) and guide you to the best photo opportunities. After the dive, you will show each other your work and discuss what has worked and what hasn’t; how to improve your shots; what you might have missed – and why some shots just stand out from the rest.

You will need your own photographic equipment and a USB stick for viewing the photos on a laptop.

Daniel Schwartz lives in Oakland, California. He has been a keen diver since 1996 and his stunning photographs of the underwater world can be seen at his website www.seawindows.org. He has become increasingly involved in working to protect the marine environment: he is a volunteer with the The Marine Mammal Center in their Rehabilitation and Water Rescue Departments, and is certified as a Specialty Diver for Reef Check California where they monitor the local ecosystem – surveying indicator species’ diversity and abundance.

It will be a wonderful week for both the experienced and novice photographer.

Details of the dive sites can be seen below.

Cost: FJ$ 3200 /US$ 1820

Includes:

• all diving (10 dives)
• dive equipment
• tuition
• 7 nights accommodation at Daku Resort
• meals
• airport transfers from Savusavu airport

Not included: Travel – but we are happy to advise.

Dive sites visited by Jean-Michel Costeau L’Aventure (as described by them):

Namena Island
This small island 20 miles to the south of Savusavu is surrounded by mile after mile of unexplored reefs. Seemingly bottomless drop-offs, multi-colored soft corals and perfect coral gardens support an abundance of marine life. This is the place to see the big fish cruising in from the depths of the Koro Sea. Barracuda, spanish mackerel, dog-tooth tuna, mantas and large sharks regularly patrol these reefs.

(Note: Jean-Michel rates Namena as the best dive spot in Fiji, and one of the 10 best in the world. We are one of the only diving resorts in Fiji that visits Namena on a regular basis. Weather permitting, we visit Namena 1-2 times per week.)

Canyons
Swim through beautiful grottos of hard coral extending into vast unexplored underwater canyons. See Reef Sharks resting in the grottos.

Shark Alley
A maze of swim-throughs, overhangs and chambers hide white tip reef sharks resting on sandy bottoms. Giant Mouri wrasse and grouper can be found hiding around the next corner.

Nuggets
The nuggets are two coral heads. One is a myriad of soft corals surrounded by schools of fairy basslets, masked banner fish, leaf fish, with jacks and barracuda circling. The second is covered in golden soft corals. Lionfish, scorpion fish, nesting trigger fish and moray eels are abundant.

Goldilocks
This site is a favorite because you can swim completely around the edge of the reef. It offers great diversity of hard and soft corals, with a very abundant reef fish population.

Jacksons
This spectacular wall features gigantic sea fans at depths of 90 feet. Divers finish among luxurious purple soft corals at 40-60 ft.

Fingers
This site is known for a beautiful spur and groove reef system, jutting fingers of hard coral alternating with high flow grooves., plus painted crayfish, giant tridacna clams, and eagle rays.

Light House
This is a good, deep dive — 100 feet — with a large aggregation of fish, such as groupers and snappers, and octopus. This is an active spawning site of both these large fish and smaller reef fish.

Mystery Reef
This isolated reef is scattered with coral heads covered in multi-colored soft corals, spanish mackerel, coral trout and unicorn fish.

Hole in the Wall
This vertical drop off supports huge gorgonian fans. Large tuna, spotted sweetlips, mackerel, barracuda, with bronze whalers lurk in the depths below.

Big Blue
This spectacular drop off features giant gorgonians covered with feather stars. It’s a perfect place to watch for sea turtles and large fish.

Alice in Wonderland
This site is an open water large patch reef, where small reef sharks often lurk underneath large mushroom-shaped corals. The upcurrent end has good flow and huge aggregations of reef fish and larger pelagic life.

Nsonisoni Pass
This is a drift dive along a wall covered with every variety of pristine hard and soft corals imaginable. Divers can swim across the passage to the purple bommies, a mass of purple soft corals fed by the nutrient-rich Koro Sea waters. Large barracuda, circling gray reef sharks and white tips cruise everywhere.

Barracuda Point
Beginning on a reef wall just off the coast of the resort, this dive involves swimming along a hard-coral reef finger to join a school of 50-60 resident barracuda. Be on the lookout for hammerheads and schools of batfish as well.

Dreadlocks
In the middle of Savusavu Bay, this site is home to a lavish array of multicolored hard and soft coral