Paddleboard Eco-tours in the La Parguera Nature Reserve with Aleli Tours

Aleli Eco-tours in La Parguera has partnered with the chapter of the Surfrider Foundation in Rincon where Aleli will donate a portion of the costs associated with the tour to the chapter's water quality monitoring program, reef restoration efforts, ban the plastic bag initiative, outreach and education efforts, and general operating costs.  The guided tours are offered to groups of 4 to 6 people and include paddleboards, a 2 hour tour, boat-taxi back to the dock, snacks and beverages.  Click here to see the Aleli Eco-tours trip report blog with photos from recent outings.  To set up your tour call Aleli at 787-390-6086 or 787-436-8300 or visit Aleli's site. 

Eco preparation for Rip Curl Pro Day 2; Surfrider Foundation Rincon and Vida Marina work at Middles

Today a crew of 13 activists, with the chapter of Surfrider Foundation in Rincon and representatives of Vida Marina at UPR Aguadilla, helped get over 300 plants/trees that the chapter ordered from the Isabela DRNA vivero to UPR Aguadilla.  The plants are going to be used for a coastal reforestation project at Wilderness, Surfers, and Middles.  The first part of the planting will take place this Saturday at 8 am at Wilderness then Surfers, and lastly Middles.

In addition, the chapter installed some protective fencing to minimize dune and coastal vegetative erosion at Middles today and began preparing some planting areas for the November 1st planting that will take place as a multi-participatory event including Rip Curl, Rip Curl Planet, Plastic Free Ocean, Surfrider Foundation Rincon, DRNA, and area schools.  Contact salvatrespalmas@surfrider.org if your interested in helping.  

Angela taking tally of the more than 300 plants/trees that we received in an order the chapter placed from DRNA. The plants are being kept at Vida Marina's greenhouse at UPR Aquadilla.

 

Before and after shots of one of the areas that we are going to plant based on suggestions from a field biologist at DRNA.  We will be planting this bluff, and other areas, on November 1st. 

This is an example of the walkways we helped Vida Marina build and will be placing between the protective fencing we installed today at Middles.  We are collaborating with Vida Marina from UPR Aguadilla to mobilize these resources and put them into action.   

It is tough to see the difference between this before and after shot but if you look closely you can see the fencing that we installed to prevent dune and coastal vegetation erosion in the middle of the picture. 

This is a more clear shot of the protective fencing.  The walkways will be placed in the middle.  We would like to thank Vida Marina for giving our chapter the opportunity to puts these resources into action. 

Here is the crew that helped make Day 2 of our Rip Curl Pro preparation initiative happen. 

"The Edge of the Sea" film

"The Edge of The Sea" is a 26 minute documentary film that tells of a group of fishermen and their fight to stop a mega development that would privatize one of the last untouched beaches in the west coast of Puerto Rico. Check out the trailer below.

Produced and Directed by Maria Jose Calderon

Camera and Sound: Molly Snyder-Fink

Music by Melvin López, "Mijo de la Palma"

Production Assistant: Oliver Bencosme

Aquatic Art Workshop was a Success!

en español

Everyone had a great time and had an opportunity to show off their artistic talents during the art workshop

Thirty-nine vibrant paintings were completed on the second day of the Aquatic Art workshop offered March 28 at the Jorge Seda Crespo Middle School in Rincón. The young painters also worked on 2 collective canvases and on a giant 70" x 30" coral reef drawing designed by Wess Merten.

At the moment we are creating an "Aquatic Art" coral reef lesson book illustrated with the 39 student paintings done in both workshops. The book will soon be going off to the printer to later be handed out to the students on June 25th (from 7-9 pm) when we will inaugurate the awaited "Aquatic Art" exhibit at the Rincón of the Seas Hotel. We'll keep you informed...

This project sponsored by NOAA's Marine Debris Program is the educational component of the ambitious community driven program "Coral Reef Protection through Marine Debris Removal at Reserva Marina Tres Palmas", where more than 475 tires have been removed, among other debris.

Many thanks to: Nicole Hoover, Wess Merten, Patchouly Banks, Oliver Bencosme, photography by Producciones Burracas, Cuqui González, Alex Henriques, Miriam Pérez, Miriam Juan, Leon Richter, Allison Jones, Freyda Zell, Bermie Ruiz

- AB

Students to Present a History of Rincón's Beaches

Como parte de los cursos de Investigación Científica e Historia de Puerto Rico, un grupo de estudiantes de la Escuela Superior Manuel García Pérez de Rincón estuvieron realizando un proyecto titulado: Historia y condiciones de las playas y costas de Rincón. Ahora los jóvenes están interesados en presentar a la comunidad de Rincón los resultados de este proyecto.

Esta investigación fue auspiciada por el Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios del Litoral de la Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Mayagüez.

Rincón Students Build Hydrophones - Can Record Sound Underwater!

On Thursday April 2, 2009, thirty 10th grade students from Brenda Cardona’s science classes at Manuel Garcia Perez High School in Rincón received a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience related to humpback whale research. Graduate student Patchouly Banks of SUNY Buffalo educated the students about the humpback whales that visit Rincón’s coast each winter. Patchouly is part of a team of researchers including Jennifer Schneider and Dr. Eduardo Mercado III who have been coming to Rincón, PR for the past four years to study the songs of the humpback whales. The SUNY team has worked closely with Surfrider on outreach and education during each of their visits.

Their main goal is to locate singing whales and record their songs in order to investigate song function.

In order to do so, they use underwater microphones, called hydrophones. In an effort to make their research more "relatable" to the community, Patchouly taught the students how to build their own simple hydrophones, made from household items, including pennies and balloons. After constructing their hydrophones, the students placed them into buckets of water and listened through headphones to a variety of underwater sounds. The students also heard samples of recordings that the researchers have made here in Rincón, including snapping shrimp, fish, boat noise, and of course humpback whale song! The students really seemed to enjoy building their hydrophones, but they had the most fun using them to listen to the sounds they created in their buckets, including a crackling candy to simulate the sound of snapping shrimp!

Hopefully the students will take away a better understanding of the research that this team carries out here in Rincón, as well as a greater appreciation for the humpback whales.

Patchouly would like to thank Brenda Cardona for her interest and willingness to get her students involved in this project, as well as Annette Blasini of the Rincón Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation for all of her help coordinating and translating! And a big thank you to all of the enthusiastic students! This project was made possible by funding from the National Science Foundation.

For more info, Patchouly can be reached at pnbanks@buffalo.edu

Salva Tres Palmas - The Film in the Plaza

A few hundred Rincoeños enjoyed a free screening of Salva Tres Palmas
in Rincón's town plaza on the final night of the 2009 Rincón International Film Festival.

STP screening in Rincón's town plaza with the church in the background.

Salva Tres Palmas tells the story of the environmental victory that gave life to the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, the first marine reserve on the main island of Puerto Rico. Tres Palmas has earned a global reputation for its "giant" surfing waves and for possessing one of the healthiest Elkhorn coral reef colonies throughout the Caribbean.

If you missed the screening, you can watch the film on-line in English here or in Spanish below.

Salva Tres Palmas - The Film from Surfrider Foundation on Vimeo.

Salva Tres Palmas - en Espanol from Surfrider Foundation on Vimeo.

Butt Why?

Rincon Student Art Project Underway

The Surfrider Foundation's Aquatic Art Project is underway at Rincon's Jorge Seda Crespo Middle School. Check out the slideshow from Day 1 or simply learn more about the program.

Rincón Students signing up for art workshop

More that 40 students signed up for the "Aquatic Art Workshop" to be held on Saturdays March 14 and 28 at the Jorge Seda Crespo Junior High School near Rincon's balneario from 9am to 3pm.

It will be a fun workshop where the end result will be an environmental book based on the art produced during the workshop. There will also be an art show of the paintings at the Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito de Rincón in May.

There are numerous volunteer opportunities for artists, photographers, schleppers, and more. Want to help? Contact: Annette Blasini 787.823.0964 / 787.233.6510 or email her at annetteblasini@yahoo.com

This Surfrider project is the education component of the NOAA funded - Coral Reef Protection through Marine Debris Removal at Reserva Marina Tres Palmas

Aquatic Art in Rincon

Don't miss your chance to work with Rincon's youth and help protect coral reefs for future generations.

Donate a few hours of your time to a worthwhile project as students from Rincon's Jorge Seda Crespo middle school create original artwork depicting coral reef lessons and themes. These original works will be assembled into an artbook and presented live at a local art show.

The Aquatic Art Workshop is being organized by Surfrider activist Annette Blasini as part of our NOAA funded project - Coral Reef Protection through Marine Debris Removal at Reserva Marina Tres Palmas

When you volunteer you’ll leave a footprint in the educational experience of Rincón’s youth. It’s a gift the will last a lifetime.

Prohibido Olvidar, Contra Cemento, Basura y Marea

Watch PROHIBIDO OLVIDAR on TUTV (Channel 3 on the West Coast) tonight at 7:30 PM

Surfrider is one of the groups featured on tonight's program.

CONTRA CEMENTO, BASURA Y MAREA

MIERCOLES, 11 DE FEBRERO DE 2009 A LAS 7:30 PM POR TUTV, Canales 6 y 3:
(Retransmisiones los sábados a las 5:30 pm a discreción de TUTV)

Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico

Benicio del Toro may not spend all his time in Puerto Rico, but he still understands the importance of the coral reefs that surround the Island of Enchantment and that human behavior on land can damage the very reefs that help keep our planet healthy. Check out this PSA narrated by del Toro.

If Beni can help keep Puerto Rico clean, so can you...join us at our next beach clean up.

Like Sand in the Hourglass

These are the days of our lives...

Get involved! Surfrider is a volunteer based organization and we take pride in having local grassroots support. Volunteer at a beach cleanup to make a direct impact or stop by a chapter meeting to get more informed and find more ways to get involved.