Coral RestorationFoundation Event at Icecap - Thanks All!

[rodclement]

I wanted to thank everyone involved in making a fun, educational, and rewarding day for all that attended!

A special thanks to Ed and all the Conservation Committee for a fantastic job!

Also a very special thank you to all our friends at Icecap for opening your house to us, allowing us to make a mess there! ;D and then donating a brand new light fixture for the raffle! Won promptly by a newb...!

Lastly thanks to Ken, our speaker and recipient of a check for $1,500.oo for the Coral Restoration Foundation from all of us here at NJRC.

Now let's see those pictures and the video that will be made available to all members who couldn't make it.

Thanks everyone!

Rod

 

[redfishbluefish]

Great Day!


Thank you NJRC for a fantastic event.

 

[mnat]

Thank you to every one who showed up and a welcome to the new members who signed up on the spot to the club. It was a fun and educational event and it was great to see everybody.

 

[MadReefer]

Really need to do something about these newbies winning all the good stuff.
Just kidding...lol

 

[magic]

I just wanted to add my thanks to all the members and a special thanks to Ken for the insight into his coral restoration project. I'd also like to extend a welcome to our 4 newest members. As a member of Conservation Committee I have to say this was Ed's baby, Great job Ed!


Bob

 

[The_Codfather]

Had a good time! Nice to had the chance to talk to a few members who i never had a chance to talk to before at other meetings

Sid

 

[Hawkeye]

I just wanted to add my thanks to all the members and a special thanks to Ken for the insight into his coral restoration project. I'd also like to extend a welcome to our 4 newest members. As a member of Conservation Committee I have to say this was Ed's baby, Great job Ed!


Bob

totally agree. This was the result of pure sweat/effort by Ed. Thanks!

I must say when I checked out the website - it was interesting but after hearing Ken talk - i am totally amazed and just love what they are doing down there. Great talk from a really down-to-earth guy.

 

[Gonzapa]

I wanted to Go but my mother was coming to visit and had to pick her up at JFK. Can someone summarize what happened at the event?

 

[rodclement]

hopefully we can do you one better and post the video of the Ken's presentation for all to see.

To me the best thing was meeting someone that just woke up one day and said to himself...what can I do about this problem? And then went and did it! Ken is down to earth and decided one day not to wait untill a scientist somewere came out with an explanation for the "why", he went there and started fixing the problem, by the time someone can figure out why it got to where it got, people like Ken will have preserved enough that we will actually have something to look to in the future.

Rod

 

[Gonzapa]

Posting hte video would be excellent!

 

[Hawkeye]

After years of being a tropical fish collector in Florida, Ken witnessed firsthand the gradual destruction of the coral reefs in Florida and the greater carribbean. He was one of the first people to apply and get both a state and federal license to aquaculture live rock. (you don't need both, but each gives you access to either state water or federal water)

He started a non-profit organization because he wanted to bring back the glory of the coral reefs as he remembered them (elkhorn and staghorn). In his LR operation noticed those two species colonized and grew very quickly.

There were a lot of pics of the corals growing from a 1mm size frag to these huge colonies in 3 years time.

Great stories about all the work he put in and lots of head-into-brick wall learning (dealing with hurricanes seems easy compared to the gov't agencies hahah).

Best of all now the gov't knows of his efforts and people have actually measured the density/count of fish/inverts over areas that have been re-populated with his corals. The result is so fantastic that even other countries have asked to leverage their skill/knowledge for other parts of the carribean!

Oh an "allfixitepoxy" - i have to go look that up on ebay...lol.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Oh an "allfixitepoxy" - i have to go look that up on ebay...lol.

Nice summary Phil...and he buys his epoxy directly from All Fix Epoxy:

http://www.allfixepoxy.com/servlet/StoreFront

 

[Edwardw771]

Had a great time today with Ken at the Steinert High School in Hamilton. The Kids snorkel every year over where some of Ken's corals are replanted on Molasses Reef. The teacher and the kids were very excited about him and what he is doing.
I'm glad to be a part of things like this and what a great way to spend a day off.

 

[Tazmaniancowboy]

Thanks for making this happen Ed. I would also like to thank Chris for opening ICECAP to us and having those sweet deals, donation fixture as well as proceeds going to Ken. Ken was excellent as all said he is a down to earth type of guy who did and continues to do a great thing. I could have listened to him more if he kept going. I wish I could scuba and go help him out.

I think it was a great event all the way around and would love to attend more when they come up!

Ed Please thank you wife for her cooking and help also. She didn't sit much you know! And my burger was just the way I like it!

 

[vangvace]

Disappointed I couldn't make it. Curse you work equipment failure.

At least there will be more meetings.

 

[Lanie]

Wow what a great event. Ken was an awesome speaker. Listening to him and seeing his slides makes me realize the destruction of coral reefs from storms or even how the passing of a sea turtle can break pieces. Taz you are right.... I could have listened for hours. For those that missed the event, you really missed out!

Thank you Ice Cap for opening your facility to us, and for the fantastic deals.

Was worth the trip from York!!!