working under Water rebuild a coral reef

Thailand has been very active for years in the reclamation of coral reefs and in the creation of new, artificial reefs.
They try this not only by sinking various wrecks and concrete parts, but also directly by re-planting coral reefs.

but also directly by re-planting coral reefs.

It is organized by the DMCR, the Bangkok Department of Marine and Coast Research and scientifically accompanied by marine biologists.
We, the underwater workers themselves are partly divers from all over the world, who just want to give something back, as well as students of various universities and various disciplines as well as cadets of the local police academy.
All do this voluntarily and without pay.

Corals need a solid base to grow at all. On sandy ground, this is possible because they lose contact with their chosen location at the latest in the next storm.
Therefore, as a first step, we lay out concrete blocks as a pad, which are then parked in pallets on the previously measured ground.

Our task is to lay these 140 bricks into two pads, 7 each with the long side and 10 on the short side.
Theoretically, it looks like that.

Here not only the stones are shown, but also the anchorages

Dave, our team leader at the briefing

If the briefing is successfully completed in Thai and English, the teams, mostly teams of 4, are divided, it is ready to go to the dive.
Since here more or less only experienced divers are on the way, the letter only briefly focuses on safety, but at length on the air budget under water. Normally, one floats as motionless as possible and of course does not need much air.
Here, however, you work overweight underwater and that's a completely different story.
This part of the briefing I have strictly observed from the 2 dive, after my tank was empty in the first dive in 20 min.

But now lets go dive

Part 1

Part2

The videos were taken with a mask camera and not cut. So these are not the best shots, but give an impression.
As cameras I use two GoPro clones, which have not left me in the lurch and provide sufficient quality. The only downside is the relatively short battery life, after 45 min are they empty.

I hope you like my post :).
And if you want to help, so underwater as a diver, then just go to the following facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/DMCRVolunteers/