Report by Sibuziso (S’bu) Ngobese, Sodwana Bay

“The discovery of Latimeria Chalumnae on December 1938 by Majorie Courtenay Latimer off the coast of East London in South Africa near Chalumnae river has caused changes in lives of many South African citizens. The community as such benefits from the awareness that the African Coelacanth Programme is rendering to them as this kind of species was thought that it was extinct.

The recent discovery of another Coelacanth (Latimeria Chalumnae) on November 2000 by Peter Venter and colleagues off the coast of St Lucia Marine Reserve Sodwana Bay north coast of South Africa has created excitement and imposes questions in a number of reasons, for an example, why at Sodwana Bay? and this is the first sighting by the divers using mixed gases, more especially local divers like Peter Tim. These are the good news for Sodwana Bay. This Coelacanth Research Programme has broadened my awareness and understanding about how the research is done on a ship and how the ship itself operates.

Also it imposes challenges when it comes to scientific circles. It also creates challenges towards conventional wisdom of this species. This is a challenge to our youth to ensure that subjects like science, maths and geography are taken into consideration like other subjects. Our engineers are facing a challenge of establishing a South African submersible (Jago). How much do you think a Jago costs? We are standing a great opportunity as youth to become Marine Biologist, Oceanographers, Engineers and many other opportunities that a young person may think of in life.

A ship is big firm with different departments as on land of which I never knew. Kids should be motivated to go for those opportunities. To ride on a ship as such was a wonderful experience and excitement on my side. However having been given that opportunity to lead Mossel Bay and Port Elizabeth school kids onto the ship and show them those scientific instruments, has impressed and motivated me, and to meet kids of different cultural diversities was a wonderful experience and a great honour I never thought of in my whole life. If a chance of this kind could be given again, I can kindly appreciate it. I was also quite exited to sail around the Robbin Island where the first democratically elected President had spent his entire life serving an imprisonment sentence. It’s incredible that is why I say it imposes questions and changes to lives of people in number of reasons. I use to ask myself why? me?, six day and nights riding on a ship and two hours on a flight?. I do not believe it. I am from a poor family who could not afforded even to send me for a professional education as a result of poverty. My father passed away in 1968 when I was a small boy. I used to tell myself that people who ride on a ship and on a flight are people of high status, but today I am the one because of Sodwana Bay Latimeria Chalumnae discovery. Therefore we need to play a roll in motivating our dedicated kids to such an amazing survey.

The local crafters in the area (Sodwana) have benefited a lot out this programme as in 2002, the ‘Imboni Woodcraft and Paper’ has carved key holders and key rings at an amount of R16 000.00 for the department of Science and Technology. I am one of those crafters who benefited. I feel I could stand on a mountain and shout on a loud speaker and say,

‘ What the World without you?’
                                   
‘Coelacanth, what the world ,
without you, others call you
Coelacanth, others call you
Culecant, others call you
Combesa, Coelacanth in S.A,
’cause of your hollow tube
filled with oil, you won’t get
cold boy, tell you’.

‘ Latimeria Chulumnae,
look at me, you are known
by this name worldwide,
’cause of you being discovered,
in 1938 by Majorie Latimeria,
near Chalumnae river,
in East London S.A.,

Combesa, you are lucky,
to be recently discovered in 2000,
at Sodwana Bay as we thought,
you were extinct as dinosaurs, only
known from fossil records.
Our brothers lost their lives,
Are you dangerous?
Kids now have love of you and
science ’cause of you, take
care of yourself, Swim deep,
to avoid predators’.

What a world without you,
Today I ride on ship and flight,
’cause of you, asking myself
a lot of unanswered questions,
Why myself, I? ’cause of you.

‘Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique,
Commores, Madagascar are
screaming about you ’cause you
were once seen there.
Appear again, your appearance
brings  meal in the house’.
Live long Latimeria Chalumnae,
Live long Coelacanth!’