Guest blog: Coral Fry's Akumal conservation expedition

Akumal conservation expedition

My expedition to Mexico was an incredible opportunity to combine my passion for marine life with conservation research. I was surrounded by coral reefs and turtles while learning what it is really like to carry out marine conservation research in the field.

What We Did in the Field

Most days we had up to three snorkel sessions. It was an amazing amount of time to spend in the water and gave us the opportunity to put our training into practice.

The first week was mainly focused on learning and building our identification and survey skills. We covered fish identification, coral identification, fish transect lines and coral quadrats. This gave us a really good foundation and helped us become more confident identifying what we were seeing underwater and recording it accurately.

Alongside the practical work, we had lectures explaining the different surveys and techniques we would be using. This meant that when we got into the water, we were well prepared and understood what we were looking for and how to collect the data properly.

The second week was mainly focused on turtle research. I helped collect data on the number of turtles present within restricted areas, which could then be compared with the data we were collecting on seagrass density, length and the different types of seagrass found during our surveys.

We also carried out turtle identification using SVCS recorders, and we were able to measure the length of individual turtles.

Being able to take everything we had learned during the first week and then apply it to real conservation research in the second week was extremely useful. It showed me how important accurate field data can be when trying to understand and protect marine ecosystems.

Looking After Myself in the Field

With so much time spent outside in hot and humid conditions, looking after myself was really important. We were doing long days, so looking after my skin for the next survey was a big part of my routine.

One thing that was particularly important to me was protecting myself from mosquitoes. Thankfully, Less Mosquito supported my expedition by providing me with their sunscreen, after-sun moisturiser and two-in-one shampoo and shower gel.

I really enjoyed having these products with me. They all had a really nice cooling effect, which was especially welcome in the heat and humidity, but without the stinging feeling I've experienced with some other products.

The sunscreen was probably one of the products I used most consistently. Thankfully, I didn't get burnt during the expedition, and I think being careful with my sun protection was a big part of that. I found the sunscreen really pleasant to apply. It rubbed in well and felt particularly refreshing when putting it on while already hot and sticky from the weather.

The after-sun moisturiser was a bit of a surprise favourite. Even though I hadn't been burnt, my skin became extremely dry from spending hours in the sea every day and being exposed to the sun and salt water. I ended up using the after-sun as my everyday body moisturiser, particularly in the evenings. Applying a generous layer at the end of the day was really soothing and helped my skin feel much better.

The two-in-one shampoo and shower gel was also incredibly useful. After spending so much time snorkelling and working in the water, I had plenty of sea salt and dirt to wash away at the end of the day. It cleaned my hair and skin really well and left me feeling refreshed after a long day of fieldwork.

Another added benefit was having mosquito protection incorporated into the products. With so much time spent outdoors and around different coastal environments, avoiding mosquito bites was something I was conscious of throughout the expedition. I genuinely noticed that I wasn't getting bitten as much as some of the other people around me, which was a really welcome bonus.

Overall, the products became a really useful part of my daily routine.

More Than Just a Trip

I was able to learn how conservation research is actually carried out, from identifying fish and corals to conducting transect surveys, studying seagrass and collecting data on turtles.

It was also a great reminder that conservation depends on good-quality data. Every observation, measurement and survey contributes to a much bigger understanding of these ecosystems and the pressures they face.

I'm incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to take part. I came home with new practical skills, a much greater understanding of marine research and even more motivation to continue working in conservation.

A huge thank you to Less Mosquito for supporting my expedition and providing products that became such a useful part of my everyday routine in the field.

Coral Fry – University of Aberystwyth Studying BSc Hons Zoology