The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise during an expedition in the Gulf of MexicoIván Castaneira
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The first pink light of morning pierces through the portholes of the huts of those who are still asleep. On deck, early risers can watch from the railing as a pod of dolphins drift along the bow of the ship. Whales jump and juggle with their shiny backs; The high seas are calm at this time of year. During the hurricane season, waves up to five meters high reach the coast and lash the harbors with their force.
But the Arctic Sunrise, designed to handle the roughest of seas, is not afraid of those storms. The ship was originally called “Polarbjørn” (Norwegian “polar bear”) and was built in 1975 as a seal fishing ship. Twenty years later, Greenpeace bought it and equipped it with efficient communication systems, a helipad and a central warehouse elevator. It was given the name before its first voyage through the North Sea, where the environmental NGO documented marine oil pollution.
Since then, the Greenpeace icebreaker, which became the first ship to circumnavigate James Ross Island in Antarctica, has circumnavigated the world 55 times and crossed the roughest oceans. On May 12, it arrived in the temperate waters of Veracruz on a mission to discover unknown ecosystems at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, the sea basin that covers the coasts of Mexico, the United States and Cuba. A team of marine biologists is accompanying the activists on board the ship. Your mission is to find previously unknown reefs.
Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and species-rich ecosystems on earth and at the same time one of the most threatened. A quarter of all marine life depends on them for food and for protection through the accumulation of calcium carbonate skeletons that make up corals. “They also help mitigate the effects of storms, hurricanes and northerly winds on the coast,” explains Guillermo Jordán Garza, a Mexican coral expert who leads the fellow researcher at the Universidad Veracruzana (UV). responsible for searching for scientific evidence in uncharted depths of your country.
Veracruz Reef System National Park (Pnsav) dates back 10,000 years and covers 65,516 hectares of lagoons, beaches, shoals, islands and bays. It is considered unique in the Gulf of Mexico. It was declared a nature reserve by decree in 1992. “But the rest of the ecosystem that doesn’t cover the polygon remains excluded from protection,” qualifies the biologist, who received a call from Greenpeace a few months ago to become part of it there is more life in the depths of the seas of Veracruz, outside the extent covered by the Park, than has been previously documented. And that mining company TC Energy’s construction of the South Texas-Tuxpan Gas Pipeline could put them at risk.
A school of fish swims in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.Iván Castaneira
The Pipeline of Dispute
In 2019, the Canadian transnational launched the pipeline, which runs along the Mexico-United States coastal border from the border town of Brownsville, Texas to Tuxpan, Veracruz. The pipeline is about 800 kilometers long and has a transport capacity of 2,600 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Earlier this year, the mining company announced the expansion of the submarine infrastructure that will traverse the entire coast from Veracruz to Coatzacoalcos and Dos Bocas. The mega-project, named Gasoducto Puerta al Sureste, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2025, is the most anticipated project in the country’s energy sector.
“We’re talking about a billion-peso construction founded on the sea to avoid the problems it would cause on land. “The pipeline, which is as flexible as spaghetti, is being built bit by bit, with machines advancing about three kilometers a day, welding the pieces together and inserting the pipe in sections,” says Javier Martos, a biologist at the Universidad Veracruzana.
It is estimated that the project could bring thousands of direct and indirect jobs and economic development to the region, but also fatal impacts on nature. “Construction requires processes that can have devastating consequences for the environment and surrounding communities. Both in Mexico and in the United States, accidents have occurred in the extraction and transport of gas,” said Viridiana Lázaro, biologist and coordinator of the Greenpeace Mexico investigation. “And let’s not forget that gas is extremely polluting, as emissions during its life cycle can be even higher than burning coal. Its storage and transport generate greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change,” the activist qualifies.
Coral community mapping
The environmental group, a declared enemy of fossil fuels, fears the steel infrastructure will endanger a previously unknown ecosystem: that of Mesophotic coral. This type of reef community in tropical and subtropical regions consists of corals that live at depths between 30 and 150 meters where the light reaching them is reduced by up to 90%.
“We know very, very little about them, we don’t know what their extent is or what their exact function is,” says Jordán. According to him, these reefs are largely unknown to biologists because of the physical limitations of their exploration. “When diving, researchers are usually limited to 30 meters, for the most adventurous to 40 meters,” says his colleague Martos, a mesophotic coral specialist with more than four decades of experience diving the deep waters of the Veracruz coast. “At such a depth, where high decompression levels are reached, the time for scientific experiments is very limited. “If you don’t know the spatial distribution and ecology of these reefs, they are not considered an important part of biodiversity in Mexico,” laments the biologist.
Greenpeace staff during the expedition through the Gulf of Mexico. Ivan Castaneira
This Greenpeace expedition could change things. The NGO sails the seas of Veracruz equipped with breakthrough technology never seen before in Mexico. On board the Arctic Sunrise is an ROV, an unmanned submersible vehicle equipped with cameras and sensors and operated by remote control from the surface. This device, which allows visual mapping of the seabed, was used just a few weeks ago to map the Titanic and obtain a unique 3D visualization of the entire iconic ship.
“The big technological star of the expedition is undoubtedly Nemo,” announces Lázaro. At 2,500 kilos, it is the lightest submarine ever built. With a length of 2.80 meters and the appearance of a spaceship, it is capable of reaching a depth of 100 meters. Two experienced submersible pilots, who could maneuver the submersible with surgical precision, joined the expedition from Holland to accompany the scientists. The whole team is excited to see what the water drone will find.
Shipwrecks and an explosion of marine life
With an unlit cigar between his lips and his gaze fixed on the screen outlining colored graphics, Jordán analyzes the latest data from the side-scan scanner, the system that allows images of the seabed to be obtained. “Where the line breaks and there’s a drop, that could be an indication of a reef,” he explains.
This technique sends acoustic waves onto the seabed and signals them to bounce off when they hit an obstacle or bump, creating a mosaic of the seabed’s composition. By interpreting these images, scientists can pinpoint the best areas in which to find coral communities. “The scan shows us that there are hard bottoms throughout the Veracruz Sea, which are rocky structures that can harbor a lot of marine life. But finding the exact points of the reefs is like looking for a needle in a haystack,” says Martos, not taking his eyes off the computer.
When the biologists have finished plotting on the chart the coordinates they wish to explore, they inform the captain of the route to be followed: the Arctic Sunrise, which began its voyage from the port of Veracruz, will enter the waters nearby the Costa Esmeralda and the Costa Esmeralda pass through Tecolutla to Tamiahua in the north of the state. In this region, near the Lobos-Tuxpan flora and fauna reserve, through which the gas pipeline runs, various reefs have been found in recent years, but it is believed that there could be many more.
The ship sailed through the central Veracruz area of the Gulf of Mexico, where strange finds were found, such as areas of water layers with lower salinity on the seabed that could explain “the presence of a freshwater reservoir,” explains Jordán. On a previous expedition, his colleagues at Universidad Veracruzana observed the topographical complexity of reefs not even known to exist there. Structures surviving at depths of 50 meters and populated by a wide variety of life: macroalgae, sponges and many commercially important fish such as snapper, horse mackerel, barracuda, lobster, sierra and grouper. “Species that could support artisanal fisheries in coastal communities. We need to know more about the area to find out what function they have in these ecosystems,” explains Jordán.
Mesophytic reefs have been documented in various parts of the world. “They are considered an extension of the shallows, the shallower ones, because they share the distribution of some species, harbor and support economically important fish populations, and are breeding and protected areas for some threatened species.” However, the knowledge around them is full of unknowns,” he explains Specialist.
Arctic sunrise views during the expedition. Ivan Castaneira
The vertical connection between the shallowest reefs and those at great depths, such as those recorded by the Arctic Sunrise team, suggests that the latter may be a source of recruits for the former, an important element in ecosystem resilience. “We believe that the coral communities down there may be able to help correct the negative changes that those in the first layers of water are experiencing due to bleaching, overfishing, global warming and emerging diseases,” explains Jordán, one of the leading experts on corals Diseases.
The late 1970s saw a surge of new infections that devastated Caribbean corals. In less than 30 years, they decimated many species; some lost 95% of their population. “Although coral diseases have occurred all over the world, the Caribbean has been a hotspot for massive mortality,” says the biologist. For him, mesophytic corals could serve to restore the most degraded mesomeric reef populations.
During the first submarine dives, at a depth of 50 meters, the scientists also documented the area of Carcachas, an artificial reef created by the shipwreck of a ship at the beginning of the last century. Rusted car parts were found in his stomach like ghostly remains. “Hundreds of sunken ships lie off the coast of the state of Veracruz, some killed in battles, others buried in accidents at sea,” says Martos. Among the ruins of these ships – some dating back to the 16th century – are remains of the ships that brought the Spanish to the coast of Mexico five centuries ago, such as that of Hernán Cortés: a dozen ships buried since July 1519 on the seabed. “The secrets that this sea holds are manifold,” adds the biologist.
Stories behind environmental activism
On the fifth day of the expedition, a royal frigate casts its shadow on deck. Flying over the arctic sunrise, this bird is found on the Gulf Coast. On the horizon, blurred by the fog, you can see the Costa Esmeralda, one of the most touristy areas of Veracruz. Numerous cargo containers and huge Pemex platforms can also be seen along the sea line.
“It’s like an oil mine,” says Sergei Demydow, the ship’s captain, and looks into the distance. The Ukrainian, who started working on merchant ships at the age of 18, has been with Greenpeace for decades. This is the second time he has crossed these waters. The first was more than a decade ago, when the Arctic Sunrise was sent into the seas of Mexico to conduct an assessment of the damage caused by the worst oil industry disaster in history, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform in 2010. , the brutal accident that killed 11 workers and spilled 800 million liters of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
The environmental organization’s boat then greeted scientists looking for oil-smeared marine mammals, turtles, fish, seabirds… “It was a terrible ecological disaster,” recalls Demydov, originally from Mariupol. In this port city, one of the main theaters of the Russian invasion, its residents have faced contamination from steel mills in the past. “I grew up in a place where everything was polluted, the air, the water… We kids could see the garbage going straight into the sea,” says the captain. When war broke out, Demydov fled to Bulgaria with his family.
Sergey Demydov on board Arctic Sunrise.Iván Castaneira
Since joining Greenpeace, the Ukrainian has experienced many adventures with the NGO: storms in the wildest seas, gigantic waves that almost drowned the crew, or attacks by Kalashnikov-armed pirates off the Horn of Africa. And the worst: a war in Europe that destroyed his house. Demydov also captained the final mission of the Esperanza, another organization ship. He also boarded the first Rainbow Warrior, the flagship of environmental activism that breathed its last in 1985 when French intelligence sank it while en route to Mururoa to stop nuclear tests.
“Sailboats like these are much better prepared for long voyages and organizational work. The Arctic Sunrise, on the other hand, is an icebreaker, an all-terrain vehicle that can easily take you to places like Antarctica or the Arctic. Sailing on a sailboat is much more romantic what one dreams of when one decides to become a captain. But I have a special affection for this boat. He and I know each other very well…” he admits.
After reviewing the ROV images in a makeshift stern office, scientists have already found new points to explore from Nemo in the waters near Tecolutla, where two reefs were discovered a few years ago: the Tamiahua, which starts at 25 meters deep and corazones, between 18 and 28 meters, the most extensive deep reef known to date in the entire southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Both lack protection.
In the next booth, Greenpeace activists are preparing the key messages for the banners, which they will use to draw attention to the dangers of deep-sea mining. “The gas pipeline will run along the coast of Veracruz, crossing reef ecosystems that are home to various species of flora and fauna. But they are also important to the balance and livelihood of fishing communities. We cannot allow it,” Lázaro assures. In addition to coordinating the investigation, the activist is responsible for the organization’s biodiversity campaign in Mexico and for spreading anti-corporate messages that Greenpeace is trying to thwart.
Where one investigation ends, another begins
The wind is stronger than normal and the group struggles to maneuver the crane that will bring the submarine back to the ship on the final day of operations. Frédéric Aballéa, the boatswain in charge of the crew, directs the operation and is equipped with a helmet and non-slip gloves. He speaks to the captain over a walkie-talkie, giving orders to the others to complete the complicated mission.
It takes the hands and ingenuity of a brigade for scientists to do their job. This expedition consists of more than thirty professionals: the captain and his three officers, the chief engineer, four cabin boys with great navigational experience, engineers, an electrician, a cook and his assistant, and the rest of the Greenpeace team responsible for the campaign.
The submarine has to be moved with a crane. Once at sea, a Greenpeace boat brings the crew closer to get inside. While Nemo is held aloft by a rope at depths of almost 100 meters after completing his mission, Jordan excitedly climbs the ship’s ladder. I had never been so close to the most inhospitable sandy soil. About 15 kilometers off the coast of the Tecolutla River estuary, where the dives took place, he was able to photograph many species: squid, starfish and sea cucumbers, a large variety of sponges, soft and whip corals… “Also, a species of scleractine coral yellow, so hard coral. And lots of reef fish,” he says.
During its most recent dive, the submersible helped identify different coral communities at a depth of almost 80 meters. “We are talking about reefs that do not have a large extent. We must not think of them as lush, uninterrupted mantles along the seabed, but rather as small patches populated with life, far apart and very close to the area through which the pipeline passes,” explains Jordán.
The submarine Nemo is recovered from the sea with a crane.Iván Castaneira
The finding is the latest evidence Greenpeace was looking for to call for the freeze. “Urgent conservation measures are needed. It is important to take precautions and protect newly documented reefs from the threat posed by projects like the Puerta al Sureste gas pipeline, which could easily wipe out these ecosystems in a short period of time. “The pressures of work, climate change and the accidents that will happen because they are unavoidable are endangering ecosystems and life in the Gulf of Mexico,” Lázaro said emphatically.
Before the orange light of sunset fades, a pod of dolphins leaps past on either side of Arctic Sunrise’s bow. The expedition has documented coral ecosystems never seen or studied before and is urging the Mexican government to take action to protect them. They will then travel to another part of the world to focus on the next campaign.
“In the coming months we will devote ourselves to analyzing the photos and videos and consulting with other colleagues. The final results of the investigation will be presented in September this year,” says Jordán. According to the biologist, this is just the tip of the iceberg of everything there is to know about Mesophotic reefs. “Where one investigation ends, another always begins,” he says, before saying goodbye to the others and sneaking into his cabin to rest.
There is a festive atmosphere on the last night at sea before the ship returns to the port of Veracruz. Tiredness is also evident on the faces of the cabin boys; The crew was at sea for three months without setting foot on a jetty. When the engine is quiet, all you can hear in the dark is the sound of the waves. From the Tuxpan coast, a lighthouse shines in the distance. The lights of the night itself are added to the harbor lights. The night sky is clear, without a single cloud, and the stars are beginning to appear in it.
“Although I couldn’t live any other way, it’s not easy to arrange a specific life: alternating three months on land and three at sea, where we live apart from what the world is going through right now,” says boatswain Aballéa, who made it has spent more than ten years on Greenpeace vessels. After a few seconds of silence, gazing at the heavens, the sailor admits that it is here, in the middle of the ocean, that he feels most free. “And when you work for Greenpeace, you have unique opportunities and sometimes go where no one has been able to go before. Like discovering those reefs down there in the Gulf of Mexico. Be the first to spot them!”