SANDWATCH PROJECT TEOTUE BEACH

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SANDWATCH PROJECT TEOTUE BEACH
KIA ORANA
NUKUTERE SANDWATCH TEAM 2007
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Aim (Social Science)

• To explain why particular places in the Cook
  Islands are significant for people (Beach and
  lagoon)
• To explain why and how environments in the Cook
  Islands are modified by people

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TEOTUE BEACH
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History of Teotue Beach

• According to sources interviewed Teotue Beach is
  a popular beach to go. This is because people can
  go swimming in the lagoon, go fishing especially
  spear fishing, octopus, collecting avake,
  kinakina, vana, rori and digging for some kai -
  delicacies in the Cook Islands
• Also in the 70s there were trees with vines that
  kids use to climb down to go fishing. There were
  sandy beaches around this area.
• 1992 The new road was opened due to traffic
  demand in the middle of Avarua town

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New plants
Rubbish
Boulders
FACTS
Hard to access
Drainage

• .

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Measurement TEOTUE BEACH
B
Point C Iron tree near the drainage
C
A
Point B Wild hibiscus tree in the middle of
Point A and C.
Point A Iron tree opposite the Ravis Restaurant
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BEACH MEASUREMENT
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Teotue
Measurement of high water mark (h.w.m)
Measurement for the width of the beach
Photo graphic of Teotue beach
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Type of Sand
Point A mineral Point B mixture of biogenic
and mineral sand Point C - mixture of sand
Point A Boulders, gravel Point B gravel,
sand, Point C - Mud, clay, sand
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Beach Composition
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Plants and Animals
Tou tree
Pine tree
Fish
Kai

Crabs asleep
Sea Urchins
Sea cucumber
Octopus
Sea Urchins
Wild hibiscus /coconut trees
Poue
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Human Activities
Great place for net fishing and for octopus
Great view of the ocean
Fishing - collecting vana, kinakina, avake,
ariri, rori
Digging for kai
Surfing over the reef
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Human Impact
Rubbish such as plastic bottles, cans and others
are also found on the beach.
algae
The algae is a result of fresh water being
polluted by man.
The drain built by man brought mud and soil and
inland debris into the lagoon hence the reason
for the change of colour to the sand and rocks on
the beach and in the lagoon.
Erosion
Because of the run off from the drain erosion on
the beach was found.
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Clean Up
Looking at this statistics of rubbish collected
from the beach a decrease in the number of
rubbish was found in the second round of the
clean up. This is good. We have predicted that
these rubbish is either from the households near
the stream or from people relaxing on the
boulders looking out at the beautiful view of the
ocean.
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Research Findings

• We found out that the beach and the lagoon is
  very important to us here in the Cook Islands. We
  have to look after it because tourists love to
  see and to relax on white sandy beaches. We have
  food like kai and atike (white crab) on our
  beach. Octopus, avake, vana, and others in our
  lagoon. We would love to go for a swim if the
  lagoon is nice without the big rocks in it.
• The beach was modified by people due to the
  great demand of road transport in town. The
  boulders were also put in place along this beach
  to protect homes, businesses and church.

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Recommendations

• Have a drum beside the road for the rubbish from
  people using the beach
• Government to reinforce the act about animals
  tide up beside the stream or about people dumping
  things in the stream which will pollute the
  lagoon.
• Government to ensure that infrastructure of
  sewage is monitored and kept from over flowing
  and going in the stream.
• Awareness programme be advertised through media
  on the benefits of a healthy Beach and Lagoon.