The deflowering of Rose Atoll

Trail, P.

A letter very romanticized; first trip was to assess and remove introduced rats from a relatively pristine Rose Atoll; second trip year and a half later to assess damage; in October 1992 a cruising yacht ran aground on the reef flat, hull remains still; in October 1993 a 350 ton Taiwanese fishing boat ran aground dead center of the western face of the atoll, the force drove the ship over the top of the reef flat and ripped a gash in the hull, ships toxic contents spilled out; a total of 100,000 gallons of fuel spilled out in the weeks after the wreak and was joined by 500 gallons of heavy lube oil and 2,500 pounds of toxic ammonia forming a slick on the sea and the front of the atoll and mixing in the surf; surprisingly little damage to land; marine damage assessment of 75% mortality of giant clams in the area, widespread bleaching of the coralline algae, infilling of the 3-D reef structure by sand produced by the wreak, infestation of blue-green algae that now covers 2 million sq. m. of reef, signs of eye injuries to sea turtles returning to nest a year after the wreak, the breaching of a humpback whale in the middle of the oil slick; two years later debris remains, sandbur was introduced and hasn't been eradicated fully, rat eradication appeared successful.

The deflowering of Rose Atoll

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