FokaiAmphibiousDivision:PohnpeiSurfResortSpeaketh

Hello Friends.
Here is a short letter written by my self and the Director of the Conservation Society of Pohnpei.
We are looking for a person or company to help up install and maintain all the mooring buoys at Palikir Pass and other places in Pohnpei.
For the person or company who join us will not only be helping this great Pohnpei NGO but will also get a free trip for two to Pohnpei (accommodation at the Pohnpei Surf Club for a week and airfare from Cairns of Honolulu), not to mention a ton of good PR!
Attached are some pictures of the Pass and buoys, the CSP factsheet, CSP annual report and our proposal letter.
Please take a moment to read and forward it to a friend.
All your help will be highly appreciated by the people of Pohnpei.
Thank you, Allois

Dear Friend,

One of the first things I did after opening the Pohnpei Surf Club seven years ago was to join the Conservation Society of Pohnpei (CSP) as a member and donor. As I have lived near the coast and made my living from the ocean for most of my life, I truly value this natural environment and nothing is more logical to me than giving back to Pohnpei’s marine ecosystems. I have seen many places like Pohnpei come and go, when development rapidly approaches and dollar signs speak louder than conservation.

After I joined CSP, the staff and I discussed the condition of the mooring buoys at the passes where we surf. I learned that there had been a buoy program in the early 2000s; most passes into the inner lagoon and dive spots around Pohnpei had mooring buoys to prevent reef damage by boat anchors. But over the years most of them broke and were not replaced, leaving anchors as the only option for tourists and locals alike to secure their boats where they wanted to fish or dive. Since 2004, CSP and I have worked together to replace the buoys at the primary surf spots, making it safe for boaters and protecting the coral reef from anchors.

Over the years we have deterred all boats from anchoring on the reef at Palikir Pass; boaters instead tie their vessels to one of the six mooring buoys located there. As a result, Palikir reef is still one of the top dive sites in Pohnpei: a place where locals and tourists come to fish, swim, scuba dive, snorkel, and surf. We also maintain four mooring buoys on the northeast side of Pohnpei at Mwand Pass, a Marine Protected Area (MPA) with a varied and significant aggregation of aquatic life and coral.

Surfers have enjoyed all the good things Pohnpei has given us during the past seven years, from the perfect waves and the clear water, to the incredible marine life and the unique island culture. I believe it is time for us to give something back to Pohnpei, to help maintain its beauty and biodiversity for future generations.

CSP is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization that depends on grants and donations from people like you and me. We are looking for an individual, company, or organization to help us keep the mooring buoy project afloat at the places where we surf and—in the future—at other locations around the island.

Specifically we are requesting a donation of US $15,000 to help us maintain the mooring buoys at Palikir and Mwand Passes. This donation to CSP would cover the cost of the purchase, installation, and maintenance of ten mooring buoys at these two locations for one year. Also included in the sponsorship is a free trip to Pohnpei and a weeklong stay at the Pohnpei Surf Club for two (including airfare from Cairns or Hawaii, accommodation, and tours).

CSP and the Pohnpei Surf Club will issue repeated press releases to the global surf and environmental media to show our appreciation for your support. Additionally, we will feature the sponsorship and photos, like the attached image, on both of our websites, providing your business with great exposure, and creating a win-win situation for both you and CSP.

Attached is additional information about CSP, including current donors and a summary of the sponsorship proposal. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Thanks very much for your consideration.

Allois Malfitani Patterson Shed

Board of Directors, CSP Executive Director, CSP

www.pohnpeisurfclub.com
www.pohnpeisurfclub.com/captains_log/