Alternative Quartet

The Alternative Quartet is an electric string quartet based in Trinidad. As copywriter for their new website, www.alternativequartet.net, I was required to write in a classical style, evoking the talent and passion in the music of this extraordinarily talented group of young people. I think you’ll agree that the website, designed by Kaus Design Studio, looks great, and I wish the Alternative Quartet every success with their forthcoming debut album.

The Science Bit: Part 3 – The Biological Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill

The leak in an underground oil reserve in the Gulf of Mexico, which occurred after an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig leased by British Petroleum is, to make one hell of an understatement, an environmental catastrophe. With an estimated 25-40,000 barrels (4-6.4 million litres) of crude oil having leaked into the ocean every day, even though it has now apparently been capped, heartbreaking and sickening photographs and footage of oil-covered beaches and birds, dead turtles and dolphins are becoming more common. This month’s Science Bit investigates some of the oil spill’s devastating biological effects.

The leak in the Deepwater Horizon oil well

As marine organisms naturally die, they sink to the seabed. Under the extremely high pressure and temperature caused by the weight of the sea and more organic material falling on top, the organisms decompose over millions of years into thick, sludgy, carbon-rich crude oil that contains a plethora of different chemicals. It is the carbon-rich property of oil that makes it such a good energy source. By fractioning off and manipulating the different carbon-containing components of crude oil, we can yield petrol, diesel, kerosene and other energy-rich, yet non-renewable, fuels. Yet these fuels, and other components of oil including benzene, mercury and sulphurous compounds, are highly toxic to life.

Simply putting your hands into the oily sea around the Gulf Coast could cause your skin to itch, your eyes to water and your airways to constrict, as in an asthmatic episode. At least we have the advantage of being able to wash off the foul liquid – what about the birds and animals that live in the Gulf region?

Seabirds, such as the pelican pictured, rely on the perfect alignment of their feathers in order to prevent cold water or air penetrating through to the skin. If they become covered in oil however, the feathers matt together and are improperly aligned, which can cause birds to suffer from fatal hypothermia. In addition, the oil adds weight to the body and so renders the birds unable to fly or float on the water’s surface. What’s more, in an effort to preen the feathers and remove the oil, they can end up digesting it, which is hazardous to the internal organs. Sadly, although effective to an extent, washing birds with detergent has a very low success rate because by this time, the birds become so stressed that they die of fright.

Sea-dwelling animals also suffer. For seals, who have an insulating fur covering their bodies, oil has a similar effect to the clogging of bird’s feathers, leaving them unable to regulate their body temperature. The mangrove dwelling dugong, or manatee, already an endangered species because of the destruction of its habitat, suffers damage to the delicate, hair-like sensory cells in their mouths, causing them to starve through not being able to feed properly. Fish and shellfish ingest the poisonous oil, and in turn pass this through the food chain when eaten by larger predators.
Plugging the hole in the leaking oil line is a major step forward in recovering from this disaster, but the effects of the oil will be felt in the Gulf ecosystems for many years to come. Chemical dispersants used to break up the oil can be almost as toxic as the oil itself and the decline in fish, shellfish, marine plant and animal stocks will take a long time to recover, if they ever do.

Trinidad Fishing Charters

The next of my Kaus Media Group projects to go live is the website for Trinidad Fishing Charters. This small but fun-loving business provides day charters for deep sea or sport fishing enthusiasts – check out the photos in the gallery to see some of their amazing catches! Alternatively, for those wanting to take it easy, Caribbean style, the crew will take you on their beautiful vessel, the Ringleader, for a “liming” tour of the most beautiful beaches around the Trinidad & Tobago area.

The brief for this site was to keep the copy simple, to the point and to let some personality shine through – the crew of the Ringleader are all expert fishermen who know how to party as well as catch fish!