A big difference....

Is this fecal matter from the 60,000 tourists that are in the DR at any given time, or are the 7,000,000 Dominicans making a contribution too? Is your 12 year study a cause and effect type of study or are you simply looking for problems which may or may not be related to tourism?

A few years ago the Higuamo newspaper reported that a Dominican Government testing group came to a similar conclusion about fecal matter in Juan Dolio. The quote was: "Due to the resorts dumping their human waste matter just outside the reef, the tourists are swimming in their own feces." Tourist are alive and well, and still swimming in Juan Dolio the last time I looked.

Caribbian Traveler, your research on fecal matter in the waters of Boca Chica is very note worthy, I would like to say that I just recently came from the DR and the Boca Chica area, I would like to ask you if you took any sample of amount of semen in the water since its well known that Dominicans go to Boca Chica on Sundays to have sex in the water, I did verify Jim Hinsch,s observation of this peculiar mating ritual by the Dominicans. My question is , can a person catch some kind of desease from all that kind of pollution?

Here in the RD we use different measures. Tereas for land and so on. 1500 to 2000 coli farms per 100 ml is how many turds per cubic meter?

I never had any problems from swimming in Boca, but I guess I'll remember to keep my mouth closed and shower after getting out of water

I trust you won't mind if I use your comment at some time in the future, it was wonderful.

What the samples show are thus:

For every 100ml of water taken, the sample contains enough Coli Bacteria to grow from 1500-2000 cultures of bacteria in a medium.

This really is a enormous concentration indicating that raw sewage is being introduced at some point in the lagoon.

Our concentrations were highest near the center, I believe right where the public/private beaches meet.

Samples taken only 50 meters outside the inlet showed 200-300 per ml, so it would indicate a concentrated source being introduced into the fairly stagnant lagoon.

As for sperm, that is something we don't test for, but would be quite interesting and noteworthy if we could grow cultures of that particular animal in a Petri dish.

ECH

You being a MD, do you remember back to the days of Inorganic Chem or Bio? What do you infer from those remarks of the high levels of bacteria found in Boca Chica?

I trust your opinion

Tom

You aren't by chance on M/V River of Grass are you?

If so, I met you in 1988 in Antigua at (Brain cramp) the harbor Shirley Heights overlooks. Nelso Harbor perhaps.

Your boat is a 130' Oceanagraphic (Sp) survey ship/private yacht?

Tom

Tom, I tend believe the posts was deleted. It included the post of my challenge to Caribbeantraveler's post for coliform count figures for Boca Chica.

Let's hope this information is not buried in the sand. If the coliform count is verified as being high, in excess of 200 per 100 milliters of water, there is a serious health hazard needing prompt address.

Yet, have not heard of any serious illness outbreaks.

I have been to Boca Chica, enjoy the people, area, and waters. I will go back

Regards, PJT

I'm not an expert on this, and what follows is strictly unconfirmed hear-say, but I was told that a study was done, financed by the Ministry of Tourism some years back, that concluded it would be next to impossible to cause any long term pollutution problem in what appears to be a stagnant pool of water because the lagoon, which is surrounded about 300 degrees by a reef that protrudes above the water level, has 40-some separate underground freshwater springs running below it that continually feed and "clean" the lagoon, which accounts for the continously crystal clear waters there. This is the first I've ever heard of a water pollution problem in Boca Chica and the water sure looks clean.

For this reason, I'm suspicious of this pollution report. I'd like to know more about who did this study and where I can call to confirm it.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

Dear Mr. Jim Hinsch;

I think I can understand your "suspicion" from reading you’re other posts. You remind me of the Mayor at Amityville in "Jaws" who refused to believe scientists until bodies washed ashore.

Very few people read our reports, with the exception of a few ecologists, so I doubt it will affect your tourism any more than you yourself allow it to

I would suggest that if you own property in Boca Chica, or are a Town Official, you contract with an engineer and clear up this problem, it won't go away on it's own

As for contacting or verifying the information, we are a not for profit organization founded over 20 years ago by the Rachel Carson Foundation. Most of our fieldwork (As is being down now) is carried out by graduate students aboard a graciously donated private boat now outside the Boca Chica Harbor.

I would suggest that you contact Maria or Kelly at Caribbeantraveler@juno.com and ask if they are willing to impart any information. You could also try the ocean Sciences Department at Miami U (Florida) and see if they can be of help.

Good luck, and find that problem

We are currently operating out of Yarmouth Nova Scotia where I will be in the lab on Monday. If you wish to email me there, I will try and assist you

Marcie