Most grandmas I know spend their retired years spending time on their hobbies here and there and then otherwise really live for their families. These grandmothers in New Caledonia, however, are mainting a brand new hobby almost as if it were a job!
These ladies go diving to research venomous sea snakes!
They take pictures and videos underwater of the snakes they find and give them to researchers at the University of Caledonia. The “Fantastic Grandmas” have been diving together in Lemon Bay since 2017, and are lead by Monique Mazière.
They start a day of diving early, around 7:45am, and swim two and a half kilometres searching for and analysing snakes! Talk about staying fit!
That’s Mazière in the redish orange there. She retired ten years ago at the age of sixty!
The other Fantastic Grandmas are (from left to right) Sylvie Hébert, Cathy Le Bouteiller, Geneviève Briançon, Monique Zannier and Marilyn Sarocchi! The seventh Fantastic Grandma is Claire Goiran, whom the ladies collect the data for.
These venomous sea snakes would cause most people to jolt and run, but these brave women are more than happy to swim along them and observe!
They admit that they were all scared at first, but after being trained by Goiran on how to handle themselves around the snakes the heebie jeebies have since disappeared and they are excited to dive and see something new and amazing!
“Every morning, we wake up and think, “what are we going to see today?” -Monique Mazière
“[I am] very happy to help and participate in scientific research” -Monique Mazière
These grandmothers are the only volunteers collecting research data on behalf of the university! It’s pretty amazing that they’re doing this just out of the goodness of their hearts! I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that it gives them purpose and a reason to exercise as well.
Part of the method of interacting with these snakes is that if they approcah you, you do not move, you just stay still and let them pass. Counterintuitive to some, and no doubt nerve-racking as well!
The snakes aren’t check you out to attack, they’re just curious animals.
So far, they’ve discovered 262 different sea snakes, a number that astounds researchers who initially assumed there would be around three to ten different species in Lemon Bay.
Claire Goiran was asked why she specifically works with grandmothers, to which Mazière had the perfect response:
“And why not grandmothers? We could think grandmothers are only good for making jam or knitting. But not us, this is our sport.”
Goiran pointed out she’s the only one at the University of Caledonia that’s working with volunteers, especially with big, venomous and dangerous animals!
And these grandmothers have discovered things we didn’t even know existed.
“We know that [the sea snakes’] role in making the ecosystem function properly is important.” -Claire Goiran
Some seriously impressive work from a demographic that is otherwise underestimated! These women are proving that age has nothing to do with competency and that they are still able to significantly contribute to society regardless of their age.
“To be able to help people, it’s all fantastic!” -Monique Mazière
Just looking at these grandmothers, you can see how happy this work is making them, not to mention the benefits of staying close with your peers and community!
Check out the video below for a more in depth look at how the group of Fantastic Grandmas dive and capture important images in bettering our understanding of the planet!
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