When in New Plymouth, don't miss the Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center, where the public is welcome Monday through Saturday to learn about coral reefs and the history of this classic restored 1840's Bahamian two-story house. The center is operated by volunteer docents and managed by Reef Relief, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting coral reefs. During the past year, the team of docents who give tours of the facility have included Abaco residents Sally Anstey, Jackie Patrick, Martha Johnson and boaters Phyllis and Larry Livesey, Roger Bunker, and Lana and Buddy Williams. Local resident Mandy Roberts created a beautiful sign for the entrance and many others have helped establish the popular facility. Pat Green donated an air conditioner and computer and Coralwave provides wireless internet services.

During the summer months, volunteers from the states donate their time to be docents for weeks at a time, and are lodged in the original kitchen to the rear of the main house. Donnie and Heidi Golightly, Geoff Schrader, and Suzanne Van Port each scheduled several weeks as docents.

The Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center features displays on the house before and after restoration, information about the Roberts family, a video classroom with displays on coral reefs, mangroves and seagreasses, and a children痴 activity room with the exhibits from the recent Science Fair held in cooperation with Amy Roberts School. It was organized by 6th grade teacher Maria Schreck and the exhibits cover topics such as recycling, ocean currents, conch, sea stars, and shells. See photos of the science fair in this section. Upstairs is a marine library with displays on the Reef Mooring Buoy Program, the Coral Nursery at Noname Cay, coral polyps, and tips for diving, boating and fishing.

Reef Relief has installed and maintains a system of 18 buoys at popular local reefs that eliminate the need to drop anchor on the fragile coral. In early June, Carter Sarrett, a high school student in Alpharetta, Georgia, interned with Reef Relief founder Craig Quirolo. They inspected and replaced all missing mooring buoys so that they would be available for summer boaters. Unfortunately, a few days later, five of the buoys were intentionally cut and are not available for use. It is against the law to molest the buoys, which are the property of the New Plymouth Town Council and maintained by Reef Relief as a public service with the support of the Green Turtle Cay Foundation, West Marine Products, and Abaco Yacht Services.

Long time Reef Relief supporter and advisory board member Clyde Hensley recently visited Green Turtle Cay with his family and worked with Craig Quirolo video-documenting the coral reefs. Katie Olds, a second year student at Florida Atlantic University, is currently assisting Quirolo in the Abaco survey of elkhorn coral reefs. The survey is designed to determine the extent of this coral, which has recently been listed for inclusion on the Endangered Species List. Elkhorn grows only in the Caribbean and thrives in the shallow surge zone of the reef. Elkhorn populations in the Florida Keys have been decimated by a disease called white pox, associated with a common bacteria found in sewage. The study will determine if any Abaco corals are being infected with this or any other diseases.

Volunteers are always welcome. To get involved, visit the Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center, Parliament Street, New Plymouth, Abaco, Bahamas, or email reef@bellsouth.net.