After two long years of hard work with the Rotary Foundation, the government of the state of Sonora and the Secretary of the Navy of Mexico, the Rotary Club of Puebla Gente de Acción and the Rotary Club of Prescott came together in San Carlos, Sonora to sink the decommissioned Mexican Navy ship, the Suchiate.
Why would Rotary and the Mexican authorities sink a ship? The answer is to create an artificial reef and address the threat of the loss of biodiversity posed to the “lungs” of the ocean, which coral reef systems provide.
The Suchiate now lies next to the Santo, which was sunk two years ago. The global grant executed by the Rotary clubs of D5495 and D4185 extend this environmental sustainability project. And now, because of the partnerships created, the plan is to create an underwater museum for recreational divers to explore. Oceanographers and experts from the dive industry have contributed to the research, environmental impact assessment and design of the museum. In the short time since the Santo was laid to rest, numerous species of flora and fauna have taken up residence on site as it becomes a living coral reef.
And now, it has been announced that the Mexican Navy will donate 2 more ships, two helicopters and 4 artillery units to extend the reef and create the shape of an anchor. This project will provide tremendous economic impact for local tourism, environmental sustainability and opportunities for research in marine biology. It is also expected to serve as a model for similar projects in many different parts of the world.
The Suchiate was originally built in Minnesota in 1946 and served the US Navy mostly as a freighter on the Great Lakes. In 1996, it was sold to the Mexican Navy and served as an oceanographic research vessel through 2020 when it was decommissioned.
The $176,000 usd global grant approved by the Rotary Foundation included funding from over 30 Rotary clubs, primarily in D4185 and D5495, but also included contributions from clubs in places like Hawaii and Maryland. It also included an important contribution from the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) and many individual Rotarians, as well as non-Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Puebla Gente de Acción and the Rotary Club of Prescott were the primary sponsors.
District Governor Kevin Pitts, a member of The Rotary Club of Prescott, was on hand for the sinking ceremony.
