Long Time, No Post

Well I'm sure you're all sitting at your computers anxiously awaiting my next adventure...or you're, you know, off living your own lives, which I guess is cool too.

My only response to any questions about why I haven't been posting/what I've been up to is simply this: FINALS! Yes, finals. Of a sort. Our curriculum for the semester (the classroom portion of it at least) is divided into two case studies, and last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we had our finals for Case Study I. In case you were wondering, these were three hour long tests that turned my brain to jelly. We spent the whole week leading up to them figuratively locked in our own little study caves, trying not to be distracted by the ocean outside. Which was difficult.

Seriously. You try studying with this outside. 

Also, snorkeling followed by an intense game of Blokus is the best de-stress after tests ever. Now we're on to Case Study II, which focuses on marine protected areas. Did you know that there are over 6,000 MPAs in the world? Just a fun fact for you guys.

Yesterday we found out, by lottery, our Directed Research projects that we will be working on for the last month of the semester. Out of 36 students, I was number...36. Yup, dead last. So I got my last choice, which was Permaculture. Needless to say, I was not excited about spending the last month of my marine science program growing tomatoes in a greenhouse. But we all had similar feelings, and now the project is focusing on the status of mangrove ecosystems and the associated water quality. So actual science that has to do with the actual ocean! Hooray! Plus we get to help with lionfish hunts, turtle catching, and eagle ray surveys. So some real marine biology will get in there somewhere.

This weekend I went gecko hunting with a couple other people, which I swear is more fun than it sounds. We went out so some of the hurricane-demolished houses by one of the beaches (accompanied by one of the dogs, of course) at around 9 pm, and started turning over rocks and looking under things with flashlights. Personally I did not find one, but I did help catch the ones we did find, and I was very helpful in holding the headlamp while our resident nature photography Ryan took the actual pictures.

They're very small. Notice the expert lighting.

Today we got all our information about getting Advanced Open Water certified for SCUBA, and we'll start our course after spring break. Which is coming up in about a week! And Papa Raker is coming down for the five nights that we have off on Provo, so if you are in the area watch for two very pale snorkelers. 

Also, cross your fingers for no wind in TCI on Thursday night so we can go on our first night dive! 

P.S: Photos by Ryan, not me. Obviously.