~ Today’s blog is brought to you by Hebaq, Maddy, and Estevan!

This morning, we groggily got ready and ate breakfast, before learning the knot of the day, which is useful on sailboats for attaching things. After that, we headed out to Friday Harbor Labs for another data collecting session! Those of us who already had data or couldn’t collect at FHL opted to help other people collect data instead. A few hours later, after spotting jellyfishes and surveying tide pools, we gathered at the windy observation deck, where another group was carefully looking out for whales. The whale watchers, Hebaq and Estevan, had finished their survey, and unfortunately saw nothing. However, as we gathered our stuff, ready to leave, we heard Tim excitedly point out an orca on the horizon!! We watched in awe as it came up a few times. It was an amazing way to end a tired morning.

Earwig Experiments

We came back to the dorms to eat a delicious lunch of leftovers and sandwiches. After filling our stomachs, we went up to the labs to continue our experimentation with the earwigs. The first experiment tested the environment that the earwigs would prefer to live in. One of the shelters was covered with sand and the other was left exposed to natural light. Our results drew inconclusive information, so we decided to alter the experiment further. We noticed that we hadn’t put two earwigs together in the same environment, our curiosity began to spin into new designs and ideas. 

Our second experiment consisted of male and female earwigs being put into one shelter environment. This was when earwigs began to draw their pincers. The female’s aggressive nature was seen as they quickly attacked the male earwigs. We watched in amazement for the next 10 minutes as we let the experiment run its course. Weirdly enough, we enjoyed the entertainment we were receiving by watching the earwigs fight. We observed not only how they used the shelter, but also how these organisms interact with each other. After 2 hours of running the experiments, altering, and repeating, we said goodbye to our earwig friends and changed activities. 

Project Time

After the change of pace, we settled down in the dining area to begin our independent work time. Tim, understanding the fatigue that some of us were dealing with, also let people take care of their bodies with short rest times. The evening began to quiet down and we transitioned into exploration time. Tom and the cooking team, Sonja, Colette, and Elliott, prepared a beautiful dish of alfredo pasta. We enjoyed it over conversations with today’s guest, Tom Mumford, an expert on algae and seaweeds of all kinds! He’s studies seaweed since 1965, and now teaches classes on marine algae at the University of Washington!

Our views and understanding of kelp definitely has grown over this evening. Dr. Mumford began the evening with his bold claim that kelp is the basis of the ecosystem in the Salish Sea. Kelp, a diverse group of brown seaweed, was one of the first things that we were introduced to when we began working in the intertidal zone. Their role as mitigators of ocean acidification is one that is often overlooked, despite the fact that they are essential to almost every organism that resides in the ocean. We are so thankful to have met with such an amazing and influential person tonight, and we’re sure to carry this knowledge with us into our future careers!

Hello everyone, it’s Elliott, Sonja, and Colette writing the blog here today. 

Though we were all tired, we still started our day off at the normal 7:00 wake up. After the usual breakfast of cereal, bagels, or toast, we all grouped up for our knot of the day.

Today we learned how to tie the heaving knot. It is apparently helpful to throw at people when you are on a boat so that they can pull you in and tie your boat to the dock. That is because they are supposed to be able to catch it easier when the knot is weighted. We all tried throwing the knots at each other, and it was overall successful (many ropes were caught), so I guess we are in no place to doubt its usefulness.

The foggy landscape at the tide pools at Friday Harbor Labs. Picture by Colette.

After finishing breakfast, we headed to FHL (Friday Harbor Labs) to collect data for our independent projects. The bay this morning was covered in a mystifying blanket of fog—something we haven’t had the chance to see often on this trip. 

While some of us couldn’t collect data quite yet, we helped our peers to collect theirs. The projects ranged from jellyfish sightings to barnacle disturbance responses. We spent three hours down by the docks and the shore sharing what we’ve found with each other. We spotted a few Harbor Seal sightings and Estevan, Hebaq, Sonja, Dustin, and Islay were fortunate enough to lay eyes on a Minke Whale, which is pretty cool. We had a very successful day at the lab today.

Following lunch, we made a quick departure to False Bay to meet with Dr. Iyengar, Professor of Biology at Villanova University and last night’s speaker, to assist in some maritime earwig collection. 

Dr. Iyengar greeted us at the roadside landing above the beach. His son was by his side. His son is supposedly the reason Vik is able to comfortably handle the creepy bugs. We could’ve stood to learn a few of his tips.

False Bay is a peculiar San Juan destination, one that you can smell from miles away. We have been to False Bay before; however, the smell was much worse today. 

This could’ve been because of high tide or our location in the bay, but whatever it was, it was strong. Unfortunately, as we worked, many of us were bothered with the False Bay side effect of nose plugging and headaches.

We spread out along the beach flipping over flat pieces of driftwood and shoveling out the earwigs by the plenty. Underneath the logs, the bugs were in unsettling abundance and plucking them out was fun and exhilarating, much like a game.

(Left to right:) Dustin, Elliott, and Kira handling a tub filled with earwigs… a very leggy sight Photo by Colette.

After the initial collection, we all formed a sort of ‘packaging assembly line.’ All the earwigs we captured would go from the large tub where they swarmed, to a vial filled partially with sand, to another tub full of the earwigs in their vials. I’d say our system was pretty efficient. Counting them all up, we had about seventy individuals.

Here are the earwigs in their new ‘packaging’. The vials are partially opened so that the earwigs can breathe (don’t worry, they should not open, we wouldn’t risk letting the earwigs free anywhere near the dorm). Photo taken by Sonja Larson.

Once we finally arrived back at our dorms, we headed up to the lab at Spring Street International School and brought out containers to do some entertaining behavioral experiments on the earwigs. 

After filling the plastic containers with sand, we put various shelters made of red-tinted plastic into the containers. We then placed female earwigs into the containers to observe their reactions to the new environment.

An earwig running around and investigating the scary environment of the Tupperware and its various contraptions. Photo by Colette.

Thereupon a couple of uneventful trials, we figured out new ways to tweak the experiment to make it more eventful and relevant for finding out anything other than the fact that the earwigs did not want to be in the containers. We covered some of the shelters in sand while others were uncovered, and brought the earwigs outside to where they would be exposed to more light. Exposing the earwigs to more light seemed to make them more eager to find shelter.

After finishing up our very interesting work with the earwigs, we were set free to our exploration time. A few of us returned to Friday Harbor Labs to work on their projects a bit more, while other people took time to relax or walk around town. 

Later, we all regrouped for a couple quick games of ‘ Heads Up!’ and a filling dinner of chili and rice. I really like chili so I think it was a very good meal (the dinner crew did very well). Since we didn’t have a speaker tonight, we were open to split up after dinner. Some of us played basketball, while others of us spent time relaxing or working on our projects.

After such a packed day, we can’t help but be a bit tired, and I know that none of us can forget the very overwhelming scent of False Bay. Even with all that, I think it’s clear that everyone is excited to keep on making progress with their independent projects. 

Today’s Blog: Kira, Andrea, and Abby

After spending last night celebrating the fourth of July, most of us were tired but eager to explore the intertidal zone at the Friday Harbor Laboratory. Although the weather was cool and breezy all of us headed straight into our separate tidepools where we would test for dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH levels, alkalinity and measure temperature with Connie Sullivan, a specialist in environmental toxicology, who works for Ross Strategic, an environmental consulting firm in Seattle. Our findings showed that different tidepools with different abiotic factors had distinct characteristics which was expected if the tidepools differed in exposure and shallowness. We left the labs feeling accomplished and having gathered so much data!

For lunch most of us had left over hot dogs from last night, while others of us had sandwiches along with some delicious lemonade. We enjoyed some potato chips and talked about our siblings. There were stories shared about siblings shoving beans up their nose, other siblings shoving polly pocket shoes up their nose and even hiding food in their diapers. It was very interesting to see how many of us have siblings who loved hiding things as kids!

After lunch we headed up to our lab to join a zoom call with Dr. Cindy Elliser. Dr Elliser is the founder of the non-profit Pacific Mammal Research or PacMam, which strives to research, understand and protect the mammals in the Salish Sea through outreach, research and education. She led us through an engaging presentation on how to identify all the pinnipeds, mysticetes and odontocetes. 

We have been insanely lucky during our time here and have gotten to see many of the marine mammals we learned about today. One of those mammals happens to be the harbor porpoise. The harbor porpoises are often overshadowed by the orcas, but are equally fascinating. We learned how hard the porpoises are to spot and research. Dr. Elliser showed us how these porpoises demonstrate different behaviors and how to identify whether a porpoise was socializing, hunting, or just traveling. Then we  received some data sheets that would allow us to survey these behaviors and contribute to this research!

After our time in the lab, we all collected at the table with Caroline to reflect on our eventful canoe trip. We had a great time discussing the highlights of our different trips, we also laughed about the less fun experiences like the wind and the racoons! 

Our afternoon was laid-back and relaxing. After we reflected on our trip, we all split into different directions; some went to town, others called family, and a few took naps. As of July 1st, we all have the run of the town! We were delighted to hear earlier in the week that many of Friday Harbor’s COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. Some of our favorite spots in town include the docks, King’s Market, and the Friday Harbor Ice Cream Company (of course). 

This evening, we all sat down for a delicious dinner of baked potatoes with Dr. Vik Iyengar, the #1 earwig enthusiast on San Juan Island. After dinner, we sat down in the common living room as Dr. Iyengar showed us a presentation on Sexual Selection and Sociality in earwigs. The presentation was very descriptive, and he had us in a trance! Our questions were endless and Tim eventually had to limit our inquiries.

Our day today was, yet again, fun & interesting. We’re all so happy to have a bit of freedom in the town, and all of the scientists we met today were so inspiring. Stay tuned for more adventures!!

Today’s (short!) update is brought to you by Sara and Miranda after (what felt like) a long day of hiking to the top of Young Hill, a part of English Camp, one of two National Historical Parks on San Juan Island, and waiting for the other half of the group to return from their canoe voyage. After spending the morning working on project development and turning in research proposals, we headed out to English Camp.

Upon arriving at English Camp, Science Director, Tim gave the students a brief history of English modifications to the area including houses, gardens, and introduced species. Making the trek along the North end of the island, we headed West afterwards up Young Hill. Read here to learn more about historical and current day Lummi experiences.

Students spotted Douglas Firs (which are actually pines), Madrona trees, and one bald eagle! 

In the evening, our second Kaigani Canoe voyage group joined us once again at the dorms where we gathered for a meal of leftovers!

Today’s blog was written by Naomi Scott, Elliott Jones, Estevan Torres, Islay Ross, Colette Bennett, and Abby Cooper.

Dry bags packed, bellies full of bagels, and water shoes strapped, we prepared for our canoe journey to Turn Island, a Washington Marine State Park part of the San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge with Kaigani Canoe Voyaging.

Introductions and Islands

Upon arrival, we were introduced to Matt Wickey, the founder of Kaigani Canoe Voyaging society, a company bringing traditional canoe sailing methods to the Salish Sea. We also met his team (Rob, Dani, and Jen), and the canoes we would be traveling in, Hoku’ula and Kaigani. 

Matt is the leader and founder of Kaigani Canoe Voyaging. He’s a wildlife biologist who’s spent a large portion of his life in Hawaii and has recently moved to the San Juans. His time in Hawaii immersing himself in Hawaiian culture is his inspiration for bringing traditional Hawaiian canoes to the islands here. He’s a strong believer in sharing indigenous cultures with people from all over, which he hopes to convey through these experiences.

Soon we were able to get in the canoes and on the water. Colette, pictured below, was chosen to ride on Hoku’ula’s trampoline! We learned to row in sync and listened to Matt’s Hawaiian chant to bless our trip.

Rowing across the San Juan Channel was just as exciting as it was challenging. We were all happy to see land by the time we hauled our canoes up onto the rocky beaches of Turn Island. Once we set up our tents for the evening we were given a few hours to explore the island.

Oysters and Onions

After a long day of paddling and hanging out in the sun, we were pretty hungry, so we set up our camp stove and started to chop up zucchinis, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and chicken to make a really delicious chicken and veggie marsala.

Eating dinner. Picture: Islay Ross

While some of us prepared food for the stove, others of us searched for oysters. We carefully and successfully shucked over eighteen fresh oysters from the rocks around our camp. Some were enjoyed raw directly after being opened while others were cooked in the leftover marsala pan. Those of us who wished to feast on the shellfish!

Sunsets and Sleeping outside

Once we were bundled up in pajamas and full of warm, sweet apple crisp, we watched the sky turn pink and orange.

Enjoying apples and the sunset. Pictures: Naomi Scott, Islay Ross, Estevan Torres

Headlamps lit and bellies full we went hiking a bit after dinner to go find a rock to climb. The night involved a lot of scaring each other, tripping over roots, and carrying sticks to fend off any raccoons we may have come across. After we made it back to the campsite we settled down either in our tents or on the beach to sleep. 

Morning Visitors

Waking up on the beach that morning was oh, so special. The sound of the water lapping against the rocky pebbled beach was soothing as each of us woke up to the sounds of nature—something not often experienced by those of us who live in the city.

Suddenly, to the north, we spotted orcas. There were two: probably the mother and calf transient whales that have been spotted recently in the area. We watched for about a half-hour as the pair surfaced and resurfaced not far off the coast between San Juan and Shaw Island. Sometime before they disappeared, going south and out of sight, the two whales appeared to be playing as they splashed around their flukes. Nobody will forget that truly incredible moment on this adventure.

After a quick lunch, Matt and Dani explained to us the wonders of medicinal plants. A few of us really took to this idea and started planning out imaginary gardens in our heads. We learned that with a familiarity with the land, you can easily and safely take care of most ailments. 

By this point in the afternoon, we were feeling the effects of the sun. Thankfully Matt and his team had brought all of the ingredients necessary to make organic, chemical-free sunscreen right on the beach. We melted beeswax, zinc oxide, cocoa butter, and comfrey essences together to protect us. 

After we were thoroughly covered in sunscreen, we boarded our canoes and got ready for the paddle back to Friday Harbor. When we got back to San Juan Island some of us swam with the canoes!

Arriving Home

We were told before we left that we weren’t allowed to tell the other group anything about what we had done because each trip is unique. They might not see things that we did, so we kept silent and talked about the few things we could, which wasn’t much.

We told the other group a few things about what we had done. They told us about what they had found and their day and a half without us. They told us about how they had gone on a scavenger hunt and how they went to the whale museum which we got to experience today. Unfortunately, we did not get to see the wild Salish Sea Platypuses the other group ran into while we were gone! 

We are looking forward to another night of bonding and brownies!

Hello everyone! Today’s blog comes from Ana, Andrea, Maddy, Sonja, Meg, Hebaq, Dustin, and Kira.

Today was a little different for everyone. We woke up at our normal time and Morgan told us that we were finally allowed to go into town! We celebrated this by going out and buying coffee from a local shop. Some of us even explored the grocery store. Afterwards, we had a sad goodbye with Group 1 who left for an overnight canoe trip with Kaigani Canoe Voyaging. We think they’ll have a great and safe trip with Matt Wickey (the boating guide) and his crew! The remainder of us had time to work on our independent projects until lunch. 

After lunch, we headed to the Friday Harbor Whale Museum where we received a very informational tour. We learned all about the different species of marine mammals and their importance to the San Juan area and to the Native American Coast Salish peoples. We then had the chance to look around at fun exhibits like the whale brain, whale calls, and beautiful stained glass of whale species. 

Later, Tim handed us packets with historical pictures of the Friday Harbor Town. He told us to find each building and attempt to replicate the picture we saw. We only had an hour and a half, so we split off into groups and started to explore! The scavenger hunt was really fun, and both groups stopped in different shops along the way…to look for historical sites of course. Ana’s team won!

After we found all the images, we headed back and made a delicious dinner for our smaller-than-average sized group. We chatted about finances over our meal, which was a little surprising but overall pretty interesting. We washed the dishes and then started to sing/ shriek karaoke in the living room. We plan to have a movie night and eat plenty of ice cream!!

We woke up excited and got quickly on the move. Today we had the amazing opportunity to observe a necropsy. The San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network (SJCMMSN), based at Friday Harbor’s Whale Museum, had found two harbor seal pups and would be working on them on the table this morning in collaboration with Dr. Joseph Gaydos, wildlife veterinarian and Chief Scientist for the SeaDoc Society, flagship program of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the world-famous UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. We received the signed book written by Dr. Gaydos and Audrey Benedict, The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest, as a welcome gift when we were accepted to the Salish Sea Sciences Marine Field & Lab Research program.

The summer months in the Salish Sea are also seal pupping season. Around this time, mother seals give birth to their babies who begin their journey in the ocean. Unfortunately, about half of the pups never make it to adulthood as harbor seals have reached their carrying capacity in the area. This results in more seal pup deaths which the SJCMMSN performs necropsies on.

The goal of the scientists in this setting is to try to determine the cause of death of these baby seals. Data they collect from the necropsies can be used to create effective policy to better protect marine mammals.

The cohort wasn’t sure what to expect upon arrival. Would the body smell? Would people get sick? Would it be super gross? Perched on the dock looking below, we all wondered. 

Before they cut open the first animal, we were invited down to the table to touch the dead seal pup—with gloves of course! Feeling an intelligent animal you’ve only seen from afar is a special experience that cannot be replaced.

Things did get pretty graphic, but the group handled it pretty well. We left the ideas of grossness behind and delved into exceptional science and anatomy questions. The whole experience was thrilling. 

They can’t be certain the exact cause of death from just the necrosy, but guesses were made. The next step in the process is to send the samples they collected down to a university in Florida for further examination.

Unfortunately, we can’t post photos from the necropsies, per the advice of the scientists. 

After our time at Friday Harbor Labs was up, we headed to Argyle Lagoon to study detrital composition . There we had a quick lunch and met up with marine ecologist Dr. Eliza Heery, the MarineGEO Hogan Postdoctoral Scholar for Salish Sea Research. Marine Global Earth Observatory (MarineGEO), directed by the Smithsonian’s Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network (TMON), is “a global network of partners focused on understanding how coastal marine ecosystems work—and how to keep them working.” Dr. Heery taught us about detrital decomposition and graciously let us help her set up devices to measure sediment microbiomes. 

The survey hopes to test the hypothesis that eutrophication reduces carbon storage and increases the rate of decomposition. This can vary the microbial biodiversity of a body of water, which are essential to ecosystems. The survey also serves to measure the link between climate change and water quality. To measure this, devices made up of rebar, pvc pipes, zip-ties and tea bags had to be inserted into the sediment, under about a meter of water. 

Excited to help out with these surveys that are taking place all around the world, our entire cohort waded into the  cold water without complaint. We buried the devices in the sand and are looking forward to seeing the results of the surveys. 

After we were thoroughly soaked, we jumped back into the van and headed back to the dorms. Once we hosed off our equipment and boots, we all settled down to learn about our upcoming canoe trip from Caroline. 

We will be splitting up into two groups in the coming days to either set off on a canoe voyage to Turn Island or to stay in Friday Harbor and work on our independent projects. All of group one (including the authors of this blog) are really excited to head out on our trip!

For a picnic dinner we took an adventure to the ridge of the Mount Grant Preserve, 250 acres diverse forest, woodlands, meadows and incredible view, where we had a great talk with Doug McCutchen about the work that he does with the San Juan County Land Bank. The Preserve is managed in collaboration between the Land Bank and the San Juan Preservation Trust. Doug talked to us about the process and work they put into conserving land in the islands. 

^{Wow! Us standing on Mount Grant! – Photo taken by Estevan Torres}

Brought to you by Meg, Hebaq, and Maddy!

Today has been full of adjustments and attempts to cope with the rising temperatures. For the majority of us, ninety degree weather is a whole new territory; a few others mock us weak PNW locals for being so sensitive to the heat (yes, we mean the California folk). The heat affected us all, especially at the start of the day when we discovered the difficulty of waking up in very warm and humid rooms. From there, we gobbled up our breakfasts and headed down to our next adventure: the Friday Harbor Labs! There, we observed the light trap Tim placed in the water just days before.

When we arrived, Sam Garson and Dr. Kirk Sato were there to guide us through the mechanics of F.H.L.O.O. (Friday Harbor Labs Ocean Observatory). F.H.L.O.O. is a brand new development for the island; it tracks pH, salinity, turbidity, carbon dioxide, oxygen, temperature, conductivity, and chlorophyll. Although these abiotic factors can be measured in other ways, the F.H.L.O.O. is special because it measures and records this data hourly (or half-hourly). Because F.H.L.O.O. is a digital, computational system, Kirk and Sam also taught us a bit about the roles of computers when working in Marine biology.

We found a break from the hot sun under the shade where we cleaned out saltwater researching tanks/sinks to prepare for our upcoming individual projects. We unclogged PVC pipes and learned the intricate saltwater system that allows for scientists to keep animals comfortable throughout their projects. As cool as it was, we will admit it was very dirty. We stuck a small metal rod up the pipe in an effort to release the pressure of the water. Although it was helpful, our help came at the expense of some of our clothes. After a while of scrubbing, we headed down to look at the shore. On our way down the rocks, we were thrilled to see a river otter on the beach!

Afternoon

We made our way over to the dorms to begin the second half of our day, expecting to begin a lesson at the labs. However, Tim let us know that the building was smoldering hot – far too hot to host a class. We transitioned the class over to the dining area, where we appreciated the newly discovered AC. Then, Tim presented us a few commonly used tools in the science arena. From Niskin Bottles to Secchi Disks, our understanding on what we have the ability to test while on our canoe expeditions expanded.

Driven by the curiosity of how pH and CO₂ measurements correlate, we also dug into the chemistry of the ocean (chemical oceanography), led by Tim. Some of us were finally able to see the struggle of Chemistry class pay off. We wrapped up the long, hot day with a picnic at South Beach; we packed paper bag meals and towels and headed down. Although the heat was nearly unbearable at times, we’re all glad we were able to get through it and are hopeful that the rest of the week will be much cooler. See you tomorrow!

Hey everyone! It’s Andrea, Islay, and Sonja again! Today was a very exciting day of munching, napping, ferry-ing, swimming, mutilating marshmallows, looking at plankton, and so much more! I hope you enjoy hearing about it!

We got some extra time to sleep in today, but nobody slept in except for Ana. The morning was very chill though it was super hot out. We all woke up, ate breakfast, and then watched Moana. Somebody probably did laundry, but I didn’t ask.

^{Look at this pretty view. It is so pretty and a view. Photo taken by Andrea.}

After getting ready in the morning, we got some time to work on our independent projects. A few of us went out on a boat to go to Lopez Island. At Lopez island, we surveyed for sea stars and looked around on the rocks. It was super interesting though we had to watch out not to get sunburnt!

Decked out in hats, shades, and sunscreen, we (the people not on the boat) took a trip to the ocean survey zone at Friday Harbor Labs. We collected samples of plankton with nets, containers, and other various lab materials.  After scooping them up with tiny spoons, we crouched over the dishes of plankton with our microscopes.  By the end of the observation and identification session, we were all beautifully adorned with dents from the rocky concrete. Nevertheless, it was worth it since we got to see various spots and dots that the adults promised were actually animals.  

Once everyone regrouped later in the afternoon, we all decided to head down to Jackson’s Beach. As we walked into the water, we were all shocked by the cold, and yet we all stayed inside for a solid ten minutes. Seth decided to swim to another island.  He was successful! Resting in the sun was a good way to warm up. We listened to music and looked at the passing dogs and people with cool tattoos. Some people got a good swim, while others, like me, watched and relaxed.

_{^{Say “apostichopus californicus!” Pictured are Madi, Abby, Islay, Colette and Ana.}}

Four hours at the beach was a lot, so we decided to head back to the dorms. We started to make hot dogs in the oven and ate them around the fire. Kira, being the special person she is, decided to roast her hotdog in the fire. Good for her. Craving something sweet, we all decided it was a great idea to make some s’mores.

It was such a great time for most of us except Sonja. She got smoke in her eyes. She’s ok now… I think.

^{Lighting everything on fire. Photo by Islay.}

Overall, the day was a blast! It was nice to get some time to relax after spending so much time being scientists this past week. We also really enjoyed working on our independent projects and bonding with each other. I really like smores. Go make some. Thanks for reading!

Written by Elliott Jones, Kira Bretsky and Dustin Hendrix Photos by Kira Bretsky and Elliott Jones

We began our day by learning yet another Knot of the Day: the Sheet Bend, which is a helpful knot for tying together two lines of different diameters.  We discovered Tim is not the Master of Knots we thought he was, as he first demonstrated the same knot we had learned yesterday and then was required to look up the Sheet Bend in order to teach us correctly.  After we had all semi-successfully figured out how to tie our latest knot, we received more advice on how to get through the increased temperatures approaching the region.  Hydrate! Drink water! Intake fluids! Gulp it! Slurp it! Sip it! Better yet, guzzle it!  Anyway, you get the idea.  

Then we went to the Lab located on campus to digitally input the lugworm data we had collected yesterday.  Tim explained the importance of quality assurance/quality control, especially in large data sets such as the one we had.  (Collectively, we had 600 values to input into a spreadsheet!)  We also learned a couple shortcuts for copying or inputting values with a pattern (for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, … all the way to 100).  

While the lugworm surveyors were inputting data, yesterday’s Sieve Team checked on their sediment. The night before, they had transferred sand of different densities from each of their respective Ziploc bags into aluminum trays. The aluminum trays were then placed into a dryer oven (to evaporate liquid from the sand), which was definitely smelling funny by this morning.

After we put in our data from yesterday, we went to San Juan County Park to collect data on what was near the shore in certain sections. We split into 5 groups of three to check the shore about every meter to see what occupied the area of about half-a-meter. We mostly found different types of seaweed and barnacles. It was quite slippery, and you should definitely ask Maddy and Kira about their pants. Tim showed us an Apostichopus californicus (which is just a fancy scientist term for Sea Cucumber), as well as a Chiton, and we passed them around in a bucket before returning our new friends to their homes.

As time moves on, we’re thinking more and more about our projects. Some of us are researching Nudibranchs, while others have taken an interest in Zooplankton photography and Jellyfish in general.

Our afternoon was hot and smelly. The bad kind of hot, and the good kind of smelly. Now before you think we’re weird (we’re not, just keep reading) we’re talking about the smell of lavender. After we stopped back at the dorms to change into something nicer and grab our small bags and some cash, we headed to a local lavender field that was nearby. Most of us took pictures of each other and of ourselves. The lavender fields smelled amazing and it was really beautiful. We also got to try some lavender ice cream, which they had many flavors. There was lavender lemon sorbet, lavender vanilla, lavender chocolate chip and lavender chocolate. Basically they had a lot of lavender which makes sense since it was a lavender field. Overall, it was a great day even though it was very hot but we’ve been finding ways to beat the heat and just finding fun ways to enjoy the sun. 

Remember, HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE!!!