Old News

Dave and I went to San Fran to hang with Brian.. It was awesome, we had lots of fun camping in the bay area, going to Yosemite, sailing, and doing the Bay to Breakers. I'm lazy though and haven't felt like stealing pics from Dave's blog to put up here. What's the point when you can just look at his blog?

Coconut Island

I got a new job about a month ago and Dave has been complaining that I haven't updated my life on the blog.

I now work at Coconut Island for HIMB (Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology) for the same lab as Erin, working on research and mapping of Pacific coral reefs. Now, I'm not doing any of the mapping... so don't assume that.

Right now I'm helping out with some data processing, web site stuff, and a little bit with an experiment on how global warming will effect the acidity of ocean water and how that will effect the ability of a specific coral species babies ability to attach to something and start to grow. The experiment will be getting set up next month, but I helped with the pilot experiment last week - pretty fun!



So If you haven't figured it out, here are some pics from Google Earth of coconut island. I tried to mess with the pics a pit and show where i sit on the island, but I can't seem to figure out how to do some simple things with Gimp yet. Anyway. There it is. I sit out on the point in the lower right corner (NOT the lower middle point) if you're looking at the top picture. The lower pic is a zoom out so you can see where the island is in relation to Kaneohe (East side of the island).

I'll try and remember to bring out a camera and get some shots of what it looks like on the ground...

Dave Forgot

to post this lovely piece of work....

I can't imagine why, since it certainly deserves the attention - so I'm being a big stealer and taking it! Awesome. Nothing like a big sandy ball sack.

If only they had such things at say... Kailua Beach, I might not bitch so much about going there!

Camping!

Angelica and I have changed the face of camping. She and I got up to Kualoa just seconds before Sean to set up camp while David worked, Sean defended his phd thesis, and everyone else did whatever else they do. It went better than any other camping trip we've ever had. Clearly Angelica and I are geniuses (mostly her)!

We raised Dave's structure in no time, secured it with the weights and lines to the lauhala tree, waterproofed it in the rain, wind-proofed it in super high winds, and put up both tents securely. AND we did this all without needed to waste any of the line we used by cutting it to take it down!

We also remembered the hammock for the first time. It totally made the weekend as much, if not more than Erin and Aren bringing the fire bowl. I got to roast perfect marshmallows (my brand of perfect, of course) until everyone was smored out! All in all it was the loveliest camping trip I've ever had. Unfortunately, I was too lazy to get the camera out so I have no pictures. Hopefully I'll get some from DnA, Erin, and whomever else (I'm using old stock photography from 2005 - what a cheater, huh?)!

Angelica, Alisha, and I swam out to Chinaman's Hat. Alisha mostly walked there cause tide was so low. A and I snorked, barely making it over some of the rocks! We took the long way out in order to avoid some of the more shallow rocks, and of course we were distracted by pretty coral and cute little fishies (just cause they're gross when they're dead doesn't mean I can't appreciate them when they're alive, ok). By the time we got to the island I was purple with cold. Not too much fun. BUT I warmed up enough to beeline back with A. We made it in no time and even saw a puffer fish along the way.

I'm ready to go again when Dave and I get back from Cali!!