It's been a couple of days since we have been back in the states, and while it feels amazing to be able to shower and use the bathroom in private as well as sleep in a bed with clean sheets and no mosquitos, the longer time goes on, the more I seem to miss my time at CEDO. Not only did I learn a lot about marine organisms and the way the tides work; the difference between spring and neap tides, the difference in organisms that inhabit the different substrates of the tides, and the incredible diversity of the Morua Estuary where the fresh water meets the sea water, but about the culture of Puerto Penasco itself. I developed a newfound respect for the community and the people that live there, where I had previously unappreciated it. Being at CEDO taught me that the people in the town really do care about the fishing village they inhabit and in protecting the diverse ecosystem that exist there. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience first hand everything that I did, and for all the friendships that I made along the way. This will be a trip that will never be forgotten and hard to be topped.

Trona Salt Mines

Boat we took Bird Island

Eco friendly home available for rent 

Thanks For The Memories!

Sunday was our day to say our farewells. We started the day early. Jumping in the vans at  6:45 a.m. we headed off to do surveying on Least Terns. Our job was to record the number of eggs we spotted. The number of eggs found would be an indicator of how that species was doing on that particuar shore.  Unfrontuanetly the number of birds has been declining and researchers are trying to figure out why. We split up and formed two lines 10 feet apart and surveyed the area around us as we walked from one side to the other. It was evident we were getting close to a nest when the birds started to dive bomb us, signaling us to retreat. We pushed through taking minimal breaks and staying in a uniform line as much as possible for time efficiency so that we wouldn’t stress the birds more than necessary. After a couple of hours of hard work, we headed back to CEDO.

Here we had our last dinner together. The people of CEDO made us a homemade traditional Mexican dinner that included quesadillas, enchiladas, sopes and salsa! We had our last get together around the campfire where we were told a scary story that left us, well at least me, terrified. The next morning we packed up and said our goodbyes to CEDO and the nice people who work there. Our host Alejandra was amazing and she will be missed. Until next time Alej!

Below are pictures of the sunrise on Sunday morning, a video of Glen getting dive bombed and our attempt at the last picture together as the sun set behind us. Hasta luego CEDO!

                           

Land Ho!

The most exciting part of my trip to Puerto Penasco was our visit to Isla de San Jorge. It took a 3-hour boat ride to get to the island, and it was an 8-hour boat trip overall. It was the first time I’ve been on a boat for that long! Luckily, I experienced no seasickness on the boat. In fact, I loved the feeling of being cradled by the waves and the sound of them crashing into one another. Looking out and seeing nothing but water, was a freeing and breathtaking experience. It’s crazy to think that I spend so much of my time surrounded by land that I forget our 71% of our planet is made up water and how much of it is out there! Every time we spotted a sea creature we would get so excited! The life that exists beyond our cozy homes is incredible, not to mention curious too.

When we got to the island we anchored our a boat with enough distance as to not disturb the protected wildlife on the island. Some people went scuba diving, some went snorkeling, others kayaked nearby and some of us enjoyed swimming in the blue waters. Everyone was greeted by the “pups of the sea”, otherwise known as sea lions. Alex and Glen made sure to make us aware of the precautions we needed to take when being in the sea lions' natural habitat. Something to be aware of is their body language and behavior, such as when they blow bubbles in your face- that means they are warning you that you're in their space. The second thing they will do is tap you with their tail. At this point, it’s probably best to give them some space. Lastly, well...let’s just say you don’t want to get the third warning. It won’t be very nice. These playful creatures loved interacting with humans but it’s important to be mindful of what’s going on around you.

On our way back Jess spotted a dolphin and the captain of the boat made a swift turn towards it, where it led us towards several more dolphins. I’ve attached a clip below. Enjoy!

What An Eventful Day

Thursday was one of my favorite days!  We started off the day surveying the rocky intertidal at Playa. We spotted 2 different types of starfish, the Brittle Star, and Sun Star. Unfortunately, I scared a poor brittle star enough to make it self-amputate one of its arms! According to Dr.Cheroske, the brittle star will “give up” one of its arms in hopes that it will suffice the appetite of the predator preying on it, that way the predator will take/eat its arm instead of eating the star itself. It did make me sad to think that I stressed the star enough to feel threatened. Interestingly enough, the arm that the star had given up continued moving, even after haven been detached. How crazy is that! I’ve attached a picture of myself holding a sun star.

Our next activity was attending an informative presentation at CEDO that covered marine mammals that inhabited the area,  including the Vaquita. The Vaquita is a whale endemic to Mexico. It has been overexploited near the coast and has been categorized as an endangered species. Researchers believe that less than 25 remains. Attempts were made to conserve the population but have ended with no results. In fact, CEDO had two vaquitas in captivity for reproduction purposes but later discovered that vaquitas cannot survive in captivity, much less reproduce. Both Vaquitas died, so attempts to conserve Vaquitas by means of captivity quickly came to a halt. This species of whales seems to be doomed.
We ended the day kayaking at the Morua Estuary. It was at this time that it hit me, how fortunate I was to be kayaking in a foreign country with people who are as passionate as I was about field experiences. I’ve attached a video below so that you can get a feel for how beautiful it was.

                      

Until next time!

Today marked the end of our trip and it is bittersweet. I'm happy to be home where sand doesn't get everywhere and where I can nap in a real bed but leaving Puerto Penasco was so sad. This trip has been amazing since the very first minute that I stepped foot at CEDO. I have learned so much about marine biology and even about myself. All the friends I have made on this trip will be missed and waking up with the sound of the waves in the background! Every single activity and trip we had was such a great experience, even when we went to help out on the long-term biological research on Least Terns, I know that I will probably never get over my fear of birds but I can power through it for research. If I didn't take this trip, i'm pretty sure I would have never experienced anything like this in my life. It has made me even more excited to continue to pursue a degree in marine biology!!

Packing Up and Saying Goodbye :((

(Wrote this last night)
Today is out last day here in Mexico :(( I'm currently waiting to eat dinner and out to pack up. We had out presentation today and took our exam that we all crammed for. I really enjoyed this trip!! We did so much more than I thought we would and saw new and exciting things everyday. Goodbye Mexico you were good to me :')

Also look at this painting that looks like Glen

 

First Tide Pool Encounter
 On Tuesday, our first full day of being in Mexico, we woke up early and studied the low tidal area near CEDO. What we found amazed me, I did not think so many animals lived within just one area of the ocean. I have never touched a sea hare, or seen small red shrimp up close. I have a picture of the little shrimp clinging to the rock we overturned.