This is a picture of the group of undergrads that I was describing before. In this picture they are watching Alexa feed our big tropical tank. They all thought that the fish fighting over the chopped up food was hilarious.
This week was filled with many new experiences, a lot of programs visiting the REEF, and tons of time at the beach! We had at least two groups come in to the REEF every day. The type of group varied from young kids attending a summer science camp to several undergrads visiting the REEF for the first time. With every group we have, I learn a little bit more about the animals within the REEF, and I acquire new skills that have to do with interacting with people and teaching a group of kids/adults.
The group that stuck out the most to me this week was a group of undergrads from all over the state of California. They were studying a variety of different things, such as bio physics, psychology, or chemistry. They were all full of energy and so excited to learn about the animals that live right out their back door. It was wonderful to see a group of people so eager to learn, and it was somewhat entertaining. A lot of the group had never touched, let alone seen something like a sea hare or sea cucumber. Even though they have been in California for several years, they never got the opportunity to explore some of the animals in the ocean. So, it was a lot of fun watching them hold the animals and it was even more fun watching their expressions as we told them things like sea stars remove their stomachs from their bodies to eat, or that sea hares ink if they feel threatened. This group was a lot of fun and it was refreshing to be around people who are just as excited about learning about the ocean as I am!
This is Joe, Nora, Alexa, and me after kayaking. We spent 2 hours on the water, and it was definitely an unforgettable experience!
I also had the opportunity to go kayaking this week. Tuesday afternoon, three friends from the REEF and I rented two kayaks and took off right from Campus Point. We went out a little ways, and then just paddled parallel to the shore for quite a while. Then, we paddled out to a giant kelp forest. There, we saw a sea lion, several seals, and some dolphins in the distance. It was so cool to be up close to the kelp environment that I had spent several weeks reading and learning about!
This is my mom, Jesseca, and me on the wharf. We spent an hour on the wharf, eating tacos and watching the sunset. It was so wonderful to have them come out and visit me!
The last part of my week was extremely fun. My mom and my sister, Jesseca, drove out to come visit me. Saturday morning I showed them around the REEF, and then we went out to Campus Point and spent the rest of the day there. We then went to the main beach in Santa Barbara and walked on the wharf and ate some fish tacos. Sunday, we drove up to Avila Beach. We spent the day there basking in the sun and swimming (though the water was extremely cold). We then came back to Pismo, which was where they were staying, and watched the sunset. It was an amazing week filled with new people, new adventures, and time to share with my family what I have been doing for an entire month!
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