This is my 4th week here in Santa Barbara and I’ve really been enjoying it! Although this week was very similar to the last I have been making the most of it, especially because of the sunny weather we’ve been having these last couple of weeks. Justine, another pinteren, finally worked with me for the first time since she has been here, and together we help around the aquarium.
My week started on a low note because when we first opened the doors we saw one dead baby shark and another that was dying. After a day of frantic ideas we moved 12 of the remaining 18 (after sadly euthanizing the dying shark) sharks into a different tank to see if overcrowding was the cause of the illness.
The following day we brought the shark vet from the campus and he diagnosed the tank with too high of a dissolved oxygen count. Because in order to lower the oxygen levels we would have had to replumb the whole aquarium we just put a rock over the inflow to try and limit the amount of bubbles that stay at the surface of the water.
The rest of the week we worked on husbandry and keeping the aquarium up to Scott’s standards. Carding and diapering the tanks is our main job along with food prep. For food prep we cut up some muscles and sardines. I would start work at 9 and we would have one or two hour programs per day but other than those I was working in the aquarium.
During my lunch break I would head to the beaches which oddly enough have natural tar seeps. 
Every time I’ve visited the beach I leave with large black spots caused by the tar.
Other than the beach I have been spending lots of time in the recreational center where I’ve been getting ready for the upcoming soccer season.
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