Jawstralia

Blacktip Reef Sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus, are the most gorgeous of sharks in my opinion.  So it was a bit difficult for me to punch a hole in the crisp, sharp edged dorsal fin of a little female Blacktip so we could mark her with an ugly plastic tag.  But to put it in perspective, it probably felt like getting an ear pierced or less and it was for part of a pHD student's research, to examine the trophic level and interactions of sharks in Cleveland Bay off the coast of Townsville, QLD.  This research will, in the long run, hopefully be used in conservation efforts.

Being on a boat is the best cure for anything, not that I'm ailing from anything in Australia except maybe the heat, but there is nothing like the smell of the sea, the wind in your face and the mainland at your back.  The day was spent baiting, setting and hauling in long lines.  Anything that was caught, including eels, catfish, travoli and other fish, were accounted for and released.  But when we caught a shark we would pull it in, lasso it's tail and tie it off alongside our little research vessel.  We took measurements, tagged and released them.  In total we caught 6 Blacktips and 1 Hammerhead, Sphyrna mokarran.  Unfortunately the study is mostly focusing on Nervous Sharks, Carcharhinus cautus, and a few other species that we didn't catch that day, but if we had we would have taken blood samples in addition to the measurements in order to run stable isotope analysis.  Either way it was still an awesome experience and it is things like this that make me remember how fortunate I am to be in this awesome country and to be studying something so fascinating.

How Will We Feed the People?

Or, "Climate Change vs Overpopulation"

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) is a government operated organization designed to carry out projects set forth every four years by the Minister of Science.  Their ever-expanding facilities are equipped and designed to carry out any number of marine research projects.  Currently, their aquaculture facilities are working on the crayfish industry.  AIMS, in addition to many other groups and organizations are trying to answer the question, "how will we feed the people?"  Because as overpopulation gets worse and worse, we must start turning to new methods of food production and cultivation.  We need protein and other nutrients.  The sea is becoming an increasinly attractive source of this as we devastate our agricultural resources.  But of course we are devastating even the seemingly unlimited resources of the sea, which is where aquaculture comes in.  What happens when the climate warms is no longer the main interest to all marine science industries, because instead of solving that problem, we've managed to create another, possibly more pressing issue.  So let's hope we solve this one before we create another one...at least there is some hope in aquaculture, but it may be years before it reaches the capacity we need, until then, well hopefully we can manage.



Bucket List

It's time to post my bucket list for Australia.  The list itself is actually pretty short, I'm not sure why, I guess because just getting here was a major check on my life bucket list.  Regardless each thing has special meaning to me and at this point I have done everything on the list...so maybe a new list is in order, but here is how it stands at present:
~Dive the Great Barrier Reef                            X
~See a shark                                                      X
~Hold a koala                                                   X
~Keep up to date on Aussie and U.S. news      X
~Keep in touch with family and friends           X
~Try Vegemite                                                  X
~Keep blog updated                                        X  -at least for the most part
~Fall in love with something                          X  -with this amazing country

A Baby Story

Not your typical baby story, this is one of ten baby cobia, who are being raised as part of an aquaculture class at JCU.  They will be cared for and monitored carefully over six weeks during which time wate quality must be tested daily and the cobia must be fed four times daily. 
     Cobia are a typical aquaculture species, raised for their high-quality meat, the fate of these guys is as yet unknown to me, but I would like to think they will have a happier ending.  But for now I'm focusing on raising them to be big and healthy and ignoring what may lie ahead for them, because as they say, ignorance is bliss.

Tut-tut, It Looks Like Rain

"Christopher Robin! I think it would help with this deception if you would just kind of open your umbrella and say, 'Tut-tut, it looks like rain.'" said Winnie the Pooh.
And so Christopher Robin said, "Tut-tut, it looks like rain. Tut-tut, it looks like rain."

The path, yes there is a path there, to the marine sciences buildings.

The wet season is here!  It has been constantly raining for the past few days, the creeks have overflown and turned into raging rivers.  The grounds have become completely saturated and are speckled with puddles much deeper than they seem.  By the time we get to class we are drenched, no longer from sweat, but from the rain because no matter how prepared we are it seems we still get quite wet on the long walks to class and home.  It has at the very least, been encouraging to stay inside and do the work that has been lurking in the shadows during sunny days.  And at most it is a warm rain, perfect for playing in.  Cricket in the rain is a bit difficult to play but running through the crater-sized puddles makes it that much more fun and skimboarding is a great way to spend an hour breaking from studying.  And with at least two more weeks of this ahead, one must at least be grateful that we don't have to worry about a drought!

Skimboarding in the evening rain.

Adventure

An adventure is defined as an exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.

Decisions and Premonitions

It's not the best feeling, realizing you have no money when you're living on the other side of the world, especially with 3 months left and only $50.00 to your name.  In moments following these instances, many things become clear, priorities get rearranged and decisions must be made.  I have two completely empty bank accounts back home, an empty paypal account and an almost empty wallet.  I have three months before heading back home and, undoubtedly, starting a new job or going back to a part-time summer job and by the time that is over, I will be heading back to school taking on no less than two jobs alongside my studies.  In the past I have struggled to make my rent payments, lived for months at a time on pasta and basically resorted to being a shut-in to prevent myself from spending money.  But I'm in Australia now, and I don't care.  I'm going to the Whitsunday Islands, to Perth, to Brisbane, to a music festival, going diving, joining the gym and having fun, because no matter what, I will have bills waiting for me when I get home, and work, and class and my senior project.  So for now I'm going to enjoy the magic of Oz.