College grad

With the Belize course, I ended my time at BU. I officially graduated in January and received my fancy receipt:

(sorry for the shadow, I blame my brother Luke)

After that I decided to live in Boston with some of my friends. Most everyone else I knew was still in school and I realized I needed to start the next phase of my life. I probably spent too much time watching hockey and hanging out, but eventually I did begin job applications. After a couple months of writing my CV, statements of purpose, and annoying my professors for letters of recommendation I got pretty restless.  When March came and I still hadn't heard from anything I decided to do something about it and called up SEA. I let them know I was available to work/volunteer if they needed any help in upcoming trips. And just like that everything fell into place. The next week SEA told me they could use a deckhand on their next trip, I found out I got a scientific diving internship for that summer, and I found out I'd be starting a job at Woods Hole Oceanographic that fall. Like any normal person I went to celebrate this avalanche of good news- we hit up the downtown Boston for St. Patty's day, I saw Dropkick live the 18th, and the next day I flew to Honolulu, HI to start my time at sea.

              St. Patty's downtown                                                   Dropkick!

 

Icthyology II: Wee Wee Caye Marine Lab

Fall 2010. BUMP #2. Block 2.

This was our major field course for the fall of 2010. We spent two weeks in Wee Wee Caye, Belize snorkeling around the reefs and observing fish behavior. Our trip was a little colder than usual but we still had plenty of time to play around in the water. Class pic:

Here is the dock at the end of the marine lab. We spent many a sunny day warming up in between water time and watched bioluminescence at night while sipping on some of Belize's own Belkin.

The power of GPS

Here is home base. Four students lived in the cabins which were little more than a roof, a cot, and our bug tents (still more than I was expecting!) Regular sun-screen application sessions were held on our porches.

View from a hammock on the island.

Pam modeling one of our snorkel vests right off of the dock.

Squid :)

Jaimie taking some juvenile pics

and also holding a sea-star

Every few days we'd take boats to sites off the island, the back barrier reef was a class favorite

Another great one, Tunicate Cove, was famous for its purple tunicates

The french angelfish: beautiful but annoyingly elusive

 

juvenile phase

This picture was probably taken at 5am. Everyday we were up at dawn and dusk recording silverside data

Silverside migration under the pier

Mangrove forest and pathway to the outhouses

Here is a group of us that did BUMP twice. The year before we had sailed together for SEA, notice the boat behind us

It was a hard place to leave for sure, I'll miss being on island time!