Heron Island Research Station

Thursday night we left for Heron Island (anyone who has actually been there knows, it should be called Egret Island). All the students and I piled in a bus and drove and drove all through the night. The bus wasn't very comfy but eventually we made it to the ferry station. We had to wait a while for the boat to come pick us up, and I got very bored.

For a while I listened to Auntie Sonya play guitar! She and Uncle Josias are writing a new song about a tree!

After I had heard the tree song twenty times I went and read Eat, Pray, Love with Mama Lauren.

I didn't want to be left behind when it was time to get on the boat so I decided to stick with Justin

Its like being in a pouch!

This was us before the boat started moving...you don't want to see a picture of us after

The research station is very cool, they have a touch tank, and a shark deck!

It wasn't all snorkeling and fun though...sometimes we had to do work.

After working all week we got to dress up for Halloween! Which is my new favorite holiday. I dressed up as a GIANT wombat.

Look! A wombat pumpkin! Uncle Josias is very talented at carving pumpkins. 

Uncle Jordan dressed up as Ian!

Uncle Josais was a turtle's worst nightmare, look at all that trash!

Auntie Sonya and Mama Lauren dressed up as Gumnut babies! Lilly Pilly and Ragged Blossom

After dinner and a pinata, Auntie Sonya played guitar for everyone.

My favorite song was Beatrice the Bubble Snail!

 The whole week was great! The Secret Wombat Society was doing a project on crab cheliped bites (cheliped means pinchers! Did you know that? I didn't). We learned a lot about grazers in coral reefs.

I got to make some new friends at Heron, like the tutor Craig!

And my team's tutor Renee!

At the end of the trip Ian and I had a meeting, I was pretty nervous

But Ian told me I was doing great. A+ for sure

Now its time to study study study and write papers papers papers!

Off to Carnarvon

Carnarvon is in the OUTBACK, or as close to it you can get driving in one day, of Australia! John loves it because it is the land of the cycads. We drove for a whole day to get here and we get to stay for three days.

 Can you see me? Cycads are so big!

 I got to have a lot of fun with Uncle Josias and my friend Teresa. 

Look at me! I am a giant Diprododont

 Look at these stylish hats all the students in the program got!

 Friday morning we woke up at 4 am and hiked and hiked and hiked some more up this mountain to see the sunrise. Unfortunately we could not see the sunrise because it was foggy. But it was still pretty anyways.

 Me with my family! Aren't we cute...and sweaty?

 After a long day of walking taking a nice swim at the swimming hole is a good way to cool off.

I was a little horrified to find out that Hayley eats Diprododonts for breakfast!

The last night of Carnarvon we had a talent show! It was great. Auntie Sonya and Uncle Jordan were in charge of the whole thing. My favorite act was by Auntie Tina, Mama Lauren, Uncle Josias, Hayley, Teresa, and Christina.

MOOLOOLABA

Friday October 8
we rush to the train to go to the Sunshine Coast! Auntie Tina and Hayley almost didn't make it, but in the nick of time they jumped on the train and we were off.

The train ride was pretty long so for a while I took a nap with Uncle Jordan.

Eventually we made it to Mooloolaba. The first thing we did after checking into our hostel was buy tickets to go to Underwater World.

 There was an aquarium in a CAR!!! Fish swimming all around; on the seats and in the wheel.

 We got to touch all the animals in the touch tank!

 Do you see how blue those sea stars are?

 OMG Meglodons are HUGE!?! I hope I never see one with the rest of its body.

Saturday we woke up early and everyone left me to go kayaking in the harbour. It looks like they had a lot of fun.

My favorite part of the whole trip was when Hayley saved a tree frog named Trevor!

Too bad he didn't turn into a prince.

North Stradbroke Island

September 27th

I finally got to go on my first field trip: North Stradbroke Island!  I was super stoked to get to learn all about  the local marine biology in Moreton Bay.  I departed campus with the whole group of Californian students to catch a ferry.  The boat was huge and I got lost on board.  When we got to the island, we rushed straight to the research station and unloaded the bus, because the driver had 10 minutes to return to the ferry.  Talk about speeding.  We settled into the station, unpacked, and I took a nap while all of my friends and family went to their lectures.

When I woke up a few hours later, my friends and family had returned, but I must have been asleep for quite some time because they all got to go snorkeling.  I heard they saw lots of sponges, cool fish like Blennies and Toadfish, Mama Lauren claimed she saw a ray, and so did Auntie Tina.  I was so jealous, but they said I would get to go another day.

Later, everyone in the group split up into projects and that preoccupied most of their time on Straddie.  Mama Lauren was researching Toadfish habitat preference, Uncle Josias and Auntie Tina ran experiments on Stingray feeding pits.  I was lucky enough to help Mama Lauren snorkeling and looking for her specimens.

My snorkel gear :D

On board helping do research.

Unfortunately it was raining for the rest of the week we were there.  This made it tough to hang out in the sun on the beach.  The one day the rain lightened up, I decided to relax on the beach while everyone went to go sandboarding down the dunes on the island; I heard they had a blast and recommend it for everyone.  Back to rainy days... but fortunately for me, I got to spend heaps of time with my new friends and family and exchanging stories and playing games.  I also got to explore the really nifty research station and look at all the experiments and tanks of animals.  One thing I chose not to participate in but Mama Lauren and Uncle Josias loved was the turtle necropsies.  They cut open and explored the organs of a fellow animal.  Gross!!! but they found it very educational but also sad. :`(

Me in a raincoat hood.

Me with Uncle Josias looking at Barramundi in a tank.

Mama Lauren and friends with a dissected turtle.  How stinky!

The last day on Straddie we went to the other side of the island, Amity Point and Point Lookout.  I stayed in the bus while my friends and family went on the gorge walk around the point.  They reported that they spotted humpback whales, sea turtles, and possibly a dugong.  They explored the sandy shore below as well and saw some blue bottle jellyfish. YIKES!

Uncle Josias looking for turtles and dugongs to take pictures of.

Auntie Tina holding a ctenophore!

Blue Bottle Jellyfish :o

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Party In Brisbane

When I first got back home to Brisbane, the first thing I had to do was get used to the cats!! They are so big and at first I didn't think they liked me.

But eventually we became friends.

After I had settled into my new home Justin and Jordan invited me over for a fancy party at their house. We got all dressed up and headed over for a night of fun and a home cooked meal!

 I helped in the kitchen

I got to play pool

And I even made some business deals.

The night was a lot of fun, and I made new friends! Hayley, Teresa, Matt, Jordan, and Justin are so nice!