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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