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UCSD GELS Hawai'i 2017

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Day 6- Science Presentations and Hapuna Beach

Day 6: Maddie Wallace Today was a good day at the UCSD GELS Hawai'i program. After breakfast in the HPA dining hall, we returned to the house and worked on our research group projects. Each of the four groups had a different topic to discuss. My group was assigned “The Anthropogenic Impact on Coral Reefs” and we presented how humans impact coral reefs and the ecosystem surrounding them. After finishing our poster we headed for Hāpuna beach, a beautiful white sand beach, with light blue-green water surrounding it. My favorite activity of the day was going to the beach. My best friend from Los Angeles happened to be vacationing a short walk away from Hapuna beach, and so I got to see him. This was probably the highlight of the day for me because I rarely see him because he lives six hours away. He has helped me through some of my hardest times and is one of the people I trust most in my life. Being able to see him and have fun with him at a gorgeous beach reminded me...

Day 4- Kaumana Caves

Day 4: Courtney Rodriguez On day four our group went to the Kaumana lava tubes in Hilo. The lava tubes are caves many miles long carved out by the Mauna Loa lava flow of 1881. The caves range from very tall heights to heights of only a few feet. I was very nervous to walk through these lava tubes because I am scared of caves, tight spaces, and darkness. What terrified me the most was when we were told to turn off all of our flashlights and be quiet for a few minutes to experience the natural darkness and silence of the cave. I could not contain my fears during those few minutes and it was difficult for me to sit still during that short time. However, after experiencing that time of darkness and silence, I felt more calm and at peace, and I realized I had nothing to be afraid of. The more I looked past my fears and focused on the beauty of nature, the more fun I had and the more amazed I was by the caves. I am very glad that I was able to face my fears for this very s...

Day 5- Coral Reef Studies at Puako

Day 5: Maverick Chin After arriving in the rock beach of Waimea, I proceeded through 2 stations, one of which was mapping intertidal life while the other involved measuring the salinity, pH, and oxygen content of the water. However, the station that really stood out to me was the third and final one I partook in: the snorkeling and fish counting station. Although I've snorkeled before, both during this trip and on family vacations, this experience was unique because I got to see a much wider variety of ocean wildlife than I'd ever dreamed of experiencing. After making my way down the rocky shore, I eagerly donned my snorkeling gear while listening to a safety lecture from James, the instructor of the station. As I stepped into the ocean, I felt the cool water lapping at my feet. Glancing around, I became entranced by the shapes of the rocks and coral that were refracted by rays of sunlight. As Cheyenne led the way into the water, I submerged my head and follo...