UCSD GELS Hawai'i 2017

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: 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...

Discussion and analysis of the day's activities Kayla has a moment to herself to reflect and enjoy the beautiful setting Getting ready for our day of data collection Students doing fish counts under the supervision of Jason, Cheyenne and Susan Sharing and learning about how special this place is Setting a transect line Quadrants and transects in the tidal pools with Monika "Mahalo bear" comes along for the day-keeping watch over the group!