November 30
Today we flew in to San Diego. My day started out at 3:00 a.m. because my flight left at 6:40. I got to Dallas just fine, but had to stay in the weirdest unaccompanied minor's room. It was just a room with chairs and tables and a T.V. that had only about seven channels. Luckily, I didn't have to stay there long and before I knew it, I was on the plane to San Diego. Unfortunately, it was raining and all our flights were delayed. The weather here was crazy, it was just our luck. Our biking trip was canceled due to the rain.

Driving to the hotel we got in a fender-scraper, but luckily nothing happened. Everyone was fine and the van just got a little paint scraped off. Maria's friend, Tracy, said that it rains about four times a year in San Diego, and that as soon as it does people forget how to drive. We later found out that since it never rains, the oil stays on the road, so when it does rain, that oil washes out and makes it difficult to drive. Also, that oil washes away in the runoff, causing damage to the water.

We got to the hotel and after settling in we went to dinner at the Hard Rock Café. Then, we walked around the area and it started raining. It was then when we decided to get some dessert, so we ran through the rain until we got to Coldstone Creamery. They had delicious ice cream, but their sizes were huge. Even though we all got the smallest size available, none of us could finish it.

Finally, we got back to the hotel and settled in for the night. It felt nice to get out of our wet clothes and into a warm bed. It feels weird because I still haven't adjusted to the time.

December 1
We started our day eating our lavish continental breakfast by the pool. Then, we discussed for a bit what this mission is really about. Today was actually really windy and kind of cold, at least for me, so kayaking was out of the question. Also, we were told that after it rains, the runoff goes into the ocean and changes the whole water chemistry and bacteria tend to thrive so it can be pretty dangerous to go in the water after it rains. They said we had to wait 48 hours before going in.

So, instead of kayaking, we went biking. It was actually pretty great. I had an awesome time. Our tour guide, Curtis, showed us lots of interesting places. We went to see harbor seals on a beach and we learned that in the beginning it was a children's beach, but then became a place for seals to come in, and now the people want it to go back to being a place for the children. Curtis also showed us several surfing spots and we went inside a cove. He was a really great guide. I hadn't biked in years, so it was fun to get on a bike today. It was good exercise. We biked 12 miles and when the tour ended we were all starving. It really was an amazing experience.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, we went back to the hotel to freshen up and then met the filming crew. At 5pm we went to eat dinner and got to meet Dr. Enric Sala, who is amazing by the way. We got a chance to talk to him while we ate.

After finishing our dinner we went to the Scripps Institute, but the crew wasn't ready so we went and got some ice cream. We then returned and listened to Dr. Sala's presentation. We learned about pristine ecosystems and how to restore degraded areas. We also asked questions about how to reach a balance between humans and nature. I think his work is really interesting and I'm anxious to learn more.

The hardest part of the evening, and the funniest, would definitely have to be "room tone," which is what film crews record to have a sample of perfect silence. After Dr. Sala's presentation, the crew asked us to keep perfectly quiet and still for thirty seconds. I don't know why, but as soon as the thirty seconds started, I got this sudden urge to laugh. My lip started to quiver, and I knew that I couldn't look at anyone because I knew that as soon as my eyes met someone's glance I would burst out laughing. Luckily, I was able to last the whole time, but as soon as they told us we could talk, the first thing everyone did was laugh out loud.

December 2
Today we went to La Jolla Cove to do a transect. However, we first headed to Scripps where we saw Dr. Sala and he rode with us all the way to the cove. He is a hilarious person. On the way to the cove, one of our guides called asking where he was. Dr. Sala answered that his car had broken down and he was thirty minutes away. Of course, the filming crew was freaking out and they offered to come get him, but Dr. Sala just said: "Oh, I'm waiting for the tow truck. Here it is, I'll call you in five minutes." Then, he hung up. No one could believe he had done that, and when we got to the cove and met with the production crew they were still freaking out because they were trying to figure out what to do. After that, we got down to the tide pool and started the transect. It was a pretty sunny day, but it was windy, so it was pretty cold for me.

It took us a while to finish counting the species, but once we were done we headed straight to an Italian restaurant to eat lunch. Then, we got back to work and started analyzing the data. Dr. Sala showed us pictures of how the tide pool was several years ago, and it was amazing. The whole area was just filled with algae, mussels, and other organisms.

Finally, we were done with the filming part of the day and we went to get a hot cup of coffee, which was much needed by everyone because the wind was very cold and we were all freezing.

Then, we went back to the hotel, freshened up, and got together to test the probes. Once we made sure they worked we headed out to dinner.

Finally, we went back to the hotel to settle in for the night. It certainly has been an exhausting day, but an exciting one. It's amazing how many activities we can pack in just one day. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, because we were told we'd go to the see the seals once more. This has been an incredible trip.

December 3
Today we went down to the Children's Pool again to see the seals. This time we went down on the beach to see them up close. Dr. Sala was with us and they filmed us watching the seals.

Then we went to the southern cove to do some water quality tests using the laptop and the probes. We got wet up to our knees and the water was freezing. After that, we did the wrap-up with Dr. Sala and we gave him a card and a little gift. He was also kind enough to take a card we all signed to Dr. Earle, since he'll be seeing her on Wednesday.

Dr. Sala then had to leave so we all said our goodbyes before doing our interviews. We did them out on the beach, so we had to pause every time a plane passed over us. Once everyone was done with their interviews we went to lunch. After eating we said goodbye to all of the crew since they were leaving today.

Afterwards we went souvenir shopping, then headed back to the hotel to work on our scientific journal. By the time we were done we were all so tired and in desperate need of sugar, so we went to get dessert at the Hard Rock Café. Before getting our dessert we went to a store to get some stuff. I bought a bunch of candy for the plane ride tomorrow.

Finally we got back to the hotel. Now we have to pack and get everything because we have to be ready tomorrow at seven. It is sad to say goodbye because I really don't want to leave. I had an incredible time and I'm glad I got the chance to participate in this mission.