Thursday, November 30
I have been awake almost 24 hours. It has been quite a day; the first day of the San Diego Mission. We all made it but with stories to tell. My day started at about 2 am. I was too excited and nervous to sleep. My husband had to drive me to the airport for a 6am flight so that meant getting my 5- and 3-year-old daughters out of bed bright and early. They were okay with me leaving. They gave me hugs and said, "Have fun Mommy...and bring us back presents!" This is my third JASON trip so they understood that I would be coming back!
The flights were all delayed due to rain and fog. As we walked out of the airport we were enveloped in a dreary mist. It was even chilly! Now, a very close friend had told me that San Diego is sunny and 70 every day! I wondered what was going on.
The ride to the hotel was eventful. It was hard to navigate due to traffic, rain, and the fact that it was already getting dark. To make matters worse, we found out that since it only rains like this a few times a year here, people don't know how to drive in it! Unfortunately, a woman behind us didn't know how to slow down and she rear-ended us. Just what we needed after a long day in the airport! Anyway, it ended up only being a scratch and we were back on our way. It was nice to talk and catch up on all the funny stories from our previous missions. There was a lot of laughing involved.
I am so thrilled to be included in this Mission. It feels like an added bonus! But now, since we weren't meant to stay awake this long, I am going to sleep a deep sleep and hope that I wake up to sun streaming through my window in the morning!
Friday, December 1
Today was amazing! We started out with a "lavish continental breakfast" at the hotel. We had to fuel up for the 12-mile bike ride through La Jolla. The guys from the bike shop drove us up to the top of Mount Soledad where we started the ride. The views were amazing! We could see north almost to Los Angeles and south to Mexico. The ocean was beautiful and the waves were strong. It was easy to see that a storm had just come through. The weather definitely had an impact on our trip. Because of all the run-off into the ocean and coves, we weren't able to snorkel. People have to wait at least 48 hours after a strong rain to go in the water due to all the chemicals and bacteria that flow into it. Normally, we would have seen lots of surfers in the water enjoying the waves. Today however, the few that risked the water couldn't even get out to the waves to attempt to surf!
Curtis, "the bike guy" took us through so many different areas. It was so hard to believe that all those multi-million dollar houses were built on what is basically compressed sand! It was easy to see the erosion wearing away the land. It seems so risky to live on those hills. In some areas there were risks of mudslides due to all the rain. Add to that the fact that there have been forest fires to destroy any vegetation holding the soil and it is a recipe for disaster! We also went along the boardwalk and got a close-up look at the beaches and coves.
We saw the harbor seals in the area that used to be a children's beach. There is a huge controversy here over whether or not the beach should be restored to the children's beach. We were also able to see some of the original surfing beaches. Surfing is a huge part of La Jolla and San Diego history. At one point we walked down 145 steps into an underground sea cave that was used for smuggling alcohol during Prohibition! The whole adventure really gave me a great look at the ecology and history of the area.
Tonight we got to meet Host Researcher, Enric Sala. I liked him immediately. He is such a proponent of the environment and is working so hard to come up with solutions to all the problems humans have created in marine ecosystems. He does what he feels is right and makes things happen. We had fun in the taping tonight but it's always risky trying to get some good filming when we are tired! Allison couldn't stop laughing, Chirag was making water bottles noises and being quiet was not an easy task. Although we won't be able to snorkel, it will be great to actually get out in the cove and explore the ecosystem we have been talking about.
Sunday, December 2
We had an amazing day again today. We really got a taste of Enric Sala's personality. We met him at Scripps and he decided to ride with us to La Jolla Cove where we would be doing some filming of the transect data collection. On the way, Enric received a call on his cell from the film crew. Instead of telling them that he was with us and on his way, he decided to play a prank. He told them that he was 30 minutes away and that his car had broken down. He really played it up and had them in a panic. We were all trying our best not to laugh out loud and ruin it. We expected him to tell them the truth before hanging up but instead he said that the tow truck had arrived and that he had to go! We were hysterical! By the time we got to the Cove and found the crew, they had made plans to go pick up Dr. Sala themselves and were trying to figure out how to fix the "problem!" It was so nice to see that even thought Dr. Sala is a brilliant scientist and conservationist he takes time to have fun and laugh. It was a great life lesson.
Taking the transect data was a lot of fun. This type of activity was my favorite when I was in college. I loved being out in the field and really getting into the ecosystem I was studying. How can you learn about an ecosystem and make a plan to restore it if you haven't really experienced it. We got just a taste of the tide pool and unfortunately we didn't see all the animals that should have been there. Humans have degraded the habitat extensively. However, just being out in the field was exciting.
One of the things we always find humorous is when the Argonauts are out in public as a group and wearing our shirts. People always see the logo and want to know who we are and what we are doing but they never seem to want to ask. They always look at us out of the corner of their eye and then quickly look away if we catch them staring! We took a break for some hot chocolate and had the whole place looking at us. Chirag likes to flash his shirt at people like a superhero…Argoman?
One of the best parts of the day was the time spent at lunch just talking more with Dr. Sala and the film crew. It's so fun to share stories of the other Missions and to hear about the other work everyone has done around the world. It's inspiring to hear about the amazing things these people have done and the places they have visited. I am already making mental lists of the places I want to go!
Monday, December 3
Today was full of emotion. We finished filming at the Children's Pool. It was so interesting to see a real-life controversy between humans and nature. It was a fitting way to end our time here. Dr. Sala really encouraged us to find our own examples of controversies in our own communities. It made me realize how much I miss the activist role in my own life. I know that when I go home I will start looking for more opportunities to make a positive impact on the ecosystems in my community. I will also continue to educate my students on how they can positively impact the environment and I will urge them to make responsible choices. It was sad to say good-bye but I know that I will carry this experience with me for a long time to come.