7-14-2012

     The last few days have been very evenfull.  They have also been going very fast.  Our second night of research we went to the "Big Grid", and it was a very late night.  We returned to the station about 2:30-3:00AM.  I enjoy the studies at the "Big Grid" better than the "CTE".  The main difference between the two is that you are doing only a count of snails and measurements in the "CTE".  However, in the "Big Grid" it is more work,  you tag the Caracolus and the Nemia.  I really enjoy the actual tagging (the tags are for recapture).  When searching for snails you have to look for at least fifteen minutes per plot.  Fifteen minutes can take a really long time when you are not finding any snails.   I find it very relaxing to sit in the rain forest super glueing dots to snails and taking measurements. 
    The following day on Thurday we went the waterfall that was up the road about a 15 minute walk. Here is a picture of the waterfall near the station, and a few other photos that are just cool.

     I also really enjoy lizards.  During the night the lizards do not frighten easily so a good look is very common.  There are also land crabs.  If you have watched the third Pirates of the Caribean, the crabs that move the boat out of Davy Jone's locker are very similar.  Of course these don't look like white stones. 
     There are also Tailess Whip Scorpion.  They seem like a mix between a spider and a scorpion.  It is one of the few things you have to avoid is this rain forest.  Dr. Zimmermann found that out first hand.  His finger is doing better.
     Moving on to yesterday ( 7/13/12), we took the night off from working. We went to a beach known as the "Hidden Beach".  It was quite a walk to get there but it was worth it.  I saw several Chitons.  It was really neat to see them in their habitat, not preserved in a jar.  There was also a brain coral with many fish around it.  There were a few crabs in the intertidal region.  These sentences do not express my excitement while I was on that beach.  I was like a little kid in a toy store.  So much to look at!