Of land and underwater travels

Marine etiquette and the Caribbean

2011-04-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine just forwarded me the following video.

It is educational in nature with stunning images of reefs in the Caribbean and informs all users to ensure they are mindful of their environment and take steps towards its conservation.

The introductory song gave me chills - and although some may find the narrative a tad cheesy I was impressed with the PSA for highlighting corals AS WELL as seagrass and mangroves and really enjoyed how many subjects it covered, including not stepping on corals, making sure to anchor in safe places, not discarding plastics, and not collecting any corals or shells. I also really liked the fact that the producers not only educated you on what to do or not to do but most importantly told you WHY... and ended the video by forcing you to commit to memory what not to do ;)

Food cravings and cooking

2010-09-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

I love food. Blame my french roots over my german heritage ;o)

I love eating food, I love looking at food, I love shopping for food, and I ADORE cooking.

I find cooking to be therapeutic.

During the last stint of writing my thesis - something that feels like a distant blur, and too fresh a scar, memory - I got myself into a sort of time warp of sorts. I don't think this is anything unusual. But it is a rather surreal and truly strange experience. I mostly worked from home, rising around 9am. I'd have breakfast, do some work and then embark on a cooking meditative at-home retreat. For all the little sleep (I'd rarely go to bed before 4am) I had I craved healthy everything else. I needed exercise, to breathe fresh air, and more than anything to eat healthy food. I think I never spent as much money on food as during those last 3 months. And I don't regret it for a second.

I guess in some ways that time has elevated cooking to something even more special for me. Therapeutic yes. But also as though it was a gift to myself in moments when I truly struggled to be kind to myself.

All this is a bit of a long winded way to share with you one of my favourite recipes! I modified it from one of my favourite cooking blogs 101 cookbooks, which I discovered through my dear and loveliest of friend Krista - who has made her dream come true and put up her own blog, pods and pans (wicked name don't ya think?!).

So here goes the recipe:

1&1/4 cup plain cottage cheese

1 cup feta cheese (crumbled) – you can also use Parmesan

1/4 cup flour

1 cup almonds (grind these in a food processor until they achieve a flour-like consistency)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), finely chopped

1/4 cup black olives

1/4 cup basil, finely chopped

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

4 eggs, lightly beaten

Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a muffin pan with medium-sized paper baking cups (~10-12 it depends on the size of muffins you want). Alternatively use one of those flexible silicon muffin trays.

Put the cottage cheese into a bowl, add the eggs and mix well. Add all the other ingredients in the order above and season with pepper; mix well.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups, a spot before the edge. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set, risen, and golden brown. You can serve them hot (my favourite) or at room temperature.

2010-07-12T14:31:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking of opening a new bank account - now that I am no longer a student (hourray!!!) my current RBC set-up means I will be charged $10.95 per month. It potentially seems reasonable but I was curious to find out what's 'out there' and to compare features.
Doing a little research I came across this truly valuable website which provides just the type of info I was after.
So if you're having second thoughts about your account or would like to know how your bank is fairing, check it out!

random thoughts

2010-07-08T22:42:00.001-07:00

Many thoughts jumbled and tumbling through my mind... I'll take the time to unfold and uncoil them before laying some bare... another day :)

Some random things I came across today though that I liked.

First the not so random one - a blog that my friend Danae started a short while ago (in french) about her thoughts and reflections on communication, well being, lomi lomi etc...

Where to recycle e-waste (and judging from the website a whole slew of other items too) in the Vancouver area.

While waiting to get my SIN card renewed at the Service Canada office today I came across a few exercises and tips from Williams health group that I quite enjoyed - the link will guide you to free instructional PDFs.

That's it for now :)

Why do we wait until the Ocean is burning?

2010-04-30T22:55:00.000-07:00

This hit me like a torpedo fired arrow, straight to the heart.

From my friend Wallace J Nichols

Why do we wait until the ocean is burning?

Why do we wait until the mountain tops are removed?

Why do we wait until the big fish are gone?

Why do we wait until the big cats are hanging on?

Why do we wait until the old growth is new?

Why do we wait until the waters are poisoned?

Why do we wait until the seas are plastic?

Why do we wait until the ocean is burning?

The creative "genius"

2009-11-10T18:42:00.000-08:00

I just watched this video:

and greatly encourage you to do so too!

In it, Elizabeth Gilbert, suggests that the creative "genius" is something that we all have - it's a divine visitor. And like visitors do, the "genius" comes and it goes.

And so...

whilst feeling myself move through incredibly dark spaces, often, in this final leg of the PhD writing process

when I find myself

in the pits of despair

when I feel like dumping this project

I'll remember to

Talk to the open air

and say

listen you thing

if this PhD isn't brilliant

then it is not entirely my fault because

I show up for work every day

and do my bit

but

you gotta do your bit too

:o)

How to eat a jellyfish

2009-09-10T11:16:00.001-07:00

My supervisor, Daniel Pauly, always said that if we continue to harvest fish stocks at the rate we do, soon we'll be eating jellyfish. Though the gelatinous creature has been a pretty common menu item in China and Japan for many years, it certainly seems to be making quite an appearance even in those countries, slowly replacing more sought after fish, no doubt as a result of overfishing of prized species and vast proliferation of all sorts of jellies.

So it was with a smile and a pinch in the heart that I read the following article on the BBC this morning:

Choosing to eat jellyfish is all about cultural attitudes, according to Carme Ruscalleda, a celebrated chef at work in the kitchen of her Michelin-starred restaurant next to the beach in Sant Pol del Mar, on the Catalan coast. "Put jellyfish on the table in front of a European diner, and they'll say 'oh no, it's a monster from the sea, a nasty thing that stings'. "Serve it to someone from Japan or China and they'll say it's the perfect garnish for a summer dish, something delicious and good for you", she says. Ms Ruscalleda is particularly excited about the health-giving properties attributed to jellyfish. "The Chinese," she says, "say it improves the cardio-vascular system, balances blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels, helps the joints, is good for the skin. I sometimes joke that jellyfish can cure everything except a case of flat feet".

...and call me skeptical, but the Chinese seem to attribute health properties to almost anything, and though I am willing to listen and happy to acquiesce if presented with sufficient information, jellyfish??????

All this sadly points to the fact that are oceans are in trouble... we've been saying so for years, but within the comfort zones of our daily lives we often feel too lazy to change anything and there is a general lack of willingness at the upper political levels to impose any changes necessary to harvest oceans in a sustainable way. If we were to visualise in a "terrestrial' way what goes on underwater when fishing most of us would call it criminal and abstain....
So, if we are serving jellyfish, one of the lowest items in the foodchain, we are in serious trouble and tomorrow those wars will indeed be fought over water and food...

Take a small step and get yourself a seafood pocket guide - you can even download some of these to your iphone, so no excuses:
In Canada Seachoice
in the US Monterey Bay Aquarium
In the UK MCS for general info and here the guide

Because he can

2009-07-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

Thesis writing is still high on the agenda... my life's predominant occupation!
...and I am making good progress. 2009 will be the year - mark my words!

I did take some time out to spend time with the family in Scotland -- and to help out my sister on her big day. She was the most stunningly beautiful bride and her radiant beaming smile and happiness were truly contagious -- though I did cry; happy tears, and tears of seeing her all grown up in her gorgeous dress and no longer being the 'lil one'... though she will remain my little sister for always of course, hehehehe.

Back in Vancouver for a few days of high powered work in R, Excel and some writing in word -- figuring out how hawksbill turtles grow, what they eat and how efficiently they convert their food into energy! Sounds easy, ain't so easy to find data to make it all work and apply to the population overall. however, seems like I may have had a breakthrough so - keep those fingers crossed.
Tomorrow I am off to New Caledonia - sun and sea here I come... though it is the back lit screen of my computer I shall be staring at mostly. The thesis is calling, you guessed it ... but also mapping of mangroves and seagrass beds in East Africa - remotely that is of course. Exciting prospects nevertheless... and I am definitely looking forward to eating lunch beach side, even if it is winter on the other side.

...and because I can't (and don't want to!) shake Africa out of my heart, I just read this and it gave me goose bumps - and because it is one of his best speeches yet, I felt compelled to post the below:

(President Barack Obama addresses the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, Ghana July 11, 2009.
Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ___
For Immediate Release July 11, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE GHANAIAN PARLIAMENT
Accra International Conference Center
Accra, Ghana
12:40 P.M. GMT

THE PRESIDENT: (Trumpet plays.) I like this. Thank you. Thank you. I think Congress needs one of those horns. (Laughter.) That sounds pretty good. Sounds like Louis Armstrong back there. (Laughter.)

Good afternoon, everybody. It is a great honor for me to be in Accra and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana. (Applause.) I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I've received, as are Michelle and Malia and Sasha Obama. Ghana's history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States of America. (Applause.)

I want to thank Madam Speaker and all the members of the House of Representatives for hosting us today. I want to thank President Mills for his outstanding leadership. To the former Presidents -- Jerry Rawlings, former President Kufuor -- Vice President, Chief Justice -- thanks to all of you for your extraordinary hospitality and the wonderful institutions that you've built here in Ghana.

I'm speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia for a summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy for a meeting of the world's leading economies. And I've come here to Ghana for a simple reason: The 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra, as well. (Applause.)

This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America's prosperity. Your health and security can contribute to the world's health and security. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere.

So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world -- (applause) -- as partners with America on behalf of the future we want for all of our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility and mutual respect. And that is what I want to speak with you about today.

We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans.

I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. After all, I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family's -- (applause) -- my family's own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story.

Some you know my grandfather was a cook for the British in Kenya, and though he was a respected elder in his village, his employers called him "boy" for much of his life. He was on the periphery of Kenya's liberation struggles, but he was still imprisoned briefly during repressive times. In his life, colonialism wasn't simply the creation of unnatural borders or unfair terms of trade -- it was something experienced personally, day after day, year after year.

My father grew up herding goats in a tiny village, an impossible distance away from the American universities where he would come to get an education. He came of age at a moment of extraordinary promise for Africa. The struggles of his own father's generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in Ghana. (Applause.) Africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways, and history was on the move.

But despite the progress that has been made -- and there has been considerable progress in many parts of Africa -- we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Countries like Kenya had a per capita economy larger than South Korea's when I was born. They have badly been outpaced. Disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the African continent.

In many places, the hope of my father's generation gave way to cynicism, even despair. Now, it's easy to point fingers and to pin the blame of these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense helped to breed conflict. The West has often approached Africa as a patron or a source of resources rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father's life, it was partly tribalism and patronage and nepotism in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is still a daily fact of life for far too many.

Now, we know that's also not the whole story. Here in Ghana, you show us a face of Africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or a need for charity. The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with repeated peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. (Applause.) And by the way, can I say that for that the minority deserves as much credit as the majority. (Applause.) And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana's economy has shown impressive rates of growth. (Applause.)

This progress may lack the drama of 20th century liberation struggles, but make no mistake: It will ultimately be more significant. For just as it is important to emerge from the control of other nations, it is even more important to build one's own nation.

So I believe that this moment is just as promising for Ghana and for Africa as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. This is a new moment of great promise. Only this time, we've learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa's future. Instead, it will be you -- the men and women in Ghana's parliament -- (applause) -- the people you represent. It will be the young people brimming with talent and energy and hope who can claim the future that so many in previous generations never realized.

Now, to realize that promise, we must first recognize the fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: Development depends on good governance. (Applause.) That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That's the change that can unlock Africa's potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.

As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I've pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa's interests and America's interests. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of perpetual aid that helps people scrape by -- it's whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change. (Applause.)

This mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership. And today, I'll focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy, opportunity, health, and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments. (Applause.)

As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not.

This is about more than just holding elections. It's also about what happens between elections. (Applause.) Repression can take many forms, and too many nations, even those that have elections, are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves -- (applause) -- or if police -- if police can be bought off by drug traffickers. (Applause.) No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top -- (applause) -- or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. (Applause.) That is not democracy, that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there. And now is the time for that style of governance to end. (Applause.)

In the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success -- strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges -- (applause); an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. (Applause.) Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people's everyday lives.

Now, time and again, Ghanaians have chosen constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. (Applause.) We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously -- the fact that President Mills' opponents were standing beside him last night to greet me when I came off the plane spoke volumes about Ghana -- (applause); victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition in unfair ways. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. (Applause.) We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage, and participating in the political process.

Across Africa, we've seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny, and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop post-election violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three-quarters of the country voted in the recent election -- the fourth since the end of Apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person's vote is their sacred right.

Now, make no mistake: History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. (Applause.) Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. (Applause.)

Now, America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation. The essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. But what America will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and responsible institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance -- on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard -- (applause); on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting and automating services -- (applause) -- strengthening hotlines, protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability.

And we provide this support. I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights reports. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. (Applause.) We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don't, and that is exactly what America will do.

Now, this leads directly to our second area of partnership: supporting development that provides opportunity for more people.

With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base of prosperity. Witness the extraordinary success of Africans in my country, America. They're doing very well. So they've got the talent, they've got the entrepreneurial spirit. The question is, how do we make sure that they're succeeding here in their home countries? The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities -- or a single export -- has a tendency to concentrate wealth in the hands of the few, and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns.

So in Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been very responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and in their infrastructure -- (applause); when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce, and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs.

As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we want to put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. (Applause.) That's why our $3.5 billion food security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers -- not simply sending American producers or goods to Africa. Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it's no longer needed. I want to see Ghanaians not only self-sufficient in food, I want to see you exporting food to other countries and earning money. You can do that. (Applause.)

Now, America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. That will be a commitment of my administration. And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; financial services that reach not just the cities but also the poor and rural areas. This is also in our own interests -- for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, guess what? New markets will open up for our own goods. So it's good for both.

One area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. Africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. A warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources, and deplete crops, creating conditions that produce more famine and more conflict. All of us -- particularly the developed world -- have a responsibility to slow these trends -- through mitigation, and by changing the way that we use energy.. But we can also work with Africans to turn this crisis into opportunity.

Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity, and help countries increase access to power while skipping -- leapfrogging the dirtier phase of development. Think about it: Across Africa, there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and biofuels. From the Rift Valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coasts to South Africa's crops -- Africa's boundless natural gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad.

These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They're about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to market; an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It's about the dignity of work; it's about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century.

Just as governance is vital to opportunity, it's also critical to the third area I want to talk about: strengthening public health.

In recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of Africa. Far more people are living productively with HIV/AIDS, and getting the drugs they need. I just saw a wonderful clinic and hospital that is focused particularly on maternal health. But too many still die from diseases that shouldn't kill them. When children are being killed because of a mosquito bite, and mothers are dying in childbirth, then we know that more progress must be made.

Yet because of incentives -- often provided by donor nations -- many African doctors and nurses go overseas, or work for programs that focus on a single disease. And this creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. Meanwhile, individual Africans also have to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, while promoting public health in their communities and countries.

So across Africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. In Nigeria, an Interfaith effort of Christians and Muslims has set an example of cooperation to confront malaria. Here in Ghana and across Africa, we see innovative ideas for filling gaps in care -- for instance, through E-Health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns.

America will support these efforts through a comprehensive, global health strategy, because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscience but also by our common interest, because when a child dies of a preventable disease in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents.

And that's why my administration has committed $63 billion to meet these challenges -- $63 billion. (Applause.) Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS.. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and we will work to eradicate polio. (Applause.) We will fight -- we will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won't confront illnesses in isolation -- we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness and focus on the health of mothers and children. (Applause..)

Now, as we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings -- and so the final area that I will address is conflict.

Let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war. But if we are honest, for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.

These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck. Now, we all have many identities -- of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has no place in the 21st century. (Applause.) Africa's diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God's children. We all share common aspirations -- to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families and our communities and our faith. That is our common humanity.

That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justified -- never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. (Applause.) It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in the Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. And all of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.

Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, in Ghana we are seeing you help point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon -- (applause) -- and your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. (Applause.) We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, to keep the peace, and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational forces to bear when needed.

America has a responsibility to work with you as a partner to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there's a genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems -- they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response.

And that's why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy and technical assistance and logistical support, and we will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: Our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa, and the world. (Applause.)

In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. And that must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don't, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.

As I said earlier, Africa's future is up to Africans.

The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. And in my country, African Americans -- including so many recent immigrants -- have thrived in every sector of society. We've done so despite a difficult past, and we've drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali, Kinshasa, Harare, and right here in Accra. (Applause.)

You know, 52 years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: "It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice."

Now that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. (Applause.) And I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa and right here in Ghana. In places like Ghana, young people make up over half of the population.

And here is what you must know: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, and end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can -- (applause) -- because in this moment, history is on the move.

But these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future. And it won't be easy. It will take time and effort.. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you every step of the way -- as a partner, as a friend. (Applause.) Opportunity won't come from any other place, though. It must come from the decisions that all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart.

Ghana, freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom's foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say this was the time when the promise was realized; this was the moment when prosperity was forged, when pain was overcome, and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Yes we can. Thank you very much. God bless you. Thank you. (Applause.)

When thesis writing gets in the way

2009-05-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

These past months have gone by in a flash - well, sort of... I've been working away trying to wrap matters up on the thesis front. Things are a bit slower overall than I would like them to be, but I am moving forward, one baby step at a time as a friend likes to put it, and it's the forward motion that matters. The sticker that hangs over my desk at work "I WILL GRADUATE" is inciting me more than ever to keep going. Because yes indeed I WILL GRADUATE - and it will be this year!
Writing a thesis must be one of the hardest things on can do - but it is such a special thing, and an incredible luxury as well; to be able to focus on yourself and your thoughts so intently. It is easy in the fury of it all, the absolute exhaustion from lack of sleep, the wanting to well and truly rip your hair out, the feeling you're about to lose your marbles, the loneliness... in all of that it is easy to forget that it is indeed a choice I made ( I was and must ahve been crazy indeed!!) and that I am fortunate to have been offered the possibility of pursuing higher education the way I have :o)
The support I have been receiving from friends and family is unparalleled - makes me smile, feel humble, and incredibly incredibly fortunate.

In addition to how much I am learning about my field, marine ecology, this experience is consolidating so many experiences at a personal level too. I many ways it is about finding out what one wants from life, what your strengths and weaknesses are in their most raw form, how to deal with them and shift things so as to truly learn to accept yourself for who you are and make peace with that - whilst embracing the challenges that lie ahead.

Last night, or early this morning rather, I submitted a draft of my chapter 4. This chapter focused on the role of grazers - and particularly the role green sea turtles might be playing in Hawaii. It is a truly quite interesting story, even if I do say so myself!
My study "site" (in " " as I've never actually been there!) consisted of the National historic park of Kaloko Honokohau. It is located on the west coast of the big island and supports a rather healthy and diverse coral habitat as well as plenty of fish (though not very many commercial species), urchins ... and yes you guessed it green turtles. In actual fact it looks like the green turtles are running out of food (turf algae). And this is what I was set out to test -- whether the turtles are in actual fact going hungry. I addressed this question using ecosystem modeling. The ecosystem model then also served the additional purpose of aggregating all currently available information on marine community linkages in the park so as to serve as a "baseline" in face of ongoing and proposed development . In other words it would allow researchers to see how the system will change in the future due to increased pressures on the park- think increased fishing pressure and elevated nutrient concentrations in the coastal waters - and more importantly to "test" how these impacts may affect the processes of the system fundamentally. It should also allow them to test how different management scenarios may in turn help maintain resilience of the system.

And this is where the story gets interesting - in analysing the data, what became apparent is that urchins, fish and turtles all seem to be more or less at carrying capacity - i.e., they are currently limited by food.... and all three groups eat the same thing -- algae. Yet how they eat it and specifically what type of algae they eat and where they eat will be key to understanding how the reef may respond to predicted changes due to development pressures. The turtles seem to only consume turf algae growing in the shallows. The fish are throughout the park but probably do not feed too much at depth. Urchins are everywhere (possibly concentrated in the shallow portions as well) and are the most indiscriminate foragers of them all - which means, in the advent of increased nutrient loading they might be 'most' important in controlling stimulated algae production (algae like nutrients a lot, think of fertilisers and plants!) Certain species of urchins however have the potential to 'overgraze' the reef - i.e., in consuming algae they often also remove parts of the reef framework, and should they be overabundant on the reef they could hasten its erosion.
So currently they are all competitors for the same limited resource... and so all play an important role in maintaining the resilience of the reef - or its ability to withstand change; and it s probably those distinct niches they occupy in grazing that is especially important to the reef's health.

I am looking forward to hearing back from my committee & collaborators in Hawaii-- though understandably am anxious as well!
Today I am taking it easy -- my brain feels too sluggish to do anything much. But tomorrow it's back to it -- food consumption chapter here I come!

2009-01-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Happy new year!!!

I felt it was appropriate to resume activity on my blog the true first day of a 'new year' -- Barack Hussein Obama's first day as president of the U.S.A. The end of an error and start of a new day as one friend of mine put it! - though Bush did provide plenty of fodder for comic relief (video) ...
I watched, I'll admit it, filled with emotion his inauguration - his nervousness palpable even across the ether. As a friend of mine said, what's remarkable about Obama, beyond his charisma & ability to seemingly have every man and woman invest their 150% faith in him, is to steadfastly focus on the way ahead - not pointing fingers at how we got ourselves into this mess in the first place. Instead recognising that it will take efforts by all and sacrifices by all. One sentence in particular stuck with me - "people will judge you on what you can build not on what you can destruct".

What really gave me the shivers though, was the speech by Rev. Joseph Lowery, 87, a major figure in the civil rights movement who marched with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to overturn discrimination in voting rights and other aspects of American public life. This man oozes life beyond words - and has an incredible sense of humour - "I'm equally certain that we will continue to pray for justice to roll down as waters, and for that day when there will be peace in the valley, and for that day when every man and every woman will sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none will be afraid, and for that day when black will not be asked to get back, brown can stick around, yellow will be mellow, the red man can get ahead, man, and white will embrace what is right! Amen!"

As for where my thesis is at - it's been a bit of a struggle to get back into a rhythm post holidays. I had such a good break visiting my parents in the south of France - and spending time with my gorgeous most lovely sister. But I am making headway - both on the contract end of things and the thesis front. Am planning to put the finishing touches to the second chapter this week so it can get published - it's been accepted in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment; and embarking full blaze ahead on the third!
Wish me luck and send me some of your brain beams!

Obama - be the change you want to see

2008-11-05T08:21:00.000-08:00

What a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Watching the election results last night in a small cafe with a friend of mine, I must admit I got all teary eyed. In some ways I wasn't allowing myself up until then to be truly hopeful. Truly hopeful that the US can change - and if the US change, that we all can change.

Obama's victory speech was so moving. Moving because of his composure, because he seemed to embody all that eh was saying but also for me because he didn't deny the fact that the road forward is going to be a difficult one - that for all those Americans who want to see change, they need to be first and foremost the change they want to see!!!!

And because his speech was so moving here in his own words:

“I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. […]

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.
And above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people. “

It’s giving me shivers …

Indeed, we all ought to and deserve to be hopeful, but it ain't going to fall right out of the sky - it's going to take everyone's effort, sweat and tears and sacrifices. It's going to take our sense of COMMUNITY - a sentiment that seems to have gotten lost all too often in this ever more competitive modern world of ours emphasising the pursuit of selfish individuality...

So many of my friends have been saying that for the first time in a long time they feel proud again! Proud and hopeful. Hopeful that this administration will know how to treat the environment, gently and with respect and finally hear the wake up call and maybe even sign Kyoto?? Hopeful that money will be allocated to healthcare. Hopeful that spending will be shifted from money going towards weapons of any sort to education and research.
Hopeful that by electing an African American & the change he embodies the country will know to be more humble, and tolerant than ever.

And I'll leave you with this video.

One incredible man

2008-10-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

I've been absent - yes; and lots of things have happened and I owe an update - and it will come.
but for now I just want to post one thing - that you MUST watch. This man is something else.

Summer in Vancouver = Rain and twelve degrees

2008-08-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

... OK so maybe I am exaggerating but ever since I got back from my consultancy trip to Senegal coming up to 2 weeks ago it has been cold and rather grey - now raining!

My life has been somewhat on the accelerator mode of late - trying to juggle some contract work to pay the bills and make sure I don't land on the streets in the last home 'thesis' stretch, as well as the thesis writing itself. The latter has been going well - though definitely happening in spurts. I had gathered some good momentum in June - then was forced to delve into some other work for most of July. Mind you, it has been some truly exciting and interesting work - taking part in discussions on establishing a network of marine protected areas in West Africa, and advising/assisting where necessary a group of scientists, NGO workers and government officials that has been involved in the process for a little while now. My trip to Senegal was to participate at a workshop trying to define more clearly what the stakeholders see as the overarching objectives of such a network and try to come up with a list of indicators for the effectiveness of this network - not only from a biodiversity perspective, but also (and this in my mind is the truly quite exciting bit - albeit also most challenging!) from a socio-economic and management perspective. There were about 30 or so people that attended the meeting - all truly passionate, dedicated and committed to make things move forward. We worked ourselves hard - but it was well worth it! For some info - and for those of you who dabble in some french here's some background info.

So since my return it's been tying up lose ends, catching up on accumulated emails and getting ready to launch myself into the thesis again - I want to make serious progress in August and am actually really excited about it :o)

This weekend I have tasked myself with getting quite a bit of reading done - mostly of foodweb related matters but also on marine protected areas. So much is being published these days it's hard to keep one's head above water - but it's funny how with the years I've developed a method to my madness, knowing how to read papers depending on what I want to extract from them/use them for.

..and as a treat I am going to keep things exciting by going climbing (if it's stops raining that is!) Can't wait to give my muscles some exercise - after all it's the best way to go otherwise they'd get jealous of all the exercise the brain is getting ;o)

And to finish this post on a light note - check out this video - it is SO cool!

Water spouts and where did the millions go?

2008-06-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Yikes -- over a month since I've last updated my blog ... NOT GOOD! And definitely indicative of the hectic times.
Highlights of these however:

Submission of my second chapter - HOURRAY! So now I need to cross fingers and toes, and learn to be patient!
I am making good progress on chapter 4 - i.e., I have a balanced model, and after review by one of the experts in Hawaii he commented ' Good job pulling it together.' Thus, I now need to address some of his questions and put together 2-3 slides for a presentation my collaborators will be giving at the end of the month. This should also constitute a 'harder' deadline - I want to have the final report done by then as well.

My financial situation on the other hand isn't so rosy shall we say - hence it is back to contract work for me. Not a bad thing, keeps my neurons active on multiple fronts ;o) and my interests diversified!

Having lunch just now i came across some very depressing news and a fascinating clip - the depressing bit first: BBC uncovers lost Iraq billions

"Henry Waxman who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said: "The money that's gone into waste, fraud and abuse under these contracts is just so outrageous, its egregious. It may well turn out to be the largest war profiteering in history."

In the run-up to the invasion one of the most senior officials in charge of procurement in the Pentagon objected to a contract potentially worth seven billion that was given to Halliburton, a Texan company, which used to be run by Dick Cheney before he became vice-president.

Unusually only Halliburton got to bid - and won."

Disgusting.

On a lighter note - check out this video clip! Incredible no?! Mother nature never seizes to amase me.

When your body tells you: you should perhaps slow down a little

2008-04-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

This past week has been relatively hectic - spring is a funny time. The weather is seemingly all over the place: last Friday it snowed, yesterday it was balmy, only to be overcast and quite cool today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. For some reason my body is quite sensitive to those changes and not only does my skin feel particularly dry and my hair all static-ey, but all I feel like doing is sleeping!!! This is accompanied by series of weird dreams - my subconscious quite seriously puzzles me sometimes!
I think part of why I feel quite exhausted is not only the amount of work I am coping with at the moment, but also the fact that I sprained both my ankle and my wrist - after 2 weeks of pretending it was no big deal, I finally gave in to the fact that ok! ok! I am no youngster anymore, I take a little longer to heal, and in this particular instance perhaps I should go see a professional ‘healer’! I am glad I did - I was advised to rest ;o) It's OK to do so when the doctor says so right?
Joke aside - I've postponed climbing and am taking it easy --- my body, I think, is thanking me for it, yet my mind feels restless.

I am tackling chapter 4 still these days - have derived most of my basic estimates. Am thus now working on developing a diet matrix. A tricky component of the modelling process. It takes time to compile, and I feel like I need to devote quite a bit of attention to it. Yet it also is the first place you go to when attempting to balance the model. Hence difficult to determine ahead of time just how many hours you should spend on figuring out the intricacies of diets in the first place! It makes sense though that it would be one of the most flexible pieces of the puzzle as it were - what a bird eats in the winter versus the summer for example varies, so the average throughout the year for a group of them may be hard to determine as it will be based on the (temporal) nature of the sampling regimes and how thorough those were. Not only that, but for some of the species I am looking at, I have no data for Hawaii proper so I am importing data from Malaysia, Japan, yet in all likelihood my beasties in my park don't eat those same things in the same proportions, if at all. Ahhh the joys of modelling - it feels at times like it is such an inexact science. Yet I guess part of the trick (and learning experience) is to gain sufficient confidence in it all to be able to determine just what parameters can easily be tweaked without compromising the "real-ness" of the model. Ultimately, it also helps to pinpoint gaps in current understanding, help refine existing datasets so as to get a more focused, integrated view of the whole ecosystem.
I like it - it just takes time and the learning curve is steep!
I just need to keep at it, attempt to keep the weather anomalies in the background, and ride the waves peacefully :o)

I was just reading through the BBC websites - one article that caught my eye was the following: Species loss 'bad for our health'. I believe this is an important headline - it is only when people truly feel that their personal dimension is at risk that they spring to action. I venture to say that people are more likely to reduce their consumption of tuna because eating too much tuna leads to potentially unsafe mercury levels in our bodies - than because stocks are crashing, dolphins are potentially killed or any other suite of 'natural' disasters caused by overfishing.

Talking of selfishness of characters – go see the movie “There will be blood” if you haven’t yet. The character development in that movie is remarkable; Daniel Day Lewis’ performance extraordinary. His role gave me shivers, and not of the good kind – frightens me to think what people will be driven to when fighting over dwindling resources (rather than in the rush to wealth because of apparent overabundance in the early days of discovery).

the trouble with biofuels ... and the thesis that isn't writing itself

2008-04-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

It's time for an update - seems like the last ten days have gone by in a flash... yet it also seems as though I just wrote an update yesterday!!! Definitely feel in some sort of time warp these days.

Let's deal with the thesis end of things first! I am happy to report that I've been working hard AND making progress... yes AND as it often feels that I am working hard but 'running to stand still' or actually move backwards even! Progress is slow - isn't it always when we're talking of a thesis?! - but we're moving in the right direction. My main challenges in the past 10 days have been to try to ascertain the biomass, productivity and consumption rate of coral (yep, they do eat, small floating plankton), a whole variety of urchins and crown of thorn starfish. Doesn't sound all that dramatic, but believe you me it has involved quite the intense literature trawls - to come up with not always very satisfying bits of info. It has certainly involved LOTS no LOOOOOOOTTTSSS of conversions -- for example from wet weights of urchins to joules!!!, I frowned and looked at the equations three times: who on earth thinks of weight in joules!!?
So after much fact checking and paper reading I think I need to be ok with my values (or mad ranges of values) and move on. This is all only to give me starting points anyways - the real tricky stuff starts once I have to 'balance' my model, i.e., make sure that the system as I define it can sustain itself.
What's next on the agenda - algae, all the little critters that live in the benthos, zooplankton, and phytoplankton. I need to be done with these this week, otherwise I am going to start lagging behind my scheduled outline for the year ... and we don't want to go there.

So now on to what's happening in the world at large. The word definitely seems to be a rather troubled sphere... Two topics caught my eye this week: biofuels and the fact that seas may rise much more than has been predicted so far. I've been reading a few articles about the food riots that have been taking place in Haiti and the Philippines for e.g.; very distressing.... to think we're diverting food to fuel cars?? That's right very disturbing, madness.... as George Monbiot suggests: one step forward is to eat less meat (and travel less). In the same vein, but as a friend of mine pointed out, perhaps more 'grounded' is an article by Paul Krugman. He points to the Chinese eating meat, rising fuel prices and biofuels as the culprits for rising food prices.
... and to add insult to injury, some of the nations that already suffer among the highest poverty rates (e.g. Bangladesh) are now threatened with increased loss of land due to rising seas of up to 1.5m!!!!

All certainly puts the pains of thesis writing in perspective .... that and the news that a friend of mine who holds a very special place in my heart recently had a car accident that very nearly killed him.
Life *is* short:

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln

We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. ~Japanese Proverb

Digesta retention times and spring

2008-04-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

weird sort of title eh? Well those are very much the two things that are on my mind these days. It's honestly time for spring - i need, want warmth, and sunshine.... and we *did* have a week of absolute gorgeous blue skies! after getting CRAZY hail last weekend... followed by madness rain, mixed with hail this weekend. At least we're helping to fill the water reservoirs I suppose...

As for digesta retention times (DRTs) - well i needed to know those, so I could calculate the consumption rates of my green turtles scooting around in my National park in Hawaii. It became quite the crazy affair, as I did find a paper that gave me intake rates, however to make it relevant in the context of my model, I needed to have individual turtles' weights from which the DRTs were derived... which weren't listed... so I sought out to calculate those... 'nyways, needless to say, proves to show, when you think something is going to take you about 1 day, it often ends up being about 2! Then again, I did get info for my reef fish groups relatively easily, so let's hope that when I now move on to invertebrates (e.g., urchins and crustaceans) it won't be too much of a nightmare. Fingers crossed. I am dreading having to think about how to convert algal cover into estimates of biomass, especially given how different algae can be: short and stout, long and spindly, long and tufty; like hair really!...

...but it's good, my head is into work these days. Thought a lot about comments my supervisor gave me on my second chapter, and that's pretty much wrapped up for good now :o) - at least 'til I hear back from the journal.

The highlight of my past two weeks were performances at the Vancouver Symphony as part of the Beethoven festival. On the 28th I went to see Lang Lang - it was incredible. Even more so because I was accompanied by my lovely friend Leigh, and we truly had a wonderful time.
Then this past Friday I had the incredible fortune of experiencing a performance by the great Anne Sophie Mutter - there are hardly words to describe what it felt like to see her play: transporting, raw, touching your soul in soft yet powerful ways. She just is absolutely formidable - playing some notes so quietly, yet so distinctly; other parts with such incredible vigour. All infused with so much passion and grace. Unforgettable.
...hmm, still dreaming!

On and upwards ... to Hawai'i

2008-03-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

So chapter 2 is pretty much done - yes, I am excited (understatement!). It's in my supervisor's hands right now, so I am waiting to hear back from him to make the final adjustments and tweaking required before I can send it off to be published. No doubt there'll be more iterations to go through after that (when does it ever end!!!), but for now I can move on to the next items on the ever so long to do list!! ... and that would be tackling my ecopath model for Kaloko Honokohau National park in Hawai'i. I tell you it's not an easy feat to try to find what may be the biomass of critters living in the park's marine mud and sand. Or what about how much of what a monk seal eats per year? A spinner dolphin? or what would you say the growth of different urchin species are? Gets you delving deep into the literature and the web searches always somehow take longer than you expect... and the questions to which someone must for sure have already found an answer... keep you guessing. You come across some pretty weird and interesting research along the way though, such as measuring the sinking rates of differently sized phytoplankton - we're talking MINUSCULE things here! Whoever does this over and over to calculate everything with reliable statistics is armed with far more patience than I could ever dream of harbouring!!
I want to be able to get my model going and start balancing things (i.e. get a draft model) within the next 10 days. That would mean that I could get a draft report for around mid April, with my ultimate goal being to have this next chapter done by the end of April. All this timing is pretty hecticly tight - but I really want to make it happen; and I think I can as long as I stick to a pretty healthy work ethic... mixed up with exercise of course so I don't lose the plot entirely!

Otherwise, my friend Barry has been visiting. He's on his way 'home' to Barbados from Australia, via the Solomons, Tanzania and Europe where he'll be leading his 12th turtle season. He's been keeping me entertained with his stories of turtle monitoring activities and diving in some of the most remote and at times mesmerising parts of this world. Makes me miss being in the field like crazy!!!

not quite there .... yet!!

2008-03-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

Right - so I've not quite managed to achieve the goal I had set for myself this week :o| Lots of unexpected tasks threw themselves at me this week, and I ended up 'having to' attend a number of seminars I only heard about at the last minute.
Somewhat frustrating - but on the upside, I am close to the end of the chapter, and I got to listen to some interesting people speak about their research.
The first speaker was Dr Ron Tanasichuk who spoke about the "Variation in euphausiid productivity along the West Coast of Vancouver Island and its implications for herring and salmon production"; in other words how variations in plankton production, an important little critter in the diet of many fishes, affects two important (ecologically and economically speaking) predators. Dr. Tanasichuk has been working with the pacific biological Station in Nanaimo since 1982 and as such has incredible first hand experience of the changes that this area has witnessed and a pretty unique data set stretching multiple years to document these changes.

The second speaker was Dr Alain Vezina, coordinator of the Ecosystem Modeling Group at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (Dartmouth, N.S.). His talk focused on numerical modeling of variability and change in marine ecosystems in Eastern Canada. Central to his presentation was a discussion about the differences in the physical and biological properties of ocean systems and how to then link those in a model that would then accurately reproduce changes in both physical and biological properties when the whole system undergoes a number of perturbations. It was particularly neat for me as elements of their research progression mirrored some of the evolution that Ecopath and Ecosim has undergone (the modeling software I am using for my research).

Last but not least, Dr Jane Lubchenco came to the Fisheries Centre to give a presentation on ocean and society and the role of climate change. She only accepts two talks a year, and as such I feel quite fortunate to have been able to attend her presentation - not only that, but I also got to have 20 min of her time, just for me!!! But first about Dr. Lubchenco - she is a distinguished Professor at Oregon State University and currently heads PISCO (Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans), an interdisciplinary team of scientists who study the marine ecosystem off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. She is a former president of the International Council for Science, AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science), the Ecological Society of America and was appointed by former president Bill Clinton to two terms on the National Science Board. She also founded or co-founded three organisations devoted to communicating science to policy makers and the public including the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program. Dr Lubchenco is considered as on of the most highly cited ecologists in the world and has been wildly recognised for her major contributions to science.
In other words she's achieved more than many of us can dream to achieve in two lifetimes!
Her talk was really interesting - the first part of it focused on the role (well mandate really) scientists have in informing society, and doing so properly. The second part of her talk detailed the disastrous events that she has been witnessing along the Oregon coast over the last 6 years: periods of low oxygen waters that result in massive kills of crab and other invertebrates. The pictures she showed from beaches as well as the sea floor were truly horrific, just littered with dead sea life. The first of these events occurred in 2002 with the most severe recorded in 2006. Analysis of oceanographic data for this area of the coast over the last 50 years have confirmed that prior to 2002 these events were indeed unprecedented. Dr Lubchenco further explained that these events are likely to be due to changing wind patterns which in turn affect the ocean conditions - typically the Oregon coast is characterised by periods of upwelling and downwelling, now they only observe periods of strong upwelling alternating with weeks of weak upwelling.

During my 20 minute meeting with her I had a chance to enquire about the outreach activities her research group has engaged in as a result of these events - as you can imagine the public has expressed serious concern and various groups have been keen to get detailed information as to what is happening. I suggested to her that she should write a sort of lessons learned paper of these interactions, detailing what activities have been particular useful/successful, so as to provide guidance as it were, to scientists when interacting with the press, as well as the public at large in such times of environmental crisis. I also got to briefly introduce her to my research, and ask her about the skills she'd recommend young scientists hone to make themselves more palatable!

Right -- well I better get on with that second chapter, it's getting late in the day
:o)

wave powered boats

2008-03-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

in the age of energy efficient cars -- how 'bout this for a feat in the 'vehicle' industry? a boat powered by nothing else that the waves it is sailing on!
"The Mermaid propulsion mechanism is mounted under the bow and not the stern, and it is designed to pull the boat, rather than push it forward, regardless of weather, wave height or direction."
This is really neat ... and makes for some good news in the usual doom and gloom of environmental news.

This week is a big one for me - I want to finish my second chapter, so that I can with assurance turn the page as it were and get to the data analysis of my fourth chapter: an ecopath model for Hawaii.
Fun and games :o)

Of bionic turtles and more

2008-03-04T11:11:00.000-08:00

It's time i kept up with my blog more regularly - always lots of thoughts and things to share, so will make a more conscious effort to log them here :o)
In Seattle right now - sitting in my friend savas' home office, in front of a 24in screen -- I tell you my Ecosim trajectories look a lot better on this!!!
The change of setting has been good - managed to finish a draft of my Caribbean model report. Hopefully the final final version is not very far away; then i get to write it up as a paper. First though I think I'll have to rejig a few things around - like disaggregate my fish groups and re aggregate them so that these species truly either resident in seagrass beds or dependent on seagrass are their stand alone functional groups. I also want to draw up a table with information on epiphytic algae and who consumes it. Potentially also look at what fisheries in the Caribbean in the 80s looked like so that I can at least come up with some reasonable projections.
So - enough to keep me busy on that front for a while!!!

Before I came out here, we had a really interesting lecture + workshop with Nancy Baron, the Ocean Science Outreach Director for SeaWeb and COMPASS (Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea). Trained as a scientist she now works with environmental scientists to help them communicate their research more effectively to journalists, policymakers and the public. Key to doing so effectively: keep your message clear and simple and answer the question "so what?"!

...and to end with a surprising story - how about this for strange things that happen in the turtle wold: caregivers seek prosthetic flipper for injured turtle. A little extreme if you ask me....

catching up to do ... but not there yet!

2008-02-04T11:22:00.001-08:00

So I have been off the radar quite literally for a while -- swamped and then escaped down to baja for a short while ... I'll post stories and pics soon though for now all you need to know is that it was a fabulous trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Felt **ALIVE** like I have not in a while ... now scrambling to get thigns done on the work front... well it can't be xmas every day now can it?

Thus - on the more real life front, items below straight from the SEASPAN listserv...

EUROPE’S APPETITE FOR SEAFOOD PROPELS ILLEGAL TRADE
The illegal trade of fish is thriving in Europe. Over recent years, Europe has become the world’s largest market for fish. To support this growing appetite, it must import 60 percent of its stock. This demand has led to an increase in illegal trading. According to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, up to half of the fish sold in Europe are illegally caught or imported. The price has also risen, doubling and tripling due to surging demand, scarce availability, and recent fishing quotas imposed by the European Union in a desperate effort to save native species. In an attempt to control this situation, the European Union “is exploring the idea of requiring officials at its ports to check with officials from countries where boats are registered to make sure they are legal and have fishing rights.”

Source: Elisabeth Rosenthal, the New York Times 15 January, 2008

UNTIL ALL THE FISH ARE GONE: EDITORIAL AND ARTICLE
The World Trade Organization is negotiating new trade rules that would reduce subsidies for the world’s fishing fleets. These fleets receive subsides of approximately $35 billion annually for expenses such as boat building, equipment, and fuel. The hope is that by reducing or eliminating these subsidies, fleets would shrink in size, and destructive practices such as bottom trawling would become uneconomic. This action is illuminated by two recent New York Times’ articles: “Europe Takes Africa’s Fish, and Boatloads of Migrants Follow,” and “Europe’s Appetite for Seafood Propels Illegal Trade.” Both articles discuss the environmental, economic, and human consequences of the illegal industrial fishing.

Source: The New York Times, 21 January, 2008

Related Articles:
Sharon LaFraniere, Europe take's Africa's fish, The New York Times, 14 January, 2008

CUBA BANS MARINE TURTLE HUNT
Cuba recently banned the hunting of marine turtles endangered in the Caribbean. The ban, which took effect the weekend of 26 January, will last “until it is scientifically proven that the species is recovering,” according to Elisa Garcia the Cuban Fisheries Ministry's Director of Regulations.

Source: Reuters, 23 January, 2008

Free Rice

2007-11-13T15:36:00.000-08:00

just one word for the day -- go to the following website www.freerice.com
it's fun and it helps feed people ...

in Halifax

2007-11-12T05:26:00.001-08:00

-3 degrees!!! Yep that's the temperature outside right now at 9h30 am. Rather fresh like I like to say .. but the sun is filtering through the clouds and the light is absolutely gorgeous.
I've been here for a week - my oh my it doesn't feel that way at all!! - visiting my friend Marta who is a post doc here with Heike Lotze at Dalhousie university. The two of us met when she came for a short stint to UBC 4 years ago, whilst she was still working on her PhD. It's been wonderful wonderful to get to spend some time with her - and to have each other for company whilst we work 'til the wee hours of the night. Marta is a little machine -- very inspiring when lots of work needs to be done ;o)
However, we did take Tuesday off as Boris and Heike had invited us to their lovely house by the sea for dinner. It's an absolutely stunning place - in a little community of about 40 people, right by the water, it's quiet, idyllic, peaceful and yet you can see nature unfolding it's beautiful wildness right around you. The day before I arrived the tail of a hurricane had been sweeping through sending 15, yes FIFTEEN, meter waves crashing against the seashore!
After a week of working until 1 am we also took saturday off - which was a real treat!!! ...went into town and the market -- I LOVED it, it's located in a an old brewery and has so so much character, little stands of people selling cheese, right next to stand of people selling scarves, or ham or fruit of postcards! Full of visitors and regulars gently elbowing their way around... irish music playing at this corner, an incredible violinist practising at the other end. We sat on the steps in front of him for a while, his music delight to our ears... whilst eating a cinnamon bun that was rather tasty!!
On the way home we stopped in multiple small shops - getting inspiration for various xmas presents...
...and in the evening we went 'round to one of marta's friends' house, Diego and Allison - incredibly warm hosts and aquaria fans. They have truly stunning tanks -- 2 saltwater ones and 3 freshwater ones! The incredible thing about the saltwater ones is that they do not use any filtration equipment at all!!! and the corals look SUPER healthy - i was seriously amased -- trick of the trade - as few fish as possible ;o)

Diego is from Mexico - and his parents were visiting - so we got an amasing treat: mole. Absolutely fantastically delicious!!!
ahhhhhhhhhh life is good I tell ya!

Today we may brave the crazy cold and go explore a little bit when we take a break later this afternoon - Peggy's cove maybe.
Stay tuned ;o)

what it feels like in the tumble dryer

2007-11-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

...this is exactly how I feel -- like I've been spun around and around and around and 'roud again... not really knowing where up nor down is... but slowly I am finding back onto my own two feet... the other day i said in an email to a friend of mine - i am trying to slowly move myself back into the eye of the storm.
the epiphany i had whilst caught in the storm and being tumbled around ... and whilst reading eat, pray, love by Elizabeth Gilbert (a book you HAVE TO read by the way) is that sometimes (that is relatively often these days) I've got my little control issues... i guess particularly as a scientist when you run experiments or play around with models, sure there is a certain amount of uncertainty that you have to content yourself with - but often you're the one in control... and studying in a place with so many strong personalities around 'control' is something important... but admitting deep within yourself that it's ok *NOT* to be in control and letting go is just as important ... and so i am smiling at myself as i know this but actually doing it is a whole other thing!!! ... and yet, it's just like in climbing where when you let go of the wall no matter how hard your brain is telling you don't do it, you know you ain't going to fall very far ... letting go in this instance is just as counter intuitive on some levels yet i also know nothing is really going to happen!!!

So i've moved to halifax for the next 2 weeks -- to focus on work and find my centre of balance again. I need to get a draft of my third chapter together - and it's been a real headache, to the point where it's had be up at night... the last couple of weeks have been relatively productive though so i am hoping to continue riding that wave. Plus my friend marta is here and she's got just as much insane amounts of work to get through so we can motivate each other and take breaks together :o) ... and she understands these crazy ecopath models better than i do so i hope to absorb some of those extra beams for sure and incorporate them solidly into my brain!!!!

the turtles are calling ;o)

2007-10-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

wow nelly -- the work life does seem to have sucked me up... although part of the last three weeks have been :o) as I had visitors for part of them - the last 2 weeks have certainly seen me more or less hiding in a hole and working away... the last 2 weeks have been rather tough on my morale I must admit. Aspects of work and just a whole bunch of other curve balls thrown at me ... and this feeling that you somehow landed yourself in a pool a little too deep for you to be able to safely swim either to the side or to the shallow end. Perseverance here though is the key ... so i am sticking to it, trying to stay focused and disciplined and getting enough rest and exercise to keep my endorphin levels as high as possible!!!

I am about to escape to get a bit of fresh air-- and fresh it is! - only 7 degrees, but I thought I'd post a couple of pictures from a hike I did when my friend Mike was visiting and Cara, a friend of the family was still in Vancouver as well - out to Eagle Bluffs. It was absolutely spectacular and fantastic - the day was perfect weather wise too, bright sunshine, blue sky, you get to walk through bits that are open, passing by numerous little lakes with orange trees pondering their own reflections...and then a whole stretch through the forest ... before coming out to a steep cliff with an absolute STUNNING view of Vancouver and Mount Baker to the south in the distance, whilst out west you could see the edged contours of Vancouver island sticking out black from the water. That hike definitely belongs to one of the most incredible hikes I've done since moving here.

As for work -- well, TAing (mostly marking assignments and exams) has been taking up quite a bit of my time ... reading what the students have been writing & their attitudes makes me wonder sometimes what the school system has become...
Then i need to hand in a draft of the write up of my Caribbean model results by the first week of November. It's making me nervous as - although I've got most of it together, there are so many things I feel are out of control or I don't know about or simply haven't had a chance, still, to wrap my head around. Hence, I've decided to take myself out to Halifax so i could spend some time with my friend Marta and have her inculcate some her Ecopath wisdom to me!!! I'm looking forward to it ... I think if I am absolutely honest with myself, I've terrified myself more than necessary by this model; and I simply need to jump with both feet and immerse myself in it. I am actually looking forward to it! As Dwight Moore taught us at a workshop I recently attended ("getting on track with your thesis") that would put me at developmental level D3 - i.e. I have moderate capacity but HIGH (to variable) motivation!
and here I go - back to my mediation functions - in other words describing how sea turtle cropping influences predator prey interactions in seagrass beds!

chronically ill indeed

2007-10-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

As my friend Pablo commented on one of my posts the other day - are 'we' indeed chronically ill? mmm - it's a good question - I do think at least in parts we are. Looking up the definition for chronically it says - Lasting for a long period of time or marked by frequent recurrence, as certain diseases - well there you have it. The harms we have inflicted upon nature (and by extension onto ourselves?!) are definitely for long periods of time. However, somehow because it doesn't directly or immediately affect our health (in our cushy developed world that is) we somehow always foster the hope somehow it'll get fixed.... but look the ozone hole is still there and bog as ever despite the ban on CFCs back in the 90s... we give ourselves too much credit for understanding how this world functions and how we can 'fix' things gone awry. Well the world has an amasing capacity at being uncertain and full of surprises ... and we should think before acting .. rather than do it anyways and then hoping we can fix it later if it goes pear shaped. Just like that saying goes - better safe than sorry....

Speaking of our world being chronically ill ... A federal report shows that loggerhead sea turtle populations are suffering from significant declines - sad story indeed especially when you consider that data from 1989-1998 showed that the number of nesting sites had increased about 4% each year. In an article published in The New York Times reasons for the decline are mainly attributed to commercial fishing ... but it could be a whole slew of reasons and combination of things...

As for illness itself - I've not been feeling all that hot myself these past couple of days ... my body is intensely fighting a war against some bugs that want to take over my immune system for a little while... onset of fall, and the creeping-in cold always kind of throws your body in a bit of loop. So I've been making myself tasty veggie based soups, taking lots of vitamins, inhaling niaouli oil - a natural antiseptic - and getting more sleep than I usually do. Nothing more frustrating than trying to work and producing only blank mind waves.

So I am going back to bed - creating a comfy little corner for myself with a bunch of pillows and taking some scientific reading there with me -- and a cup of hot herbal tea.
If only it'd be that easy to help cure mother nature...

PS - oooh and that second chapter did get handed in to Daniel ... though it still needs some work

Rambles and that second chapter

2007-10-02T23:02:00.000-07:00

So after a pretty much sleep deprived week and a terrible headache on Friday day, things started to look up on Friday eve. After collapsing at home for a wee while, I cycled down to the Charlatan, a bar on Commercial Dr. to meet up with a group of friends. I didn't stay long - but they had both guiness and strongbow on tap (yayyyyy - a very rare event here in Vancouver!) so i delighted myself in a black velvet - yum! ...and the bartender was super nice and gave it to me for free!!! Just the perfect way to end a downtrodden week I tell ya!
Saturday morning saw me rise and shine early (well certainly the former, not sure about the latter) as my friend Kate was having her wedding brunch that day. A bus that I picked up downtown then took us on a long ride over to Coquitlam. There are some insanely posh houses over there -- very movie type decor looking though, alcking serious personality or charm. The buffet (at the Coquitlam gold club s'il vous plait) was exquisitely tasty and I got to catch up with a friend of mien from Tasmania I didn't know was going to be attending the wedding! Kate looked beautiful and happy -- and the groom to be seemed very calm and serene!
Long ride on the bus home... and then a fun trip to the climbing gym!
I think i may have gotten myself addicted...
Attendance at a house party in the evening, after a tasty meal-cooking at home ... some typical house tasks on sunday... and then I was headed to the wedding itself. However, as I was about to hop out of my flat and hop on the bus, I got a dsitraught phone call from a friend of mine whose laptop had justd ecided to join the never neverland of computers.... 2 weeks before her thesis submission. Eeeeekkk! I gave her a couple of emergency computer support numbers, crossed my fingers before hopping into Neil's car who very gallantly and kindly offered to drive me to Cecil Green Park house. Despite the gray skies and continuous downpour, nothing could have possibly obscured the couple's day -- they both looked stunning & both looked deeply happy and in love :o) The ceremony was shot and sweet and truly lovely. Tasty food and some touching and funny speeches followed... then some dancing and a very dangerous looking carrying of the newlyweds on chairs!!! careening at top speed around the dance floor! Very funny ... I took this as my high note of the eve and said my adieus.

Sadly my friend's computer was completely toast :o( - and so I spent most of monday madly backing up and synchronizing my computers and drives - you just simply cannot be too safe.
Today I made some progress on producing a decent draft of my second chapter so I can give it to Daniel by tomorrow --- I'll have to get up early though and do some solid work on it to get it to that point though. Somehow it just doesn't flow :o| ...just seriously wish writing came to me easier!!!!
Cara - daughter of a friend of the family - arrived today as well, and will be staying with me until friday. She's wanting to get a feel for the city and see whether she'd consider moving here!

Right - and with that I am off to bed!
Boa noite

Sleep - or lack thereof - and climate change

2007-09-27T11:19:00.001-07:00

Yikes - I've not done too well on the keeping the momentum-going-on-the-blog-front these days.!
Truth be told this week has been somewhat of a blur :o| I worked pretty intense hours over the weekend trying to get an updated draft of my UNEP report in -- which I did... albeit at 5 am on Monday. 3 hours of sleep later I had to be at school ... the last couple of days have been filled with running all sorts of errands that need to be taken care of and trying to get back up to speed on the PhD front. My second chapter is coming together slowly ... though will still require quite a substantial amount of work before it's ready for publication... which is ok, but on some days the light at the end of the tunnel seems incredibly dim :o| and I just want to hide under the covers and make it all go away.
Give me a few days and extra sleep and the light will come back shining bright and clear I know it ;o)

In the mean time here's an interesting story from this week's nature, written by Lovelock and Rapley, about how our planet could be helped to heal in the face of climate change by setting up a pipe system that would be "say, 100 to 200 metres long, 10 metres in diameter and with a one-way flap valve at the lower end for pumping by wave movement. [This nutrient rich water] would fertilize algae in the surface waters and encourage them to bloom. This would pump down carbon dioxide and produce dimethyl sulphide, the precursor of nuclei that form sunlight-reflecting clouds."

Let the tongues go wild!

how we're losing nature

2007-09-19T12:07:00.001-07:00

So the other day I pointed out how I truly believe nature makes some of the most amasing art... Trying to finish (FINALLLY!!!!) a second draft of my second thesis chapter -- this has been somewhat of a protracted affair to say the least, I keep on coming across numbers that are just startling... and I've always wanted to put them up on my website. One day I'll get around to it - in the mean time they'll be here for everyone's discomfort.
So here goes a few of them:

More than half of all natural habitat on agriculturally useable land has already been cleared
3/4 of harvested fish populations are overexploited
Caribbean green turtles have declined in numbers by 99.9% since the arrival by Columbus
Australian dugong populations and Chesapeake Bay oyster harvests have declined by 98% in the past century
Shark numbers in the northwest Atlantic have plummeted to 75% of their size in the last 15 years alone

This all has serious economic repercussions for humanity , including for e.g. a $2 billion bill for income support and restraining following the collapse of the Newfoundland cod fishery due to overexploitation.

Today in the news I read that the European Union decided to ban bluefin tuna fishing for the rest of the year. Why? because the imposed quota has already been reached ... yet, how much of a difference this will make is debatable as about one in every three bluefin landed is caught illegally .. an activity not least perpetrated by the French! Yes there are definite moments when I am not very proud of my heritage!!!!
The story of the bluefin tuna is a sad one -- not very many are left roaming the sea... and in the Med, in the Sea of Sicily, where ancient tradition had local men's lives intricately linked to that of tuna (in many villages tuna fishing was considered a right of passage) by fishing using tonnaras, a thousand-year old ritual, the last such operation closed last year.

I'll paste here a description of it taken from the National Geographic, who recently dedicated an entire edition to the fisheries crisis:

"The story of giant bluefin tuna began with unfathomable abundance, as they surged through the Straits of Gibraltar each spring, fanning out across the Mediterranean to spawn. Over millennia, fishermen devised a method of extending nets from shore to intercept the fish and funnel them into chambers, where they were slaughtered. By the mid-1800s, a hundred tuna traps—known as tonnara in Italy and almadraba in Spain—harvested up to 15,000 metric tons of bluefin annually. The fishery was sustainable, supporting thousands of workers and their families.

[...] In 1864, Favignana's fishermen took a record 14,020 bluefin, averaging 425 pounds (190 kilograms). [...] One sign of the Favignana tonnara's diminishment is that it is run by a Rome marketing executive, Chiara Zarlocco, whose plan for the future is to dress the fishermen in historic costumes as they reenact the mattanza, [which occurs when the tuna are channeled into a netted chamber and lifted to the surface by fishermen who kill them with gaffs]. "

the mighty leatherback and why nature makes the best art

2007-09-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

Today i went to visit my friend T Todd (Jones) who lives (at times quite literally) out on south campus; to say hello as I had not seen him in ages and to show my friend Ben Todd's in captivity reared leatherback. 2 years, 2 months and 2 days is how old it is. Pretty incredible when you think that these creatures typically foray in pelagic waters. Yes they look a bit awkward and aren't necessarily pretty - but they are truly stunningly beautiful creature; and there's something mythical in a way about them.
On the way back to the AERL - the lovely (ironic!!!) building in which my office sits - under the warm sun and staring straight at the blue sky I couldn't help but think of an email my sister had written me about an exhibit she had gone to see in Edinburgh by Richard Long. He turns nature into art or as he calls it "art made by walking in landscapes". Actually I'd like to think nature is art all in and of itself ... it's just that some particularly talented and perceptive folks such as Long and Andy Goldsworthy are incredibly apt at bringing out the beauty and catching it's sometimes ephemeral aspects.
Nature simply is truly and astoundingly beautiful :)

fishkini on the northwest passage

2007-09-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

With global warming heating us up, you'll soon be able to strut and display the latest swimwear fashion, aka the fishkini (read on if you want to find out more about this!!) on the deck of a cruise ship whilst navigating through bits of icebergs along the northwest passage route.The most direct shipping route from Europe to Asia is fully clear of ice for the first time since records began in 1978, says the European Space Agency.
That is CRAZY! - and of course raises the concern that all sorts of political mayhem may ensue... well in a way it's already happening.
Canada of course is saying that since the route passes through its territory it gets the right to decide who can and can't traverse it; while the EU and the US, of course, are arguing that it should be considered 'international waters' hence usable by anyone. Then back in August there was the whole Canadian versus Russian versus Danish geological quest going on - with the Russians planting a titanium flag on the seabed thereby claiming it was their bit of underwater land... the Danes then later set out on a similar mission - whilst Canada's Foreign Minister quite wittingly said that Russia's tactics were so 15th century! Tensed battles are to ensure that's for sure whether it be for the Northwest right of passage itself or all the ores that have been sleeping far far below that ice :o(

... and so what was that about the fishkini? Well, turns out that you can do much more with tilapia than just marinate it and eat it!!! It's skin can be dried and dyed to make funky 'leather' accessories: bags, wallets... and now bikinis... it's neat and comfy because it breathes and is waterproof boats a model wearing one of them at a fashion show in Thailand.
Not only that, but it adds value to the farmed fish too! Here take a look (you'll have to suffer through some advertising first) -

the sun's still shining .. and the salmon dancing.

2007-09-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

Not a salmon picture this is -- I confess; but a pretty picture to start your day nevertheless I hope. It was taken on Mayne Island at the end of July.

About salmon though....yesterday, my friend John sent me the link to one of the most hilarious (and space chicken-ey) videos I have seen in a long time. It is really fun (and the pufferfish is just hilarious), though what a shame they couldn't get the species right!!!! Especially considering the text is actually pretty clever and i guess raises awareness about the salmon's plight !!!

My friend Jennifer and I were just talking about how given the animation quality there must have been quite a bit of money that went into it -- she's going to blog about it (so keep an eye on the website!) and give them hell for getting the species wrong .... hehehehe!

It's actually quite fascinating the attention marine beasties are getting in the name of economic promotion. TELUS' campaign is all about animals in general - of late though many of their campaigns use seahorses, or (coral reef) fishes to sell their products. Now I am not too sure what a reef fish and a phone may have in common but... it makes for colourful ads and I guess that's part of the selling package! I was going to include a link to one but their website only has a Canada goose on there....
This also reminds me of an add I saw a while ago for some washing machine which convinced you that it was 'deeply different' by having the inside of it turn into an ocean - socks got transformed into sponge reefs, mittens into whale sharks! I must confess I thought it was very clever and... I really quite liked it! hmmm - I miss the oceans and the fishies

Right enough philosophizing about washing machines (though never too much philosophising about the oceans - hehehehe!) - it's 10 am and I better get to work. On the agenda today, more papers to read so I can finalise (FINALLLY!!!!) a draft of my second chapter - hopefully by next Wednesday it'll be in good enough shape that I'll feel comfortable circulating it to my committee. Fingers crossed. Also need to do more contract work .... The sun beating down on my bed is so tempting though ... sigh ;o)

10 days later...

2007-09-11T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I truly can't believe just how quickly time goes by. For the past 2 weeks more or less I've been super motivated by work and to work. All I want to do to some degree is just get things moving. I must admit, there is something about a sense of accomplishment that just adds somewhat of a rose tint to your glasses! It's not easy every day to feel motivated to sit indoors starring at a screen all day - especially when the weather has consistently been sunny of late and the temperature ranging in the 20s. That being said it is a nice treat to be able to go and sit in the sunshine for a brief while, take in the rays and read a book at lunch time ... before getting back to it.

Last week I had been working on entering much of my Caribbean Marine Protected Areas (MPA) data into MPAGlobal - a database compiling the most up to date data of Marine Protected Areas worldwide. The project itself is the PhD thesis of a good friend of mine and colleague Louisa Wood at the Fisheries Centre. We work a fair bit together and it's been nice to be able to collaborate on the Caribbean portion as it were of the data.

The other bits of my time have mainly been taken up by (i) finishing putting together a report for UNEP Caribbean office on lessons learned from a number of activities implemented at various MPAs in the region: Sian Ka'an in Mexico, Hol Chan in Belize, Bonaire in the Netherland Antilles and Soufriere in St Lucia; (ii) trying to put together an abstract for a presentation and/or poster at the upcoming sea turtle symposium in Loreto, Mexico; and (iii) getting all the data I have for Kaloko Honokohau marine park together so i can start putting it all together for my ecological model.

I did manage to escape not this past weekend but the one before that though. Neil, two of his friends and I all hiked up to Brandywine meadows close to Squamish. The weather was very soggy which also made for very very muddy trails.... but despite the rain and the goo it was wonderful to be outdoors :O) ..and there actually is something quite special and mystical even about hiking when it's foggy and quite damp out. The forest smells different and you somehow feel like you're being hugged by the forest's cocoon. Once we got to the top we got greeted by an amasing view of the meadows full of wildflowers. The rain kindly stopped whilst we were setting up the tents, but it only meant that the bugs came out in full force!!! before dinner time we all decided to go for a walk ... which we kind of broke short because I landed 40m away from a grizzly bear!!!!!!! bot really noticing it was there as I was too focused on where I was putting my feet (the ground was basically slush). Somewhat nervous we all hiked back to the camping spot, only to discover the bear was about 100m away... eventually though he moved away. never to be seen again... apart from his paw + claw prints along the footpath going back down the next morning! Quite the spectacle!
What saved our dinner and made for general pleasantness of the evening and morning was Josh's tarp!!!! It allowed us to huddle and keep both warm and dry - a definite wise investment I say!

I am not too sure what this weekend will bring - with several deadlines looming ominously over me I know I'll want to work most of it ... but the sun will know how to tempt me out ;o)

Of shrimps - economics and ecology

2007-08-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting article for you, tallying answers to the question - why shrimp consumption has been on the increase. The blog author wanted to some degree test the theory that answers would vary depending on whether the respondent is an economist, or not, and thus focus refer to changes in "supply", or "demand" respectively. Given the responses, the hypothesis faired only so-so, and part of the answer probably is attributable to the decreasing price of shrimp.

Now I say this is all fine and dandy from an economics point of view -- but, and this is where those who know me will start laughing as they've heard this probably far too many times (!), no shrimp story is complete without telling you that eating farmed or non-trap caught shrimp is bad bad bad bad bad bad news!!!!!! ... and should you *ever* sit at a dinner table with me eating those, I will give you a very hard time!...so much so that you'll probably feel guilty next time you eat them, and wind up enver eating them again!

SO why is eating shrimp such a bad idea - I'll try to keep it simple:

Most shrimp tend to be caught using trawling gear - this not only destroys the seafloor (the refuge place of many a fish, think cutting down trees in a forest) but also leads to all sorts of other non-targeted species being caught in the nets. Shrimp trawling is renowned for having the highest incident of bycatch (those species you weren't trying to catch). The usual statistic is that for every pound of shrimp you catch, you'll end up with 4 pounds of 'unwanted' juvenile fish and other marine life in your hands... and ocne the shrimp have been sorted out that bycatch usually just gets chucked over board.
OK OK - so you turn to me and say but I only eat farmed shrimp, so I am all good.... well think again:

A lot of imported shrimp come from farms that were set up in mangrove habitats. This means, more often than not the mangrove trees themselves had to be cut down to make space for the farm to be established - now mangroves are very important and productive systems. Why so? Here are but a few of the services they render: they protect coastlines from erosion (even potentially protecting communities from dangers such as the impact of tsunamis), they provide important nursery habitats for juvenile fish, and they harbour a lot of species that local communities depend on for self sustenance;
and.... shrimp that grow in farms need to be fed... and they get fed fish meal and fish oil... and those fishes that were ground up to feed the shrimp to then feed you, would have otherwise probably ended up on someone else's plate in Thailand for example.
lastly, sadly, many shrimp farms are usually renowned for their rather miserable working conditions

Now it's relatively easy for me to say all this and abstain from shrimp - 1) because I believe firmly in what I do (being a marine ecologist and therefore by extension respecting mother nature as much as I can) but 2) also because I am allergic to these beasts! Thus, if you really have an incredibly soft spot for shrimp and can't possibly imagine your life without ever eating shrimp again, I have the answer for you!
Eat shrimp that were trap caught - such as British Columbia trap caught spot prawns.
Eating sustainable seafood is possible; depending on where you live here area couple of websites that you'll find helpful and useful

Blue Ocean Institute
Seachoice
if you're in the UK check out the Marine Conservation Society's web page, they've got a slew of information re: when to buy which fish etc... for just an overview download their good fish guide

- print out their little wallet size card and keep it handy :o)

So now you have no excuse; and by eating responsibly not only will you be looking after our oceans, but you'll also be making sure you'll be eating fish (and/or shrimp) for years to come!

Now go out there and convert at least one of your friends ;o)

Nelson Mandela

2007-08-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Every morning before I get started with work I've taken to reading the BBC World News - it's usually relatively succinct and covers it all. One story that touched me today is the unveiling of Nelson Mandela's statue in London opposite the Houses of Parliament. The mayor of London present at the events said something that stuck with me - "Long after we are forgotten, you will be remembered for having taught the word one amasing truth; that you can achieve justice without vengeance."

In stark contrast to World News how about this bit of video!! no comment ;o)

The weather is gorgeous today - blue, blue skies, 29 degrees and radiant sun. I must admit today I am struggling to stay focused on drawing up species list of all the creepy crawlies that occur at that park I mentioned yesterday, KAHO, in Hawai'i. Some classical music and a cup of Earl Grey should help though :o)

...and well in the end I gave in ;o) ... and am feeling all the better for it; hehehe! Savas, his friend Cristiane and I ended up going kayaking to the arboretum from lake Union... and what a paddling trip it was! Although the cut between Lake Union and Union Bay is fraught with crazy sailors, yachts and other boats that have you confronting some serious chop, the arboretum waters themselves are comparable to a glassy mirror. It's truly beautiful: water lilies everywhere, herons striking a pose as you turn into smaller tributaries, ducks flashing their bums plucking at the more than abundant seaweeds (I actually think there are a few too many nutrients in that water!)... and the peacefulness of it all... yet we're merely meters away from the crazy 520 interstate - the bridge under which you've actually got to paddle it you want to enter the arboretum waters...

Et pour finir la soirée en beauté as we'd say in French Savas and I had dinner at this newly established fabulous restaurant in Queen Anne - according to me it boasts some of the best pizza ever... though that may be because i am serioulsy pizza deprived in Vancouver! ;o)

Right - off to bed it is - as tomorrow has got to be another incredibly productive day before I head home to Vancouver

Lunar eclipse

2007-08-28T22:19:00.000-07:00

Not sure if any of you got up to see the lunar eclipse - but it was well worth it! A big bright orange pie in the sky - sort of eerie yet fascinating.... and I must say that my friend Savas boasts the best balcony from which to view such celestial magic. Only downside --the incredible light pollution surrounding the residential areas around here.
Since getting here I've managed to be rather productive, which was the whole idea after all - be productive, and improve my running performance more than ever before! The last two days we've gone for a run 'round Green Lake park - a beautiful place to go, and where most of the folks, judging by their bodies (and yes they 8do* like to show them off!), jogging around the body of water must be some accomplished runners. Not sure if it makes you go faster or not though ;o)
I've spent all of today working on getting a handle of what the ecosystem of The National Historic Park of Kanoko Holokohau is like, what the main threats to its balance are as well as finding out where I am most likely to find all the information I will need to develop an ecosystem model of it (using the software Ecopath with Ecosim, aka EwE- yes I do like the fact that it sounds like ewwww!). Of course I am of the conviction that taking a trip there would help me tremendously ;o)
However until then it's back to the books ... and Green Lake Park to give the midn some fresh air and a touch of sunshine.

Seattle

2007-08-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

SO I've 'escaped' to Seattle for a few days to visit my friend Savas and also to get my head stuck into the books and make some significant progress before term starts and with it my TA duties and the maelstrom of other stuff ... eeek start of term it conjures images of packed buses, a full campus, mayhem everywhere ... ahhh the quiet days of summer will be over!
I got here on the weekend - just so I could relax some before going full throttle into work mode -- Saturday night we went to a lovely Mexican restaurant before going salsa dancing at Century ballroom. Some pretty incredible dancers, but also a lot of showing off!!!! Kinda fun to watch though!
Then yesterday we went for nice walks - my injured toe prevented us from going on a hike on Mount Rainier :o and hung out with one of Savas' friends who is in town for a couple of days from San Francisco.

I like Seattle - it feels somewhat more industrialised than Vancouver - but also somehow more cosmopolitan. It definitely has an 'American city' feel to it that I don't miss in Vancouver - but it has sort of the same dynamism & the same easy access to outdoors feel.

Reading up on work emails this morning I had this bit of news that merits being cited again:
According to "Aquaculture and Fisheries: A Global Strategic Business Report" published by Global Industry Analysts Inc., about one billion human beings worldwide depend on fish as their primary means of animal protein, particularly in coastal areas where reliance on fish is normally higher. [the crazy thing is actually going to that company's website and attempting to download the report you're told it will cost you $3950!!!! that cannot possibly be the case - that would be absolutely ludicrous! ]

The other bit of ocean news I've wanted to post here for a while but always seem to forget is the following sad report:
Large-scale analysis of the world's largest reef system indicates that coral destruction is faster and more widespread than researchers previously thought. Over the past 2 decades, coral has disappeared at five times the rate of Earth's rain forests.
If you follow the link you can actually read the whole article online, as it was published in PLoS ONE a new generation of open access publications.

Random thoughts

2007-08-21T23:27:00.000-07:00

Today feels like it's been a long day - and yet when I look at the list of accomplished things, I've not done all that much :o| ... but I also can't say I wasn't productive ;o) ... yes one of those!
All sorts of thoughts have been pushing and shoving around in swirls in my head. I've been thinking about my family lots -- as my brother just headed out to Geneva to be briefed on his new mission in Sri Lanka. He should land into Colombo some time this weekend -- and then head out to Ampara on the East coast sometime next week. Of course I am anxious -- but I must admit that after Afghanistan and the Sudan and having spent a little time in Sri Lanka, this feels much more 'normal' - whatever that may mean in the context of humanitarian aid! I miss him heaps -- it's been over a year now since I last saw him; feels like much longer given how communication whilst he was in the Sudan was rather difficult at best. And although I am glad he got to spend about two months in Europe and thus enjoy 'home' with mom and dad in Montpellier and quality times with the lil sista, I can't feel but a pinch in the heart that I wasn't so lucky. Will just have to make sure I suppose that I absolutely capitalise and maximise on my own sisterly quality time next time I see him ;o)

The sun was out today though -- making sure sad thoughts didn't prevail ... even making me smile :o) beams feeling nice on my skin when I strolled to the bus stop on my way downtown to treat myself (finally!!) to the Monet to Dali exhibit
Neil and I have wanted to go see it for a while -- yet something always came up. It was nice to go in the afternoon too as, though it was crowded, it wasn't crazily packed - which would have made reading of any of the sign postings next to the paintings impossible to read whilst squished between 5-6 people all the while trying to not obscure other people's view of the paintings themselves! Why is it that they make those signs so RIDICULOUSLY MALL????? Ever heard of BIG FONTS?! ;o)

I am constantly on the lookout for good books - right now I am reading this crazy novel (Paddle to the Amazon by Sarkell and Wilkins) about a dad and his two sons (later one of them quit) who decided to canoe all the way from Winnipeg all the way to Belem via the Rio Negro!!! I kid you not!
However, on the more intellectual shall we say side of things, dad has just sent me a review that inspired me to get the following book - Bottom billion: Why the poorest countries are failing and what can be done about it by Paul Collier. If you want a review of the NYT article - go to page 7
This paragraph was the reason why I want to go out and get it - "The Bottom Billion" stands on a foundation of painstaking quantitative research, and it is admirably succinct and pithily written. If Sachs seems too saintly and Easterly too cynical, then Collier is the authentic old Africa hand: he knows the terrain and has a keen ear. If you've ever found yourself on one side or the other of the arguments about causes and remedies for development problems then you simply must read this book.

Right - I better go make dinner, stop trying to find reasons not to devote my life to Ecopath and get some work done ;o)
Oh but before I go check this out - Vancouver, has for the 5th time in a row been voted the most livable city to live in worldwide by the Economist magazine. This was kindly forwarded by my friend Ahmed who's sillily decided to move out to St John -- bahh we'll find ways to lure him back ;o)

Mount Strachan

2007-08-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

I've not been very good at keeping up with my blog -- but today, walking to the bus stop under the drizzle I decided that I was very much wanting to use this site as a bit of a diary of sorts. I do enjoy reading back over things - see how impressions right then and there compare to memories ... particularly since reading, or starting to read rather "Stumbling on Happiness" by Daniel Gilbert - it's an awsome awsome book. There are many statistics in there that will startle you, and many facts that are quite mind boggling. The part on memory when comparing what we recall to what we actually experienced goes something like this - apparently magicians as well as scientists have demonstrated that memories, especially memories of experience are notoriously unreliable. The scientific study asked a group of people to pick a colour swatch. Some of the volunteers were then asked to describe it for ~ 30 seconds whilst the others did nothing. All volunteers were then asked to pick, from 6 choices of swatches, the one they originally chose. So now get this - only 73% of the non describers actually got the colour right; and an astonishing 33 percent!!!! out of the describing group accurately identified their original chosen colour! Crazy eh?! Therefore "our remembrance of things past is imperfect, thus comparing our new happiness with our memory of our old happiness is a risky way to determine whether two subjective experiences are really different."

This weekend I was meant to go climbing - or at least attempt climbing as I've never been before. I've really wanted to go for a while now, but have always been too chicken to do it - partly because I am so terrified of heights - but then I see climbing as a good way to overcome it! Unfortunately the weather wasn't quite up for it - and so a little group of us, Neil, Cindy and Matt ended up going hiking instead... and so up mount Strachan we went. The trail description in my little hike guidebook got us throughly confused (and entertained!) - but we did manage to find the south summit ... and enjoy some tasty goods, tea and stunning views when the fog would decided to clear. It was kind of neat actually to ascend through the fog, the sun filtering through every now and again -- and finding yourself in front of a wall of white-fluffiness that would all of a sudden literally evaporate and as though a curtain had been opened, let your eyes glide over a stunning view of Vancouver's surrounding areas.
Through the alpin-ey meadows the path took us - through many pretty flowers and bright green leafy things, pink and white mountain heather, partridge foot (i think) and along mossy rocks.

Up the hills and down the gullies it went -- and on the final descent we even encountered snow!!!
Some of the more adventurous threw rocks onto some of the snow arches to find out if they would resist some impressive stunts ;o) ... but we eventually decided that it was probably safer to just sit underneath the arch and grin broadly into the camera ;o)

The only thing that you needed to do on this hike was continuously move - or you'd end up surrounded by a massive cloud of nauseums, or in layman's terms heaps and heaps of small black flying insects that preferably settled up your nostrils, tickled your ears or settled for the corner of your eyes!!! Whenever a slight breeze would pick up though they'd disappear and all in all they weren't all that bad.

We even got the sun to peak through the clouds and warm our faces and bodies lying on the stone when we made it to the top -- *l*o*v*e*l*y and a sort of treat for getting ourselves out into the outdoors.
I've come to realise that the start to my weeks are so much more productive when I get to get out on the weekend -- and it feels as though my soul is given a bit of time to expand and stretch its wings before being confined to a body sitting for the greater part of most days!

Right - I wanted to finish off bits of work before going to bed tonight so I'll sign off :o)

Back in YVR

2007-08-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hmmm... it's been a while since I've posted anything ... and I am going to try and promise that I'll make sure to update everyone SOOON about the remainder legs of my trip to the South Pacific - namely Wallis!
In one word though -- it was absolutely *i*n*c*r*e*d*i*b*l*y* amasing and beautiful and I learned a ton! Seriously though, I've never in my life come across a place that is more picturesque than this one! The pictures sort of speak for themselves don't they ;o)

Since being back life's been pretty hectic and crazy ... getting back into the PhD mode has been somewhat slow... yet productive, which is good!
Got my first chapter accepted for publication, which is way exciting!!! .. and now trodding along with the rest of things.

Work has however been interrupted by some very excitedly fun activities, amongst others a weekend to Mayne Island with some friends of Neil's. It was without a doubt one of the best weekends ever - so so much fun! I'll post some pictures soon!
...and since the long weekend is coming up - hoping the weather clears again - a group of us is scheduled to go hiking on sunday. I can't wait -- the outdoors, yeahhhh!!!! I can hear my bum screaming yeahhhh too -- it's been adverse to sitting in a chair for too many hours a day and in a lot of pain! ...and no it's not an excuse to procrastinate!

Keep beaming**

Ile des Pins and my last week

2007-06-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

Several days since my last entry ... it's been two days already since I got back from l'Ile des Pins, yet it could just as well have been yesterday... I've said it before but man time flies. This will probably be a short entry as I've got so much to finish and tidy up before my departure for Wallis on Saturday at 8 am. However I wanted to post a quick update.

So let's backtrack -- Saturday evening -- we drove out to Patricia's house for her birthday party. Lovely flat, super spacious with a great balcony. The ambiance was smiley and relaxed - lots of rum and tasty wine .... and of course lots of tasty bits of food! Patricia got absolutely showered with presents -- some very bright pink sparkly sandals, a cute sexy top, little trinkets and a necklace. iIven how early we had to leave the next day for our fieldtrip to l'Ile des Pins we finally peeled ourselves off the couches at around 1am. The night was super clear and the sky full of stars. So weird to not find your bearings in the sky at night! At home Julie and I made some 'tisane' and sat out on the deck until 2:30am chatting and giggling. She is a really wicked girl and I am going to miss her a ton when I leave... 'fieldtrips' are remarkable that way, you get to live so intensely with people for a short (or long) period of time, get pretty close in a relatively short period of time and then you just take off... but it's :o) to get to meet such incredible people.

On Sunday then we take a 30 minute flight over to the island - the sky is cloudy so we can't see the reef :o .... makes for an all more surprising and flabbergastingly exciting flight home!!!!

Claude meets us at the airport -- upon arrival we drop our stuff off, gear up, pick up the rental car and drive to our first survey site. The weather is cloudy and the sky looks threatening... but we're determined and excited and nothing will stop us!

We're meant to survey a number of locations that were chosen from their 'seagrass' signature (i.e. the way they look) on satellite images.

The first two sites are seagrass beds alright - we record the species present as well as any algae mixed into the bed and write down a short description, including depth, substrate etc...

After a lunch break where we eat possibly the longest and biggest sandwich I've ever faced!!! we tackle the next site -- here, surprise surprise no seagrass, but lots of algae!!! ahhhh mapping from satellite images is one hell of a tricky business!!!! Algae and seagrass can look so so similar!!! ... emphasising the importance of going on the ground and finding out what it is you're looking at!

We're pretty dead tired byt he time we get home and so get to bed not too late following dinner.

On monday we've rented a boat. Jean Louis will be our 'marin' for the day - he's smiley and super cheerful. He's also a diver and a local and so knows all the sites we're meant to survey really well. He giggles when we mentioned we're looking for seagrass -- saying, you won't find any at any of those sites... but if you're keen I can show you where to find some grass!!!

We still survey all the algal beds which we thought were seagrass beds... and add the two sites Jean Louis takes us to.

The weather is GORGEOUS by now ... though we have a westerly wind blowing -- which NEVER happens!!! I tell you some little funny man always plays tricks with you those days you need to go out onto/into the water!

I can't believe my eyes -- the water is absolutely crystal clear, a multitude of turquoise, dark blues -- nature at its most stunning. A couple of clouds in the sky emphasise the sharpness of the light, lending the rocks that jut out of the water a more marked contrast. This place is absolutely surreal. The terrestrial horizon is lined by tall 'pins colonaires' typical of the island --- and the reason why it is called the Isle of Pines in the first place. To think that people (ME) get to work in places like this makes me burst out laughing!!!! No matter the weather this truly *IS* paradise!!!!

I love my work :o) -- and I get to learn so much!! Claude, the algologist, is in 7th heaven with all the algae we come across. She is an amasing teacher, and doesn't tire of my questions - and which one is this again? and how do you call this one? but this one looks exactly like this one!!! pointing out details time and again on how to differentiate between the multitude of green, brown and variations thereof, I pull out of the water.

The diversity is mindblowing -- truly. At one site, we go explore a little adjacent reef -- HUGE red gorgonians stretch their fans out into the water. I've never seen anythign like it - they are BEAUTIFUL. Big fish swim in and out of crevaces, clown fishes dance in their anemones, every now and again being courageous they dart out towards you as if to say, hey, you're in my space, get lost!

As light falls -- it's winter here and we're close to the equator so the sun sets early, at around 5h30 pm, we cruise back towards the hotel and snorkel our last site --- right in front of the hotel. To gloriously finish the day, this is a seagrass bed :o)

We download all the pictures we took to help us describe the sites and literally fall into bed after a tasty and hearty dinner.

Claude takes off the next morning early, whilst Serge and I stay on the island to go see the mayor and thank him for allowing us to carry out our surveys. Customary law is still in effect here and a number of sites are considered tabu on and around the isle. Trespassers will be severly punished. As such, anyone wishing to carry out any research needs to ask permission not only from the official authorities but also from the chiefs. It took close to 6 months for the chief to authorise this mission - and so we wanted to be sure to thank him. He's busy in a meeting and so we leave a message... and go on to do one more site before enjoying the island as tourists.

There is no doubt about it this island is truly magnificent -- and New Caledonia at some of its best. To me this is definitely one of the most amasing sites I've ever visited on the planet.

I've added a couple of pictures so judge for yourselves ;o)

Weekend fast approaching

2007-06-16T00:49:00.000-07:00

Saturday is market day - and there's no better way to discover a city than to explore its market. So many colours, faces, sounds, and of course smells!

The fihs displays are impressive -- you can still find HUGE fishes here, groupers that are at least 1m in length, parrotfish about 50cm or more (are you taking note Sonia?! ;o)), HUMONGOUS crayfish, rockhinds, snappers, lots of squid, octopus, and fishes I have never heard of being eaten before...

Julie and I oogled the stands, trying to determine who was selling the best tuna -- some of the sellers aren't doing themselves any favours , at least in my humble opinion, by sort of throwing all the fish onto the ice without some attention paid to presentation.

On we went to the vegetable and fruit section - you kinda have to do a few rounds 'til you have found your bearings in terms of who is selling the best veggies, what stands has the freshest herbs, who has ripe papayas versus one you can let ripen on your shelf for a couple of days... it's quite the detective work ;o) and it is so much of what makes shopping at the market **FUN** :o)

I then amble along the crafts sections -- lots of pearls, lots of coral :o( :o( :o( and lots of shells too :o( :o( .... though vendors when asked are quick to point out that most of the corals and shells come from the Philippines and/or Indonesia... not from around the island itself... I am keen to find a couple of presents for family and friends though given how I'd like to keep corals and shells in the sea where they belong, my choice is drastically reduced. Add to that that prices are simply horrific ... you end up looking a lot and not much else!!!

We have a coffee and eat two very ripe 'pommes canelle' and drive on to the women's cooperative. They sell heaps of arts and crafts made out of palm fronds ... I am REALLY tempted to buy a beautiful bag, though worry canadian customs may not be so keen on me bringing that home -- must check what the website says about that or maybe even ask...

Julie and I then spend about an hour preparing lunch. On the menu, traditional tahitian fish salad, riz nature, and tuna sashimi with a soy ginger sauce. I am telling you food here is ridiculous!!! The traditional tahitian fish salad goes something as follows -- using a thing cloth (or in this instance a dish towel) squeeze the coconut milk out of finely ground fresh coconut, marinate little chunks of raw tuna in lemon juice for about 10 mins (then discard excess juice), finely chop about two tomatoes, and 2 green onions, cut some cilantro -- mix and put in fridge for 10 minutes.

EAT :o) YUM I tell you --- it is all finger licking GOOD :o) Plus the sun is finally filtering through the clouds adding the extra special goodness to it all.

Then on to work --- more images ... still the same one in this instance... I am not satisfied with what my image classifications are spewing out --- grrrr :o

In the afternoon Julie and I go for a stroll -- and I take some picture of the little bay along which the institute is located -- rather nice don't you think :o)

Now I need to finish a few things before we go and bake a few 'rocher noix de coco' for Patricia's birthday and I pack for tomorrow's early departure to l'Ile des Pins.

Lots of happy beams your way :o)

Another day in paradise

2007-06-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's nearly the weekend again -- I remember Serge (who is supervising me here and with whom I worked in Florida before) telling me that somehow it seemed as though time flies by faster in Noumea. I have to say I agree -- it does seem as though the days somehow have fewer hours!!!

The sun poked its head from between the clouds a couple of times today -- which put me in an awesomely good mood despite a few major technical hiccups… like my computer freezing a few too many times – so I decided to defragment it which took a good 2 hours… then my external hard drive not being recognised by my laptop anymore… and one of the USB ports dying on me too… The external hard drive is with the IT folks so let’s hope they fix it --- fingers crossed.
I guess being in paradise doesn’t really keep you safe from such mishaps!!!

A friend of mine was commenting how upon receipt of my last email he stood in front of a world map in his office – he then commented how quite in the middle of nowhere New Caledonia is!
I guess it’s true – although then you start to look at all the other Pacific islands, and I go man o man those places area REALLY in the middle of the big blue sea!!! I guess this is also what makes this place so unique! New Caledonia is considered, as far as I know at least in terms of its marine biodiversity, is considered one of the world’s ‘hotspots’ … i.e. there are lots of things here that don’t exist anywhere else, thereby making New Caledonia even more of a pretty special place!!! There is something of the quaintness of it that really becomes me – quality of life here is incredible … and when the city gets to you – though the capital in itself isn’t too big either,120 000 people, there’s plenty enough of wild spaces to go and explore!!! Makes me realise time and again how incredibly lucky I am to have had the fortune to have met the people that are welcoming me here for a while.

I was working on Cuba’s seagrass yesterday --- the process is tedious and progress is so slow … frustrating – yet patience was rewarded as my classification seems to do alright in placing seagrass where I see seagrass. I got through most of an image yesterday though need to finish tweaking a few things and then move on to the next one.
Tonight it’s Patricia’s birthday – a girl who works here and joined us on the weekend trip to Le Cap. We might stop by there for a wee while… though not too late for me as I want to get lots done before we take off to l’Ile des Pins on Sunday morning bright and early. I can’t wait – people say it’s one of the most stunning places around here. More seagrass experience in close up!!! The pictures this time show some of the thing we saw last time snorkelling around.
Hurray --- hopefully the weather will be kind!
Tata :o)

Thundershowers in Noumea

2007-06-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

New Caledonia is indeed a tropical paradise -- this much I have found out in the 2 weeks I've been here. However, I was also told the sun tends to shine *A LOT* and as such I should make sure to take plenty of HIGH FACTOR sunscreens in my 20 kg of allocated luggage. Looking up at the sky I feel as though were I to stretch my hand out I could touch the clouds - thus one thing for sure I ain't running the risk of getting a sunburn any time soon!!!!

That being said we're luckier than our neighbours in Australia who had huge cargo ships strand on their shorelines -- threatening to spill their contents onto the beaches - due to high speed winds and crazy thunderstorms...

Another advantage to the situation is that I actually don't feel as itchy to grab my mask, fins and snorkel to go expore the underwater world -- I have work to do after all, much of which involves sitting in front of a computer - oh how so ever exciting!!! - and looking at pretty pictures (aka satellite images). Why this? ... well to draw little polygons around the area I recognise as being seagrass beds. Right now I am tackling Cuba -- which has lots of that grass --- the turtles feeding in those areas must have big fat bellies!

I can't complain though -- at least when I look out the window I see the ocean, little boats rolling in the bay, and I am surrounded by smiling faces. Plus the atmosphere in this place is motivating - everyone works very very hard but yet they also know how to stop and have a break, have a laugh and cheer each other up. A good combination :o)

In other big news -- the kind of news that doesn't hit the international press, but certainly is in capital yellow letters on the front page of the local newspaper -- gecko exports (mostly to feed snakes etc...) have been banned!!! You can see the little critters everywhere here -- and they make one hell of a noise! I was woken up with a jolt the first couple of nights thinking someone was knocking at my window. Noticing noone was there I wondered who on earth was making this loud sound -- only to find out a day later -- the geckos indeed!!!! ... and they only measure about 5cm! Kind of nice to have them around though to gobble up all the flies and mosquitoes that zoom around.

OK - it's lunch time for me now -- the picture above was from my first day in the water here, when the sun was still out ;o) (no I am not bitter about it!!)

Weekend in Le Cap

2007-06-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

Life in the tropics I must say just adds that certain zest to life!!!
I had been missing terribly - no matter how much I love spending my time in Vancouver and discovering that life candian styleeeee kinda suits me!!!
...this however is an adventure of quite different sorts and proportions... first off it's french... and those of you that know the french just about know what that means ;o)
Truly alive and well - with highs as high as they can go, and lows obviously that can be quite dark too, though I've been lucky not to experience anyone's wrath (yet!).
Sometimes I truly feel I must be living in a dream - so surreal and beautiful this place is ... so warmly I have been received. I truly feel so so so so fortunate and lucky!!! :o)

This past weekend was spent halfway up the western part of the island - in a place called Le Cap. Jean Louis and Claude own a place there, or rather manage a 475 ha large estate for a family who now lives in France.
The place is breathtaking: undulating hills, lots of green spots, though most of the forests have been transformed to pasturelands. Driving in you see happy cows munching away on what appears like tasty grass, looking slightly bewildered at the approaching car. The 'hut' itself is basic, but boasts all the amenities you can possibly dream of - even hot water and electricity!!! Quite the luxury indeed!

Upon arrival, after a three hour drive on thursday night we had a simple dinner and went to bed relatively early as friday was field day.
Got up early the next morning - put togetehr all the snorkeling apparel, got the boat ready to rock and roll, and drove to the mangrove. From there it's a 10 min fast ride down the river to the ocean. I simply cannot put into words the thrill experience to sit on that boat, cruising through the mangove and seeing the waves crashing onto the reef a short distance away. We were lucky weatherwise too as the ocean's surface was smooth as a mirror, and there was not a breath of wind, making work rather easy. We spent about an hour silently watching dugongs and green turtles surfacing above a vast expanse of seagrass to catch their breath. Quite the clever little devils they are always popping up behind your back!!!!

Then off to work we went -- got geared up, jumped into the turbid waters and surveyed the sites we had plotted on the map the day before -- aka seagrass seagrass and more seagrass! - but exciting it was as so much more diverse than anything I've ever experienced in the Caribbean in terms of flora ... and fauna! Lots of fishes zooming around -- and here and there big coral heads with literally a million of little fishes and bigger fishes hiding out!
Lunch consisted of baguette, camembert and saucisson sec -- ah mais oui on est francais apres tout -- thus when you eat, well, you might as well and better eat in style :o) ... i have to confess I've had to call time out on my vegetarian tendencies whilst out here -- (i) i would have never survived and (ii) I probably would have been by now forced fed some form and shape of meat by flabbergasted frenchmen who would have thought I was completely and utterly mad and thus most imminently brought to reason!
More seagrass discoveries in the afternoon - more fishes and some snorkels above large coral heads --- the diversity of just about anything and everything is mind blowing --- i must grab on tight to my snorkel to not breathe in tons of saltywater from all the jawdropping I am doing ;o)
I've given up on the shooting to the surface and wiggling and letting out a multitude of sounds of excitement, realising that people here WORK in the Pacific and thus this crazy diversity and variety of things is 'normal' to them --- including the 5 sharks you see on a dive, the blue, purple, green, yellow branching corals - true FORESTS of them --- the dazzling coloured reef fishes - oh I could go on and on!!!!

...but back to my seagrasses....
so we do some more surveying, rescue a small shark caught in a drifting gillnet .... untangle, or attempt as best we can the 150m at least of net caught in the branching coral and pull it up into the boat... and drive home... welcomed by Pierre and Celine who have just arrived to join us in the celebrities that will be taking place this weekend - in honour of Jean Louis who is celebrating his 60th birthday!
Lavish dinner -- we've come to expect no less....

Saturday we go on a long hike through the forest - Jean Louis knows his estate rather well -- taking us through vast plains, dry forests, the naouili forest, and swampy bits too -- the trees are alive with birds chriping, whistling ... a true cacophony .... my friend John would be in 7th heaven!
More food is had upon return --- 5 types of cheeses, wine, grilled meat, and a huge salad; desert is a chocolate and walnut tart. Yes, quite the feast!!! as I said we are dining with the french after all! Lunch is shared with the other folks that have just arrived - Greg, Patricia, Julie and two of Jean Louis' friends, Jojo and Alain.
Before nightfall (the sun sets early here at around 5h30pm) we set out on a trek again to go see a batcave. Jean Louis leads us at a record pace - man i want to be that fit when I turn 60!!! - up the hills, through the brush - his sense of orientation is bedazzling - and into the cave. It is absolutely PITCH BLACK of course, and with our headlamps we can see millions of small bats whizzing through the cave... you can feel them brushing past you at full speed too!!! We don't stay too long -- thank goodness, caves do make me a little claustrophobic, clamber back out and take another path back down to the house. The sky is ablaze with pinks and orange clouds.... hmmmm I really do love this place :o)

The true festivities are about to begin -- champagne flows with a variety of apperitifs; red wine for dinner with raclette!!!! The food is out of this world, the stories too -- we laugh and laugh and then laugh some more. My belly aches and I am not sure if it's from all the laughing or eating!!! The sky has cleared so we go out and stare at the stars --- go for yet another walk and see LOADS of small deers -- they are considered a pest here and thus hunted.... Jean Louis dabbles in quite a bit of that too...
Finally, exhausted, round bellied and with a huge smile on our faces everyone collpases into their beds ... or tents...

The next morning we pack -- chit chat, help clean up and Serge, Julie and I set off relatively early as we want to stop by a few sites on the way home - La Roche Percee and la Baie des Tortues... quite the stunning views despite the low clouds and greyness of the sky... we have a nap on the beach and drive home, sharing stories of travels and adventures, work ... and generally conclude that we're quite the happy, enthused, motivated and incredibly lucky bunch :o)