I'm Back!

This is the beginning of my pics from Laysan Island. We lived in wall tents, and had big tents for our office and kitchen, then Gretchen, Amarisa and I each got out own individual tents. We had beach front property, with the best view on the island! Lots of time seals would haul up to camp and spend the night with us!

Laysan is the largest of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, about 7 miles around. It also has a hypersaline lake in the middle. Laysan is home to the trifecta - Laysan Albatross, Laysan Ducks, Laysan Finches. The ducks and finches are very endangered, and are only found on Laysan (both), Midway (ducks) and Pearl and Hermes Reef (finches).


Gretchen in her tent:


Rainbows are abundant:


Fish and Wildlife camp: they have a permanent presence on the island, so they have fancy weatherports to live in:



Noddy footprints:


Laysan Albatross chick prints:


These graves belong to 2 Japanese guano workers who were part of a revolt in the 1800s during the guano mining era. They were shot by the caretaker of the island, who was found not guilty of the murders.


A ray of light!


Part of our ocean front view:


Shipwreck from about 25 years ago on the south side of the island. It is a Japanese Maru ship:

Waikiki - ok!

The best shaved ice on the island! I had a Passion fruit-orange-guava and haupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding dessert) flavor combo. Yummy! The shaved ice is sooo soft, like snow!


And, of course I had to eat here, because Obama does! It is also like the best deal - not really expensive compared to the rest of the island, and lots of food! I got the combo plate with BBQ beef, chicken katsu, mahi mahi, rice and of course mac salad, ha!

Aloha!

While being a tourist, I found a bit of wildlife in Waikiki!

Too hot for Penguins!





Flamingoes:


Some sort of heron:


...?


Juvenile green turtles that will be released on our cruise to the NW islands!


King of the Menehune!

Ready-Sette-Go!

Here is the Oscar Elton Sette, the NOAA research vessel that is going to take us to the NW Hawaiian Islands. This ship has real-life sailors working it! We loaded most of the hard stuff on Friday, like liquid nitrogen dewars, solar panels, pelican cases. Of course the smaller girls were there doing most of the loading...for some reason experienced field people find something else to do on loading day... I found my bed, I am staying in the bunk room with 5 other girls, we have our own bathroom/shower. I met the cook, she is a local lady who is supposed to be a great chef. We should finish loading on Monday, and then ship off on Wednesday morning! First stop will will be French Frigate Shoals, about 2.5 days, and then another day or so to Laysan!



Big radar ball thingys:

Fun time with Needles!

It's OK! I'm wilderness first aid certified! Last week we took the NOLS WFA class, and got to learn how to give each other shots, and IVs...pure craziness. I don't like shots, and I certainly did not want someone putting saline into my veins, but I took one for the team. IVs hurt. I have a bruise inside my elbow from it. My eyes welled up with tears...but it's all over now. We are not going to get sick on Laysan, woot!

Getting the bag ready...


Giving Amarisa an IV:


Success, on the first attempt!


My poor arm...


Gretchen did a good job putting the IV in my arm, gooooo Ladies of Laysan!


Relief!

SPAM JAM!!! To raise money and get food for the Hawaii food bank:


Is this the biggest Aloha shirt you've ever seen??

Kapolei'd!

I am chillin' in Kapolei with friends of a friend...Andrea and Brad, who are super awesomely nice to let me stay with them in their snazzy house =). It is located about 25 miles west of Honolulu, so I am away from all the hustle and bustle of the city, in a nice little neighborhood. But...the traffic is crazy here! It takes at least 45 minutes to get into town in the morning, and I take the bus back. I can be on the bus from 1.25 to 2 hours! I can live without the commute, but it is only for a few weeks til I leave for Laysan. It is super that I don't have to pay out the nose to stay in Honolulu, with all the millions of tourists...which is great!



The view from the neighborhood:




One of the kitties, Rocksie:

Flower Power!

Here are some flowers from around the neighborhood I'm staying in, enjoy!