Baja 56 - Bahía 2022

Every adventure leads to new experiences. This is my second year teaching as a Community Learning Leader (CLL) for Project Dragonfly. Baja is a magical place and I am so thankful for the opportunity to lead as a Dragonfly. Even though I return to the same place each year, it is always such a different experience. Baja 56 was unique in each and every way. This year we got to experience rain and beautiful lightning storms, and we were rewarded with a double rainbow in the desert. 

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving." -Lao Tzu

Rainbow reward

Each year I am fortunate to have an amazing group of students. We were so rewarded to have such a kind and compassionate cohort, everyone really took care of each other. Appreciating the little things seemed be be a core theme for this 2022 group. 

"In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful." -Alice Walker

There's a snake plant in my boot!

We try to warn our students to expect the unexpected, but this trip was one for the books. With amazing adventure, also come challenges. This year we were in a minor car accident on Day 2; Day 5 the positive COVID tests started rolling in; and Day 7, I got stung by a stingray. It is what is it, and we did our best to make the most out of the experience. I finally made it out on a paddle board for the first time! 

First time paddle boarding

My heart feels so happy as I approach the ranch. It truly is one of my favorite places in the world. I literally feel like I am on a different planet when I am there, and it's wonderful. Constantly new connections are made to the ranch, and I love and appreciate hearing all the new stories. The theme here is always passing down knowledge from generation to generation so nothing is lost.

"There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter." -Rachel Carson

I will never tire of this view

Though I would love to do a Baja do-over expedition, each challenge must be viewed as a learning opportunity. There will always be challenges, and the important thing is how we adapt and overcome there challenges. 

“Together we can face challenges as deep as the ocean and as high as the sky” -Sonia Gandhi

First time riding a mule and spending time at the lower ranch

Every year we leave a mural in the field station. This is the third mural I have been a part of and it definitely sums up our adventure. Though this year had a few extra challenges, we survived, and I can't wait to do it again sometime!

We survived...barely!

“And we wondered why so much of the Gulf was familiar to us, why this town had a "home" feeling.  We had never seen a town which even looked like La Paz, and yet coming to it was like returning rather than visiting. Some quality there is in the whole Gulf that trips a trigger of recognition so that in fantastic and exotic scenery one finds oneself nodding and saying inwardly, "Yes, I know." And on the shore the wild doves mourn in the evening and then there comes a pang, some kind of emotional jar, and a longing. And if one followed his whispering impulse he would walk away slowly into the thorny brush following the call of the doves. Trying to remember the Gulf is like trying to re-create a dream.  This is by no means a sentimental thing, it has little to do with beauty or even conscious liking. But the Gulf does draw one, and we have talked to rich men who own boats, who can go where they will.  Regularly they find themselves sucked into the Gulf. And since we have returned, there is always in the backs of our minds the positive drive to go back again. If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen. The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back if we live, and we don't know why.” -John Steinbeck

Baja 54 - Bahía 2021

Once a dragonfly, always a dragonfly. Just when I thought I finished my Project Dragonfly journey, a pandemic hit the world, and I managed to become a dragonfly again. In 2021, after a year of uncertainty, I joined the Miami University Project Dragonfly team as a Community Learning Leader (CLL). I graduated from the Global Field Program in 2018. Now, I had the opportunity to experience Baja again as an assistant instructor. 54 Earth Expedition groups have experienced this adventure. In 2016, I was a student in the Baja 37 cohort, and now I ended the summer as a CLL in Baja 54. It is important to keep in mind though many of us have been on this adventure, we are not experiencing Baja in the same way every time. There is always opportunity to learn and grow.

Road Trip

For me, traveling to Baja is easy. I live in Southern California; all I have to do is drive down to San Diego and off we go to Mexico. I have been there before, I know the tacos are good, I know it’s going to be hot. I am packed and prepared for myself, as well as for my students. I am here to help facilitate experiences as well as gain some professional growth of my own. Half of our trip is spent at the beautiful Rancho San Gregorio and the other half is spent admiring the Vermillion Sea.

Obligatory taco post

Field Methods is the title of the course, and this is a topic that I am extremely familiar with…underwater. Applying the research that I have done as a marine biologist to the complete opposite habitat was a learning opportunity for me. I really enjoy being on the instructor side of things. As an instructor, you have the benefit of knowing the schedule ahead of time. How the students unfold during the activities is where the excitement lies. Students want a minute-by-minute itinerary, and that just wasn’t something we were going to provide to them. This gave them a great lesson in patience and flexibility.

Desert Forest

Sometimes things make more sense the second time around. In 2016, I visited the Pinturas Rupestres, Misión San Francisco Borja, and Rancho San Gregorio. This time I was able to connect those three locations and grow my sense of place in Bahía de los Ángeles, Mexico. Lalo, one of our in-country facilitators, made sure to remind all of us to leave our baggage outside of the ranch because the ranch is a place of healing. I put this here for when I need a reminder in life to leave my baggage elsewhere. When we arrived to Rancho San Gregorio, it was almost exactly as I remembered it. This time though, I knew where things were, and Rafael and I had conversations as if we were old friends. This place that I haven’t stopped talking about for years, still felt like magic. I do not know if I will ever pin exactly why I am so comfortable at the ranch, even if it gets to 120 degrees in the summer, but there is something there that makes me feel at peace, and at ease.

Dinner at the ranch

One of my favorite moments of the entire expedition is having the opportunity to empower a student to share their knowledge and expertise for all of us. The night sky at the ranch is one of my most favorite star gazing locations. We were so spoiled with gorgeous desert sunsets followed by being able to see the milky way scattered across the night sky. With that in mind, my background is in marine biology, not astronomy. Due to some unseen circumstances, we were going to cancel our stargazing night, then I remembered one of our students had this background and gave astronomy talks to kids at camp. This was one of his moments to shine, and thankfully he was willing to lead us on a stargazing hike. He was to lead the group on the hike and I was to be the caboose to help make sure the pace was good for everyone, make sure the group stays together, and no one gets lost. He totally got us lost, and that was part of our adventure. We still made it to a beautiful stargazing spot, and his storytelling abilities are unforgettable. On Earth Expeditions, we encourage our students to choose their own adventures. He may have thought we were lost, but I only saw it as a new adventure for our group. Of course we made it back safely, I didn’t tell them all we had to do was follow the dogs, and they would lead us back to the ranch.

Scorpion on a night hike

"One who was born by the ocean or has associated with it cannon ever be quite content away from it for very long" 
- John Steinbeck, The Log from the Sea of Cortez

Whale shark day!

This past year I left my dream job of 16 years for another dream job. In addition, I had another dream job on the side, teaching and traveling as a CLL. This year was about me finding my identity outside of an octopus aquarist, however during every night snorkel, the octopuses still managed to find me. I loved jumping into the sea to snorkel with sea lions while my students were still trying to figure out if we were “allowed” to go into the water. Remember choose your own adventure. The Vermillion Sea is where I feel like home. Here you want to wake up for the sunrise, it is unlike any other. This year I taught the Island Biogeography lesson weeks before I moved to an island, this certainly will be my favorite lesson to teach next year.

Only about 10 vaquita remain

For the first time, this year, Earth Expeditions got to work with the Aventureros. This opportunity was a highlight of mine as well as most of the students. Having the opportunity to learn from the local youth was inspirational. These kids are going to change the world, and I cannot wait to see what amazing things they do in the future!

https://vermilionseainstitute.org/impact/aventureros/

Baja 54

As always, it was wonderful to disconnect from technology for a whole 9 days! Bahía ages like fine wine, and hopefully I get to continue to experience it as a Community Learning Leader (CLL). On our last day, the group shared powerful moments from our trip together. We picked out a few of those key words from our journey together. 

Baja 54
Wonder
Healing
Peace
Free
Empowering
Spiritual
Connection
Reflective
Breathing
Curiosity
Sunrise
Clarity 
Goodbye

 

Real Life Jungle Cruise - Amazon 2018

Real Life Jungle Cruise

My friends and family looked at my photos and told me it looked like I was just at Disneyland. I go to Disneyland a lot, but this time I was in the real Peruvian Amazon! The Amazon Rainforest marks the final destination of a bittersweet journey to the end of my graduate school adventures and the beginning of my journey as a leader in conservation. After reading about "the little things that run the world", the importance of invertebrates, conservation of all biodiversity, and supporting zoos/aquariums has never been more important to me (Wilson, 1987).

Two of my favorite memories, in the real-life Amazon, happened on a riverboat. Welcome to Jurassic Park…is what I was saying in my head as we departed in the fog before sunrise to the local Claylick. This quiet morning was the first time I really had a chance to reflect on where I was and what I was doing, and for a moment I did not feel overwhelmed. The quiet morning quickly turned noisy when the parrots moved in like a cloud, and our class got to enjoy every second of it while indulging in a cup of coffee and eating passion fruit.

From day 1, I could not get enough of the sunsets. My favorite part about sunsets is that we are all under the same sun, and it sets everywhere. Sunsets were a perfect moment to bring all of us together. My favorite sunset in the Amazon happened in a riverboat on Lake Sandoval, just as we were about to be eaten alive by mosquitoes, the bats came swooping in, and the jungle we were observing during the day completely transformed into a different habitat right before our eyes. Thinking about the sound from the howler monkey’s resonating around Lake Sandoval still gives me goosebumps.



Banana hole!
The Amazon was full of surprises, I was not expecting to see monkeys and ocelot tracks.
Reflecting back at my journal entries I wrote about falling asleep to the sound of the jungle, and waking up prematurely to some very noisy roosters. I learned how to use new tools in the field such as mist nets and camera traps. I saw first-hand paca and agouti filling the same niches, just during different times of day. Exploring, I fell in a banana hole, got bit by assorted entomological life, I observed leaves growing on trees in a way I have never seen before, and I saw the biggest fungus I have ever seen in my life. Even watching Peru play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup with the local community was an experience.

A note on ecological footprints...
One impactful discussion we had in the field was how to reduce your ecological footprint. We learned ecological footprints are complicated. We also learned that we should eat in moderation and diversify our diets. “Recycling, it’s better than throwing it in the river!” Ursula shared with us about the importance of reduction. “It’s only 1 straw” said 8 billion people. Change begins with us, and sharing our knowledge with the world. 

"I will argue that every scrap of biological diversity is priceless, to be learned and cherished, and never to be surrendered without a struggle." -E.O. Wilson

Bird is the word
Macaws are one of the many threatened flagship species in the Amazon, and we were fortunate enough to see them in their natural habitat. Macaws are being captured for the pet trade, used for food, and their habitat and nesting grounds are being destroyed (Johnson & Brightsmith, 2003). The local people value their natural treasures, just in a different way than an outsider conservation biologist might. Community-based conservation is another complicated topic depending on how many stakeholders are involved.

You typically would not look for a marine biologist in the rainforest, but I have always wanted to diversify my knowledge. The Amazon Rainforest specifically was one of my inspirations that led me on my career path. It was a pleasure learning about avian ecology and conservation from the one and only Dr. Ursula Valdez. I am devoted to protecting all life on earth, not just marine biodiversity. Besides devoting an entire wall in my home to Peru, the kids and I also put up a hummingbird feeder in the backyard as a daily reminder of what we saw on our adventures. My son, C.J., made a PowerPoint presentation, “How to Save Sea Creatures”, while I was at work this past Saturday. He did this unprompted, on his own, and instead of playing video games. I didn't even know that he knew what PowerPoint was. He talks about human impacts on the ocean, sustainable seafood, and reducing energy consumption. He’s 9 years old, and plans on presenting this to his class. As I mentioned earlier, real change begins with us. 

All that glitters is not gold
My master plan is to increase conservation awareness to inspire people to be environmentally and globally conscious citizens. I would not be doing my job if I did not share my knowledge and pass the information along that I learned about gold-mining in South America. Prior to my adventure in the Amazon, this was a conservation topic that I did not know about. The solution to the problem...Boycott gold. Why? Gold-mining is harmful to the environment and to the local community. Death, destruction, and corruption are all words I now associate with gold. The use of mercury in one of the most ecologically, biodiverse hotspots in the world is just one variable in the gold-mining dilemma happening in Peru. Boycott gold and share our knowledge with others; that is what we can do even though we are geographically far removed from the local community.

Each of my EE’s have happened during a profound moment in my life, however this one happened and got me thinking about the future. Now is the time to implement real change. I have eaten tacos (Baja), prayed in forest monasteries (Thailand), and increased my love for all biodiversity (Peru). This trip was the conclusion to my eat, pray, love moments, and now onto the next adventure. 








References
Johnson, A., & Brightsmith, D. (2003). Helping local people value their natural treasures. PsittaScene, 15(3), 5-7.

Wilson, E.O. (1987). The little things that run the world (the importance and conservation of invertebrates). Conservation Biology, 1(4), 344-346).

Just Wash the Dishes - Thailand 2017

2017 was the year I wanted to forget and erase from my memory, up until my faith in humanity was restored while studying abroad in Thailand in a course called Buddhism and Conservation. The simple title of this course fascinated me as soon as I read the course description. The idea of religion and conservation merging to serve a common purpose is exactly what I needed at this exact moment in my life. This past year I have literally been in survival mode. Though my sister says we should focus on thriving, I just wanted to learn to live again and start over. It has been a long time since I felt true happiness, and on this journey in Thailand, I smiled with my eyes and my heart. I did not just take a class, I learned about myself.

One of the first places we visited was Abhaibhubejhr Hospital. This hospital combines modern and traditional medicine. At this hospital, we were reminded of the importance of transferring knowledge from generation to the next, a core theme to follow us throughout the course. Afterwards we visited an organic farm that provides herbs to the hospital for holistic medicine practices and were taught that being together with family is how you attain true happiness.

My adventure in Khao Yai National Park started when I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the grass fields and evergreen forest. We hiked through the national park searching for a flock of great hornbills (Buceros bicornis)

and other wildlife. Hornbills serve the ecological role of reseeding degraded forest. One of my favorite things about hornbills is their romantic courtship. The males will travel far and wide to bring the females the most perfect piece of food, and even if she throws it out of the nest because she did not think it was good enough, he goes back out in search of another perfect piece of food for her. The males even help clean out chick poop from the nest.

During our reflections at the waterfall I could not help but notice the big waterfall was formed by many small trickles of water coming together into one large waterfall. We can be the change and set the example for showing how small things can contribute to the big picture. This also reminded me to be thankful. My kids and I have been treated so well and are so fortunate. I have so much gratitude to my friends and family always coming together for the three of us.

Leaving for this trip gave me anxiety because I was afraid to be alone with my thoughts during meditation. I experienced anxiety more than once while practicing meditation. During our stay at Wat Pa Sukhato, a forest monastery, Phra Paisan picked a spot in the forest for us to practice the medication techniques we have learned. This exercise is one that I feared, and I learned that paying attention on purpose is hard. Mindfulness is hard. Phra Paisan says there is a need for physical and mental presence, inner peace, and inner silence to achieve a personal connection with nature.

One of the activities we participated in was planting trees to reforest an area with Phra Paisan that was devastated by fires. Instead of placing blame on who started the fires, the whole community came together bringing seeds to plant and volunteering their time. The concept is simple, just be a good person.

I have always viewed flowers as a symbol of beauty, but in Thailand they are seen as a symbol of impermanence. The lotus, in particular, is a symbol of resilience. These symbols give us hope that our struggles and suffering are also impermanent. I did not want to come home from Thailand and immerse myself back into my hectic daily life. I was afraid I would forget everything that I had learned. Amidst the chaos of everyday life, I try to remember what I learned in Thailand and share a SAM (Silent Appreciation Moment) with my kids. I remind myself to stop living automatically and to be present, mindful, and just breath in the air to reconnect with nature and bring my mind back to my body. Kindness and compassion go a long way. Be present and surround yourself by loved ones. Have the courage to refuse things that are not important. If you can learn to just let things go, you will find happiness and peace. I try and incorporate mindfulness in my everyday life, even while washing the dishes. My class in Thailand ended beautifully with me being able to share my next adventure there with my two boys.  

To say "what I learned in Thailand changed my life" would be an understatement. I am so thankful to have been at the right place at the right time in my life. We are the leaves of one tree, and all of us have our struggles and sufferings, and we should do our best to show gratitude, kindness and compassion in all aspects of our life.

"We are the leaves of one tree.

We are the waves of one sea.

The time has come for us to live as one.

We are the stars of one sky."

My Last Straw

          This whole no straw campaign started for me after watching a YouTube video of a straw being removed from a sea turtle’s nose (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw). After watching that video, I knew using straws was a behavior I needed to change. What do I actually need a straw for? I know how to drink out of a glass. The first thing I did was order a wonderful stainless steel straw set from Amazon.com. This set only costs $6.95 (https://www.amazon.com/SipWell-Stainless-Drinking-Cleaning-Included/dp/B00KGIANQ2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493786787&sr=8-3&keywords=stainless+steel+straw)   

I thought this conservation action, of not using straws, would be a lot easier of a task than it actually was. First, it started with me remembering when ordering a drink not to request a straw.  After I finally got the hang of requesting no straw, sometimes the servers would forget, or they would bring a drink and straw before I could make the request. The wait staff also did a double take to ask if I was sure I did not want my kids to have a straw. I’m either the crazy lady who does not let her kids drink from straws or I’m the crazy lady who pulls out my own straws from my purse to use.

When my Action Plan first started, I went out to a restaurant with a friend and my two kids. Immediately, I forgot to ask for no straws for all of us. That night, between the 4 of us, our server brought us 10 straws total in drinks with our dinner (4 straws in the water glasses, 2 in the kid’s lemonades, 4 in the cocktails). This encounter is what motivated me to be way more proactive in not requesting straws when I am out. The other solution to this problem would be to order beer instead of cocktails, so a straw is not even an option. Requesting “no straws please” is finally a new habit that my kids and I have gotten the hang of. If I forget to make the request, CJ, my 7-year-old reminds me to ask for no straw. The other night we went to this restaurant again, and this time I remembered to request “no straws”. They still accidentally brought us 2 straws, but I would say that was vast improvement from the 10 at the previous visit.

The Starbucks inside the Aquarium of the Pacific uses biodegradable straws, but the one down the street still uses plastic straws. Most zoos do not even allow straws on-site because they can end up in the animal enclosures, but I do not think this is a conservation action only zoos and aquariums should adopt. My friend who came to dinner with us, has also tried to stop using straws. He keeps going to Starbucks, trying to refuse straws, but has not been successful yet. Both consumers and businesses need to work together to make a difference in reducing the amount of straws or single-use plastic waste. 

Throughout the semester, I posted on social media anytime anything came out about not using straws, including this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfFpz8KM-9E). The Lonely Whale Foundation has a social media campaign #stopsucking and #strawlessoceans. I have seen a few friends of mine on Facebook pledge to also give up straws. I even had a few friends from the Midwest comment that they never considered the impact of straws on the environment and thanked me for opening their eyes to this conservation issue.  

          Yet, simply not using straws was not good enough for me, I wanted to do more. During my 15-minute break at work one day, I took a walk around the Rainbow Harbor Lighthouse in Long Beach, CA to collect straws. In 15 minutes, I collected and threw away 29 straws. Unfortunately, I also counted 24 straws in the water that were not accessible. Though I could not collect all of the straws, I still felt like I was making a difference in my actions and creating new, more sustainable habits for my family as well as myself. If you have not heard The Sea Star Story about small differences making an impact please check out the following link, (https://eventsforchange.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/the-starfish-story-one-step-towards-changing-the-world). I’m just a mom trying to change the world one sea star at a time…or should I say 1 straw at a time.

To learn more about why you should take the last straw challenge please follow the links below from some organizations trying to make a difference.

https://www.lonelywhale.org/strawless-ocean/

https://thelastplasticstraw.org/

http://www.laststraw.com.au/

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"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."
-Jacques Cousteau/Quotes

Just Take the Tacos - Baja V 2016

“…Let us go,” we said, “into the Sea of Cortez, realizing that we become forever a part of it; that our rubber boots slogging through a flat of eel-grass, that the rocks we turn over in a tide pool, make us truly and permanently a factor in the ecology of the region. We shall take something away from it, but we shall leave something too.”

-John Steinbeck, The Log from the Sea of Cortez

The first day of our journey to Baja, Mexico was extremely intimidating. At lunch we were given orders to just take the tacos as they were ready, but what if we weren’t ready to take the tacos and embark on this expedition? It didn’t matter, if life gives you tacos… you take them and just enjoy. I am a marine biologist and mother of two; this last summer I started my newest adventure as a graduate student in the Global Field Program at Miami University, Oxford Ohio.

Sweat and tears just about sums up the first few days in the Baja: Field Methods Earth Expedition. I cried on one the first days of class during “Group Chicken” in front of a bunch of people I didn’t know, not because I was sad or missed my kids, but because I felt that I was in the right place. A few days later we jumped into the Sea of Cortez to rinse off for the first time since we left San Diego, CA. Feeling refreshed, I was reassured that I am in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, a wonderful group of students ready to make the world a better place.

“Trying to remember the Gulf is like trying to re-create a dream. This is by no means a sentimental thing, it has little to do with beauty or even conscious liking. But the Gulf does draw one…. If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen. The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back if we live, and we don’t know why.”

-John Steinbeck, The Log from the Sea of Cortez

Ranch life, sleeping outside, and not having access to running water are all things that normally would put me out of my comfort zone. Staying at Rancho San Gregorio and listening to stories from Rafael, the local ethnobotanist was incredibly inspiring. Hiking in the desert was like walking in a Dr. Seuss book. The plant life looked familiar, but also like something I have never seen before in my life. The desert was full of life and medicines, not desolate and barren as I had expected. Walking through the endemic plant life, getting attacked by Cholla Cactus, and swimming with marine life temporarily satisfied my wanderlust. Everything was so unique and diverse.

“It is advisable to look from the tide pool to the stars and then back to the tide pool again.”

-John Steinbeck, The Log from the Sea of Cortez

The days alternated with scientific inquiry and spiritual moments, connecting us with nature. I trekked through the desert in the rain, swam with sea lions and whale sharks, and drank some of the best coffee I’ve ever had in my life. I was feet away from a pod of pilot whales (more crying). I saw my spirit animal, an octopus, while night tide pooling and sharing my knowledge of marine life. I fell asleep under the Milky Way to the moon rising in the desert and then woke to the sound of waves crashing by the sea. So when the song “Home” by Phillip Phillips played, as we took in our last views of the Vermillion Sea, of course we teared up and laughed… and were still sweaty. I had nine amazing days of adventure, learning about myself, learning about the incredible people I was with, and I hope to find my way the Sea of Cortez again someday.

We came, we swam, we conquered and were inspired by the majesty of Bahía de Los Ángeles.

“The moment or hour of leave-taking is one of the pleasantest times in human experience, for it has in it a warm sadness without loss. People who don’t ordinarily like you very well are overcome with affection at leave-taking. We said good-bye again and again and still could not bring ourselves to cast off the lines and start the engines. It would be good to live in a perpetual state of leave-taking, never to go nor to stay, but to remain suspended in that golden emotion of love and longing; to be missed without being gone; to be loved without satiety. How beautiful one is and how desirable; for in a few moments one will have ceased to exist!”

-John Steinbeck, The Log from the Sea of Cortez