Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
La Vida Canaria
For the second half of my trip, the focus has moved from turtles to whales. I am working for the Atlantic Whale Foundation here in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa.
Tenerife with its year round warm temperatures attracts tons of european tourists, the main ones being from the UK. Where our research station is in Arona is just up the mountain from the most touristy parts of the island, Las Americas and Los Christianos. But these two towns are where we all the whale watching boats leave from so we are in one of the two every day. Tenerife is a volcanic island and the volcano, El Teide, is still active erupting every 100 years or so... with the last eruption being exactly a hundred years ago I hear. The Canary Islands are part of Spain so while Spanish is the main language, the touristy districts tend to speak just as much english as spanish. People are always really suprised to hear me respond to them in spanish because apparently its a rarity to find an English tourist who speaks spanish. There are very few American tourists so I am always a bit excited to explain to people that I'm American because people usually can't guess where I'm from. Although my south american accent often gives a good hint.
The research station is located in Arona as I said, which is about a 15 min drive up the mountain from the coast. We have a nice view of the towns below and the water. Its often cloudy and much cooler in Arona as opposed to at the beach.
A typical week day consists of waking up and being at the port by about 9:00am. We wait untill the tourists have boarded the whale watching boats and then get on either a 2hr, 3hr or 5hr trip. The foundation has worked out a deal thats been going on for years with these boats and we get to go on them for free and usually get a free meal out of the deal. During the trips there are usually about 2-4 whale sitings. There are pilot whales that live in the area between Tenerife and the next island over La Gomera, and there is pretty much a 100% chance of seeing them. You also have a decent chance of seeing bottlenose dolphins because there is also a population of those who live here too. Besides taht there are over twenty other species of whales and dolphins that migrate through the Canary Islands that if you're real lucky, you might see. When we come upon a group of whales or dolphins, we have a data sheet to fill out that details everything from type of ceteacan to behavior to weather conditions to location etc etc. We also take pictures of the animals in order to identify the individuals by their dorsal fins (which are basically like their fingerprint, all unique). Aside from help the boat crew with whatever they might need help with, we spend the rest of the time talking to the tourists about whales and about what we do.
Back at the research station after the boat trips are finished, we eat dinner and enter data sheets into the computer and download the pictures off the cameras. On days off, I'm either working on my individual research (which is about blue whales, but still in a very early stage), scuba diving, or taking the bus to the north of the island to play ultimate.
Tenerife with its year round warm temperatures attracts tons of european tourists, the main ones being from the UK. Where our research station is in Arona is just up the mountain from the most touristy parts of the island, Las Americas and Los Christianos. But these two towns are where we all the whale watching boats leave from so we are in one of the two every day. Tenerife is a volcanic island and the volcano, El Teide, is still active erupting every 100 years or so... with the last eruption being exactly a hundred years ago I hear. The Canary Islands are part of Spain so while Spanish is the main language, the touristy districts tend to speak just as much english as spanish. People are always really suprised to hear me respond to them in spanish because apparently its a rarity to find an English tourist who speaks spanish. There are very few American tourists so I am always a bit excited to explain to people that I'm American because people usually can't guess where I'm from. Although my south american accent often gives a good hint.
The research station is located in Arona as I said, which is about a 15 min drive up the mountain from the coast. We have a nice view of the towns below and the water. Its often cloudy and much cooler in Arona as opposed to at the beach.
A typical week day consists of waking up and being at the port by about 9:00am. We wait untill the tourists have boarded the whale watching boats and then get on either a 2hr, 3hr or 5hr trip. The foundation has worked out a deal thats been going on for years with these boats and we get to go on them for free and usually get a free meal out of the deal. During the trips there are usually about 2-4 whale sitings. There are pilot whales that live in the area between Tenerife and the next island over La Gomera, and there is pretty much a 100% chance of seeing them. You also have a decent chance of seeing bottlenose dolphins because there is also a population of those who live here too. Besides taht there are over twenty other species of whales and dolphins that migrate through the Canary Islands that if you're real lucky, you might see. When we come upon a group of whales or dolphins, we have a data sheet to fill out that details everything from type of ceteacan to behavior to weather conditions to location etc etc. We also take pictures of the animals in order to identify the individuals by their dorsal fins (which are basically like their fingerprint, all unique). Aside from help the boat crew with whatever they might need help with, we spend the rest of the time talking to the tourists about whales and about what we do.
Back at the research station after the boat trips are finished, we eat dinner and enter data sheets into the computer and download the pictures off the cameras. On days off, I'm either working on my individual research (which is about blue whales, but still in a very early stage), scuba diving, or taking the bus to the north of the island to play ultimate.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The work we do
The organization I have been working for is called the Katelios Group and is a private NGO dedicated to conservation, with a specific interest in the Loggerhead turtle, Carretta Carretta. The main sector of the group is this work with turtle conservation. Each summer about 15, usually foreign, volunteers come each month to help with taking care of nesting turtles and informing the public about conservation efforts. There are multiple other programs on other islands that are similar but I chose Katelios because it is small and locally started.
As volunteers, we all live together in a campsite and had one to two work shifts per day, determined by the rota, which equaled out to between 4 and 8 hours of work per day and one day off per week.
The main shifts that you could have are beach patrol shifts. 1) Mounda Morning: consists of walking Mounda beach to the cape and back looking for tracks, picking up trash along the way, and putting out information signs about turtles. 2) Mounda Evening: same walk down Mounda and back looking for tracks, knocking down sand castles and talking to tourists about Carretta Carretta. 3) Night Patrol: walking Mounda from dark to dawn back and forth looking for nesting turtles, stoping for 30 min naps each time you reach one end (these shifts only lasted the first couple nights we were there because you stop night patrol during hatchling season August to October). 4) Koroni: you take a bus about 15 minutes to the town of Platias, walk about 40 min down to Koroni Beach, walk Koroni beach looking for tracks, get the kayaks, kayak to Lefkas Beach, walk Lefkas, and then you have a steep 30-40 min hike back up to the main road to hitch hike home. For each of the patrol shifts when you find tracks (hatchling tracks), you record various things (which nest, how many hatchlings, location of nest, etc) and then wipe out the tracks so they wont get counted again by the next patrol shift.
The next type of shift is information/education shifts. 1) Environmental Center: sit at the desk of the environmental center where people can come to explore various displays about turtles and the environment and ecology in Kefelonia. 2) Skala and Katelios info tables: set up a table with info and signs about Carretta Carretta and the Katelios Group; people passing by (mostly tourists) stop to ask generally where they can see turtles and we inform them we are just a conservation group not an agency that takes people to see turtles... but occasionally people are genuinely interested in the work we do.
Finally, the last shifts are part of living at the campsite and include buying, preparing, and serving lunch or dinner for 15-20 people, and camp cleaning, ie. washing dishes after every meal, taking the trash to the bin, and cleaning the bathroom.
This month (August) we also had some extra shifts in order to put on the annual environmental festival that Katelios does. The festival happens 2 weekends in August and includes sport events, games for kids, presentaitons about sea turtles and a play about sea turtles starring the lovely volunteers of the Katelios Group.
August is also the start of excavations of hatched nests. After the last hatchlings have left a nest, we wait 10 days and then dig the nest up. We record hatched vs. unhatched eggs vs. hatchlings dead and alive. If we find live hatchlings (which you usually do) you give them time to dig their way out, interfereing as little as possible. The little hatchlings are smaller than the palm of your hand and rediculously precious though.
Also, we sometimes get aclls to deal with things like injured or dead turtles that wash up on the beach. This month we had to go take care of a dead turtle that washed up on a nearby beach. Myself and one other volunteer went to the beach, found the turtle, recorded size, gender and overall appearence and then burried it at the back of the beach, all while trying not to gag from the horrible smell radiating off of it. This particular turtle had been dead quite some time, but injured turtles will often be transported to the turtle hospital in Athens.
When all the work is finished, there is always still time for swimming, or just lounging in a hammock in the shade...
As volunteers, we all live together in a campsite and had one to two work shifts per day, determined by the rota, which equaled out to between 4 and 8 hours of work per day and one day off per week.
The main shifts that you could have are beach patrol shifts. 1) Mounda Morning: consists of walking Mounda beach to the cape and back looking for tracks, picking up trash along the way, and putting out information signs about turtles. 2) Mounda Evening: same walk down Mounda and back looking for tracks, knocking down sand castles and talking to tourists about Carretta Carretta. 3) Night Patrol: walking Mounda from dark to dawn back and forth looking for nesting turtles, stoping for 30 min naps each time you reach one end (these shifts only lasted the first couple nights we were there because you stop night patrol during hatchling season August to October). 4) Koroni: you take a bus about 15 minutes to the town of Platias, walk about 40 min down to Koroni Beach, walk Koroni beach looking for tracks, get the kayaks, kayak to Lefkas Beach, walk Lefkas, and then you have a steep 30-40 min hike back up to the main road to hitch hike home. For each of the patrol shifts when you find tracks (hatchling tracks), you record various things (which nest, how many hatchlings, location of nest, etc) and then wipe out the tracks so they wont get counted again by the next patrol shift.
The next type of shift is information/education shifts. 1) Environmental Center: sit at the desk of the environmental center where people can come to explore various displays about turtles and the environment and ecology in Kefelonia. 2) Skala and Katelios info tables: set up a table with info and signs about Carretta Carretta and the Katelios Group; people passing by (mostly tourists) stop to ask generally where they can see turtles and we inform them we are just a conservation group not an agency that takes people to see turtles... but occasionally people are genuinely interested in the work we do.
Finally, the last shifts are part of living at the campsite and include buying, preparing, and serving lunch or dinner for 15-20 people, and camp cleaning, ie. washing dishes after every meal, taking the trash to the bin, and cleaning the bathroom.
This month (August) we also had some extra shifts in order to put on the annual environmental festival that Katelios does. The festival happens 2 weekends in August and includes sport events, games for kids, presentaitons about sea turtles and a play about sea turtles starring the lovely volunteers of the Katelios Group.
August is also the start of excavations of hatched nests. After the last hatchlings have left a nest, we wait 10 days and then dig the nest up. We record hatched vs. unhatched eggs vs. hatchlings dead and alive. If we find live hatchlings (which you usually do) you give them time to dig their way out, interfereing as little as possible. The little hatchlings are smaller than the palm of your hand and rediculously precious though.
Also, we sometimes get aclls to deal with things like injured or dead turtles that wash up on the beach. This month we had to go take care of a dead turtle that washed up on a nearby beach. Myself and one other volunteer went to the beach, found the turtle, recorded size, gender and overall appearence and then burried it at the back of the beach, all while trying not to gag from the horrible smell radiating off of it. This particular turtle had been dead quite some time, but injured turtles will often be transported to the turtle hospital in Athens.
When all the work is finished, there is always still time for swimming, or just lounging in a hammock in the shade...
Monday, September 1, 2008
Life as a Turtle Volunteer
Katelios
Katelios is a small town (no more than a few km across) on the Ionian island of Kefalonia. The island is mountainous with winding roads leading from town to town. Speed limits are merely suggestions and drivers seem little phased by the steep drop offs as they zoom around curves. The sky is always blue and temps stay right around 90F dipping into about 80F at night. There is generally a nice breeze which makes the heat bearable. With basically no rain during the whole summer, the landscape takes on a desert like feel with small brush with thorns or branches so dried out they scratch you just the same. The dry climate also leads to a dust that constantly covers everything with each breeze that comes through.
The island is very touristy with plenty of english and italian tourists and now in August, greeks from the mainland on holiday. Katelios is fairly small so it doesn't see near the traffic of nearby towns like Skala which have bigger resorts and what not. The main turtle nexting beach is Mounda beach which is a sandy beach about 4 km long that runs between skala and Katelios.
All the turtle volunteers live in a campsite which is about a five minute or less walk to anywhere in Katelios including the beach, a 20 min hike over some rocks to Mounda. The campsite consists of about 15 tents arranged beneath some olive trees for shade, a big table/eating area, a toilet and shower, and a makeshift kitchen with a stove and sink but no fridge nor counter space. A bunch of pots and pans and dishes are stacked on a table outside the "kitchen." There is also a large storage tent, fire pit, and hammock area. While it might not sound like much, after a couple weeks it really starts to feel like home.
The volunteers range from 18 to 27 yrs and represent everywhere from the US, England, Scottland, Greece, France, Germany, Portugal, and Italy. We can be sitting around the dinner table and there can be conversations going simultaneously in about 4 or 5 different languages. We all take turns cooking dinner for eachother which tends to be pasta or rice, along with salad and some type of veggie usually eggplant. When we aren't doing our work shifts, we are either out at the beach or the pool, or seeking out shade to try our best to make it through the hottest part of the day. With one day off a week we have also been able to see other parts of the island. The main mode of transportation is hitch hiking. Don't worry, we never hitch alone, and it just makes the most sense here bc theres only one main road that goes around the whole island. Generally nice tourists, or local greeks that know us give us the most rides. Its a bit weird at first but after a while you get used to it and can break it down to a science of sorts.
Katelios is a small town (no more than a few km across) on the Ionian island of Kefalonia. The island is mountainous with winding roads leading from town to town. Speed limits are merely suggestions and drivers seem little phased by the steep drop offs as they zoom around curves. The sky is always blue and temps stay right around 90F dipping into about 80F at night. There is generally a nice breeze which makes the heat bearable. With basically no rain during the whole summer, the landscape takes on a desert like feel with small brush with thorns or branches so dried out they scratch you just the same. The dry climate also leads to a dust that constantly covers everything with each breeze that comes through.
The island is very touristy with plenty of english and italian tourists and now in August, greeks from the mainland on holiday. Katelios is fairly small so it doesn't see near the traffic of nearby towns like Skala which have bigger resorts and what not. The main turtle nexting beach is Mounda beach which is a sandy beach about 4 km long that runs between skala and Katelios.
All the turtle volunteers live in a campsite which is about a five minute or less walk to anywhere in Katelios including the beach, a 20 min hike over some rocks to Mounda. The campsite consists of about 15 tents arranged beneath some olive trees for shade, a big table/eating area, a toilet and shower, and a makeshift kitchen with a stove and sink but no fridge nor counter space. A bunch of pots and pans and dishes are stacked on a table outside the "kitchen." There is also a large storage tent, fire pit, and hammock area. While it might not sound like much, after a couple weeks it really starts to feel like home.
The volunteers range from 18 to 27 yrs and represent everywhere from the US, England, Scottland, Greece, France, Germany, Portugal, and Italy. We can be sitting around the dinner table and there can be conversations going simultaneously in about 4 or 5 different languages. We all take turns cooking dinner for eachother which tends to be pasta or rice, along with salad and some type of veggie usually eggplant. When we aren't doing our work shifts, we are either out at the beach or the pool, or seeking out shade to try our best to make it through the hottest part of the day. With one day off a week we have also been able to see other parts of the island. The main mode of transportation is hitch hiking. Don't worry, we never hitch alone, and it just makes the most sense here bc theres only one main road that goes around the whole island. Generally nice tourists, or local greeks that know us give us the most rides. Its a bit weird at first but after a while you get used to it and can break it down to a science of sorts.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
And so it begins...
Well, after a few days worth of packing, some tough goodbyes, and about 15 hours of travel skipping one night's sleep, I made it to greece to begin my 6 month adventure made possible by the generous donations of Frances L. Phillips to the one and only University of North Carolina (UNC people, you should definitely look into the phillips scholarship if you haven't already). Its a strange thing knowing you won't be back home for half of a year, and even stranger knowing I don't have classes and Chapel Hill waiting for me when I get back. Anyway though... I'm gonna go ahead and try to post some updates here as quickly as possible because internet for 2 euro/30 min gets pretty pricey.
I arrived in Greece on 29 July and met up with some other girls in the Athens airport who are also doing the turtle project, 2 from the UK and one from Washington. Myself and the other american, coincidentally also named Lisa, spent the next day and a half hanging out in Athens. We met up with Kostas, brother of my friend Bryce, who showed us around a bit and was overall incredibly helpful getting us to the right bus, even if it meant getting to work late. We toured the Acropolis and saw the Parthenon, ate some souvlaki, and got to see some great views of Athens which is a gigantic city. Time in Athens came to an end pretty quickly though, as we boarded our bus-ferry-bus-car sequence to get to the town of Katelios on the island of Kefalonia. We arrived in Katelios on the evening of the 30th, still pretty jet lagged, but ready to figure out what we would be doing for the next month.
I arrived in Greece on 29 July and met up with some other girls in the Athens airport who are also doing the turtle project, 2 from the UK and one from Washington. Myself and the other american, coincidentally also named Lisa, spent the next day and a half hanging out in Athens. We met up with Kostas, brother of my friend Bryce, who showed us around a bit and was overall incredibly helpful getting us to the right bus, even if it meant getting to work late. We toured the Acropolis and saw the Parthenon, ate some souvlaki, and got to see some great views of Athens which is a gigantic city. Time in Athens came to an end pretty quickly though, as we boarded our bus-ferry-bus-car sequence to get to the town of Katelios on the island of Kefalonia. We arrived in Katelios on the evening of the 30th, still pretty jet lagged, but ready to figure out what we would be doing for the next month.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Welcome...
Welcome to my blog! This will be the record of and my general thoughts during my trip to Greece and the Canary Islands as well as where ever I end up afterwards. I am leaving July 28th from RDU to head to Athens and then spend a month on the Greek island of Kefalonia working with a sea turtle conservation non-profit. After that I will have two weeks to do some more traveling through Greece before leaving for the Canaries in mid September to work with a marine mammals research group.
Feel free to read, comment, and whatever! I would love updates on what goes on at home or where ever you might be! Until July...
Feel free to read, comment, and whatever! I would love updates on what goes on at home or where ever you might be! Until July...
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