It is Humbling

v and I volunteer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  The mission of the aquarium is to inspire conservation of the oceans.  Volunteers speak to thousands of people every week.  Over one million school children have visited the aquarium through school field trips at no cost to the schools or families.  We meet people from every continent and we see the impact that the aquarium has on these people.  

This afternoon at the Kelp Forest exhibit I met a man and his wife who are visiting from India.  At the end of our conversation about the variety of animals living within the kelp beds he looked up through the thirty foot high stands of kelp on display with the rock fish floating motionless amongst the leaves, the sharks swimming in and out, and the schools of anchovies and sardines flashing silver in the sunlight.  He looked back at me and said that there is so much life on this earth that we do not see.  "It is humbling", he said.  

I am embedding a link to a video from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute about 

Trash in the deep sea.  Small changes can make a big difference in the future of the oceans. One change that can start immediately is to reduce our use of single-use plastics.  Carry water in refillable bottles.  The aquarium has installed a bottle refilling station for people to replenish their water supply.  Ask your employers, schools, and shopping malls to install refill stations. Reduce the need to buy all those small, plastic bottles of water that take up so much room in your home. 

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

Sunrise in Moss Landing

We needed to do something different for a change of pace.  v has been having a very hard time with the chemo this round.  He has five days of pills left before his week's break.  A CT scan is scheduled for Thursday and we hope so much that the cancer has gone into remission so he can stop having to take all those pills.  He'll still have to have the infusions, but only one, instead of three, medications every three weeks.  

So, what did we do that was different?  We arose before dawn and headed out with the camera in search of a location to photograph. We ended up in Moss Landing at sunrise.  It was cold.  34 degrees F.  For the Central Coast of California that is really cold.

We watched the little tug pull the barge with the crane on it across the channel.  I can't really tell you what else they were doing.  It looked as though they transferred one, fairly small, piece of equipment onto a boat.  In the background is the Moss Landing PG&E plant that provides our electricity.  Behind the plant is the Elkhorn Slough.

We met a few other hardy souls out walking their dogs.  I think some folks live on their boats here.  It would be fun for a while, I think.  I'd enjoy being rocked to sleep.  And then there is that thought of just pulling up the anchor and heading off to another local.

This is one that v took a liking to.  A little spare for me, and possibly in need of too much TLC.

Phil's Fish Market is a local landmark.  During business hours this place is always busy.  Moss Landing is a small seaside town, but it is right on Hwy 1.  It's a favorite stop for tourists, MBARI and the Moss Landing Marine Laboratory are right along the same stretch (well, face it, it's the only stretch).  There are still a few funky residences but it looks like a small artists colony is sprouting.

There are far more boats than buildings in Moss Landing.  I noticed many boats are registered in San Francisco.

It is a tranquil spot for a spur of the moment sunrise ramble.

In bocca al lupo.  m & v

1st Year as a Volunteer

The next new group of volunteers are in the midst of their apprentice training at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  It's been nearly a year since v and I joined and began this magical journey.  Recruitment now occurs twice a year, spring and fall.  

Yesterday we were delighted to act as personal guides for a group of friends of ours from out of town. I am amazed at how far I've come since joining the aquarium. A year ago I was only sure I could tell a fish from a dog.  Now I'm able to interpret the life cycle of jellies, explain that sea cucumbers, sea stars, and sea urchins are related, and direct folks, without hesitation to the nearest restroom.  I have great pleasure introducing children to living sea creatures and helping them look through a window at that very special world under the waves.

When we go tide pooling, or just walking along the shore, we see so much more than we ever saw before. We can identify things that we never even noticed before such as the egg case of a Moon Snail encrusted with broken shells, and corals.

I have links included in my links list to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Blog and to their website as well as MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) where amazing videos can be viewed.  v's favorite is the Mimic Octopus.  Check it out. 

In bocca al lupo.  m & v