Day 3 Monday, October 8

This morning I woke early to go for a run. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to run next to the coast line while watching the sun rise, not a bad way to start a day.

The common theme to today was driving, and lots of it! Once we packed up and left Pigeon Point lighthouse we headed south to Moss Landing to meet with scientists from MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute). The tour started with an introduction about the Institute by Marcia McNutt, executive director and CEO, and then our tour was given by Steve Haddock who was a lead scientist studying deep sea invertebrates and bio-luminescence (the little wonders of the deep).

I think the whole group decided that working at MBARI must be a scientists dream because they do not have to worry about finding funding, MBARI gets 80% of their funds from the Packard Foundation. After our stimulating tour we headed over to Phil's Seafood Market to sample come locally caught sea food and other yummy treats.

Our next meeting of the day took us back North to UC Santa Cruz's Long Lab to pick up Guy Oliver, the elephant seal man. We then headed further North to Ano Nuevo State Park where we had one of the coolest experiences of the trip so far. We got to stand very close to hundreds of elephant seals (the largest seal in the ocean). It was AMAZING!!!!! I wanted to take one home with me but I didn't know how I would sneak a 400lb seal onto an airplane.

After our elephant seal encounters, which none of us wanted to leave. We packed up the vans and headed south to Monterey to pick up Lisa. In Monterey we grabbed Lisa and headed back up to Davenport to have dinner at J. Nichols's house, former CEM and turtle worker extraordinaire. We had a beautiful dinner with him and his family with wild-caught pacific salmon and many local organic veggies they had bought from their local farm. All of the food and beer we consumed were local delicacies. It was delicioso!

I think we totaled about 5 hours in the car that today, I think I vote for walking tomorrow! (editor's note: But it was all worth it to have Lisa join the group!)

--Rachel Thompson