Light under the sand
NOVEMBER 29, 2008
Not many pages left. Pretty soon I may not have much to write about, though. This morning I had patrol from 4:30-7:30am. There were tracks to explore. I found a washed up jellyfish (the first i'd seen) and a bloated fish that sort of resembles a puffer, but with no spikes. We also found a female trying to lay right up by the hatchery, which is further than females normally like to nest. But I have found that females will nest almost anywhere. I also found out last night that the specks of light in the sand when I walked are some sort of micro organism (see dinoflagellates--not a dinosaur, or a flatulence). Sarah and I were walking back from North Caletas on patrol and particular areas of the moist beach would leave traces of light after each step we took. It was like unspoken magic; unlike anything I've seen.
It was nice to get a shower when I got back. It has been very humid, especially in the mornings and nights. With summer approaching, it will only get worse. I sorted through my medicine today and found that I am a day or two short of my birth control. This wouldn't be so if I started my menstruation tomorrow, but the thought of dealing with that in these conditions... I can start once I return back to Japan and can get back on schedule. I sometimes get cramping and lower back pains and have chosen to continue to take my bc for this reason and to help with controlling acne.
It is so dreary today. It rained last night, I think during the second patrol. Luckily, I was doing third patrol, but it did sprinkle some. I am bored. I realize I need a bit of civilization to thrive, or at least someone to share this with. Then, at least, adventures could be invented together. I am mostly a content person, but I really am happiest sharing the things in my life with another who can equally appreciate those same things, and/or has some complimenting dynamic to introduce into the equation that keeps life and love full of vigor and awe.
It's starting to rain....
Fresh plantains and coconut meat with lunch. It is a great benefit. I've never had fried green plantains before I came here. Only ripe yellow ones that Z's grandmother had caramelized. I've never had fresh coconut meat straight from the coconut, either. I didn't even know that the stringy brown casings were actually encased in a larger, colored shell. Yellow is supposed to be good (most of the time. You have to shake them a listen), and orange, you can forget it. The green ones are best for drinking, but you still have to find that right stage. We had fresh, snappy green beans, too. I'd missed those.
I have a double tonight. It's 3:51pm now and I have to go out at 5:30pm and then out again at 12:30am.
Today was such a lazy day. I couldn't find the energy. I was up early on patrol, but went back to bed for two hours. Even though I had enough sleep last night, I think that my body still has some catching up to do. Tonight we are supposed to have more tourists come back to join us on a patrol. I have to take them North because North is patrolled twice in one sitting and it will give them an opportunity to only go out for an hour and half v. South's 3 hour patrol. North is 3 hours, too, but you just walk it twice. I think we're going to get rained on. Time to bust out the poncho.
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