On one of the first sunny days we've had in the past few weeks, I knew I had to take full advantage and enjoy my remaining time here.
I went out with the 'stream crew'. They are measuring all sorts of different values in the streams around La Selva.
Our mission today was to sample from nine different streams around the reserve and try to make it back before dinner.
Challenge accepted.
Most of what we were looking for was ridiculously relaxing.
Now I see why people work on streams. The pace is so much more mellow than chasing around lizards all day.
But, I mean, come on...chasing lizards all over isn't exactly a bad job.
I wouldn't call stream work 'easy' by any measure, most of the streams were at the back of the property...meaning a lot of up and down.
All told we probably only went nine or ten kilometers. It just took some time to sample each stream. We measured pH, temperature, solute amount, and conductivity.
The units for water conductiy are in µS/cm, which is micro Siemens per centimeter...
Get your mind out of the gutter!
Just because we were hiking around looking for stream doesn't mean there weren't still awesome critters to catch along our journey!
Chelydra serpentina (Snapping Turtle) Immediately after picking this thing I up I found myself regretting it. They have deceptively long necks and tough little claws... holding onto this one wasn't easy. I've never found one before though, and these things are built like tanks with a business end that looks like it could take off a finger!
I also felt something squirmy against my hand while holding it...
Leeches!
Turtles in this jungle are always covered in some kind of ectoparasites. Every single one I've found has some kind of tick, leech, etc. Poor little guys.
That's not excuse for acting bitey though!
Eventually I got tired of being bossed around and decided to give the turtle a taste of its own medicine.
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Clearly not phased....
Just because we were working, doesn't mean there wasn't time to force whoever was closest to snap a nice selfie every chance I could get.
Looking back, I have no idea why I chose this spot. The tree was real big I guess?...Whatever, I'll be happy with all the pictures in a few years.
Between the long day hiking and the mental exhaustion from paper writing. Lunch felt goooood, real good.
There are parts of this jungle that I'm really going to miss when I'm gone. Sitting down to eat in spots like this is definitely one of them.
The insects here continue to amaze me too...weevil?
After lunch when sampling in one of the streams we got the weird feeling. Hvae you ever just known that someone was watching you?
Most of the time it's nothing...
This time.
I'm glad we checked the water before jumping in!
Caiman crocodilus (Spectacled Caiman) When they get bigger than a few feet they go from being cute and precious to grab, to scary and intimidating to be in the water with!
Stream work wasn't so bad at all. I felt like Siddhartha staring at the water for so long (without the whole 'spiritual enlightenment through poverty' thing)
Just as we were getting to the last stream of the day we started bragging. "oh my, the weather was just so perfect today.", "I can't believe it didn't rain on us." and "We are just so lucky, cool and awesome." (okay, maybe I was just saying that last one in my head about myself)
I was snapping pics, eating the last of my snacks, generally in no rush at all.
How can you not be relaxed in a spot like this!
It's times like these that the jungle takes special consideration to teach me lessons...
Yes jungle, you were right....
Jungle lesson #126:
There is no so such thing as a 'short' bike-ride back to the station in the rain.
At the end of the day though, I was glad I could help out on another project and glad to get to see and enjoy some more jungle before I leave for good.
We may have looked, felt and smelled like wet-dogs, but I think it's safe to say everyone had a damn good time today.
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