We are so so so so sorry it has been so long since our last post but we have been busy little bees! In the past week and a half we have gone on two research cruises and then one whale watch each (different boats), we also went on a hike and went ATVing, we also gave our presentations (our mini research project), and have been entering data that has been collected on both the whale watch boats and the research cruises..oh yea, we have also been asked to proof read and give suggestions on a jounral article that the institute submitted but it was rejectd with advice that they need to have a native english speaker go over it...D and I are going through that and hopefully we can help them to get the second version accepted...oh yes, we have also gotten a little shopping in there...in short, we are having the time of our lives!!!!!!!!
So let´s get to some specifics:
The whales have been AMAZING!!! The WW boat I went on caught up with a competitive group of whales and we saw 13 breaches, tons of pectoral fin slaps, lots of head slaps, beautiful tails, and lots of noises....it was breath-taking. I still can´t believe that these massive animals can just throw their bodies out of the water...I managed to get some great pictures and even recorded two breaches on video! The first research cruise Danielle and I went on (since we last updated the blog) was a success, no one got sick, though we were a little sleepy from the Dramamine. We saw lots of whales but nothing too exciting. The second one of this week, however, was AWESOME. We again stumbled upon a competitive group (that actually one of the whale watches found and they saw 30 breaches!!). We witnessed two breaches at once, lots of movements, lots of flukes and all the like. I manned the cruise board (where we keep track of the camera lens length, etc) and Danielle actually HELD a camera in her hand....not to take pictures or anything, but just hold.
BUT, the good news is: tomorrow Danielle and I are going on a WW boat (just the two of us, without the interns or any supervision) AHHHHHHHHH....they are releasing us from our nest. I am going to try and get photo-ids and D is going to try her luck with the range-finder (tells us how many meters away the whale is). Wish us luck and fingers crossed that I don´t drop the camera in the ocean!
Other Things:
We have kind of decided to ditch capoeira....we have subsituted it for home-made excerises and running-ish
Last night, we went to Arlete´s for her moving party, she moved out all of her furniture (she is moving into a different house) and we had a big dance floor so Danielle and I are really practicing are brazilian moves! They ended the night with Leo and Carol switching off playing the guitar and it kind of hit us that we only have a week left with these people.
This past weekend, we had Souza "Sabado" (saturday for you ingles speakers) of course!!! Marcelhino was playing there again and we had to show our support. This was Carol´s (ecovol) last night so we wanted to make sure she had a good send off, and we are pretty sure she did. We got her on the dance floor and even convinced her to sip a smirnoff ice, so I would say her trip was a success.
The other volunteer arrived yesterday, a day later than expected and without her luggage. She is a psychologist at Rice University and also worked at UT-Houston before. She grew up in Germany but now lives in Texas (obvs). She is very nice and Danielle and I have already learned a lot from her, in terms of her thesis, her work, etc. Sher is in her early 30´s. We are excited to have a new addition to our family!!
Notes on our new family: Seriously, I cannot tell you enough how much we love everyone here. The group of interns: we couldn´t have asked for better ones!! They are all very different and come from different parts of Brazil but the love of science and the environment has brought them all together so its cool to see that common thread and witness how well everyone connects. Carol and Leo are wonderful singers (Leo even has a single out!) Amanda and Natali are the dance experts, Rebeca is a surfers girl and was even Miss Beach Girl (or something like that in Salvador) she has also picked up Capeoira really fast and makes us (well mainly Danielle hahahah jk) look like we don´t know how to use our arms and legs, Pamela is the jack of all trades: she surfs and dances. Those are just some little tid-bits, it´s really hard to capture how well we have clicked with each and every one of them. They are so willing to teach us things about their culture and are genuinely interested in us. We are insisting that they all come visit us in NYC (when we don´t have a lot of school work of course) and we are helping Carol and Luciana research master´s and phd programs in the states. In short, we know we have made lasting friendships with these peeps.
Moving on from the interns....we love the researchers as well and we, regrettably, had to say goodbye to Barata (Clarencio) last night. He, Marcos, and the co-founder of the institute (he technically isn´t part of the institute anymore but helps out with videography...him and his wife started the humpback whale project/institute.....marcia (his ex-wife) is the president and other co-founder of the institute...i digress)....they are going on a 2 week expedition down the coast of Bahia towards Caravelas (where the headquarters is located). We are very sad to see them all go, but luckily we have fb to keep in contact!! HOLLER
We have also done dinners with them (and when i say them I mean everyone at the Institute) where they cook for us and things like that, it really has been wonderful....we want to try and make them apple pie or something really american, but the grocery stores here are kinda confusing...and by confusing i mean, they have lots of pasta and frozen stuff and cookies and danielle and i get really distracted...speaking of food, we have eaten really really really really well here....most of all are money goes to the food. Prices are the same in the U.S. so we don´t really get a break there, but for us it has been so worth it!
Other things: Hiking! Danielle and I decided to plan a hike as a nice little Sunday afternoon activity. There is a castle that is about 5 km away from the hostel called Castelo Garcia D´Avila. It was built in like the 1500 ´s and has a story to it. Anyway, we asked the girl at the hostel for some general directions, like "turn at the yellow house" and then tried to quickly memorize this trail on a map (neither of us have a photographic memory per se).....so we set out at 2ish...giving us PLENTY of time to get back before dark, plus I was pretty sure there were signs explicity telling us where to go...i mean, why not!?) WElp, we found the yellow house thing, but it was surrounded by barbed wire and we couldn´t really figure out how to get around that obstacle, it wasn´t until we walked past the yellow house to make sure it was the right yellow and then back, did we realize that there were openings in the barbed wire fence that were big enough for you to slide through into an opening (there will be pictures to follow). After getting through obstacle 1, we walked through a field and came to road....with no signs around....we could go one way or the other....we quickly chose left because that way was "calling" us or something to that effect and we started walking walking walking....and then we came to a reserve sign that had the castle on it so we thought we were headed straight for it!!!!!!!!!!!!! we were kind of right....we walked and walked and walked and walked and walked and then came across some houses and some friendly people and then a car came up....not sketchy or anything...we definitely were not scared! Here, we met Junior, he kindly told us that he was a guide and asked us if "We wanted to know the forest"....we had no idea we had entered the forest reserve and were quite surprised to be alerted of this. Danielle stated we were just going to the castle and that we could walk there, and Junior gladly informed us that the castle was in another direction. After that little encounter, we decided to maybe turn around and try our luck another day (and it was getting close to dark). When we got back to town we booked our ATV trip that would actually take us directly to the castle and to other areas in the forest....BEST DECISION EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First off....I DROVE and D clung for her life....in short, we both were covered in mud by the end (it had rained) and our stomachs hurt from laughing so hard (pictures to follow)!
Sooooooo to give you a look into the future...we have WW tomorrow, Saturday we are hoping to do another excursion where you hike, zip line, "white-water raft" and one other activity that we both can´t remember at this point in time. OF COURSE Saturday night we will be Souza-ing it up. Sunday we are going to shop and buy lots of prezzies for you peeps and prepare and pack for a 3-4 day boat trip (weather pending, and yes, i know we´ve attempted this before). The plan is to leave MOnday, maybe hit up Salvador but sleep on the boat for two nights (that brings us to Weds) where we will be in a town (i can't remember name) but its a little south of salvador and sounds like sao paulo (but sao paulo is really far away so its not that). Anyway, we would get off the boat here and go into the community with Sergio (he´s the one in charge of the children´s coastal patrol group and coordinates a lot of things at the institute) and get to see what he does in the villages. We would spend the night in this town at an inn and then the us and eva would take another boat back to praia do forte on thursday morning (and i guess it will be a lot faster, because we will be getting back thursday...we think...we better). AND THENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN::: Danielle and I will be spending two nights at the Tivoli Ecoresort (seriously, look it up) to wipe the grime away. Our last official day at the institute will be thursday so friday we can relax be the ocean and prepare for rio...(which btw Eva has been there and has given us a recommendation of the Windsor Hotel, because it is right where you want to be when in rio) we are still taking suggestions, so if anyone wants to do research on this, be my guest :).
Presentations: Last friday Danielle and I gave our presentations. I talked about whale social behavior and how they group etc during their migratory patterns (i found it really interesting) and D did hers on the effectiveness of the coastal program (the kids outreach program) and what they can do to improve via the S.A.F.E. method (nice little anagram).
oh yea, danielle gave her first WW information presentation today and she passed with flying colors, she made me very proud and she didnt even shake OH YEA and while i am talking about the shakes, Eva, has the shakes too and she has a foot fear.... so basically danielle and her have really bonded over their weird bodily things (for those of you who don´t know: Danielle is kinda weird about feet and she shakes)
one more thing: luciana makes jewelry, we have bought earrings.....Brazilian Bay is the name of the company....and it is on etsy.com so look it up and support her and her boy!
OK i know this is alllll over the place but I least I spit it out.....my fingers are about to fall off, so i am going to have to say peace out. D is diligently working next to me uploading and captioning pictures to supplement! LOVE AND MISS YOU ALLL!
On our research boat...in the front you can see the captain and Rebecca...looking at the beach of Praia do Forte.
Finally...proof we have actually seen whales!! In the middle of the all-important fluke-up dive. Photo courtesy of Hannah Dalke.
The picture is blurry, but it is the best to show how close we come to the amazing animals.
Neto and Rebecca cooking us the traditional Bahian meal, Mocqueca, at the interns' apartment - this time with shrimp.
We stopped by an apartment before Souza on Saturday where Hannah helped to knead the dough for these little okra (not jalapeños, Hannah :) ) and tomato pizzas.
Barata and Amanda dancing at Arlete's "Say Goodbye to the House" party
Perfect time for a picture ID during a fluke up dive.
The blows from a group of whales...this is how we spot them in the ocean.
Standard Saturday night at Souza!!!!
Again...we are getting plenty to eat. :)
Us with Luciana...our mom, boss and new best friend!!!
Hannah and Arlete!!!! So bella!!
