Monday August 16th 2010

So, it has been a couple weeks since Malaysia and life is beginning to return to normal at "home".

I have started my second co-op with the Marine and Freshwater Research lab on campus and I couldn't ask for a better job placement!MAFRL is a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited lab and is contracted by the government, as well as private environmental consultants to run water quality tests.I spend most of my days out on the lab's research boat ---The Assassin.I spent one day in the lab, and realized that fieldwork is definitely more my style!

My first day out on the boat I was helping to deploy light attenuation loggers at various GPS points located throughout the Fremantle harbour and along the Swan River.These loggers will be retrieved within 2 weeks (as long as they are still anchored and haven't been towed away by a boat!)Apparently they lost 52 or so last year because of this… and each one is worth approx $400!

Recently, we have been testing the water quality within the harbour and river because dredging is occurring and monitoring is crucial.Turbidity, water clarity and toxins levels are evaluated in field, but samples are also collected to bring back to the lab for testing.

On Thursday, my workday started at 6:45am, but it was SO worth it!I was out on the boat with a commercial dive team, which was really cool! Two divers were sent below to collect existing sediment traps and replace them with new ones.Whenever we have a diving project there has to be a minimum of 4 onboard (diver, standby diver, skipper and dive supervisor).I got to hang up on deck with Minh (the skipper who I always work with) and Andy (a super chill dive supervisor who has been diving his entire life!)The two of them made for a pretty easy day out on the water, even despite the rainy weather and poor visibility for the divers.I returned home after a 10-hour day on the water, soaked to the bone in seawater and wind-burned but absolutely loved every minute of it!

On Friday the 13th, I went to a Zombie progressive dinner put on by the Murdoch University Environmental Science Association.Everyone got all decked out in zombie attire… face paint and blood included!We began the evening on campus with some home brewed beer, punch and appetizers.After a few icebreakers we all boarded the bus and headed to a house where we had some homemade soup, chili and baked potatoes.The couple that lived there brew their own Mexican beer and Pilsner, so everyone indulged before making our way to our NEXT stop!The next location was actually at the rec center in my residence.We all scarfed down a few pizzas, played some games and made our way onto the last location.After a very entertaining bus ride (the bus rides were definitely up there on the list of highlights of the evening), we finally ended up at a farm, which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.Dessert was served here and a pretty feisty karaoke session took full flight!Everyone returned home stuffed (of both food and alcohol!)

Sunday I ventured into Freo to check out a Walk against Global Warming.Freo is a bit of a hippie town with some very alternative-thinking, so it made for a really interesting vibe.John Butler (a pretty popular Aussie singer who is actually from Freo) was there playing a free set, which I was really stoked about.Too bad I failed with my bus timing, and ended up JUST missing his set!I did get there in time to listen to all the running candidates talk about their environmental platform for the upcoming election, which was actually pretty interesting. A local band played later in the afternoon which we hung around to check out, before grabbing some fish and chips (chips on my part) at Cicerrellos--- an awesome fish and chips spot on the harbourfront.In traditional Aussie "Sunday Session" style, we topped off the beautiful afternoon with a couple of pints at Little Creatures (oh, how I'm going to miss this place!)