Confessions of a Researcher

After the adventures of the last few weeks, tonight was quite dull. Don't mistake that as being a disappointment, however. We appreciate dull nights as opposed to repeated ATV mishaps and, in the same vein, the sound of an ATV effortlessly starting up at 3 am is one of the most welcome sounds in the third-world country. 

We had another turtle tonight. She was found at midnight and, based on flipper tags, it seems Speedy has finally gotten her act together and laid. In the first nest, no less! Without needing to flipper tag or place data loggers or much of anything, it's quite easy and stress-free to watch a turtle nest. 

That said, I feel a few things should be addressed. Things that have been determined after many independent tests and over 700 cumulative hours spent on a beach. 

1. The job of sitting on a beach researching sea turtles has an almost romantic or glamorous sort of ring to it. Fallacy. Somehow, even sitting still on a beach at night, one sweats. The wind is the only thing between you and an extremely sweaty, bug eaten night. What about bug spray, you might ask. Well... 

2. I'm not actually sure where bug sprays were tested. However, I and two other researchers will attest that they were not tested by sitting on a tropical beach for 10 hours every night, 6 nights a week. Nearly 100% DEET sprays seem to have an effect against mosquitos but not sandflies. And three bug bites on my butt are testimony against the REI employee's recommendation of Permethrin on clothing to keep bugs away. 

3. Under the aforementioned circumstances, three very bored researchers can come up with some creative things to do, or propose to do. For instance, our list of "Things to do with 10 hours on the beach" currently includes items such as, "learn to yodel," "do yoga," and "memorize Shakespeare." Things that have been done include "turning sheets into sails," "sing-alongs of Wicked," and "dramatic, live readings of Shakespeare."

I suppose the real confession has to come in that, while we'll whine and complain our way through nights on that small stretch of beach, we really only do so because there's not much else to do. Also, my fellow undergrad slave and I really wouldn't choose something else to do with our summer vacation (although we're glad a thesis isn't hanging on finicky, crazy turtles...). Maybe that makes us crazy, but if you're thinking of telling us we're nuts, you certainly wouldn't be the first and most likely not the last either.