You know when an announcer talks over the PA system at a grocery store or department store and you ask yourself, “What’s she saying?…Huh?”…That’s what I feel like.  I talk on the PA system quite a bit and for many different reasons.  To announce the estuary walk, ocean quest as well as movies. All of these announcements have made my voice become scratchy as well as highly known to the Visitor’s center staff.  At least the other staff members say they can hear me loud and clear on the PA system and quite like it.  Even with all the ocean quest presentations, estuary walks and announcements, the newest and coolest thing that occurred this week was the new octopus being put in.  First of all, Aurora (new octopus) is very friendly and moves around the tank quite a bit.  Also, moving all the sea creatures that live in the tank with her like sea anemones and sea stars needed to be taken out and the tank cleaned; that job is a huge deal in itself.  Squirt will be put back into the visitor’s center tank in 3 weeks, so for now our lovely aurora will be on displey.

Overall, I learned so much this week including different ways to give the estuary tour, how to present Ocean Quest, and a delicate way to tell people that they have misidentified a sea creature such as that sunflower sea star is not an octopus.  I love that I keep learning more and more about how to be an aquarist and what goes on in the sea creature tanks as well as what goes on behind the scenes.  Challenges come up all the time since I know less about the state of Oregon and some of the marine like here than the volunteers, but overcoming them is becoming easier and easier as time goes on.

I’m really excited that I found someone living at Hatfield who also has Wednesdays and Thursdays as their weekend and has a car.  That way I can do more new things such as sand dune surfing, scuba diving, going to Tillamook and various other things.  Also, it’s awesome that she plays rugby, that way I can  have more rugby talks with someone here.  I am exited to be planning my 4 day trip that includes 2 days in Vancouver, Canada and 2 days in Seattle, Washington.  It’s not until mid-August, but I still cannot wait.  For the Visitor’s center, the only knew things for me will be working more and more on my section of the wave energy tanks and trying to feed our new octopus.

My section of wave energy is about how it effects erosion on sandy shorelines.  I’m really excited because we got brand new sand that works really well in the tank, new items to put in the tank such as mesh bags with gravel to show dynamic reventment and rocks to simulate riprack.  My advisers love my ideas so far and my enthusiasm for my project.  The visitor’s center is supposed to open it up to the public next week, but we’ll see how it goes.  Sometimes water, toys, sand and kids don’t mix.  Yet, I have the highest of hopes for it and have more ideas to put towards it.  Lego’s, plastic plants, rocks, sand, blocks and other fun things get put in my tank and so far it’s working out well.  Even if my project is not totally ready, I still want kids to be able to try it out, because it’s one thing for 20-40 year old to love it, will a 10 year old? Also, will that 10 year old understand what it’s supposed to show? Children are the future and should be treated as such, thus I need to make sure my project is fun, informational and child-proof…looks like I’ve got some work ahead of me! Wish me luck!!!!