Today was a little slower paced, but despite that I am exhausted. Even as I type I can feel my eyelids getting heavier, but I said I would post every day, and so I shall.


Today I did not wake up before everyone else, in fact I slept in until the last possible moment. Our group traveled down to Cholla Bay, and with the tide out, the mud flats seemed to go on forever. We did make it out to the water line though, and I found a few sand dollars when we got there. We also met a blue swimmer crab (Callinectes sapidus) stuck in one of the pools and he kept trying to intimidate Zanna. He had just molted his shell so he was very soft, and he couldn't even pinch he was so squishy! I found his molt (and a couple other huge ones later on), and it has a little crack around the edges and you can see how he got out of his old shell. I also found a few of the actual crabs, and after making sure their pinchers were not going to get me, got in some photo ops.

Photo Courtesy of Janeane Mancha

We also met a pygmy octopus, he inked me and bit Yeltsy. I think she'll live though :)

Photo Courtesy of Janeane Mancha

When we got back it was time for naps, and then the afternoon lecture/presentation.  I talked about the phylum mollusca, which includes slugs, chiton, cowrie, squid, nautili, ocotopodes, snails, clams, and oysters. Like our little friend pictured above, all have what are called mantles, a word which means "cloaking". This is where the creatures gills, anus, reproductive system, and osphradium (equivalent to something like a nose) are contained. 

After our little lesson was done, we decided to eat dinner at CEDO in lieu of going out to eat, so a few of the girls, I, and Glenn went down to the Mexican Wal-Mart. Mostly a lot of junk food was bought, I think some of the girls were having withdrawals with how healthy we've been eating this past week. We lit up the bonfire when we got back and talked, just having a grand old time. I crashed out a bit early though, I'm feeling pretty burned out and I see many naps in my future. Tomorrow is our last full day here, and while my pocket is telling me it's time to head home, the rest of me really hates to go.