Hello Everyone! Wow I cannot believe I actually made it to this study abroad. Starting off this journey has been nothing short of a bumpy road. I started of this travel smoothly by leaving on the 10th of June so that I would arrive in Sydney the 13th. United Airlines on the other hand had very different plans for me. My flight From SLC to San Francisco was delayed an hour due to technical issues taking my hour and a half layover down to 20 minuets. I was able to contact united and they told me that everything would be fine, that since I was flying international they would hold the plan for me since my connection would now be very tight. I arrived in San Francisco at 10:30pm and was feeling on top of the world since my next flight was at 10:55 and customer service told me the gates were close to each other. Unfortunately there was another plane at our gate and by the time we deboarded the plane, my connection had already taken off for Sydney by five minutes. United helped get me booked in a hotel and get me accommodations while i waited to catch the next flight out which would be 10:45 the next night. Trying to stay positive I looked at my options and remembered my friend Ryan had moved to San Francisco. We met up for lunch the next day and he showed me around the city while I waited to go back to the airport. When it came time to get on the next plane I was ecstatic! I could not believe that I was finally getting to go study on the Great Barrier Reef a dream I have had since I was young. I boarded the plane at 10:45 and by 1:30 we were still sitting at the gate. Then we were informed that due to technical difficulties this plane would not be able to leave the ground and our flight had been canceled. This meant that I would no longer be making my study abroad on time as the next flight did not leave until 10:pm the next day and the boat would leave with out me. I was frustrated and upset. I had now spent over $200 changing my connecting flights in Sydney to get me to Gladstone where the boat for the island was and was starting to believe that I might not make it. I was put up in another hotel till the next day where I would fly to LA and then catch a connection there to Sydney. I made it to LA and boarded the flight and found out it was delayed. I could not believe it!! I had accepted that I was just not going to make it to Australia. Finally we started moving and from there the trip to Gladstone went smoothly. Since the rest of the class was already at Heron Island, my professors booked me two nights at the Gladstone Backpackers Hostile till the next boat came. I had a BLAST! I met people from all around the world and they took me to different local places to show me around. It was so much fun and in the end I am grateful for those days that I wouldn't have had if I had made it on time. I made it to Heron Island and found my class working on the lab I had missed. It was great to see them and joke about the whole ordeal. I was able to jump right in on the second lab and though I am sad I missed the first one I am excited to continue in the course and learn more about coral ecosystems and love them even more than I already do!
Todays lab we went out at low tied to coral patches and set up transects that measured 0, 5, and 10 meters away from a coral patch of our choosing. Once the transects were set we took a core of sand from each distance and bought it back to the lab. In the lab we looked at the samples under a microscope to see if we could find any invertebrates. I was able to find lots of shells the size of grains of salt, microscopic shrimp and worms, and some of my class mates found starfish larva and sea urchin larval as well. Then we went on a swim around the reef when the tide was higher. we got in the water right in the middle of a school of very large parrot fish! it was crazy to see the creatures I spent years looking at in pictures swimming next to me. Then my professor got my attention and told me there was a turtle right next to me. I looked down and right there was a green sea turtle. He swam right up under me and it was so surreal! later on we saw a massive logger head turtle. His head was the size of a basket ball. I also saw lots of eagle rays and other species of rays I am not quite familiar with yet. All in all it has been a dream come true and I cant wait to swim with the sharks tomorrow! Till then, Taylor
5 Comments
DeAnn Painter
6/16/2023 05:54:55 am
I haven’t seen or heard from you in sooo long!!!!You still have that amazing attitude! Making the best of the situation and doing your best. What an adventure. I’m so very happy for you! Can’t wait to read more. Love and hugs Taylor! Enjoy the journey!
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Ashley
6/16/2023 06:22:22 am
You made it! What a cool experience! I’m so excited for you!!
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Scott Yeaton
6/16/2023 07:22:27 am
Wow! What an ordeal! I’m glad you finally made it. Looking forward to hearing about all your adventures!!!!
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Kelly kenyon
6/16/2023 11:53:20 am
Looks fun! So proud of you Taylor and so excited that you were able to make your dream a reality! Love you!
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Preston Harris
6/16/2023 03:10:08 pm
You made it!!!! Can’t wait to hear all your stories and see photos!! Be safe
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AuthorTaylor is currently a senior at Utah State University studying environmental studies and biology. Taylor has always loved the ocean and plans to attend Western Washington University for a masters in marine ecology. Taylor first found a love for marine science as a child growing up in the Pacific North West. ArchivesCategories |