Today was the first day for the Argos to venture out into the field with the research crew here at Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI). The Argos were divided into two research teams with two different tasks to accomplish. One team was sent in two small skiffs to study the home range of Green Sea Turtles and track their movements using hydrophones. The other vessel set up turtle predator monitoring equipment known as a B.R.U.V. or a "Baited Underwater Remote Video" unit at research sites in a small bay. The Second group of Argos traveled by land with their researchers to the "Flats," a low area covered with thick Mangrove forests to study plant and animal life trapped in tide pools. When Argos were asked what it was like to be a guest researcher for the first time and how this experience would influence their future and potential career these were their responses:
Dylan
"It was so exciting to get out into the field for the first time as I was able to freedive along the edge of a reef in the sea turtles home. I was able to see Giant Crabs and how each creature was able to blend into its environment like the Yellow Spotted Ray. It really makes me want to become a marine biologist as I was able to ask the researcher (Megan) questions so I can better understand now the changes marine anatomy and later in life do my own research."
Sharmonei
"Getting out to CEI was something I have never done before. It is so different from what we do at school and awesome. I loved the hands-on part of it listening on the hydrophone and pointing the researcher in the direction of the tagged sea turtles. During school you don’t always get to do hands on, I wish everyday was like today. This experience is helping pursue my dream job working in the field of water science engineering."
Elaine
"This experience was both hectic and exciting at the same time. In the few short eighteen hours spent that day, I’ve experienced wading through knee-deep swamps, swimming in the deep blues, and having, literally, the best time of my life chasing after scientists working in their own field. Even though I’m still pretty undecided about what careers I’ll be taking in the future, this trip has made me realize that I belong in the field, conducting my own research and discovering the unknown, not only because it is challenging and endless, but because it is what I enjoy."
Argo Heather does a little snorkeling during a sea turtle research break.
Posted by The JASON Project on Friday, July 17, 2015
Heather
"Green Sea Turtles are creatures that humans and scientists have been fascinated by for thousands of years. Their mysterious ways are something that has perplexed scientist for decades, and only now are we just starting to learn about the way they live. In our Sea Turtle adventure today, we used a hydrophone along with a GPS and other equipment find a turtle that researcher Megan had tagged for her Masters Research Project on identifying the Sea Turtles home range. Once we were close enough to the turtle, I hopped into the water with my snorkel gear on to search for the tagged turtle! Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in locating the turtle, but a later group was able to find it. Megan was still able to identify what sea turtle she had tagged by the number of beeps we heard through the hydrophone. After our fun morning of turtle research we headed out to another location to snorkel along the coral reefs! It was my first open-water snorkel and it was amazing!! We saw some beautiful Angel Fish along with schools of smaller fish. There were also crabs and a nurse shark spotted by another group of divers. The sight was breathtaking! I’m so honored to be a Student Argonaut this year. This experience is life changing and has given me the drive to pursue my dream of being a Marine Archaeologist just like my hero Dr. Bob Ballard."