Kayaks and Kelp

My lab group rocks. I love the research that we do and so you can imagine how excited I was to be able to participate in a week long interdisciplinary and international field campaign that linked physical and biological oceanography. For me that meant diving at my favorite local dive spot to collect macroalgae, then spending a week in a kayak, paddling kilometers each day to pull up sample lines and free-diving off the kayak to change out my collectors offshore. We started at 5:30 in the morning and ended, well, late. I met some fantastic people from Scripps Institute of Oceanography, made some new friends from CICESE and got to know one redheaded surferdude that kept me laughing and in great spirits, even when our kayak almost sank in a freak tsunami. As I watched the doomed kayak fill with water, I tried to not laugh as all I heard was "We're goin' down! AHHHH! It's the Perfect Storm, Dude! We are all gonna die! AHHHHAHAHAHAHA". During the long swim to shore, as we dragged the half-sunk kayak behind us laughing all the way, I couldn't help but think that this was something I would never forget. Trust me, you can't make this stuff up.

Capt. Jack Cuervo

Due to a series of experiments that my lab group carried out this summer, I spent a good chunk of my time riding around in pangas, diving to either install equipment or to pull it up. I had a blast. I played with all manner of sea creatures and explored some new dive spots. I dove deeper than I ever had before, which was interesting. Let's just say that I don't think recreational deep diving is in my future, unless there is something more to see than sand, random rocks and spots where gear should be but isn't.

In any case, part of the fun of working on pangas is working with the pangueros. These guys are usually fishermen who take people around in pangas when they aren't fishing. I have had the best experiences getting to know the pangueros that I have worked with over the last few years, but one in particular stands out from the crowd.

I call him Capt. Jack Cuervo due to the striking resemblance he bears, both in appearance and manner, to a certain other well-known pirate with dreadlocks, dangly earings and penchant for rum. Capt. Jack Cuervo, or Cuervo as he is known, can maneuver a panga with ease through the smallest and tightest maze imaginable. Oh, and did I mention that he can do it with his foot? Ya. That's right. The man drives with his foot. Why? Because he's just that freaking cool.

Capt. Jack Cuervo from Aguacate47 on Vimeo.