Academic News

Although the end of the fall term is close by it is still full of activities. Here at the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) in Mexico all of the students are working hard gathering data and writing the final Directed Research (DR) reports. Students participated on two more sea turtle monitoring nights with good results, five turtles captured on the first night and one on the second. Some other students have been visiting Puerto San Carlos and Lopez Mateos (one hour to the North) interviewing locals to get their perspective on tourism and possible alternatives for development. We had the second exams that, for some reason, are not very popular with the students! All of the hard work of the term is falling into place and the staff at the Center are pleased to fulfill most of the expectations the students had when they first arrived at SFS. Dr. Hector Perez Cortes M., Center Director

Student News

It's hard to believe the holiday season is upon us with so much sun and sand around, but we are still getting in the spirit nonetheless! Last Sunday, we had a holiday gathering complete with a secret Santa gift exchange and some yummy treats. As happy as we should be for jingle bells and tinsel, we are a bit sad because it means that from here we part ways and the semester has come to an end. It has been a wonderful three months with this group of students and we would keep them another semester if we could. Tomorrow we are taking the last panga ride of the semester, it is a trip out to the dunes of course. If it is one image that anyone should take from here, the breathtaking vista of the Pacific Ocean on one side and Magdalena Bay on the other is it. Happy holidays and we wish you all the warmth inside that we have outside! Cristina Liberati, Student Affairs Manager

Student Reflections

These last two weeks have been full of lots of work and fun! Final Directed Research papers were due and our final presentations were on Tuesday. We still fit some time in to do some field work, though, in true SFS style. A whale expert, Volker, from La Paz came to the center to help us identify a whale we found when walking on the beach looking for washed up turtles. We all took a break from paper writing and headed to Isla Magdalena, where we hiked to the Pacific side of the bay. Various possible species were thrown around, but we eventually identified the animal to be a pilot whale. It was about 30 feet long and it was quite exciting to be able to take part in Volker's work. We took a quick dip in the ocean and headed back to work. So SFS!

We will be leaving in two days for home and we are all both excited to go home and sad to leave. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that these last three months will be remembered fondly forever. This has become a special place for all of us, and I will be sad to go back to snowy Boston soon! Claire (CJ) Marana, Wellesley College

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, even in the desert land of Baja California. Our secret Santa party on Sunday satisfied any holiday longings among the group, as we exchanged trinkets and holiday cheer, of course gorging ourselves on shortbread cookies and hot cider. A festivus for the rest of us here in Mexico, one might say. We're wrapping up both presents and schoolwork as we prepare for our return to the states. Our last two turtle monitoring trips reeled in our highest catch number, as well as a 240 pound monstrosity. We rode the turtles off into the sunset of Baja Magdelena Bay, perhaps for the last time. Today, host families, students, friends, and professors alike came to support the presentations of our Directed Research at the local technical school. As I sit here at my computer, the group prepares for one last excursion to the dunes; one last chance to soak up the Pacific sun. We'll be bringing back more than tans to validate our time here, though. Memories. In this last news from the field, I must say how valuable this experience has been for everyone at the SFS post in Baja. This is Kerry Whittaker, signing off from the class of 2006. Thanks for everything guys! I love you! Kerry Whittaker, Colby College

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