Out of the airport and onto Public transportation/roaming the cities before I reach my destination. Because of the time difference I technically arrived in Hawai'i before I left Australia, so I decided to spend my extra Friday on the iconic beach of Waikiki - after a quick hotel check-in. Saturday morning was spent diving in 80+ft. visibility. In these two dives I had the chance to use an Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) and zoomed like a torpedo. It was a novel (and ultra comfortable) experience, being able to effortlessly keep up with wildlife that would have otherwise eluded me had I been equipped with mere fins. Our group saw a total of two logger head sea turtles (Caretta caretta), white-tip reef sharks (Trianodon obesus), and spotted-eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari) along with multiple "reef" fishes. That afternoon, I decided to go to the art market and support local artists. Fortunately, this market opens the first Saturday of every month and is operated by the artists themselves. Famous screen printer Fili, and his company Tribal Edge Clothing (@tribaledgeclothing), was present and I got a cool long sleeve Hawaiian tribal print shirt designed by him. I also had the amazing pleasure of meeting two sisters that made a life-long impact on my trip to Hawa'ii. They had the same crazy obsession as I do over sea glass, showing me their rarest finds from the islands along with their beautiful jewellery and crafts. We spent a whole hour talking about a single piece of glass and its origin, history and journey. I wear their piece of sea glass everyday and rub it for good luck. You can find their Etsy shop, Maiava Sea Glass (@maiavaseaglass), here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MaiavaSeaGlass?ref=search_shop_redirect The next day, ASLOMP took all their students to visit iconic sites on the island such as Waimanalo beach, Halona Blowhole and Diamond Head crater. This was the first time I hiked up a volcano, let alone a ~450,000 year old one! That evening, at the Hawaiian Convention Center, I met scientists ranging from undergraduates to professors and a wide-range of scientists working in aquatic systems. We drank, laughed, and spoke about the complex ecosystems of the planet we live in. This year’s Association of Science for Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) conference was held in Honolulu. I had the opportunity to participate in the ASLO Multicultural Program (ASLOMP) that aims to increase opportunities for minorities in science. This week was filled with trips, talks and happy scientists. On Tuesday I presented my poster based on the research I did over the Summer in Jacksonville, FL at the University of North Florida. I presented on the Genetic Assessment of the hybrid zone between the mummichog and the gulf killifish. The rest of the week was filled with mind-blowing 15 min presentations. These, along with the exposure I had to an incredible host of likeminded people, led to what I would consider a more educational experience than a semester at school. I encourage anyone in the sciences to save money towards scientific conferences in order to participate in them. I have made most of my connections in my field through meetings like these, and have gained incredible opportunities from them. This trip to Hawai'i gave me a quick preview to the beautiful Pacific Islands and their inhabitants. Their devotion and connection to the ocean and its creatures is inspiring to anyone who experiences it. Because of this week, Hawai'i has definitely become a priority destination in my future travel plans. Before I end this post I want to thank Dr. Matthew Gilg, advisor for my research project, The National Science Foundation for funding me, the ASLOMP program for flying me out to Hawai'i and giving me the chance to present at their conference, my sponsors, and all the wonderful people I met at the conference for an awesome time.
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