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Two amazing days in the city of Saranda with our first couple of dives for the field school. Led by Derek Smith, one of the program coordinators and ecologists with the Marine Center, he led the students on a dive just off the coast. Max depth was approximately 75 feet and we had not only great visitbility but interesting sea life. Lots of sea grass and mussels. The mission of the dive was to find artifacts (or something that looked like it was one) and mark it with a lift bag and reel. After the dive, we mark the bag with GPS, record it, cut the line, then go to the next bag. It was an interesting learning process about how to collect data for submerged collection items.
Our boat Captain, Howard and I chatted for most of the afternoon and shared stories about jobs and diving. The school out here really has an amazing group of people involved with it's program. Great instructors, lecturers, divemasters, scientists, and of course an incredible group of students. These students participating this summer are learning a ton of skills that should help them in the future of their careers.
The school and
staff go into town each night for dinner. With it being scientist Jeff Bozanic's last night in Albania, we went to a nice Italian restaurant in the heart of town. The restaurant was right on the water and had a beautiful deck overlooking the coastine and busy pier. Everyone and their families were out last night, making the boardwalk a busy place to be. Vendors were out, carnival rides set up, and delicious gelato stands called our names. I had Kiwi and Strawberry gelato, yummy!
Today our dive was interesting. It was another day of collections. Lift Bags and reels, GPS coordinates etc. Tomorrow we will learn how to document the finds with photos and analyze the collected information.
Some days intead of eating at the hotel cafe for lunch, we go to the market to pick up some items to make sandwiches and such. It's amazing how fresh the food is here. We get so used to processed meats and cheeses in the states, it makes this organic food that much better! Fresh meat, cheeses, vegetables and my favorite - very yummy cookies! Lots of chocolate hazelnut flovors, so it keeps me in a great mood.
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Aunt jan
non-member comment
Day 4&5
Your adventure just gets bigger, more interesting over the top. Your writing is so vivid. I can see the boat and the sea and the lift bags and of. Purse the gelato. Thanks so much for trip. I am enjoying the ride. It's obvious you are too. Thanks for helping save history for the rest of the world.