Getting Closer

Currently, I am watching the lady across the street yelling at a cop.  Not sure what is happening, but she does not seem to be happy and she is talking really loudly with her hands.  I won’t be seeing stuff like this in a while…YAY!  I just got my boarding pass for TOMORROW!!!!  I have to be to the airport no later than 6am to make my flight to Chicago…then to HAWAII!  I can’t wait to meet the people I am going to be living with for the next 8 months.  I am mostly packed.  I am now trying to make sure that I haven’t forgotten anything.  

It Almost Feels Real

I got my flight information!  I leave April 21st for Chicago, where I pick up the three boys on this expedition.  From there, 9 hours to Hawaii!!  

The Low Down

I have just accepted a job offer to join the 8th Crazy Ant Strike Team with the Fish and Wildlife Service. The expedition begins with a months stay in Hawaii to shop and pack for the 7 month stay on Johnston Atoll. Johnston Atoll is a National Wildlife Refuge and is made up of 4 islands in the middle of the central pacific, 717 miles west, southwest from Hawaii, which is the closest land in all directions to the islands. The majority of the island is man-made by the U.S. Military. Used in WWII as a fueling stop for planes and submarines, it was also used as a missile base. Back in the day, there were multiple buildings, roads, sidewalks, a runway, restaurants, and barracks for the soldiers. Today, only two buildings stand and everything is over grown, giving it a Chernobyl feeling. 

They are not planning on sending the ship back with more supplies, so we have to make sure we have everything we need for the whole 7 months. Also, in case of emergencies, the Coast Guard will be able to reach us in 1-3 days, depending on where they are deployed from. The island is closed to the public, but defiantly open for the birds. There are 14 different birds that nest on the islands, year round. In fact, during an 8 day period, a previous team calculated 32% of the world’s population of red-tailed tropic birds, just on one of the 4 islands! There lies the importance and reason for the expedition. 

Yellow crazy ants were discovered on Johnston Island (the “big” island of the 4) in 2010. It is believed that they hitched a ride on the boat of an illegal landing on the island. The whole ant population exploded. The ants were found on 130 acres of the 630 acre island. In that space, no birds nested. They simply left the island…not good. Yellow crazy ants are named so for their erratic behavior when disturbed. Instead of biting like other ants, these guys spray acid, blinding birds and deforming baby bird beaks and feet. So a team was put together to eradicate the ants and restore the nesting areas for the birds. The best method is to use wet cat food mixed with corn syrup with a neurotoxin. The worker ants both eat it and deliver it to the queens. Since 2010, the population of ants is down 99%! So that is the work I will be doing, trying to get the last of the ants off the island. In addition to that, I will have the opportunity to conduct seabird, shorebird, and sea turtle surveys, do data collection, and use GIS.

As the islands are private and we will be the only research team there, our team of 5 has the whole place to ourselves. I will be staying on the “big” island. It is about 2.5 miles long by 0.5 miles wide. I get my own personal tent, 12x14x6, have to bath and wash clothes in the ocean, and eat things that come only in cans, boxes, or bags that are not perishable. When I interviewed for the position, they kind of freaked out when they learned I can bake bread! Although not guaranteed, they do have slow internet connection on the island, which has been successful enough to do Skype. I am planning on doing a weekly blog while on my adventure. I am also going to bring running stuff, snorkel gear, a Nook to read on, journals, and maybe stuff to learn how to crochet on rainy days!

In addition to birds – including the great frigate bird with a wing span of 7.5 feet – on the island, there are green sea turtles (endangered), humpback whales (endangered), Hawaiian monk seals (endangered), moray eels, grey sharks, white tip reef sharks, tiger sharks, over 300 kinds of fish, and 54 species of amazing coral. Ever since I saw the job posting, I have not been able to shut up about it and now, I can’t believe I got it and I get to go! I am going to see and experience so many amazing things. I can’t wait! 

Wish me luck!