Still getting hits

I 'm really surprised that I'm still getting people who contact me. Most are going to Vonitsa and have questions about the town. Some people are going to Vonitsa from Earthwatch and are contacting me. From California, Boston, to Vonitsa, my experience with dolphins thanks to Fund For Teachers is one I won't forget.

Shaede comments, "Please to just take pictures of the dolphins please do not hurt them."

Actually, we are not planning on hurting the dolphins. The purpose of the expedition was to track their behavior patterns and their environment. This is to help in the conservation of the dolphins.

Stuck in London

We are spending the night here in London due to a missed flight. Should see you tomorrow!

Leaving tomorrow

We should be calling all our family by 8:00 on Wednesday. See you all soon!

In Athens

We made it to Athens with no problems. We are going on a tour to Delphi today and will leave Greece for Houston tomorrow morning.

Dolphin Identification

These photos are taken to identify the dolphins from one another. The main identifiers are the chunks of fin missing from their dorsal fin. The scratches help temporarily, but fade with time.

Taking Photos

Joan, the Project Investigator, taking pics with a large lens to get the dolphins from a distance for identifying marks.

SanJuana asks, "What information do you get for the observation?"

We take pictures of all the dolphins to identify them from any of their individual marks. The multiple parallel lines are from other dolphins teeth.They bite each other when playing and mating like dogs often do. The chunks of missing fins are usually from man made objects such as nets or garbage. It usually wraps around the fin and cuts through it as the dolphin grows. You cannot approach a dolphin to cut it off, so you have to hope it works it's way off sooner than later. One dolphin in Kalmos, Greece was observed by Tethys with no dorsal fin. It was cut off by a fishing line. The dolphin bled profusely, but survived. He is still swimming normally without a dorsal fin.

Lizabeth asks , "Do dolphins sleep?"

Dolphins do not sleep like you or I do. They enter a sleeplike state or a mediation state. They switch off half of their brains and close one eye. They float on the top of the water with their blowhole exposed. Dolphins will do this for 1 to 2 hours at different times of the day or night.

June 13 Day 3

I missed writing yesterday and today the internet is down. Fortunately, I have the Italian computer to use today. There are 3 computers here at the Tethys research facility. There is the main computer that is reserved for principal research investigators who head the team. There are 2 other computers designated for photo downloading and cropping one with Italian XP and the other with Spanish XP. Both are much easier to use than Greek XP.

We do not use any photo editor for improving image quality, because it effects the original color of the photos, which plays a key role in identifying individual dolphins from the database.

Yesterday, we spent the day learning the methods for collecting data, the characteristics and behaviors of dolphins and photo cropping.Photo cropping is normally a basic and easy procedure, however you need to take time to be more precise so the photo shows the dorsal fin with all markings.