Ski week students discover stars and sea lions instead

“One bit my knee,” shouted Jim. “And another nudged Mr. Willats!”

“Yeah, and we were snorkeling around a lot of male sea lions, which is dangerous ‘cuz they’re territorial and will kill you!” added Genny. “Oh yeah, and manta rays jumped up right next to our boat when we were riding back to the island, too!”

I had only missed two days with the students from Piedmont High School, but it seems their rigorous five day camping excursion to study ecology at Espíritu Santo Island in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez hadn’t taken any turns for the worse – in fact just the opposite. The group was in great spirits, and even smarter and funnier since when I left them.

Yes, of course they were concerned that Britney Spears had shaved her head while they were away from their online and oh-so-connected lives (some of the girls arrived with French manicures and talk about what TV shows they’d miss while they were gone and which coffee is better: Starbucks or Peet’s.), but the Piedmont High School student group – eight girls and two boys – was also proud they were taking part in something “so cool” over their annual February “ski week” vacation.

“No one really goes skiing that much anymore,” explained Claire, an inquisitive and sharp-minded senior from Mr. Willats’ AP Environmental Science class.

Teaching at Piedmont High School for almost a decade now, Mr. Willats has taken previous student groups on outdoor education adventures in Costa Rica and the Galapagos; and this year, he brought the group to Ecology Project International’s newest program in Baja California Sur to participate in local scientific research and learn about island and marine ecology.

In addition to the students, Mr. Willats also brought his telescope to encourage gazing at the sky’s stars, moon and planets. It was a new moon where only a sliver of it shone, and even that disappeared after its early moonset over the Sea of Cortez. So, the sky was especially dark for seeing the brightest stars in their constellations, and even an extra moon or two when nature called with no private bathrooms anywhere on the island.

Under the sea, the students saw stars as well – sun stars, cushion stars, even chocolate chip stars – and they assisted Ecology Project International instructors in data collection concerning species abundance and substrate.

Instead of talk of ski slopes among the students this week, most inquiries were about how we should calculate species diversity, what the best strategies for conservation are, and when we would see whales, and of course once they caught wind of the news, theories into why Britney shaved her head.

The Piedmont group flies back to San Francisco today, all the wiser and more worldly thanks to Mr. Willats.

Day trip to Todos Santos & Playa Los Cerritos

Frappuccinoed in La Paz

Day 3 for me in La Paz and I spent the afternoon walking the malecon seaside sidewalk. The sun is about to set over the bay and my stomach is full with frappuccino.

Who would have thought? I feel so funny having a belly full of frappuccino in Mexico. I never buy those things, but this place is a trip, teaming with tourists cruising the malecon (mostly older white tourists). So, I figured why not embrace its odd mix with a frappuccino while working on my laptop at the sidewalk cafe. Afterall, I did spend the afternoon eating tacos de pescado and ceviche with a cold Pacifico at a carrito down the way; and the old man next to me just powered a huge piece of chocolate cake, so I don't feel so bad.

Here in La Paz, 'tis the season when many species of migrating whales visit the Sea of Cortez - gray whales, blue whales and humpback whales, among others. I haven't had any whale sightings yet and most likely won't until I set sea on Sunday for a six-day boat trip. But, here's a few snapshots of what I've discovered here on land so far:

A little skate park where the local kids kick it - un sitio que se llama Parque de la Amistad (Friendship Park).
My local wine store, La Cava del Patron. It's only a few blocks from where I'm staying. I told the lady that works there that I like to drink wine at home in Los Angeles. I told her that I couldn't believe such a nice wine store was so close to where I was staying here in La Paz. She told me, "El vino la sigue." Ha!!! Translation: The wine follows you. So true.A mural by world famous, marine life artist Wyland depicting, you guessed it, marine life.


Oooo, and the most exciting discovery is that La Paz will host their annual Carnaval February 15 to 20. Yessica and Aremmy are some of the chicas competing to be the Reina del Carnaval.

Pobre Aremmy...someone ripped this sign of hers and another one had chicle stuck to her nose.

Stay tuned and I'll let you know how it turns out.



For more information about the organization I'm volunteering with here in Baja California Sur, please visit www.ecologyproject.org. Ecology Project International does excellent work in environmental education and conservation involving scientists, students and teachers in the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador and beyond.

Oh no! The frappuccinos were two-for-one and they just brought me my second.