Gaining a sense of Bahia Kino

Eighteen hours after driving through a snow storm, we woke in Kino Nuevo under this palpa roof.  Our instructor Gregory Smart gave us the lay of the land first by introducing us to a general understanding of the ocean, and the forces that drive it as a whole like depth, currents, temperature and up-welling.  Then showed how all these forces are present in the Gulf of California providing lots of productivity and biologic diversity.  Most of the students have taken or are currently taken AP Environmental Science like George Bernard.  This talk connected many of the ideas of that class and connected them to this tiny body of water that produces 50% of all commercial fishing in Mexico.

Then we took a walk from the field station up to Punta Ignacio.  From here we mapped Bahia Kino, the Mid Drift islands, and inland land forms to understand the geologic forces at play in the gulf.  

Punta Ignacio

After lunch we began our research projects.  Each group is responsible for introducing a different eco-system that we will see while we are down here, some species that exist in that ecosystem, and how they have adapted to that environment. Then we took some down time in the ocean where we learned that the current jellyfish population does not really sting humans.  

We then discussed the forces that create tides and went to Old Kino to see the fishing community and have some excellent food.  We ate fresh clams adn scallops out of their shells and carne asada hot off of the grill!