This post is part of the LTER’s Short Stories About Long-Term Research (SSALTER) Blog, a graduate student driven blog about research, life in the field, and more. For more information, including submission guidelines, see lternet.edu/SSALTER
by Erick Morales Oyola in the Miller Lab and SBC LTER
Hey! My name is Erick, and I am a second-year undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara. My curiosity towards the marine sciences began while living in Puerto Rico and Florida — and I was very excited to move to the West Coast for my studies! Besides school, I have had many amazing adventures with the Miller Lab and the SBC LTER. It has been an incredibly opportunity to explore the Channel Islands and beyond and to meet our coastline’s unique marine life — all while meeting some incredible people along the way! Here are some of the coolest experiences that I’ve had so far.
Channel Islands
Being out-of-state, my first trip to Santa Cruz Island felt like I stumbled into a nature documentary. An early-morning sail through the channel had called for a quick nap, but soon came a wake-up call from a massive pod of dolphins! What seemed like millions surrounded us with on a show of antics, pure joy, and even some whale spouts in the distance. While taking in the beauty of the island landscape, a surprise island fox decided to join our crew — maybe lured by the snacks that I left open in my bag… But I’ll never forget that tiny, curious little creature! On the way back home, sailing through a Wind Sailor bloom was the cherry on top!
Exploring the Coast
Heading north to Vandenberg and Pismo Beach, the coastal wonders continued. Scrambling up the dunes next to Vandenberg space station was a blast, and biodiversity surveys of the local birds and plants proved that restoration efforts were a huge success! A few weeks later, surveys at Pismo Beach treated us to an otter family gathering, forming the cutest otter rafts over some kelp forests. Plus, assisting a researcher with drone surveys was a tech-savvy joy. I even brought my own drone for a sunset flight after giving those otters their well-deserved photoshoot!
Diving into Research
When I am not engaged in field projects, I’m knee-deep in photo analysis. Learning all of the algae and invertebrate species has become a personal quest, where I have finally learned to recognize the kaleidoscope of species that I see on freediving or tide pooling adventures! This quarter, with UCSB’s incredible marine opportunities, I am thrilled to kickstart my scientific diving certification, soon hoping to be doing fieldwork on a whole new level. I am so excited to explore all of the LTER sites around Santa Barbara, all while contributing to the heart of marine research!
