Off to sea

Be jealous: I'm going on a cruise! A 10-day, all expenses paid cruise around the Hawaiian islands!

OK, not that kind of cruise. It's a research cruise.

As many of you know I am currently a physical oceanography grad student. While my studies usually involve just me and my computer, locked away in a windowless office, this happens to be a rare occasion (my first, actually...sadly) where I get to do field research. And in this case, that research is on a boat! For 10 days! I leave tomorrow. Thought it's a distinct possibility, I hope I won't get seasick, because the food on the ship is supposed to be really good. And everyone knows that one of the main reasons oceanography grad students go on research cruises is for the free food, so it would be a shame if I couldn't enjoy it.

I will have internet access on the ship, but it will be limited, so I don't expect to be writing new posts while I'm on the research cruise (though I promise to report anything interesting when I get back). Luckily, I've planned ahead and put together a series of posts for you while I'm away: lots and lots of pretty photos (ooooh!). First, some photos of Hawaii that I took in December when my college roommate was visiting, including some of my best snorkeling photos yet (multiple, clear pictures of an octopus--not that wimpy fleeting octopus from my Sharks Cove video). After that, it gets even better: a few choice photos that the Housemate has taken in Antarctica! Glaciers, a leopard seal, humpback whale, and of course, penguins!

I hope you like them.