Our team objectives were to take water samples and count organisms from 22 ponds in the Hudson Bay Lowlands and to assist in a Wood Frog water loss experiment.
We manage to collect 350 water quality samples, 150 tadpoles and 220 traps while recording 600+ GPS points. While assisting in the frog experiment, we deployed 120 clay frogs and weighed them before and after deployment to account for water loss. We also recorded over 400 pre/post temperatures of the frogs.
How do we know this? Because we entered over 6.000 bits of data!
Because the natural pond sampling is a long term monitoring and observation project, the next Earthwatch team will pick up where we left off.
In the classroom we participated in 5 workshops and 4 classes on climate change.
On the one day off, we took a Zodiac boat ride in the Churchill River and were overwhelmed by the shear numbers of Beluga Whales. We also spied a Polar Bear frolicking in the water from the safety of our boat. Later we wanted to take advantage of the playful Belugas we set about the river in kayaks and sang, hummed and whistled to attract the inquisitive creatures to our side. Belugas are the only specie of whales that can turn their heads to get a better look. And when they do, they look you square in the eye! It was a moment that transformed all who experienced it.
To top it off, we had dinner at the Tundra Inn in Churchill. Following dinner we entered as two teams to compete in Trivia Night.
We played as hard as we worked.
We manage to collect 350 water quality samples, 150 tadpoles and 220 traps while recording 600+ GPS points. While assisting in the frog experiment, we deployed 120 clay frogs and weighed them before and after deployment to account for water loss. We also recorded over 400 pre/post temperatures of the frogs.
How do we know this? Because we entered over 6.000 bits of data!
Because the natural pond sampling is a long term monitoring and observation project, the next Earthwatch team will pick up where we left off.
In the classroom we participated in 5 workshops and 4 classes on climate change.
On the one day off, we took a Zodiac boat ride in the Churchill River and were overwhelmed by the shear numbers of Beluga Whales. We also spied a Polar Bear frolicking in the water from the safety of our boat. Later we wanted to take advantage of the playful Belugas we set about the river in kayaks and sang, hummed and whistled to attract the inquisitive creatures to our side. Belugas are the only specie of whales that can turn their heads to get a better look. And when they do, they look you square in the eye! It was a moment that transformed all who experienced it.
To top it off, we had dinner at the Tundra Inn in Churchill. Following dinner we entered as two teams to compete in Trivia Night.
We played as hard as we worked.