I'm Eva, a rising junior Human Biology major with an Area of Concentration in environment and environmental policy. I'm from Manhattan, which is just about as different from Palmyra as a place can be, and in case it hasn't been said enough, I feel so unbelievably lucky to be here. In the six days that I have been on the atoll I have done everything from snorkeling with sharks (don't worry Mom, they were only about a foot long) to tracking mantas through beautiful sparking waters, to walking through moonlit forests in search of spiders that have eyes so big that they reflect light. I have acquired a really attractive seasickness wristband tan (think symmetrical watch tans) although I'm not sure if it rivals Tessaly's shorts burn. I have seen fish in more colors than I knew existed, and I have found out just how wily and destructive hermit crabs can be.
The big excitement around camp today was the arrival of our supply barge, which brought us gasoline, lab supplies, food, new boat and engine equipment, and a gang of happy sailors to spice up dinnertime. The barge only comes once a year, so the shear volume of materials it brought was astounding. Even the quantities of cleaning supplies were mind-boggling.
It's hard to believe that we have already spent a week here. We've been so busy that time has just flown by: each day is so much more amazing than the last that you just stop keeping track.
