We have plated probably 1000 samples of sand and created more then 1000 petri dishes that are now full of growing bacteria .The other day , we packed up our samples and prepared to leave the island. However we are not leaving the island, not today and probably not tomorrow. Sifting through old letters, magazine articles and newspaper clipping I found several articles that meniton how this happens often on Palmyra. The other thing I found is that the experience of Palmyra is tarnished by the presence of the internet, while I believe this may indeed be true I think the unspoiled beauty of Palmyra was destroyed a long time ago.
Anyway we also picked approximately 175 colonies of what we believe are actinobacteria. The scary thing now is that we risk having the plates that we spent the last month plating overgrown with Bacteria if we do not start picking them soon.
I have been working on this blog mainly waiting for our plane to get fixed and come pick us up. Today, since we were basically put on notice that we were likely stuck here until Wednesday, we went for a scuba dive to collect some sediment. While we were on the dive word came in that the plane was cleared to fly and we would be picked up tomorrow (Monday).
Then tonight I had the opportunity to crack open some fresh coconuts to help make some tahitian ceviche with the fresh Yellowtail tuna that was caught this morning.
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