Packing, packing, packing 
I have made my way down to Connecticut to help with the preparations for DCP’s 2005 field season. Last summer I spent a month on Bimini learning the ropes and honing my skills as a dolphin researcher, and this year I will be out on Mikura putting these skills to use. All of the camera equipment and supplies need to be carefully packed and prepared for the long journey to Japan. Kathleen has had many years experience with this process, so everything is streamlined. This will be the first time Kathleen has handed off the Mukra field season to someone else – it will give her the chance to actually be at home for the summer. Normally one would suppose that she would take advantage of this “free-time” to have a relaxing New England summer filled with iced tea and lawn chairs, but knowing Kathleen, I imagine it will be filled with data processing and the putting into action of new research ideas.
Kelly and Darcie are here too, getting ready for Bimini. There is a lot of preparatory work that needs to be done, from the gathering of equipment to the preparation of the data sheets and notebooks that we will use in the field. As much fun as being in the field is, it is also a lot of work and a lot of responsibility – to properly conduct field research, attention to detail is a necessity. It looks like we are just about ready to go though, so it’s time to get some sleep – we leave super early tomorrow morning for the airport. The next time I write, I should be in Japan!
-Justin