Saturday – with many guests (i.e., tourists)

A day in port to work on data …

We had a good day Friday and had expected to be out on the water today. But, more than 60 tourists (known as guests or 'okyakusan' here in Japan) came to Mikura. Thus, the boats were full. But, Robin, Joana and I were able to catch up on some research review — the videotapes, scientific papers that needed to be read. We also spent a bit of time at the port viewing dolphins as they slowly swam past the two piers. They seemed to be slow traveling and socializing. We saw some splashing and some fast swimming. Kogi is watching and researching the dolphins from above the pier with a theodolite. This is sort of like a Surveyor's Transit and allows him to measure dolphin speed and interactions with boats and swimmers, if the latter are with the dolphins. Here's hoping there is space for us to go out to sea tomorrow. Cheers Kathleen