August 1 - 9

August 1st - 9th
We've been preparing for another Tropical Storm since Friday the 6th. This one originated in Hawaiian waters and so was named Akoni. The storm was south of Hawai'i and completely passed those islands and instead traveled straight for us, we are supposed to feel the main force of it by 8am on Tuesday the 10th but most of the effects have been dispersed so we had a small amount of high winds and rain already this morning, the 9th. Our Point of Contact person in the Honolulu office told us we made the local news regarding the storm. The news station said the storm wouldn't severely impact Hawai'i but would pass right over Johnston Atoll and the 5 biologists stationed there. We're pretty excited about the mention. Of course, to our disappointment, Akoni has already been downgraded from Storm to Depression now even below that. This weather event is too small to even have a category. We expect 30mph winds at the most. We still prepared camp as if for a Tropical Storm, we took down our shelter tarps so they don't rip and blow away, stored or tied down all items around camp and our tents, and brought in the back up generators in case we need to retreat to the Ant Cave for shelter (unlikely).
In other news, I have so far completed reading 15 books and have listened to 7 books on Audible. My favorite reads have been Beyond Words; What Animals Think and Feel by Carl Safina, and a biography of Harper Lee. My favorite Audible book has been Spying on Whales by Nick Pyenson. Currently I am reading a second book by Jane Goodall, after In the Shadow of Man, her book from 20 years ago, Through a Window.
I switched out my old, ripped up tent for a brand new one that is green and has three huge mesh windows. Very exciting. 
I also completed a third fish painting, this one of a pair of saddleback butterfly fish as well as a hand drawn map of the Atoll including the surrounding reef, the three outer islands and the dredged channels in between. 
I have been trying to get moving on job and grad school application's with my dads help researching but the limitations of the internet is quite frustrating. For the most part, I am limited to reading!
Only 3 more months to go!

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