What is your fondest memory?
(Either IC, OOC, and if you want, any headmate can answer :D)
Min:
Petting a shark for the first time! It was magical, and unique and amazing! When I was wee, this is going back to... geeze, I had to have been like, eleven or twelve? Anyway, I'd been going to Marine Biology summer camp and we did all sorts of totes cool shit. I mean, like, hands on, hey, nature stuff, you're out in this cove on Catalina that can only be easily reached by boat. But anyway-
There's a type of boat called a Boston Whaler, and it's a little passenger thing, usually rigged with an outboard. But anyway! They had a Boston Whaler hull that they'd set up with a circulation system to flow fresh seawater in and old seawater back out, and they had some little horn sharks and swell sharks in there. So that we could observe them, note their behaviours and interactions. They were relatively sweet, docile, and kind. They also liked getting pets. They would actively come to the edge of the enclosure for pets. It was totes neat.
Gosh this really must have been like... Summer 90 or 91? A lifetime ago. But yeah. I miss CIMI. (Catalina Island Marine Institute - Toyon Bay) Man the place has gotten built up, the pier was no where that big when I was there! More buildings than when I was there too! But yeah, tons of nature hiking, snorkling, I wasn't certified for free diving at that point. I got that cert from NASDS when I was thirteen. NASDS doesn't even exist anymore. If I got in shape I'd need to get re-certified.
But, yeah, another life, I would have stuck with Marine Sciences. I just- kinda- maybe got a little fucked in the head. Anyway! Happy memory is petting sharks!