Hacking through the swamp

Throughout the season, setting up the passive acoustic detectors proved to be the most physically challenging field work. Mostly because the general areas were chosen randomly by some GIS person. Another lesson to add to the lessons learned? Randomized selection leads to some awful places. So many of the areas were nearly impossible to reach, requiring hacking your way through thick swamp vegetation, including many tall thorny plants. Sure, it may have only been a half mile walk, but having to walk that half mile carrying the detector and rebar and pvc pipe and ladder and sledge through that awful vegetation, made things.... interesting. While it often resulted in being covered in scratches and bug bites, sweating, and often drenched (on numerous occasions we got caught in a downpour while setting up or taking down the equipment), it still produced some of the funnest days. I know, I know.... it sounds crazy. But it is the truth. Signs that I am indeed doing what I love... that I still love it, even under less than ideal conditions. :) 

Good example of taking down passive acoustic sites? Our last day of work (August 10th). Three of us went to take down one of the most obnoxious sites (the one that was a 0.5mi hike through the woods and swamp). It was overcast, but we were hoping to get everything accomplished before the rain. Found it without difficulty, but it did start to rain so we were already fairly wet by the time we reached the site. Took it down no problem and then were heading back, trying not to have a misstep and end up knee deep in swamp water. Miles wanted pictures and so Abby walked ahead so that she could look back and get a picture of him walking through the swamp carrying the equipment. I was behind him. As she took the pic he miss-stepped and ended up at least knee deep in swamp water. And there I was, cracking up in the background. So supportive. :-P 

carrying equipment through the swamp, headed back to the car

We continued on our way, and momentarily, it began to really downpour. Somehow I was the one leading (even though I told them I never found my way out of this site successfully) and, of course, we got all turned around. In the pouring rain. Carrying all the equipment. We decide to turn back around and go to a point where we think we went wrong, and at that moment, mud falls off what I was carrying and lands on my shoulder and chest. Lovely. Abby proceeds to take mud and put it on her face, and then on each of our faces. Laughing, we manage to eventually find our way out of the woods, although we still end up on the road and so we have to walk a few 100meters to get to the vehicle. So there we are, walking down the side of the road, carrying all this odd looking equipment, drenched and muddy. We all were loving it. A car literally slowed to a crawl and we saw the passengers turning to gawk at us openly. So hilarious. All we wanted to do was have another person there to take a picture of us, carrying the equipment and walking across the strees, a la The Beatles - Abbey Road. You all know what I'm takin about. It would've been so awesome. Sadly no one was there to take said picture. But the memory of that afternoon will stay with me forever. :)