Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Thoughts on Leadership from Course

Whew- This week has been quite intensive. (Only half-way through!) Some good stuff coming through though. Click on image to enlarge.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Royal Albatross Centre

Another thing I managed to do in Dunedin before the Leadership Course was to go out to the Royal Albatross Centre. What a terrific place after a picturesque drive along the coast from Dunedin.

We were lucky to see Year old Albatross showing off as they gracefully soared through the sky
Not fully grown yet- they will grow to have a wingspan of 3 metres!
Right in front of the viewing room was a mum and her chick.- look closely ...can you see the chick 's head?

The Clutha Mata-Au

 The Clutha Mata-Au is New Zealand's largest river and one of the swiftest and most unspoiled high volume rivers in the world. It is the longest river in the South Island, flowing 338kms from Lake Wanaka in the Southern Alps, through the Central Otago semi-desert - the driest region in New Zealand, through Balclutha to the Pacific Ocean.
Mike Harris (Husband of Jenny- Teacher Fellow who showed me around the Catlins) helps manage the waterways for the Regional Council down here. He took me out to the mouth of the Clutha Mata-Au River early evening.
End of the road! Mouth of the Clutha pouring out into the Pacific Ocean.

Sand/ gravel bar being pushed up the coast

The sand is very coarse and comes right up- here to a local "Crib" (note the South Island term for a "Batch"!) See the outhouse on the right. There were three other cribs to the left- sea side of this crib that have gone- thanks to mother nature.

The Catlins

Friday, February 24, 2012

Off to the Catlins!

I'm off to the Catlins tomorrow! I've got a leadership course in Dunedin next week and am taking a bit of time beforehand to see a part of NZ I have been wanting to go to for a long time. Will pick up Jenny (another Teacher Fellow) in Balclutha on the way- she's going to be my guide!

Our Far South- update

Here is a short clip from the "Our Far South" voyage. I'm writing an "Argo" blog for them

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Back to school



Called in to school tonight for student learning conference for Mark. It was lovely seeing familiar faces and catching up a bit- miss you guys!

Baby Lobsters

A couple of guys from Niwa went up to Castle Point yesterday and collected some baby lobsters from a 'cage' they have there for their research.
What we call Crayfish (from places like Kaikoura) are really Rock Lobsters. Fresh water lobsters are called crayfish.
These little fellas arent very old at all. They swim around as larvae on the continental shelf for about a year, then come in with the current. They start transparent (meaning they are invisible in water) and then as they grow they get colour, moult, and get bigger. The small video here has shocking sound sorry- we're in a lab with water. Dean is explaining about the baby lobsters.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Science around Wellington

While on our Science Curriculum course, we had a fun time looking at all the Science related things we could find along the waterfront in Wellington.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

What a mother!

A couple of years ago, I did the Oxfam 100k walk. What an experience that was! Well that was nothing though compared to what Dmitri Mendeleev's mum did! Read on....
Photo: Wikipedia


Dmitri Mendeleev was born in Siberia on Feb. 8, 1834. He was the youngest of 17 children. His dad went blind when Dmitri was 13 and his mum became the breadwinner by opening a glass factory. This unfortunately burned to the ground in 1848, the same year in which Dmitri’s dad died.
By the age of 14, Dmitri showed great promise in science (who knows what his older brothers and sisters did!) His mum was determined to see that he got a good education. In 1850, Dmitri and his mum walked to Moscow, (about the distance from Bluff to Auckland!)  so that Dmitri could apply to University. He didn’t get accepted to University in Moscow, so the two walked to St. Petersburg (about the distance of a return trip between Wellington and Hastings) where Dmitri was admitted to the Institute of Pedagogy at the age of 16 on full scholarship. That same year Dmitri’s mum died at the age of 59!
Dmitri went on to study and among other things creating the Periodic Table!

Curriculum Days

The Primary Science Teacher Fellows met in Wellington for a 2-day curriculum course. It's been a good time meeting and getting to know the others as well as finding out more about the Science Curriculum. We had some 'hands on' time as well doing experiments that we could take back to the classroom.
Cornflour goo on a speaker connected to an oscillator.

Seeing what happens at high frequencies...




and low frequencies.
Catapulting marbles!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Bluff Harbour- wow!

Pete Notman is a Diver with Niwa. He works just down the corridor from me. Last week he went to Bluff. (Popular place!) Only he didn't hang around on the wharf. He was diving, looking at the amazing sealife that is down there.

 Sea life is so abundant here because of the ocean current that flows in and out of the Deep Water Port of Bluff- making it such a showcase



Pictures used by permission - thanks Pete!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

First 2 Argo Floats Deployed!

Where Floats will be deployed on the "Our Far South" voyage- colours indicate depth of water- Red being the Campbel Plateau and quite shallow. Argo Floats cant get deployed in shallow water. The first 2 deployed are together below Stewart Island on this map.
Dan has deployed the first 2 Argo Floats off the 'Spirit of Enderby' (Way to go Dan!)  I found their data they have relayed back to satelite already. They did a test at a depth of 1000m before coming back up, sending off that data (and saying to the satelite-"hey guys here I am") and sinking back down to 1000m for the next 9 days. It's funny how I was reading data from other Floats last week but am all excited about these ones since I helped start them up down at Bluff!   

Satelite info of Argo Float.


Leadership Challenge

I'm ploughing my way through this book called "Leadership Challenge". What a good read! Full of common sense and practical advice. The week after next, I'm off to Dunedin for a Leadership Course. From what I've heard it's pretty intensive. I'm thinking though that you've got to start somewhere! And that there is always room for improvement!
This book is a pre-course reading. About a third of the way through it so far. Hmm!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Argo Video clip

I've signed up to utube! Here is a clip I videoed of Dale Ripley from the University of Washington explaining about Argo Floats..a neat guy with his story and he's sticking with it!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Field Work

Down at the wharf at Bluff.
There are 2 types of ways to deploy an Argo Float and depending on the brand, this is how they come. One gets shipped out to sea in a wooden crate and deployed just as is over the side. The other is covered in a plastic bag on the ship then sent overboard in a cardboard box. This rapidly breaks down in the water and the Argo Float as all that is left!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Gareth Morgan heads to Antarctica - Environment Sci - Video - 3 News

My friend Nikki saw me on TV3 News tonight!

Gareth Morgan heads to Antarctica - Environment Sci - Video - 3 News

Limehills School Rocks!

I had the privilege of meeting Kirsty and her class from Limehills School. This school is 30 min north of Invercargill and today they (and a class from Otaratara school) put on a sensational farewell to the "Our Far South" Crew at the Museum in Invercargill. The kids had drawn flags, made biscuits, laminated drawings of themselves and put on a presentation that touched everyone’s heart.
What a lot of work went in to this- and they only started school on Tuesday!

After the crew was seen off, I tagged along with the class to Invercargill’s Water Treatment Plant. Mmmm! Kirsty had got the kids to go ‘wees’ at the museum and find out where it was going to end up! Good learning all around!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Foveaux Walkway

Things were going quite smoothly on the wharf so Phil asked me if I'd like to head off on a walk or something for the afternoon. Little did he know how excited I was at the thought!
Carol at Bluff!


Stirling Point
I had a fantastic time walking the Foveaux Walkway. It was a stunning day, not a breath of wind. Talk about counting blessings!
A steep climb through some amazing bush to Bluff Lookout.  Beautiful birdsong. Loved those steps!
Ocean Beach- not a breath of wind!



Back up to the Lookout for a fish'nchip tea. The cheek of it- we drove! Stewart Island in the background. From left: Dan, me, Dale, Phil


Our Far South Blog- all about Argo Floats

I've been asked to write a blog about Argo Floats and this will be related to the "Our Far South" Expedition. Anyone interested in more info about Argo Floats follow here! I'll upload videos from the time in Bluff, explanations, and any other relevant info about Argo Floats here. Not much there yet- again it's a work in progress!

While you are there, have a look around this site and have a look at the very cool expedition these people are setting sail on- tomorrow!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

An arr... what?!

I'm finding out all about Argo Floats.
Argo Floats measure the temperature and salinity (salt and other chemicals) in our oceans. They float around the ocean about 1000m (1km) below sea level for 9 days at a time before sinking to 2000m (2km) and recording the temperature and salinity in a water column up to the surface. This takes about 10 hours to record. The Argo Float then sends the data it has collected to a satellite before sinking back down to 1000m for another 9 days.

There are over 3000 of them in our ocean. Click on the Map for a larger view. Source : wikipedia

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Field Trip 101!

Today I flew down to Invercargill from Wellington. It was the longest flight I've been on (that I remember anyway!) I was traveling with Phil Sutton and Dan Zwartz and we were heading to the Port of Bluff.



There we met up with Dale Ripley from the University of Washington and 20 Argo Floats that were going to be set ready for deployment. These Argo Floats are on their way to Antartica where they will be deployed from the ship "Spirit of Enderby" on the "Our Far South" expedition


Dale was already in action when we arrived. He was stretched out on the wharf trying to read his computer before some of the very friendly wharfies took pity on him and set up a container for him to work in. People are like that down here.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

"Way Down South" Wiki

I've been compiling things for a bit of a resource to help with the "Our Far South" Expedition.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Let's go Argo!

I'm going to be putting a Blog up about Argos- focusing especially on the ones being deployed on the"Our Far South" Expedition. (Link is still to come).
IN the mean time- here's an animation I had fun making! Click on the image to make it animate.
Part One!
                                                                      and Part Two!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Cow Magnets

This has nothing to do with Niwa but....
Did you know that there was such a thing a Cow Magnets? They are rod shaped with smooth ends and designed for cows to swallow. Cows can eat all sorts of things on a farm that can give it grief- nails, staples, wire. Shouls this happen, a cow can loose her appetite and decrease production because of this. Cow magnets prevent this by attracting stray metal. One magnet lasts a life time- and even here in NZ! No bull!

Actually, it's magnets a bit like this that get swiped over an Argo to get them going (so I guess there's the link to Niwa)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Week 1 @ Niwa

I've got to get my head around this place! The pace is so much slower. you actually have time to sit and read! I'm learning so much! A major focus on Argo Float Technology, but any Morning Tea break I'm finding out new stuff- be it about diving, atmospheric Balloons, Paua, Albatross, Lobsters to name a few. Everyone is so friendly and accommodating. They just like to chat! (It helps that no question is a silly question!)