Week 9 Volunteering @ ARCHELON 23/08-29/08

  Week 9 well I had morning survey on Mavrovouni every single day, and most days also a kiosk shift of 14:00-16:00. It became my regular routine that week. On the Monday though I had my first public excavation, so I was the one sorting the eggs into the categories (hatched/unhatched/pipped) and scribing whilst Sammy did the removing of the egg shells and explaining what we did to the public. Public excavations generated a lot of interest in ARCHELON and was a great way of promoting awareness. The public would always really hope of seeing a live hatchling inside, which didn't happen on this occasion. 

    

 After this Sammy took me to the end of West where she trained me to do an excavation myself, so I was the one removing the shells, opening the unhatched eggs and identifying the stage of development or type of bacteria whilst she scribed. After i did it Sammy asked me if I wanted to keep one of the nest stones, as a souvenir, and I did and have it in my university room at this moment!

 Each nest would be given also 3 nest stones in a different corner of the nest, it'd have the same information as written on the nest stick but were in place in case the nest stick was removed or if the sunlight faded away the markers writing on the stick.

 On the 26th I got to finally have a kiosk shift with Sammy! Each time Sammy had a kiosk shift I would hang around and visit or even stay for the whole shift. I enjoyed her company and she didn't mind me being there so I'd make her kiosk shift more bearable.. And hopefully more fun. But this time we got to do it together, it was our only one together and we made the most of it by taking some great selfies - naturally with any great shift a selfie was taken.

 The following day me, Kat, Sammy, Glen and Gail took a trip to Sparti to visit the archaeological site of Mystras! 

 Oh and in the morning during an excavation that day Sammy found a double-headed embryo and brought it back to camp to show everyone... but it was a great morning survey for me and Kieran too because on the beginning of the survey we found 3 hatchlings out of one of the nests on West! One was on their back, and the others making their slow way to sea. We decided to rebury them as they were too weak to go on, but on the way back from our survey we had a check of the nest and one of the hatchlings was trying again to get to sea, so we watched it and shaded it from the sun as we watched it get to sea! Was such a great morning.

The double-headed embryo 

courtesy of Sammy

 On the Saturday I had my first public excavation where I was the one doing the digging, I didn't have to explain anything as Anna was there handling the public awareness side. But I was almost ready to do one without Sammy or Anna by my side to explain to the public!

Summary:
23/08- MS M / Public EX MW004 / EX MW003
24/08-  MS ME / K 14:00-16:00
25/08- MS ME / K 14:00-16:00
26/08- MS MW / K 14:00-16:00 / EX Dias
27/08- MS MW / K 14:00-16:00
28/08- MS ME / Trip to Sparti
29/08- MS ME / K 12:00-14:00 / EX MB / SS MB

Key:
MS- Morning Survey
ES- Evening Survey
LS- Light Survey
NP- Night Patrol
K- Kiosk
BC- Basecamp
IT- Information Table
SS- Slideshow
EX - Excavation
SH- Shading 

Beach Codes:

M- Mavrovouni (Whole beach)

ME- Mavrovouni East

MW- Mavrovouni West
V- Valtaki

S- Selinitsa
B- Vathi