BBFS PIT Journal 2003
Alan Reeve - Birmingham, UK I am currently out here in Bimini doing the research component of a Masters degree investigating the feeding selectivity of sharks. I love working in any aquatic environment. I like snowboarding, football, and acting like a fool with Steve, Bryan and Grant. Big up to all my peeps and Elina -- I love you. |
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Bryan Franks (before BBFS)
- Vineland, NJ, USA I've been here for 6 months and am currently workin on my Ph.D project. I like jumping off the dock naked, paperclips, and cantaloupe. My dislikes are are mustard and herbivores. My most interesting experience at the Sharklab has been tagging myself in the right buttocks with a Casey tag. I enjoy long walks on the beach with open-minded people, sipping champagne, and eating strawberries. |
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Bryan Franks (after BBFS) - Vineland, NJ, USA (additional photo included to avoid unnecessary embarrassment) |
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Drew Lynford - Catonah,
New York, USA |
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Eric Cheng - San Francisco,
CA, USA - [homepage] Eric Cheng is a software engineer, musician, and underwater photographer. He runs wetpixel.com and takes pictures of everything he sees. More information about Eric can be gleaned from his personal website: echeng.com |
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Grant Johnson - Minneapolis,
MN, USA In the two years since I've been here, I've been bitten by a lemon shark, stung by a stingray, rammed by bull sharks, chased by reef sharks, man-handled by a sawfish, slapped by tiger sharks, and today, I spent 45 minutes with my hand stuck in a nurse shark's mouth. And I consider myself one of the luckiest mother-f'ers in the world. |
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Indigo - Bimini, Bahamas | ||
Jackie Randell -
St. John, New Brunswick, Canada |
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Johanna Imhoff - Felton,
PA, USA I am a senior marine biology major at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and I am very happy to be spending my summer here at the Sharklab (although I will miss my family when they are in Ocracoke without me). I love scuba diving with my Dad and Uncle Mike, which is how I encountered my first shark in the wild, the sand tiger. I also enjoy photography, playing my guitar, girls night, and dollar tacos at Carolina Cantina. A few words about sharks by my favorite poet, Ogden Nash: As many scientists have written, The shark is gentle as a kitten. Yet this I know about the shark -- His bit is worser than his bark. |
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Joy Young - Springfield, Missouri,
USA There are just too many dolphin huggers out there, and my mom hates that I work with sharks. *Those who hear not the music think the dancer mad.* |
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Katie Jarik - Santa Barbara,
CA, USA "Hey, Skitch. How did we get here!?!" "I led you here, sir, for I am Spartacus." - That Thing You Do My love of animals has brought me a long way -- from equestrian to giant schnauzer owner to BBFS (and many a step in between). But I have not gotten here alone. My wonderful family and friends have supported me all the way. To my San Diegan and UCSB peeps, I am proud to call you my friends. Many thanks to all! People often ask me, "Why sharks?" Though I could go on for hours, I can simply say, "They never cease to amaze me." But that's usually the case with anything we love -- any passion we possess. Follow your passion, follow what you love... and you can't go wrong. and so, enjoy the ride. God speed, all -- live, laugh, love. |
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Kristene Parsons
- Bowling Green, OH, USA Similar to most of the other crazy people here, I have had an uncontrollable passion for sharks since I was very young, and have chosen to dedicate the rest of my life to their protection through discovery and knowledge. This pursuit has led me to Dr. Gruber and the Sharklab, where I've affectionately called home since February, 2002. PIT this year is my farewell to Bimini, as I'm leaving for graduate school in England. I leave behind great stories and memories, lifetime friends, the bluest waters, and amazing sharks. Most of all, I leave this place where, for people like me, Doc & Mari have made dreams come true. Never could I have imagined that at age 24 I'd have seen, done, and learned as much as I have about sharks and life as a field scientist. I have been privileged to work with 93 volunteers from around the world, a great staff, an amazing principal investigator, and one in-the-making. I couldn't have asked for anything more in my life at this point, and I thank all those who made this experience what it has been -- especially Doc. Where I go from here may be thousands of miles away on some other island, but my heart is always in Bimini. I take with me the honor of having worked with, and more importantly, the opportunity to have known a legend in our world of sharks. Thanks, Doc! |
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Laura Metcalfe - Lancashire,
UK Hey, I'm Laura and I've had an overwhelming passion for sharks since I was a wee nipper! After completing my degree in applied biology at LJM (Liverpool John Moores University), I proceeded to take on an MSC in behavioural ecology. It was then that I was introduced to the Sharklab. I carried out my MSC project here last summer on the diurnal behaviour of activity patterns of the juvenile lemon shark. I accumulated so many memories and experiences here last summer (including a >12ft sawfish!) that I decided to return to the lab for PIT. Both the people and the place itself have encouraged me to pursue a career in shark behaviour and their conservation. Apart from my obsession with sharks (especially, the bull shark), I also enjoy kickboxing, basketball, and supporting the almighty LFC! I'd like to thank my family and friends for their enthusiasm and support, especially my ickle bruv. I love ya heaps, Marko. x |
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Lesley Brown, a.k.a. "Lezzles"
- Dalkeith, Scotland Sexy curvaceous young blonde Scots girl WLTM talk dark stranger with GSOH + a passion for sharks. Oops! Wrong website. Sorry, Mum! I have a degree in Zoology and came out here in January after pestering Doc for months to do the research for my Masters in Behavioural Ecology. Originally was going to come for 3 months, then 4, then 5, and now it's going to be 6 months by the time I finally get home to Bonnie Scotland. Basically, they can't get rid of me. So I'm having fun out here in the sunshine playing with sharks (and being bitten by them -- twice!) and getting a good suntan. Hopefully I'll have a Masters at the end, but who cares! I'm having fun. P.S. Anna Belly Broon -- can't wait to see my little niece or nephew -- miss you! Highbury Massive -- serious drinking in the Toon is approaching fast -- miss you guys, too. XX Lezzles |
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Lilian Gehrke - Kiel,
Germany |
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Marie Gruber - Miami,
FL, USA I'm a former fashion designer married to "Doc". Doc says they tie boats to him, so I guess I'm a boat! I help run the Shark Lab by cooking for special events and classes or whenever I go to the Shark Lab. I help organize all the volunteers and keep the files back in the Miami office. I came to Florida back in the '60s from Los Angeles, California on a designing job and met the "Doc". The passion he has for sharks kind of rubbed off on me ( not to swim with them or kiss them) but to help him with his work and studies. We raised our own "Mini-Shark Docs", 2 daughters. They both love Bimini and the Shark Lab. They were both instrumental in building and training the early staff. Although they return frequently, they are off on their own careers. |
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Marta Calosso - Milan,
Italy I'm Marta, 25, from Italy. I have had a passion for sharks since I was 16 years old, and so being down here in Bimini is like a dream come true. This is the second time that I have come to the BBFS, and there are no words that can describe how happy I am to be back. This experience makes me realize what I want to do with my life, and what kind of person I would like to to be. I also realized that I only have one life to live, and it should be spent pursuing my passion, no matter how long or difficult the path might be. |
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Matthias Kühn
- Philadelphia, PA, USA |
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Melissa Yencho
- Fairfield, CT, USA |
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Pelican - Bimini,
Bahamas |
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Ratdog - Bimini, Bahamas |
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Rebecca Dolson
- Guelph, Ontario, Canada |
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Ruth Harris - Southampton,
Hampshire, UK |
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Samuel Gruber - Miami,
FL, USA |
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Steve Kessel - Middlesex,
UK |
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Tarra Cooper - Miami,
FL, USA |
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Teabag - Bimini,
Bahamas |