Beneath The Surface chapter 37

Pictures from Bella's first successful dive in nearly a decade! Here are a few of the creatures she saw that stood out for her as she enjoyed herself underwater with her team.

Beneath the Surface chapter 36 Pictures

Beneath the Surface by eternallyaddicted featuring black suede flats

Jasper's Hula Lamp

Tiger Eye bracelet Masen gives to Guppy.

Vote EA!!

My lovely readers!  I am so excited and so proud to share this with all of you!  My partner in crime, Eternally Addicted, has been nominated in the poll to find the Top Ten Favourite Fics completed in January for her wonderful story "Somewhere I Belong". If you enjoyed Stretch and Bright Eyes as much as I did, then run on over to www.twifanfictionrecs.com and let them know it!!  If you haven't read all about them yet, then what are you waiting for?  SIB is on Fanfiction at https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8021658/1/Somewhere-I-Belong. You can vote once a day, everyday until March 1st.

Lee's First Blog Post

The importance of photography in research:

                                                                               

I can think of no better way to start this blog than to use a quote from Masen’s favorite shark expert, Chris Fallows.

“To see the magnificence of a great white shark firsthand is the fastest way to change perceptions and separate fact from fiction. This is the only way people will ever learn to love and not fear sharks.”

Chris is not a biologist or scientist; he is a person who felt compelled to observe sharks and learn their secrets, much like our team. He has proven that the right photograph can say so much more than the words in our scientific papers. A dark gray fin gliding across the top of a near still surface evokes feelings of beauty and mystery, while a photo of a cavernous mouth filled with razor sharp teeth can send a shiver down the hardiest of spines.

We’ve been here in False Bay for a month and already we’ve taken thousands of photos. No matter the angle, the lighting, the water conditions, there is a unifying theme in every picture—power. This is not a mindless monster of the sea. This is a cunning hunter, a cautious explorer, and a superior swimmer.

I have to say, I wasn’t sure about this topic when it first popped into my head because I knew I couldn’t write it without making this admission … I didn’t want to come to False Bay. When Masen first broached the subject with us, he was holding a print out of one of Chris’ photos and the first thought that entered my head was that we could fit in that shark’s mouth. Gopher could fit in that shark’s mouth. For all the great whites we saw at Farallon, I never once had that thought.

After our team meeting, I followed Masen into his office at his request. He wanted to show me a different picture to see if it changed my mind at all. The one he chose showed a great white swimming, mouth closed, head tilted upward toward the surface, and the light refracting perfectly to highlight the contrast between its white underbelly and grey top coloring. It changed my mind because as soon as I saw it, I knew that was something I had to do. I had to see this big, beautiful creature at ease in her home and enjoying her life.

One of the most surprising things I’ve found in our photos of these sharks is that there is a huge amount of personality and intelligence reflected in their eyes. They are watching us. I know that sounds scary and that a lot of people will read that and assume I mean it in a scoping out their next meal way, but that’s not my meaning at all. It’s an acknowledgement that we’re sharing the water. It’s a warning that I’m welcome in their home so long as I don’t cause them harm. It makes me wonder what those big gorgeous eyes interpret when they process our faces. Are they able to distinguish features and differentiate between researchers? Do they see Chris out there and recognize him from past expeditions? Can they tell the difference between those of us who want to help them and those that only see them as a source of food and fear?

This blog can go on for thousands of words and I may say something that clicks with a group or two. But my other option is to post a picture, my favorite from our time here so far. Look closely. Find the beauty and mystery here. And if you see it, find your local conservation groups and do what you can to help us save these animals so that your children and your children’s children can see what you’ve seen in this photo.

Beneath The Surface, chapter 31 teaser

 

 Bella lifted her head in the direction of Edward’s voice and found him standing in his doorway in just a pair of basketball shorts. He’d had first shower tonight and she could tell from the way the light shined on his wild hair that it was still damp.

“Everything okay?” he asked. It seemed that her silence was concerning him; if he knew her lack of verbal skills was a result of his shirtless state, he’d be impossible to be around.

She gave herself a shake and told him, “I’m okay. Are you okay?”

“I’m great. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re in your room. You’re usually in mine.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, running his hand through his wet hair. “I was thinking …”

She walked toward him; she didn’t like being so far away and unable to see his eyes while they talked. “Thinking or overthinking?” she asked with a grin.

He waited until he had his arms around her to answer. “I was thinking you might like to stay in my room tonight. Have some room to stretch out instead of being scrunched into your bed.”

“I like being scrunched in with you.”

“I like it too but sometimes a little space is nice. More room. Extra pillows.” His touch was feather-light as he traced the dark skin beneath her eye. “And maybe a longer stretch of sleep.”

She grinned at her own naivety—of course he would notice.

He skimmed his nose along the column of her neck and then pressed a kiss to the underside of her jaw. “So what do you think? Want to spend the night in my room?”

Beneath The Surface, chapter 30 fun.

 Do you love tacos? Do you love them as much as Masen? Here's some video fun with tacos. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=zYpuuLLKQx4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%2F%3Fv%3DzYpuuLLKQx4

SHARK WEEK 2013

Hey everyone, Team MMR just wanted to remind you that Shark Week 2013 starts tonight on The Discovery Channel. 

To kick off the week, below is a couple of links to some videos you might find entertaining!  Enjoy and remember, fish are friends, not food!

There are a series of three at this link.,
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/videos/the-story-of-snuffy-the-seal.htm


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVWe-5szhM0&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkVWe-5szhM0&nomobile=1