Whit's Australian Adventure: 2010

I GRADUATED!

My friends Andy and Jackie :)

I know I have been terrible with keeping up with this thing, but I could probably cram a years worth of experience into one post just for all of you.

Life never ceases to amaze me here. New things are always around the corner and sometimes I am just too eager to get to the next bend in the road. Currently, I am trying to take a load off for a little while now that I am done with school and I have a second to breathe before my life takes off from under me again. This is the first time in my entire life where my future is entirely up to me...that's a pretty cool thing to think about and also the scariest. I have always had my mind made up ever since I was in the third grade. My life revolves around the ocean now, just as it always has. The problem with me is, I want to do everything and I want to explore everything there is to know and sometimes it's too much for me to do all at once.

My senior year was eventful with the Benthic Ecology Meeting and Relay for Life both in the Spring. I presented a poster on my research at BEM and was part of the committee for Relay for Life and both were amazing experiences. I started to have some panic attacks when it came April and May and I still really had no idea what my next step was going to be after graduation. I knew I had the summer to think it over since I didn't have to move out until July 31st, but that made it all the more difficult. I ended up scoring the sweetest job at my own local dive shop, Scuba Express, down in Murrells Inlet, SC. It is a summer position, but still the most amazing place to work because of the people and the atmosphere. I am able to do all of our activities for free and DIVING is also FREE since I dive crew when I go out on the boat.

The diving off the coast of Myrtle Beach is much different than that of Australia or the Caribbean. It is all wreck diving and the visibility isn't always the best, but I have gotten lucky on the days I have been out. I have seen sand tiger sharks, schools of black tips, lionfish, and the list goes on. The Atlantic really has some awesome things to offer and more dive experience is always needed.

Now I am living in Surfside Beach with my friend Jackie and we are both just enjoying life and working. Both of us graduated with marine science degrees and she wants to do fisheries biology while I am on the conservation ecology side of the spectrum. Meanwhile, we are trying to enjoy the time off, but also we are looking for potential jobs for the spring and summer. I am sure we intelligent girls will find something that we love to do and all will be said and done. No need to worry about us.

Since I can't really bring you up to date on every event this summer, I will just post some pictures for you all to see and call it a day. Thanks for reading :) Until next time, g'day.