Lab meeting Sept. 9, 2009 and updates

Summer!

Everyone is out in the field, or so it seems. Still, we need to update the blog. Here is the latest info:
1. Taiwan expedition and symposium: JDR and MO participated along with Hirose-sensei in sampling in both southern and northern Japan. We all also gave presentations at the special symposium (see posting earlier). All in all a great trip; we need to visit there more often! Big thanks to Shanky, Chen-sensei, and Nozawa-sensei for all their help!

Stay tuned for updates on this topic.

2. YK09-12 cruise at the Japan Trench: FS, CA, and TF finished the cruise with many samples despite the bad weather. In particular, many octocorals were collected.
3. 5th NCB: Being held in northern Japan now. TF and YI are participating, as well as sampling in the Japan Sea! Brrr.... Next NCB will be here in Okinawa.
4. JDR is now an associate editor of WoRMS - more info later.

Lab meeting today:
1. Tanks this week: YS
2. DNA classes next week: MO, MH, YS, MM participating!
3. YI wants a cheap new automatic car. Anyone with info please contact her.
4. Diving Friday at Sunabe: JDR and MH.

Have a great week!

Today's pic: Acrozoanthus in Kenting.

Omiyage and Taiwan

Ikuko Yuyama has brought some omiyage from her trip to a conference in the USA. The omiyage (pictured above) are in the refrigerator - please help yourself!

MO and JDR are off to Taiwan today. FS, CA, and TF are at the Japan Trench, and YI will go to the 5th NCB conference soon. Also, some 3rd years (HS, MM, TN) have been traveling in Japan too - busy summer holidays!

YK09-12 update 2

Update from FS, aboard the YK09-12 cruise at the Japan Trench:

We are still in Mutsu Wan, the sky became blue and after a windy night the weather is now nice. However, the typhoon is still not far and we are now hoping to dive already tomorrow, but it looks difficult as we have a very long ride (more then 12 hours) to go to the site, and the sea outside of the bay is certainly still quite Rock n'Roll.
So in the meantime we are relaxing, writing papers, aligning sequences, and praying for good conditions.

Japan Trench cruise update

Update from FS, aboard JAMSTEC YK09-12 at the Japan Trench:

We went to the first diving site, but the typhoon coming on our way, it was decided not to dive and rather to head to Mutsu Wan to get shelter from the waves. So without any sample to analyse we are reduced to bird and whale watching, especially yesterday as it was too wavy to work on the computer. Here is a picture of one of the two sperm whales I was lucky to see from the bridge.
Tonight I think we should have a drinking party for the sea gods so the second leg of the mission is successful.

Hope the weather gets better!