us and the ocean

Paige Strudwick Masters student and ocean lover, sharing my journey through photographs.

[usandtheocean]

Let us just backtrack for a second. It seems I had not updated this photo journal for so long that I had forgotten where I left you. Let me explain where I was at when we parted ways, where I am now and what happened along the way.

I left you guys almost a year ago in August 2018,  when I had been granted a bridging visa and was allowed to start working. A lot has happened since then. Mostly I was searching for funding, I had been given an offer to complete my Masters at UTS around about that time, yet I was still considered an international student and I couldn’t afford those fees. 

I had been working at a rock climbing gym full time, which I absolutely love doing. To be able to share your passion with so many people is a privilege. Yes, rock climbing is a passion of mine I haven’t shared on here yet.

In August 2019 I was granted permanent residency. This changed the game for me, as it meant I am now considered a domestic student. This also lead to me being awarded a Research Training Programme Government funded fee offset, meaning I didn’t have to pay for fees. Hence, in late August I enrolled at UTS to begin my Masters of Science by research doing my dream project in coral microbiology in relation to current restoration techniques.  

That brings me to where I am now. I currently do not have a living stipend, so I still work at the rock climbing gym to support myself (pay rent and buy food, you know those important things) whilst I am conducting my research and studying. I am so grateful that I have this opportunity and I have the capacity to be able to work on the side. My supervisors are extremely supportive and there are so many inspiring people in the office and lab group that I feel like I’ve struck gold. I still get overwhelmed with imposter syndrome every now and then. Such as, when I was given my desk I was sure someone would come along and say I was in their seat or when we were out on the reef setting up my nursery frames that I would just wake up from the dream.

I’m so proud of myself for persisting, not giving up on my dreams and believing I was capable of doing this. If I’ve learnt one thing so far, it is that if theres something you’ve found that ignites a spark, or a fire inside of you, you have to keep at it, don’t waste it and more importantly never give up on what sets your soul alight.

Nikon Coolpix W300 - October, 2019.

©PaigeStrudwick

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Opal Reef, GBR, Australia.

Nikon Coolpix W300 - October, 2019.

©PaigeStrudwick

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This was a monumental day for me. T=0 for my Masters project. I will be looking at whether the microbiome certain Acropora and Pocillopora species changes throughout the process of restoration via coral gardening.

I had to pinch myself the entire time, that after all the hard work writing research proposals and tears wondering whether I’d ever be able to start my project it was actually happening.

I’ll try to keep track of my progress on here. I hope a few people can follow along, lets get some reef science happening. Time to start processing my samples in the lab.

GBR, Australia

Nikon Coolpix W300 - October, 2019.

©PaigeStrudwick

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Sardegna

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How impressive is the structural complexity of this reef in the background. It is suggested that the structural complexity is an extremely integral aspect of a coral reef health. Studies have shown that structural complexity is positively linked to biodiversity and carrying capacity of reef ecosystems.

Nikon Coolpix W300 - October, 2019.

©PaigeStrudwick

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Abalone shell found free diving a while back. The intricate details are mesmerising. The holes around the edge allow for outflow of water carrying waste from the organism so that sensitive organs are not exposed to the material. As the organism grows often a new hole forms or an old one closes in the spiral pattern. Apparently, abalone shells were used as a coin in ancient times. A far cry from the current Australian currency.

November 2018

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How I feel about the fact that I can finally start working and volunteering in the lab since my Bridging Visa A has come into effect. Yipee, let me get my hands on some coral. I’m very lucky for my potential PhD supervisors to have put me in touch with a PhD student working on coral microbiology. I’m super keen to get stuck in and help out with DNA extractions, PCR, coral husbandry and whatever other tasks are required.

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Asellus aquaticus a.k.a water hoglouse or water louse, collected in a sample from The University of Nottingham Lake during a study on the water quality of the lake. Quantifying the biodiversity within a freshwater system using biotic indicators is a common method of determining the health of the system and is integral for implementation of effective restoration processes (Pander and Geist, 2013). Macroinvertebrates are key biotic indicators because they consistently differ in their sensitivities to specific conditions. For example, Gammarus pulex is an amphipod that inhabits well oxygenated areas of river beds, and is doesn’t tolerate pollution well. Whereas, Asellus aquaticus (Fig. 1) is found to replace G. pulex during organic enrichment of a system due to its higher tolerance to pollution. The ratio of A. aquaticus: G. pulex can indicate how severely a system is polluted (Whitehurst, 1990).

Pander, J. and Geist, J. (2013) Ecological indicators for stream restoration success. Ecological Indicators, 30, 106-118.

Whitehurst, I. T. (1990) The Gammarus:Asellus ratio as an index of organic pollution. Water Research, 3, 333-339.

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A dive just after I finished my Advanced Open Water certification, look how abundant the coral is, so many different species and 3D complexity in the habitat structure. I’m yet to get the opportunity to dive on the reef again to see what it looks like now.

GBR, Australia

Nikon Coolpix W300 - February, 2017.

©PaigeStrudwick

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What a magical place, where a waterfall falls into the ocean. Curracurrong Falls taken from Eagle Rock.

Nikon Coolpix W300 - September, 2018.

©PaigeStrudwick

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During the field trip I took part in on my exchange year with UNSW we assessed the diversity and abundance of invertebrates across a range of sites within Jervis Bay, NSW. This involved a lot of microscope work, and a little snorkelling or free diving for samples which sort of balanced out the hours spent looking through a microscope. 

The macroalgae was beautiful. Unfortunately, I hadn’t quite gotten used to the quality settings on my camera, hence the low quality image. However, I do love the tones and textures of this photograph.

Here is Hope collecting some samples... I think you should have let a bit more water out Hope, it’s a long walk back to the lab!

Jervis Bay, NSW - September 2016

©PaigeStrudwick

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Racecourse Beach on film. I am equally as mesmerised by the ocean and its beauty above water as under, especially in film photos. However, I have since learned to clean the lens on my film camera.

NSW, July 2015.

Olympus OM 1

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Snorkelling to Upolu Cay in the Great Barrier Reef. Upolu Cay is a sandy island in the northern area of the reef which only appears on low tide due to 2011 Cyclone Yasi. We snorkelled there from the boat and saw an abundance of coral species and marine life.

Standing on a sandy island in the middle of the GBR.

Nikon Coolpix W300 - September, 2014.

©PaigeStrudwick

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More blue clams (Tridacna maxima) as well as a healthy looking coral to the left, this time from my first experience on the GBR in 2014. 

GBR, Australia

Nikon Coolpix W300 - September, 2014.

©PaigeStrudwick

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Cirrocumulus.

To think all of the moisture in the clouds is drawn up from the ocean through the process of evaporation and then via a range of routes eventually ends up back where it started. 

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The Depot Beach, NSW.

We stumbled across this gorgeous beach whilst camping at North Durras on the south coast of NSW. It was a perfect spot to relax and catch some late autumn sun protected from the wind.

March, 2018 - Iphone.

©PaigeStrudwick

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Look at how tiny this little guy/gal was, I believe to be Phyllidiella lizae. I was fascinated by these little creatures on the first encounter.

Just a reminder, even though this little creature is small not to forget how small we all are in the grand scheme of things. Just floating through space on a ball made mostly of water with a molten core, orbiting a flaming hot ball of hydrogen and helium (and thats not even the tip of the iceberg).

GBR, Australia

Nikon Coolpix W300 - February, 2017.

©PaigeStrudwick