MOPTA.1

Today I got up early and joined И and PhD student B at the talk of the head of our group. It was interesting, and showed committment to conference attendance. Afterwards I went back with И to have breakfast with A in the garden of our accommodation. Back at the conference there were two plenaries that, for once, were worth attending, and that was it for the day!

After the conference lunch, the attendees (and guests) gathered at the port for a three-hour whale watching trip. Within 30 minutes we saw the dorsal fins of a couple of sei whales a few times, but then we saw nothing for two hours, before a similarly underwhelming sighting of a sei whale. The only bonus was for B, who spotted a flying fish.

Back on land, we rested for an hour before going across to a posh hotel for a dinner to celebrate the 70th birthday of a major academic figure in our field. However, before the food was served we had to endure 90 minutes of talks in his honour. Fortunately the dinner was good, and the seven of us (see extra) enjoyed the company of a young researcher whom it would be great to add to the team.