6:00 PM — finally. Time to wake up. Headlamp. Check. Waterproof shoes. Check. Field journal. Let’s go. Meeting at the field station, we huddle under the overhang with our trusty stray dog sidekicks. Rocky, a charismatic mutt, greets us, tail wagging, excited for a long night at the beach. After swatting away what seems like a million mosquitos, we grab our gear and head to the beach. As the lightning strikes light the sky and illuminate our path, we make our way through overgrown grass and scattered driftwood. Amidst the stark juxtaposition of crashing waves and soft drizzling rain, a round and glistening mass of light emerges from the water,…