Off to a good start

What a successful past two days! We were a bit concerned after spending all of yesterday working to divert the flow from the creek because we weren't able to obtain a large drainpipe from the local hardware store. AFter lots of creativity and hard work, we rigged a multi-pipe system as seen blow to divert most of the flow. We crossed our fingers and hoped that it wouldn't rain, despite the fact that it had thunder stormed in the evening consistently for the past week. Brandyn finished assembling the generator, and after a hard days work Chef Alice introduced Jinhwa and Lisbeth to their first Sloppy Joe experience, yummm!

Alice surveys the dam site and makes plans for the water diversion process.

The final water diversion set-up. With six PVC pipes, lots of rope and sandbags, we successfully diverted 90% of the flow.

Herman, the friendly toad, comes to visit us after dinner. He wants some Sloppy Joe too!

Today we woke up at 6am and to our delight there had been no major rainstorm and our pipe system was still in place. We split up into teams: Jinhwa and Professor Hightower took on planning the turbine site, Lisbeth and Abby planned the 35 meter pipe path from the dam to the generator and began clearing the path with their machetes and digging trenches to bury the PVC pipe, and Alice and Brandyn took on the construction of the dam.

The whole team gathers after breakfast to make plans for the day.

Abby, Alice and Brandyn at the dam sight.

Jinhwa and Professor McFarlane making a platform for the generator and planning the pipe route.

Lisbeth and Abby, armed and ready with their machetes.

Captain Jinhwa with her power tools!

Brandyn drilling holes for the rebar to support the concrete.

Lisbeth beginning to dig her trench to bury the PVC pipe.

Abby taking a break from the hard shoveling work in the thick of the jungle.

Jinhwa constructing the turbine platform.

The dam site with plywood reinforcements, rebar, piping and filter system. Ready for the concrete to be poured!

Jinhwa getting her hands dirty leveling the platform concrete with Greddy.

Brandyn and Alice with their dam set-up pre concrete.

Now, all the concrete has been laid and once again we are crossing our fingers for no rain!! After all that hard work, we're off to bed early. Good night!!