Six more lakes in the last catchment for the P³ investigation of the Pyrenean mountain range. The dry ice packed in special containers, the permit to drive to the parking at the edge of the forest in the pocket, and food and clothes packed we start this last sampling for this first round in 2017. On the way, we stop with the car and sample a first lake. Then a first hike to the mountain hut, which will be our base for 2 days. The next morning we get up early, a bit groggy from a little restful night we face a long day in the mountains between rain and thunderstorms. No time to loose and we set off with the first rays of the sun. A mounting of 1000 altitudinal meters ahead of us, we face the mountains and are glad for the clouds. We arrived so early at the first lake that the A. obstetricans tadpoles were still in bed, aka somewhere hidden between the rocks of the lake. Spring only just has started at that altitude (2500 m) and the water was lousily cold. Naked feet in the 6°C water chasing tadpoles makes you realized how crazy your job must look like for „normal“ people. Normal person: „Hey, so what did you do today?“, (crazy) scientists:“Ah, got up early, climbed up a mountain for a few hours, got wet on the way, and then stripped of my shoes to chase tadpoles in 6°C cold water“, normal person:“What for?“, scientist: „We swapped them and put them back in the water“, normal person:“What?“. Okay, that is when I usually start to explain what the work is about and that it is important and that I am not crazy. I guess, a normal person has difficulties to believe me….
