Home Sweet Home!

We heard “Boys It’s time to get up” for the last time as we groggily arose from our abbreviated slumber. It was 4:15 and the stars were twinkling; however, nowhere near as spectacular as the night before. We got to work trying to shove our last items into our already over-stuffed bags. There was a war-zone of sheets, towels, blankets and an old buoy as we frantically shoved everything into our duffels. That odd pair of tennis shoes seemed to be the enemy this morning. To everyone’s surprise we managed to zip every last one.

            As we loaded the bags in the darkness we started to feel the emotions that we were desperately fighting off. The dorms had been cleaned out. Every grain of sand removed from the shower, every bat moth shooed, and all drying lines cleared. We stood in the doorway of the commons amidst the dark sunless sky hanging on to our rustic abode. The tabby cat Fritter sat by our feet trying to keep us with her.

            As we raised the flag for the last time we all took a deep sigh, our caciques slowly propelled the black, blue, and yellow towards the starry sky. We lifted up our heads in unison and harmonized the familiar anthem for the last time. As we sang a shooting star pranced across the sky, and we could all imagine the wishes that followed its tail.

            Thus ended one of the greatest two weeks any one us have ever experienced. Saddened, yet hopeful for the future, the Hawken Honors Marine Science class of 2013 left for the airport. Our brief wait at the airport was not without its quirks, however. We sat in front of a television set and in our dazed semi-conscious state, found some entertainment in the form of Bahamian public broadcasting. We also had an opportunity for some surprise last goodbyes at the airport.

            With hands waved, hugs had, and tears shed, we were ushered out of the Rock Sound airport and into our plane. Thoughts of the last two weeks played out in our heads as Eleuthera flashed under us. We arrived in Nassau with four hours to spare until we boarded our flight to Atlanta. Six hours after we woke up, most students found their next meal to be Wendy's, the first fast food they had had in two weeks. Having been used to healthy food, many upset stomachs were had.

            Our next two flights were very similar to our flights two weeks earlier. They were uneventful and without delay. We arrived in Cleveland and a few of us were greeted by family upon arrival. Most, however, would finish the intensive on the Lyndhurst campus. As Alex so eloquently put it, "our tans will fade, but the memories will last forever." Eleuthera and the Island School will stay in our hearts forever. But we all hope this will not be the last time we see Eleuthera. Many of us hope to return to the Island School in the near or distant future.

            Thank you very much for keeping up with our adventures this winter intensive!

The Best Last Day!

First thing this morning, we all reluctantly hopped into an ocean cut to play our final game of Water Polo.  Despite the cold water and early morning breeze, we had a great time and enjoyed our final team Osprey vs. Blue Crab rivalry match.  We warmed up and changed before a fantastic chocolate chip pancake breakfast! Then, we headed over to the Institute side of the campus for a morning workshop with the Aquaponics team.  Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics which means that they grow and breed both animals (tilapia) and plants in the same system.  We broke into three groups which each rotated to count fish in each size-graded tank, weigh groups of fish, and then work on and harvest in the aqua-gardens (where lettuce, chard, basil, etc. grow).  After that, we watched the Early Learning Center kids sing a few of their favorite songs at the end of their school Christmas show.  We all jumped straight into Dish Crew for our final lunch which was a huge spread of pastas, Philly Cheese Steak, fruit salad, birthday cake, and more!

Following this filling lunch, we all prepared for our final snorkel at our beloved 4^th Hole beach and reef.  We all saw a bunch of our favorite fish and invertebrates along with species that we hadn’t seen before including a peacock flounder and a mantis shrimp.  It felt great to return to the first reef we snorkeled 2 weeks ago and feel like pros! While still at the beach, we split back into the morning’s three groups to go see “ancient pottery” which was actually just a ploy to get us to head down the road away from everyone else.  There, we were given instructions in a container of GORP (our favorite Island School snack) that basically said that we may eat as much as we could in 30 seconds.  Each group interpreted this message quite differently, as some groups were considerate of the others that were to follow, but some just took all that they wanted.  We launched into a discussion on shared resources and thinking about those that will come after us.

We drove the short distance back to campus to pack some more and then have some free time to watch the sunset at the Marina, finish up our Secret Santa gift, or just enjoy the sites around the school.  The afternoon ended with evaluations for the school and then a really moving Blue Marble ceremony where we were given a shiny, blue marble to pass on to someone who we witness committing an act of “ocean kindness” anytime in the future.  We then had our last supper and last Dish Crew jam session (including a minor soap bubble fight…).  This was followed by our final flagpole meeting where we named the last Caciques for the travel day tomorrow and reflected with our Happies and Crappies for the last time. 

Onto much more high-spirited activities, we jumped right into our Secret Santa exchange around a pseudo Christmas tree (a baby invasive Cassarina tree) decorated with hairbands, floss, luggage tags, pop tabs, a watch, and other inventive ornaments.  We successfully presented our homemade gifts to each other in a complete circle (somehow we started with the perfect person to make the cycle work).  We ended the night with a bonfire full of song and dance ranging from traditional campfire songs to Jason Mraz.  Standing right by the ocean with the moon bright above as an entire group, we truly felt like a family while we ‘cinnamon-bun hugged’ as a whole group.  Bittersweet, we headed into the dorms to get ready for our early morning departure.  It will be a sad morning for all of us as we leave the Island School, but we are so very excited to see you all tomorrow night!

-Julia & Sarah

Lighthouse Beach!

This morning, the group started off the day with a highly competitive game of ultimate Frisbee. The wind was really blowing which interfered with the disc trajectory but not the fighting spirits of the competing teams. After this really close game, we headed over to one of the best breakfasts yet, banana bread and oatmeal (yum).

After breakfast we prepared for a day of fun and sun at Lighthouse Beach. It has a reputation for being, arguably, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. All together it took a 40 minute drive and additional 40 minute walk to reach the secluded destination. It was well worth it though. We threw our towels down and dove into the ocean, frolicking with joy. We played a few games in the ocean before drying out and playing more games in the sand. A few people teamed up to bury and transform Kevin Harkey into a beautiful sand mermaid. We ate lunch by the beach and afterwards enjoyed each other’s company some more. We then headed up a nearby cliff, overlooking the beautiful surroundings. Once on the cliff, we were all separated for 15 minutes of solo time which we used to reflect on our time in the Bahamas. Once the time was up, we came together and shared our insights. We also were instructed to choose a piece of nature from our solo spot and share with the group how it represented our time in the Bahamas. Many of the speeches grew sentimental and we all had a bittersweet feeling. We wrapped it up with a group hug and photo and headed home.

After showering, we hopped back in to the vans for a night out! We went to a nearby restaurant, Sheril’s, for a family-style dinner. We sat around a table like it was Thanksgiving and passed the delicious food around. We laughed, ate, and told stories. It was the perfect way to end a great second-to-last day in paradise. We are all sad to be leaving the Bahamas but are happy that we have one last day to spend together. 

- Lauren & Carly

Ocean kayaking & night snorkeling!

Today we woke up at the crack of dawn and hopped on our bikes to ride through a Bahamian jungle. After the bike ride we came back to the dorms, did chores and ate a delicious breakfast of French toast and bacon. After breakfast, we began to pack up our kayaking gear for an exciting day ahead.

After a lot of packing and learning kayaking skills, we finally set out to sea!! Sadly, the currents were extremely strong, so we didn’t make it to our intended extra exotic island destination. Instead, we made due with what we had closer to the Eleuthera shore and snorkeled, cliff dove and played some games about the information we’ve been learning about marine life (sharks and minnows, barracuda, etc).

After a great dinner, we got prepared for a night snorkel. We first had a short class explaining many of the biodiversity of the nocturnal animals we might see. At the snorkel we saw a lot of animals with bioluminescence. We also saw lobsters, spotted sea hares, octopi (again!!), candy cane shrimp, rays, and a big spotted moray eel. Ali even saw a nurse shark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are all getting tired, but no one is tired of this island paradise. See you in a few, Clevekland ;)

Xoxo Ali & Alex

Lionfish & Near-shore Ecology!

Today we rose to a tropical yet delicate sunrise over the horizon streaming through the palm trees.  We circled around the flagpole preparing for our second and final ‘run-swim’ of our time here.  However this run-swim quickly turned into a ‘swim-run’ as we conquered long open water channels, something we’ve never encountered.  During this exhilarating morning workout, we saw a splash out on the horizon, which drew our curiosity.  As we approached the disturbance, we were greeted by the fin of a bottle-nose dolphin. 

Once we came back, we were searching the horizon from the roof top of the dining hall and found a flock of ten massive spotted eagle rays near the shore.  As we ate our delicious breakfast on the roof, we saw them continuously circle back around the harbor.  During this time, we also observed more bottle nose dolphins breech the surface.  After the spectacle fluttered away from view, we quickly turned to our first activity of the day.  We met with the resident lionfish expert, Dr. Curtis-Quick, and discussed the lionfish invasion of the Bahamas. 

During our time with her, we conversed about the unwelcome presence they have brought to the Bahamas, as well as their history.  We also delved into how the community treats them.  We were stunned to learn that the local people will not hunt or eat them because they have fallen victim to the myth that they are poisonous, when they are really venomous and safe to eat.  We went further into their biology by conducting a dissection on two male, mature lionfish.  The first step we took was to de-spine the fish which made it safe for dissection because that is where their venom is excreted.  We also explored their tremendous mouth gape, which allows them to swallow almost anything they encounter that can be more than half their size.  They are able to expand their stomachs by 30 times to hold the unholy amount of food they consume. 

Sarah kisses the lionfish head!

After our lionfish dissection, we ventured over to lunch for another hearty, delicious meal.  Shortly after, we walked over to the boathouse for a brief discussion about near-shore ecology before we went out on the calm, wave-less ocean to see it for ourselves.  In our discussion, we talked about how the ocean is most vulnerable at the shore.  We chatted about how hurricanes, pollution, and other different stressors can lead to a trophic cascade which could potentially obliterate the ecosystems we find all throughout the ocean.  We ventured to three locations.  First, an area populated with turtle and manatee sea grass, a school of spade fish, and sponges.  Then we were off to an area filled with algae and echinoderms.  And finally, we made our way over to a patch reef where we discovered two lionfish, a moray eel, an arrow crab, and many other species of marine wildlife.  Finally we settled down after dinner with a group wrap-up on the day where we named over sixty different species we had seen today and started off our holiday festivities with the drawings of our Secret Santa.  We will be making homemade nature gifts! We are looking forward to tomorrow where we will be spending the day kayaking on the open ocean.  All in all, another fantastic day in paradise! 

- Graham & Kevin

                      

Ocean Holes & Ooids!

Today we awoke to embark on a rousing excursion to the Marina, full of dogs and soccer. The grueling match came down to a last minute goal by the ferocious forward, Kevin Harkey. This goal ended the match in a 5-5 tie and we cycled back to campus to carry on with our day. After a swift Sunday breakfast, we voyaged through Rock Sound to explore some caves and an ocean hole. The caves were dark, but bright with life and energy. Bats swooped through the air as birds chirped from the towering canopy above. The roots from the trees above flowed to ground like suspended drops from a waterfall. Then we hopped back into our vans to make the short trip over to see the magnificent Rock Sound ocean hole. Once there we had a lesson on its formation and the mythical being, the Lusca, whose half squid and half shark body is told to inhabit the ocean holes of the Bahamas. We then enjoyed a few jumps into the ocean hole before returning to campus for lunch.

After re-supplying our bodies with needed sustenance, we returned to the water. This next voyage was taking us to no hole or cave, but to the wide expanse of sand known as the ooidic sandbar. Ooids are a unique type of sand that is shaped like an egg. They only occur in certain special environments around the world. The chain of ooidic islands we were on are the third largest in the world. We spent the afternoon at this sandbar frolicking about in its shallow waters as vivacious echinoderms crawled about at our feet. We enjoyed lectures about ooids and invertebrates under the intense rays of sun. We took time to bask in the sight of another octopus. We were intrigued by the many movements and color changes the octopus underwent. This exciting afternoon slowly wound down as we devoured our final meal of the day and watched an informative movie on extreme cave diving in ocean holes.

We look forward to an action packed tomorrow. Good night!

-Chase & Max

Down Island Trip, Day 2!

The morning was an unpleasant one for the Marine Science class, as many of us woke up in damp tents, with sand in our blankets. But the discomfort was quickly overshadowed by the pure beauty of nature, as we all looked at the cotton candy sky while eating our breakfast on the beach. We then moved on, and took two vans to “Seahorse Pond”. At Seahorse Pond, we saw two octopi in addition to a variety of seahorses. The water was cold and sediment-filled, but it was worth it! 

Still on a high from the octopi and seahorses, we headed back into the van and drove to a local bakery. We were all starving, and the fifty-cent price tags on all of the baked goods allowed us to stock up on sweet treats. Some of the group favorites were the Cheese Danish and the Glazed Donut Twist. With full stomachs, we headed to a local beach to look for sea glass. Even with only fifteen minutes at the beach, we all found some really beautiful pieces and compared and traded glass before heading back to the vans. There is a lot of sea glass on that beach because we learned that ships are allowed to dump glass waste 2 miles out with no punishments, and the currents and big rocks at this particular beach make it the perfect place for beach glass to wash up. What a perfect way to end the morning!

Following our quick trip to the sea glass beach, it was time to eat lunch. We packed up the vans and headed over to the abandoned Club Med resort. Club Med was abandoned in the 80’s as a result of the Bahamian independence. While the resort was abandoned, the land it was on was still spectacular. Club Med overlooks one of the most gorgeous beaches we have seen yet on Eleuthera—pink sand and big Atlantic Ocean waves. There we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and had a quick swim in the water. 

Then we headed off to the Leon Levy Nature Preserve to learn about the native plants of the Bahamas. A very excited botanist named Ethan gave us a tour and told us about the preserves benefactor, Shelby White. Shelby donated a lot of money to the preservation of the native plants and animal species of The Bahamas as well as education. We really enjoyed the little break from marine life to enter the world of botany! We then headed home and started the unpacking process of our trip. Thus ended an exciting and action-packed Down Island Trip! 

-Henry & Carly

Down Island Trip Day 1!

We were jolted out of bed in anticipation of our Down Island Trip. Our day started out with a long morning of packing the vans with our camping gear and nourishment. This day in particular had a spectacular start as we enjoyed plentiful amounts of egg frittata and, most importantly, POTATOES! After a superb breakfast, we headed out for our adventure, starting with a 2 hour drive up north to the Glass Window Bridge. We were all surprised at such an amazing view, with the treacherous dark blue waves of the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the tranquil aqua blue waters of the Caribbean Sea to the West. The only thing that separates these two bodies of water is a small 40 foot wide bridge.

We headed back down south a short way to visit the Island Made Gift Shop (to buy all of our wonderful parents and siblings fantastic Bahamian presents). Many of us faced shopping anxiety as we paced in and out of the store trying to find the perfect gifts. We then had a small sandwich and cassava chip lunch on a nearby beach.

After lunch, we packed ourselves into the vans and headed to the Hatchet Bay Caves. While there, we spelunked—in other words, we explored the caves like experts! Our geologically inclined counselor, Mackenzie, taught us all about the formation of the caves, and its relation to the freshwater lens from which the Island collects its drinking water. While in the caves, we channeled our inner warriors as we decorated our bodies with tribal markings from the clay at the bottom of the murky cave. We had tons of fun!

After all of this fun, it was time to make our way to the campsite. Due to gusty weather conditions, the site was moved from the abandoned resort, Club Med, to a small and shallow beach on the opposite side of the island. Once at the site, we immediately set up our tents and began collecting firewood to prepare our dinner. As we were preparing for the night, we saw the petite shadow of Ms. Post rise from over the top of the grassy hill. A roar of cheers exploded from the other side of the hill as we welcomed her back to Eleuthera (Amanda, we still miss you dearly!!) After we finished eating our delicious penne pasta with homemade vegetable stew, we cleared our plates in the ocean, and began yet another rousing game of mafia … dun dun dunnn. On her first day back with the group, Ms. Post managed to eliminate nearly all of her students without suspicion (figuratively of course). It was as if she never left.

Following a series of silly games, we concluded our busy day with a magnificent and relaxing stargazing session. We counted numerous shooting stars and attempted to name the constellations as we sang along to some of our favorite tunes.

PS - Sarah got sand in her toothbrush and is still in distress over the incident :(. Could be worse!

-Sarah & Mac

Conchs and Sharks, Part 2!

Today we awoke to yet another beautiful Bahamian morning.  For our morning exercise, we rode bikes to High Rock where we jumped off a 15 foot cliff.  The road was very rocky and treacherous, but the two mile trek was worthwhile.  After breakfast, our class yet again split into two teams: Team Osprey and Team Blue Crab.

Team Blue Crab went to Red Bay Beach to count the amount of living and dead conch on the beach.  We found a few dead conchs, which was very sad, but, we found at least seven sea stars, brittle stars, sponges, and other beautiful sea animals.  After lunch we went to Sunrise Beach.  At first we only found dead conch, but once we found one living conch we just kept finding them.  We found a total of 49 living conch, which was amazing!  Our third and final beach of the day, Fourth Hole, only had one living conch, but all signs of conch were scarce, therefore it was not too upsetting. 

Team Osprey started our day out on the open ocean with the shark team, which is researching why sharks die when caught on fishermen’s long lines.  Long lining takes patience, so we decided to go to various snorkeling spots to pass the time, only checking the lines every 30 minutes or so.  Our first snorkel was considered the most mind-blowing experience by many of us because we snorkeled over the continental shelf.  We could not see anything but the great blue abyss because the bottom was thousands of feet below.  Later in the day we snorkeled at other awesome spots such as the Garden of Eden and Tunnel Rock which were home to magnificent coral reefs.  Unfortunately, we did not catch any sharks but the experience was still very interesting.  We learned a lot about how the research process worked and cool facts about sharks.  Did you know that sharks are older than trees!? 

We miss you, Amanda – feel better!

Christina and Jenny

The "Cage" & SCUBA!!

               The exercise this morning was optional; some played soccer, but the vast majority of us slept in. (We needed it.) After a delicious breakfast of cinnamon buns, we met at the boat marina and headed out to sea to an aquaculture cage. This cage is used for fish farming; it is about 25 feet at the top and goes down 90 feet. We snorkeled above it and interacted with all of the fishes surrounding it. There were giant schools of pelagic fish, including horse eye jacks and yellow tail snapper. We saw a hammerhead shark (see inside the red circle for proof- this was a rare and incredible encounter!), as well as two reef sharks, which we all stalked! After our exciting endeavors, we returned to the school and ate lunch- we ate lionfish!

               After our great anticipation it was time to go scuba diving! We went to a remote beach and split up in groups. Each group had their own instructor who taught us basic scuba skills. While many of us were nervous for this adventure because of the risks, all of us can agree that it was the most amazing experience we’ve ever had. Breathing underwater felt extremely unusual, but we all managed to adjust to this strange feeling. Many of us saw sharks and other exotic fishes, up close and personal. (We all came back safe and healthy!)

               After dinner we met up at the boat house with another visiting school for a Bahamian dance party.  We learned a variety of Bahamian dances and mingled with the other school. After almost an hour of dancing we were all on the verge of passing out, so we returned to our dorms.

-Joe & Alex

A day on land!

Today we woke up before the crack of dawn and met at the flagpole at 6:30. We united around the flagpole and sang the Bahamian national anthem with minimal enthusiasm due to the distracting, light morning drizzle. After that, we made our way over to the water polo cut and spent the next forty-five minutes ruthlessly battling one another for the chance to bask in the glory of winning. It was close at first but then team “Our Team” pulled ahead in the last two minutes and won the game by two points, 6 to 4. Then we met over at the dining hall, where we ate hard boiled eggs, bacon and killer banana muffins!

After feasting on that, we went to the octagon on the Cape Eleuthera Institute side of campus to discuss consumerism and watched a documentary called “The Story of Stuff”. We discussed the film and came to the conclusion that we all could do a better job of conserving natural resources by not feeling the need to constantly keep up with trends, utilize things to their full capacity, and just all around think about how we treat the environment and how everything we do has a greater impact. We learned about the two types of consumers, perceived obsolescence and planned obsolescence. Most of the class realized that we fall prey to these manufacturing tricks and media pressures.  

We also watched a video about art made solely of natural resources that is only temporary as nature eventually takes it back. We then went into groups and had the opportunity to create our own artwork using materials that we found on the beach. The project ranged from sea turtles covered in shells to compasses to seaweed art.

After working hard in the hot noon sun, we went over to the dining hall to have lunch. Afterwards, we returned to the octagon and watched the interns present their fall term research projects. They ranged from lionfish to shark response on a long-line to fish behavior in warmer waters. They were interesting and a common piece of enjoyment was watching four sharks fight over another shark that had gotten caught on a hook.

After watching six fifteen-minute presentations, we were free to do whatever we wanted. A few people read and sketched, some explored the island, and many played jackpot on the beach. A very popular game we have started playing is “Mafia.”  It’s a very middle school game, but it is really fun to play as a group out in the common room. It involves a speaker who explains the story line of two mafia members “killing” someone and then an angel who can save anyone and then a detective who picks a suspect while everyone’s eyes are closed. Today was a dry day, but tomorrow we are going snorkeling and scuba diving.  We are all very excited.  Best of all we get to sleep in tomorrow morning-- 7:30AM wake up! 

More tomorrow,

Mary & Christina

Conchs and Sharks, Part 1!

For the second day in a row, we woke at 6:10 to a lush and beautiful sunrise over the horizon.  We soon transitioned to the flagpole where we reconvened with the Canadian school, Trinity, to raise the flag and sing the Bahamian national anthem.  Today, we sang the anthem much better than yesterday.  Soon after, we voyaged to the beach where a rousing game of beach volleyball took place.  Henry was so excited he had to be confined to a circle to protect his teammates! 

As the sun rose higher and the temperature rose, we traveled to the dining hall where we had a scrumptious egg, bacon, grits, and oats breakfast.  After breakfast, we split up into two groups, Team Osprey and Team Blue Crab.  Team Blue Crab voyaged into the open ocean for the entire day in hopes of catching sharks on long lines.  The reasons for catching these sharks are to study the effects of stress on the different types of sharks that inhabit the waters surrounding Eleuthera. They positioned GoPro cameras along the lines so that later they would be able to compare and contrast the behavior while hooked on the long line.  The types of sharks they were looking for were reef, tiger, nurse, and bull sharks.  However, they came up empty netted. 

The other half of the class spent the day working on Hawken’s new research project-- we will be studying and tracking the conch populations in both the cape and open ocean waters.  The first stage of the project is to find baseline numbers on the current conch populations.  We surveyed three beaches today.  For the first beach, we had to travel down island to Deep Creek, the nearest settlement to the Island School, to visit a beach named Plum Creek.  At this location we only found one lonely conch along with five dead conchs in an hour of searching.  We believe the numbers were low due to the fact of the benthic environment--  it was mainly sand and sparsely placed sea grass.  

After our first survey we headed back to campus for a quick lunch and soon ventured to our second location, the beach right in front of our dorm.  Here, we observed over 200 dead conchs and only three living conchs.  The multitude of dead conch may be due to the fact that fishermen routinely harvest their catch in the Island School harbor.  However, we did observe much higher quantities of sea grass here which may predict higher numbers in the future.  Juvenile conchs thrive in environments filled with sea grass. 

Lastly, we biked to Sunset Beach where we, again, found over 200 hundred dead conchs and only one living conch.  The benthic environment here was reef-like-- rocky with very little sea grass.  This combination made the area undesirable for the conch to live in.  On our way back from Sunset Beach, we decided to stop at the Marina to hopefully catch a glimpse of a bull shark, and what we saw was mesmerizing.  As fishermen were cleaning their catch, we observed four nurse and one bull shark feasting on the scraps that made their way to the water.  The bull shark stood out from the rest with its wide shadow and powerful attacks.  The Blue Crab Team met up with us there and watched in awe with us.  

We were all wiped out after a long day on and in the water.  Things winded down as dinner approached.  Afterwards, we transitioned into an algae dissection in which we learned about the different types and how they fit into the community.  We found many different creatures living inside the algae including fire worms, crabs, snapping shrimp, and small fish.  Overall, today was filled with joy and excitement and we look forward to doing it all again tomorrow, especially the CEI research symposium. 

- Max & Chase

    

Started with a run-swim!

We started off our early morning with a vigorous run-swim (across 4 coves), an essential part of the Island School experience. It was exhausting, but the fact that we all stayed together and pushed through it really paid off in the end. Chris Maxey, the founder, led the way!

After breakfast we drove out to the 4^th Hole (an old resort golf course) and snorkeled through the magnificent coral reef. We saw a variety of colorful fish other incredible organisms, including fairy basslets (like the ones in our fish tank back home!).

Later in the day we learned how to identify fish based on their mouth, body, and fin shapes. Using this new information, we took the boats out to snorkel at “Some Ting to See.” There, we saw many different creatures, including: a queen angelfish, an eel, a squirrelfish, and a queen triggerfish. The lessons we learned during the fish identification helped us better identify what we were seeing.

After a great turkey dinner, our group learned about the research project that we will be working on for the duration of our stay at the Island School. Liz Slingsby, one of our staff members, taught us all about conch and the surroundings that affect them. During the trip, we will be surveying numbers of conch and identifying things that effect how they live.

We had a long and fun-filled day of snorkeling and learning, and then Ms. Post taught all of us how to make Turks Head bracelets. Although it proved to be a challenging task, most of us powered through and now have a fabulous new accessory for our wrist or ankle!

                Everyone looks forward to learning about conch in depth and using what we have learned to make our experience here in Eleuthera even better.

- Mac & Lauren

Long fun day yesterday with a late night, 2 blog posts will be here tonight!

Snorkeling!

We were awoken by the glorious sunrise as it twinkled off the early morning rainbow.

Because of our previous travel day, we were given the opportunity to sleep in, and many of us took advantage of this extra sleep. After a delicious breakfast we headed off into the vast ocean to experience the wonder of snorkeling!  We started off close to the school, witnessing shoals of snappers and a very stealthy stingray. For many of us it was our first time snorkeling, and it is an experience we will never forget. We transitioned into shallower waters after lunch, and explored the magnificent marvel that is the majestic mangrove. 

The mangroves provide an important ecosystem to the Bahamas, and are something many people take for granted. After this venture, we were able to go out on our own explore the school. Some of us checked out the Marina, while others took time to relax and plunge into the water once again. 

After a fantastic dinner of tasty tacos, we played games at the sustainable Hallig House, took our first nightly quiz, and eventually adjourned to our dorms to earn a well-deserved rest. 

Goodnight!
-Joe & Chase

Travel day-- we made it!

After a 4 am start, 3 flights, and a van ride, here we are on Eleuthera at The Island School! 

We made it through the entire travel ordeal without losing anyone and with no major delays! The plane rides went smoothly with the exception of a few screaming infants on our last flight.  We were introduced to a few aspects of the school and will learn more tomorrow. 

This includes military showers (1 minute total of water per person per day) as well as the dish crew duties before and after meals.  There is a common space between the girls’ and boys’ dorms in which we can play ping-pong and relax.  There are many porches and windows to enjoy the sea and its breeze at any time of day! The downfall is the bugs…we have met many already including the 2-inch monster cockroach and the bat moth.   Tonight we participated in a few team-building activities as a part of our introduction.  This included acting out our spirit vegetables and a name game so that the Island School staff, Kenzie and Liz, could get to know us.

Goodnight!

-Julia & Jenny

December 5th- Eve of Adventure!

Greetings from exotic Gates Mills, Ohio!

The last few days we have been preparing for our trek to Eleuthera in the Bahamas! There we will study marine life in a hands-on approach! To get ready for the Bahamas, we have expanded our knowledge on a variety of topics. We dissected a squid (whose smell still lingers through the school), learned about invertebrate marine animals and marine mammals. We have also learned the names of numerous birds and fish to be able identify them on the spot during our stay.

We also had a large discussion on the environment! We did a mock International Whaling Commission conference where we each represented different countries and after voted to continue to uphold the whale moratorium. There were compelling arguments on each side, some to allow whaling for food and economic purposes; others argued that we needed to continue protecting whales!

Unfortunately, the class had to say goodbye to a very important family member. Rest in peace little guy! We hope you are swimming in a better place now.

It is one thing to learn about marine science from inside the classroom and another to learn about it through immersing ourselves in the environment. Overall, the entire class is very excited for the Bahamas! The rest of the school appears to be very jealous! We are finishing last minute details and getting ready to wake up at four in the morning to begin our journey to Eleuthera!

Xoxo, The Bahamas Crew (Ali & Mary)