It was 7:00 am, and the sound of crashing thunder and lightning
struck down onto campus. We looked out our window and saw heavy rain pouring
down onto the ground; however, in the Bahamas, a little rain doesn’t stop
anybody! We trudged through the deep
puddles across campus to reach a classroom where we were introduced to the
safety basics of scuba diving. Due to
the lightning and thunder, we were unable to complete our initial plan of
physically diving today, but we were still able to learn about the process of
scuba diving and how to become a safe diver for when we complete the dive later.
We learned to equalize our ears every few feet, critical communication skills
underwater, and how to operate scuba gear. After the lesson, we headed over to lunch,
trying to avoid getting drenched by the storm.
After breakfast, we ran back into our community space and were
fortunate to listen to Casey’s research project and background information
regarding rays. This presentation added
to our prior knowledge of rays…(thanks Mrs. Becker!) After this, we watched a documentary titled “Sharkwater”
which focused on the detrimental harms sharks are experiencing such as mass
illegal killings. Often times, these
killings stem from individuals cutting off the fins of sharks in order to make
shark fin soup, which is considered a delicacy for the wealthy in Asia. Before
we knew it, it was time for lunch, so we all headed back to the dining hall.
 |
| Casey teaching us all about her stingray research! |
After lunch, we gathered into vans and traveled to a remote beach location
to learn about marine debris as well as clean up the beach. In this discussion,
we learned about specifics to marine debris including how horrifically
microplastics, plastics less than 2.5 cm, as well as other forms of debris, effect
marine life. We found a large amount of trash, or what the Island School refers
to as resources, and used the NOAA survey sheet to record our findings. Once
all the resources were picked up, we were given the opportunity to swim and
explore the beach. We had so much fun hanging out with each other and helping the
community.
 |
| A beautiful beach that is unfortunately littered with a large amount of microplastics |
 |
| post-swim post-beach cleanup photo |
Upon arrival back to the Island School, the group sorted the debris
into separate categories. We did this because researchers at the school use pyrolysis,
to utilize all leftover resources and create something sustainable for the community.
It took a while, but we all were satisfied to know that we helped in the process
of creating something environmentally friendly.
Soon enough, it was time for dinner, and the sun was suddenly
shining bright. Our next activity was to
form groups of four and create a fire on the beach using only natural resources
and one match. This was a very hard
task, as each group had their flaws.
Ultimately, there were “no losers because everyone lost”-Galen (zero
successful fires). Despite the failed
attempts, we all gained knowledge on how to create an effective fire which will
be essential for our overnight camping trip.
 |
| While we weren't able to light our fires we at least had a lot of fun trying! |
To wrap up the night, the group gathered to review the schedule
for the following day and had time to reflect on the trip as a whole. Hopefully tomorrow’s weather will cooperate,
and we will be able to stick to the fun schedule Casey and Galen have planned
for us!
About to crash like the waves,
Meredith and Julia
No comments:
Post a Comment