Today’s blog is brought to you by Kayla and Aly! The day started off bright with only a few wispy clouds in the sky as we headed out to Rice Bay in the early morning. Upon arriving to our destination we suited up to explore the abundant sea grass covering the ocean floor consisting of both turtle and manatee grass. The turtle grass is much thicker while the manatee grass is very thin.
While exploring the sea grass, students were thrilled to stumble across a beautiful Red Hind fish and a slipper lobster among many other organisms. However, while chasing after all of the interesting aquatic life, we had to remain cautious of the large amount of hydroids in the water, which have a irritable stinging effect among contact. The most exciting find of the day occurred on the beach rather than in the water when several students stumbled upon a ghost crab. An interesting fact about this particular type of crab is that no matter which way you turn its body, the eyes remain focused on one spot.
was very hungry after a morning of snorkeling and we were all excited to have a traditional American meal of hamburgers and french fries. Halfway through lunch the weather took a quick turn from sunny and warm to heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning. The change in weather put a slight damper on our original plans of traveling to Memorial Beach for the second part of the day, but it also allowed for extra time for students to prepare for the impending test that night.
After lunch everyone took to their field and class notes to study for the exam. By 7:15 p.m. at the start of class all were fully prepared for what the professors planned to quiz us on. The stormy weather may have been beneficial today, but let’s all hope for a perfect day tomorrow as we travel to The Grotto, which according to JW is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world!