This day began like every other, with a bright and early wake up at 6:45 A.M. sharp. We then enjoyed a quick fruit breakfast before loading on the boat for our first dive. The first dive took place at a famous wreck called the Kittiwake. I had been looking forward to this dive for the entire week and was not dissapointed. The kittiwake is about 5 stories tall with many secret rooms and crevices great for fish and other creatures to hide in. On the wheel of the Kittiwake, I noticed a peculiar looking group of creatures within a piece of coral. These creatures looked similar to Christmas tree worms, a type of organism that lives inside a piece of coral and spreads its branch like limbs in the water to grab nutrients that had been spread by the current. However, this creature was a dark purple color and much larger than any Christmas tree worms that I had ever seen. Once I got back on the boat I researched this unique organism and discovered it is a type of worm commonly known as Sea Feather Worms. This interesting discovery captivated me as I had never before seen such an interesting creature make a home out of a shipwreck. We then swam our way to the surface and loaded once again onto the boat to head to our next dive spot. The next wreck we visited is called Doc Poulson wreck. This wreck actually took place about 70 years ago, allowing much more growth than the Kittiwake wreck. When we dropped down onto the wreck we were immediatly met with blossoming amounts of life. I saw a variety of different fish but one fish that really stuck out was a large lionfish. I discovered this fish hidden beneath a large boulder and recognized it like we did in class, by its crimson red and white colors as well as its large spines. Doc Poulson was one of the most peaceful dives I have been on this entire week and I honestly just felt very calm and free when gliding around the sunken ship. After our 30 minute dive, we loaded back onto the ship and drove back into the docks to have lunch. We were then picked up by our dive crew once again, and were brought to a small but popular beach to cleanup trash and waste left by residents and tourists. Of all the wild and disturbing trash that was picked up within our hour and a half cleanup period, the items that most stood out to me were the fragments of plastics that caked the sandy shore. It seemed like everywhere I looked their was a different piece of white, red, or blue plastic just waiting to be swept into the sea. This beach cleanup provided a real example of the things that were discussed in the documentary we watched a few days ago. It provided a physical example of human pollution that destroyed a once beautiful beach. The beach cleanup experience inspired me to take little steps in my own life to ensure that the environment is protected. After our beach cleanup, we headed back to the hotel for some downtime and dinner, we then finished up the day by discussing our plans for the prayer service tomorrow. Tomorrow is our last full day on the island and it is surreal that our entire trip is coming to an end. This week has gone by very fast and I hope to take everything I learn from it back to Texas and back to Jesuit.
