Today was our busiest day yet! We not only visited 2 dive sites, but also the turtle center and completed a night snorkel. The 2 dive sites were amazing and I saw a few new species in addition to the common ones I saw yesterday. For example, underneath a coral wall overhang, I identified an enormous 2-3 foot gray angelfish by its gray color with yellow flecks along its body. My buddy and I also saw a barracuda swimming in the distance and lots of French grunts, which were extremely common during both of today’s dives but for some reason weren’t present yesterday. I also saw several Nassau Grouper, identified by its distinctive brown and white stripes. On these 2 dives, more so than yesterday’s, I noticed a lot more schools of fish, large groups of blue tang and parrotfish swimming right past me. These dive sites were brilliant and I look forward to seeing what’s in store tomorrow.
Next, we went to the Turtle Center. To be honest, I didn’t really like this experience that much. The center had mostly Green Sea Turtles along with a few Kemp Ridley sea turtles. The lagoon where you could swim with the turtles felt artificial and unclean, especially coming from crystal clear open reefs. You could also pick up the turtles, which I personally didn’t do, but when we came back many of my classmates were quick to point out the tiny enclosures that they were in, as well as the stress that may come from being constantly handled may cause their lethargy and unhealthy looks. Speaking of coming back, we had the debate over the ethics of Stingray City and by extension the Turtle Center. Both sides brought up strong points. I walked into the discussion without a particularly strong opinion. In the end, the general consensus seemed to be that Stingray City does more good than harm so long as it is properly regulated. I can’t wait to visit it tomorrow!
Finally, around 8:00 tonight, we went for a night snorkel off the dock. It was really amazing how different the area is at night. Some of the most interesting things we saw included an enormous tarpon and a lemon Ray. Snorkeling at night is a completely different experience; you are totally reliant on the light that your partner or yourself provides. As you are gluing in a large chain, whenever someone finds something interesting, they light it up for the entire group, creating a fun frenzy of activity to see it. Additionally, totally different species of fish are active at night compared to the day. The contrast between tonight’s snorkel and my first snorkel was impressive!
