Today went a little different than usual in that there was no diving. Instead, we took a taxi (Speedy’s) from the Olde Yard Village hotel after breakfast. We headed to Savannah Bay where we spent much of the day learning about identifying marine species, laying transect lines, and taking surveys of the reef and its species. This will be especially crucial for our Friday dive.
We alsospent a good part of the day snorkeling. I saw a variety of marine species including lizard fish, sea pearls (the largest single-cell algae), and snappers. I found taking good pictures underwater more difficult than I had expected. The staff also brought some animals to shore for us to observe and even hold. I got to handle urchins, arrow crabs, and nudibranchs and even helped release them back into the reef. I unfortunately didn’t think to take pictures while all of this was happening.
Later, we went to the national park named The Baths. Despite its name, it isn’t a collection of springs. It is, however, a collection of giant boulders that form small beach caves that we got to hike through. Once we reached a point called Devil’s Bay, I spent some time swimming and exploring the coves (as well as losing my sunglasses at sea).
We finished the day with dinner at Bath and Turtle (our Mexican night) as well as some time on this patio near the dock. Pictures were taken, a little dancing was done while the DJ played an assortment of songs and remixes, and it was overall a relaxing night.
I look forward to tomorrow’s two-tank dive along with more snorkeling in the afternoon! I plan to take a lot of pictures both above and below the ocean surface!
