Thursday was our first day out of water in a while. After a late start and breakfast at the teachers’ cabins, we headed out to ??? beach. We each received a trash bag and were instructed to clean up about a quarter of a mile stretch of the beach. To be frank, the place was in rough shape. Five or so other people and I spent the majority of our time around the gate entrance, and there was still trash present when we left. I found everything from shotgun shells, to toothbrushes, to a fishing lure; however, I must have found over a thousand bottle caps. Although the work was a little tiring, given the heat, the experience was still very meaningful. Seeing all the small, innocuous items on the shore made me realize the huge impact these items that I’d be quick to the throw in the water can make. The experience will definitely change my lazy tendencies to throw trash in the water. After a much needed respite, we had dinner at a restaurant called Mermaids, which was right on the beach. Followed by dinner was a slideshow/video presentation that really encapsulated the week. Seeing this made me realize how fortunate I was to go on a trip like this and how few schools can organize such a great experience. Casey also took pictures of us with our dive groups. Then, after desert, we said our final goodbyes to all but Andrea, Jeff, and Casey. We headed back to our cabins and concluded the night with a final few card games. After originally planning to stay up until 4, the time of departure the next day, I decided against it and chose to hit the sack early. In the morning, we finished getting ready, got on the bus, and headed down to the dock. Breakfast was waiting for us on the boat. Finally, after a quick boat ride, we arrived at the airport and readied ourselves for a long day of flying and a lot of sleep.
