Synopsis
From waking up on a cabin without an air conditioning system to diving 30 feet underwater to explore new species of fish and coral, the first day in the island of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands has been a wholesome introduction to what I’m expecting from this trip. Compared to the beaches in Texas, the Gulf of Mexico doesn’t offer the same quality as the Caribbean Islands. Apart from the panoramic view of the island, I had a great time diving in saltwater for the first time.
Discoveries
During my first dive at Great Dog Island, which was named after the monk seals that were thought to be dogs, I found many colorful species of fish such as pink parrotfish, lizard fish, and tobacco fish. Personally, I found my second dive to be more interesting since I saw more interesting animals like a nurse shark, a stingray, and a feather duster worm, which immediately retracted when my dive instructor snapped her fingers next to it.
Looking forward for…
I am most excited for the 30 to 45 minute snorkel dive that I’ll be doing tomorrow, since I was told our trip will include sea urchins, which I didn’t get to see during my first dives.
Favorites
My most favorite and most memorable part of the day was when I went to mass on the top of one of the mountains near the resort I’m staying at. One of the lectures the priest referred to was the analogy of the soil and a seed; we, as Jesuit students, are the soil, and our free will is the seed we will plant in this world through leadership and growth.
