After starting our day with a pancake breakfast, we hopped onto the truck and headed to North Point. We hiked over rock, through water, and through small beaches to reach our destination. There was a fairly clear sky and it was around 83°F – perfect snorkeling weather. After we unloaded our gear and accessed our surroundings, we headed into the seagrass beds to explore the habitat and the organisms who call it home.
Before we even reached the water, many had noticed the unique sand of the location. For the first time, we learned about Homotrema ruburum: a protist responsible for the lively purple and pink tint in the sand. While searching the sand, a sea cucumber and mole crab were discovered. The sea cucumber was a favorite for many as we were able to not only see it but hold it. This set the excitement for the day as we began to snorkel out and explore the seagrass.
While this environment may look boring to some, there are many interesting organisms hidden within the thick beds of seagrass. We were able to observe Queen Trigger fish lingering around conch shells buried in the sea grass. After observing these Queen Triggers up close, many were startled into the conch shells and hid from our view. We were surprised to find several Queen Triggers in the seagrass as we are used to seeing them in reefs. There were also several different species of algae along with two species of seagrass. We had to swim slowly and look carefully to spot these unique species. We were even able to spot a small, brown Sea Anemone and a Donkey Dung Sea Cucumber was found at the edge of the seagrass bed. There were crabs found as well, one of which was a red and white-striped hermit crab that scurried across our fingers as we took turns holding it while heading back to shore.
We hiked back to the truck and returned to the GRC for lunch. We were happily surprised with an American favorite – cheeseburgers and fries. After lunch we were able to take a short break before heading to our next destination. Some grabbed their gear and some grabbed their notes for a relaxing trip to Monument Beach. This was a “free afternoon” and many took advantage of the time to study for the upcoming exam while cooling off in the ocean.
Around 3:30pm we headed back for the GRC but stopped in town for quick shopping and treats – which is always a favorite. Once back at the GRC, we got cleaned up and ready for dinner which consisted of salad, beef roast, veggie lasagna, mixed veggies, potato wedges, and cake. With about two hours left before our exam, most of us studied as a group in our classroom while some caught up on sleep.
7:30pm finally came and we were ready for our first exam. Our field-books were collected and we took our exam. Once we were done, some of us stayed in the classroom to watch a movie while others went to hangout with friends. Even though many were stressed about the exam, we made it through together and enjoyed the sunny day.
Jessica Dickson ‘19 and Jennifer Knisley ‘18