Though we are in Jamaica, we are not really on “island time.” So far, our days have been packed with activities, from snorkeling to listening to lectures and, for myself and three other students, taking SCUBA training. Though it is busy there has not been a dull moment so far. I have seen amazing things snorkeling, like a lionfish, an invasive species that Dr. Dayne Buddo, the DBML chief scientific officer and our dive instructor, has spent much of his career focusing on. Mangrove root habitats, patch reefs, and even “the blue hole,” a deep lagoon in the middle of the back reef, are all environments we can access right behind our dorm rooms. Today, I spent much of my time in a beautiful pool working on my confined dives for SCUBA training. Among other things, we worked on recovering our breathing regulator after it falls out of our mouth, putting on and clearing our masks after they have filled up with water, and learning how to become neutrally buoyant in the water (which looks a lot easier than it is.) So far, I am having a great time on this trip and look forward to more to come.

A pool with a view.

– Emma