Today marks the first full day of the course, and with it came our first two snorkeling trips in the bay. The first trip was taken following a short introduction to what organisms we should avoid touching while in the water, and during the swim we split into three groups each led by one of the professors. During this first outing, we were introduced to the different locations and zones of the reef and bay, and we were able to take our first observations on the marine life in the area. The highlights that I saw while on this swim include a ray and an eel. I have not yet been able to determine which species they are specifically, but I plan on being able to identify which each is soon.

Eel that my group spotted during the intro swim.

Ray that my group spotted during the intro swim.

Following the intro dive, we had a lecture, lunch, and then a shortened introduction to the wet lab. We were then given our groups for the presentations and released to take observations on our own for the afternoon. During this trip I found how difficult it can be to take photos of fish, with one example being a barracuda that while I was able to see I was unable to take a clear photo of. As for what I was able to capture, in addition to a lot of sessile organisms like anemones and sponges, I was able to take a picture of a polychaete that based off this morning’s mini lecture on dangerous organisms I would assume is a fireworm. [Ed: Yes, it’s a fireworm!]

The Polychaete that I spotted during the second outing

Overall I really enjoyed the snorkel trips, and am looking forward to tomorrow. In particular I am excited for the open water certification dives I and the other not yet certified divers will be taking.

John