So when this blog posts, the class will (hopefully) be in the air on our way back to NY (and/or other final destinations).  While none of us are prepared for the 50-60 F temperature drop that the forecast is suggesting, the instructors do want to thank this year’s class for another adventure under (and above) the waters here in Jamaica.

We’ve taught this class for more than a decade and a half and each trip is similar in some ways, and different in others.  But it’s never a dull time.  It’s very rewarding as an educator to read the student’s blog posts and see their thrill and excitement after sampling what field research in the marine sciences can be like.

I think this photo does a nice job of capturing how amazing our classroom is and what the student (I think it’s Paxton, but can’t see the fins clearly) experience is like in Jamaica for this course. [Ed note: Kristina says it’s her, not Paxton.  My bad!]

Stay tuned for next year’s adventure and follow the class instagram account (@tropical.stonybrook) where the students 10 best photos will be appearing over the next couple of weeks.

Profs. Warren and Peterson

Yesterday was our second to last full day here in Discovery Bay, and it sure was a busy one. I woke up at 5:45 so that I could have my dive gear ready by 7:00, when we departed the Marine Lab via boat to dive and snorkel at nearby Rio Bueno. While the site has experienced some significant bleaching, and the water was a bit turbid due to recent rainfall, it was still magnificent. We dove along a wall over a deep drop off. The healthy corals were beautiful, and we saw dozens of my new favorite reef fish, the Fairy Basslet (Gramma loreto).

Here’s the best picture I took of the Fairy Basslets. I did my best but they’re REALLY tiny.

After the dive, we had our breakfast, then Dr. Peterson took the other graduate students and I out to the back of the reef crest to carry out video transects and photo quadrats. By the time we were done, it was already lunch time. Afterwards, Dr. Peterson took me out diving behind the reef crest to work on my navigational and search and recovery skills for my Advanced Open Water certificate. I aced the navigation on my first try, but it took me a little longer to complete my search and recovery. Still, since we were in such shallow water, I had plenty of air left. So, Dr. Peterson and I were able to explore the reefs to the east of the Marine Lab. This wound up being my favorite dive so far. We saw dozens of massive, healthy reef fishes, plenty of corals and anemones, and even saw a Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari), which is still my favorite fish to see on a reef (sorry Fairy Basslets). While I neglected to bring my camera, I did capture a Spotted Eagle Ray on camera while on a night snorkel a few days ago.

Here’s the ray I found the other day. We spotted it near the edge of the Blue Hole.

Sounds like enough excitement for one day, right?
No.
Right before Dr. Peterson brought me out for my diving skills, he informed me that I, along with the other students here working on their AOW certificates, would be taking the AOW written test after dinner. SO, I dedicated the rest of my afternoon to studying. After dinner, my hard work was rewarded with a passing grade on the test! I then met up with my group for Dr. Warren’s transect analysis assignment, and spent the rest of my night editing. Even though this was far and away the longest day of the trip for me, I can honestly say it was probably my favorite.

-Serena

Today was an exhilarating day of scuba diving, as I plunged into underwater world. Armed with my underwater camera (cellphone) and data recording equipment, I marveled at the sea organisms. The day brought a challenge as the ocean currents decided to put up a bit of a fight. Despite the tussle against the strong current, I persevered. I took many videos and pictures for my new Ocean related Instagram. It was a morning filled with breathtaking sights, a touch of adventure, and the satisfaction of recording the wonders hidden beneath the waves.

Later in the day I was studying for the practical exam and suddenly I got a dizzy feeling in my head, so I had to tell my professors about the situation. They took very good care of me, and Dr. Peterson took me to St Ann hospital where I got medicine and fluids. We spent a long 8 hours there but luckily I’m feeling much better now and hope to be back at my 100% so I can keep exploring the ocean.

A very cute “smiling” coral.

Tubular thicket algae on top of encrusting coral.

My scuba buddy Tim, recording transect data.

-Nutter Butter/ Octopus whisperer Natalia.

All of us woke up a little earlier than usual today to go to a new snorkel and dive site called Rio Bueno. Although most people felt tired as they were getting their gear together, I was pumped and excited to put all of my stuff together as I had a bet with Dr. Warren that I could get all of my gear together on a boat within 10 minutes. The results of this bet were controversial as there was a lot of sabotage from Dr. Warren whether that be distracting me, blocking my way, or even moving my gear. I initially thought I had won the bet as I had put my fins, snorkel, and my entire bc on a boat, but one of my fins was moved to another boat without me knowing it. After giving it some thought, we decided that it didn’t matter which boat I put my gear in, and how many boats I could use wasn’t specified either so technically speaking all of my gear was on the boats, but that’s just me. [Ed note: this is true, only Dan believes he won the bet.]

After a boat ride, we finally made it to the site where everyone got their gear on and in the water. It was cool to start our dive with all of the snorkelers as the last time everyone was close to each other in the water was on the first day here in Jamaica. The dive was really cool and was my first one that was a wall which although it was very easy to accidentally be deeper than you want, I did a great job (I think) of staying no deeper than 60 feet. [Ed note: Dan did a very good job on this dive.] There was a really big moray, a lionfish, and a bunch of what I think are sharpnose puffers which were my highlights of this dive. After we got back to the boats, I still had a good amount of air left so I was able to swim around in the snorkel site and found some cool elkhorn coral structures.

A big and scary moray eel (photo creds to Julia)

A cool flamingo tongue on a sea fan

-Dan

Earlier in the week, we finally got to visit Ocho Rios, as well as Dunn River Falls! The experience was awesome and one I will never forget. On the bus ride up to Dunn’s River Falls, Julia was kind enough to lend me her GoPro with a chest strap so I could record myself climbing the falls. With the GoPro in hand and a plan to reach the top with Dan, when we finally got there, we climbed the waterfall as fast as we could.

Unknowingly, we took some of the easier routes on the falls and climbed it at first in about fifteen minutes, essentially leaving the class behind. Waiting at the top for the rest of our classmates, we decided to check out the beach area, which was right at the base of the falls. Leading up to the beach, I sprinted past my group and dove into the water, as I have at many other beaches, and I think I sparked an idea in my group as they all shortly followed, which in classic Jamaica fashion, the water was clear and warm. After meeting up with the rest of the class to snap a quick picture in the water, we decided to climb back up the waterfall. It took some convincing for Dan to climb back up the waterfall, but it was a decision he did not regret, as now we did it with the rest of the class.

Upon my second climb up the waterfall, this time I did not climb it nearly as quickly due to an almost disastrous situation and a genius idea sparked by Professor Warren to climb up what is known as the fire hydrant. The fire hydrant is essentially a part that is steep, and there is a ton of water crashing down, meaning it needs to be done blindly. The aforementioned disastrous situation that almost occurred had nothing to do with my physical well-being but the question of how secure my shorts were onto my body. To put it simply, if luck were not on my side, my shorts may or may not have left my body due to the tons of water crashing down on me. Thankfully, in the end, it worked out, and no one was scarred, I hope. In the end, I did not make it up this part of the waterfall. [Ed note: Neither did either instructor…]

Ocho Rios was a great time. Although it was limited, it was nice to see some of the town and how life differed from that of back home. We had a nice lunch at a place called Reggae Alley and did a little shopping around for some souvenirs. Later in the week was the start of the research project, which was cool to finally be able to conduct some field research because at this point, we spent a lot of time learning the names of the organisms, and to put that knowledge to use was rewarding in its own sense.

Another highlight of this trip for me was the fish gods were not on my side while out night snorkeling. For the story’s sake, let’s say about a 5-foot-long barracuda weighing about 50–60 pounds (not to be confused with a one and a half to two-foot needlefish weighing about 10–15 pounds) leaped out of the water and attempted to bite my face off because it thought I was food, as I was carrying a light, leaving me with war wounds and a massive scar on my face, which is totally an accurate story and people can back me up on this.

There are many other stories that were made on this trip that I will be telling people for a long time that I personally think are hilarious and it was well worth being a part of. Anyway, coming up to the end of this trip, it is sad that we all must go back to the cold weather. Still, this has easily been one of my favorite classes during my time at Stony Brook, and I’m looking forward to ending this trip with other funny stories and cool memories.

Almost needed to become a mummy to save my beautiful face but thankfully Neosporin exists. I’m not sure professor Peterson and Warren were convinced it was a barracuda though.

Moments before the almost most embarrassing/ funniest moment during the whole trip.

-Jaden

All of our exams are finally over as of last night, so now we can focus all of our attention and energy on our projects for Dr. Warren. Today our group finished collecting all of our data. We swam all the way out to the back reef to do two transects. The fish and urchin counts were relatively easy to do, but measuring bottom cover was quite difficult because the transect we used measured meters on one side and feet on the other. The feet side was the side always facing upward which made collecting data overly annoying. When one of my group partners finished collected data, she lifted her head from the water and said “that sucked” which is an accurate discription of how it felt to collect data on bottom cover.

After lunch the grad students met with Dr. Peterson to discuss our project, which includes measuring fish sizes and coral beaching using transects. The stero camera we wanted to use hasn’t been working, so the data hasn’t been as good as we were hoping for. Because of wind conditions, we’ve also lost two days to go out and collect data, which means we don’t have time analyze the data like we originally planned, which is sad. But Dr. Peterson walked us through what we would’ve done and assured us our data would be analyzed, just not by us.

We had a quick group meeting to discuss the plan for the next few days, then spent the day enetering data into spreadsheets and analyzing data. Most of the analysis was done a litter after dinner, so tomorrow we will be finishing that up and starting our report!

Here’s a photo I took a few days ago of a Flying Gurnard

-Claire

As day 11 dawned upon our snorkeling expedition in Jamaica, the memories of our exhilarating experiences lingered. The journey to Duns River Falls was a highlight, a cascade of sheer beauty where we indulged in the thrill of climbing up the mesmerizing waterfall, followed by unwinding on the pristine beach nearby. Ocho Rios, a bustling town, greeted us with its vibrant energy. Driven by determination to taste Jamaica’s iconic drink, the Bob Marley, I eagerly searched and indulged while also exploring for delightful souvenirs to preserve the memories.

A day of adventure and relaxation

Amid our Jamaican escapade, the nights unveiled a new dimension of adventure through night snorkeling—an experience I hadn’t anticipated. Initially hesitant due to apprehensions about the limited visibility in the darkness, joining a group for these excursions made all the difference. Surprisingly, the night snorkels offered a richer tapestry of marine life than the daytime, a delightful revelation that added a thrilling edge to the journey. The camaraderie and shared excitement among the group transformed the night snorkeling from manageable to immensely enjoyable. It was an empowering realization that sometimes, diving into the unknown with companions can unveil wonders beyond expectations.

Sea slug spotted by Julia.

Yellowtail Sting Ray spotted by Julia and me.

Balancing our underwater escapades, we took some time to bask in the Jamaican sun for a few hours, reveling in the warmth and soaking up the island vibes. Tanning on the grass, our group found solace in each other’s company, vibing to music, and engaging in lively conversations. These moments of relaxation in the sun became a cherished interlude, punctuating our days with laughter.

While the days melded into the research project, our initial struggles mirrored the murky waters we navigated in the first few days. Poor visibility and an exam happening simultaneously initially fragmented our group’s focus as each member grappled with varying priorities. Yet, as the project progressed, so did my comfort in the open waters. The once unfamiliar territory became a playground where I acquainted myself with the aquatic life, growing more at ease with each passing day.

As the trip concludes, a mix of emotions fills the air. While I’ll miss the adventure and the newfound comfort in the ocean’s embrace, the longing for home pulls at my heartstrings. Reuniting with my family and the excitement of seeing my three beloved dogs again sweeten the farewell. Jamaica’s mix of beauty and challenges has carved unforgettable memories into my mind, making this journey a cherished chapter of growth and discovery.

Ariana

Dr. Pepper Dan holding onto his afternoon snack

Yesterday, Dr. Pepper Dan went diving and was able to “almost” spear some lionfish. He brought two descent sized lionfish back to show the snorkelers and give them to the kitchen. [Editor’s note:  Dan has yet to successfully shoot a lionfish.  These were shot by an unnamed class instructor.] Rumor has it, hes really looking forward to his afternoon snack. During our lectures we learn lionfish are an invasive species and can easily prick and sting you! So watch out.

Morning snorkel to collect data for transect research project

This morning, Michelle and I went on a morning snorkel to collect data for our transect research project. This project is meant to see the grazing pressure that fish and sea urchins have on Discovery Bay. We accomplished this by measuring the abundance of 3 types of fish species being Acanthurids, Scarids, Damselfish and 3 types of sea urchins being Diadema, Tripneustes, Lytechinus in a 15 m transect line. We also had to map the ground data as well. This was a big pain in the butt. Especially if the winds picking up and waves are getting bigger. You are constantly getting tossed around. Michelle and I still had a blast, no matter what the conditions were.

The sunrise from the water.

It feels as if we just got here, but in reality we only have 3 days left. I’m very excited to see my friends, family and most importantly my 3 dogs. I’m going to miss Jamaica and all the fun and new friends I’ve made here. It’s been a blast, and the food was EXCELLENT. Thank you to all the discovery bay marine lab staff (and professors) who have helped all of us on this interesting, complicated, jumble of joy we have gotten our self into. Ps sorry for spilling the coffee all over :).

– Skittles 🙂

Yesterday was probably the most stressful day out of the entire trip so far. An exam was scheduled for that evening. Unsurprisingly, stress levels were high. The day started out with an interruption to my plans. As my partner Sarah and I prepared to collect data for our project we found out there was not enough transects for everyone. Then Dr. Warren took our transect to give to a scuba diving group. Disappointed we waited for a transect to become available. About an hour later a transect was free to use. However, by the time we swam out to the data collection site the sea was rough. Each wave filled our snorkels preventing air circulation.

Equipment used for data collection. Waterproof paper and clipboard on the left. Transect with weight on the right.

After a long and somewhat painful data collection process we headed in for lunch. For lunch we had one of my favorite dishes, Jamaican patties. The patties came in a variety of different fillings. I had the traditional beef patty. The spiced beef in combination with the golden outside crust was wonderful. I also scored myself a left-over vegetable patty made with Callaloo a common vegetable found in the Caribbean.

With our bellies full a group of us went outside to study for our exam. We quizzed each other under the warm blue skies. There was also a group of vultures hanging out at the helicopter pad nearby. After an afternoon of studying, it was time for dinner and the exam. Hopefully the exam will be easy and tomorrow a smoother day.

Vultures gathering on the helicopter pad nearby where we were studying.

• Mooncake Michelle

My view near the top of Dunn’s River Fall’s

After a fun day in Ocho Rios it was time to start our research project. Or so we thought. Yesterday we got all the supplies and suited up to go snorkeling in order to collect data. Once we were in the water we realized it was way too disturbed to do anything sufficiently. We could barely see the bottom. Dr. Warren agreed it would have to be pushed off a day, and the water conditions would be better today. I took the rest of the day to study for our lab practical, in the sun of course.

Selfie during our outdoor study session

I have been trying to get as much sun as possible, dreading going back to 30 degrees, clouds, and possibly snow. This morning we went out right after breakfast and were able to sufficiently map the bottom. Once we finished we counted how many parrot, damsel, surgeon fish, and Diadema, Tripneustes, and Lytechinus or Echinometra we saw along the transect. Even though it was work I enjoyed it a lot. It was my first time collecting data or doing anything in the field related to marine science. For me, this trip is a big deciding factor whether or not I want to pursue it for a career. After today I believe I will enjoy doing field work and I’ll be looking for a related job/ internship when I get back to Long Island.

KODAK Digital Still Camera

Diadema NOT spotted in the grassbeds during our transects

-Kiwi Kristina