After a filling breakfast of pancakes and fruit, we all jumped right into either our photo identification projects or studying scientific names for the exams coming up in a few days. Learning the common and scientific names of 150 different species of plants, invertebrates and fish is no easy task, but we are all working hard to get it done. At 9:30, about ten of us were geared up and ready to explore the dive site: dairy bull. The purpose of the dive was to take more photos and videos to add to our identification projects. My project group decided I would focus on looking for new sponges and algae we hadn’t already identified. Take a look at this cool sponge I found:

This is an Orange Ball Sponge, its scientific name is Cinachyra sp.

My favorite thing to find during a dive is a flamingo tongue. Apparently there were a dozen on the dive, but I didn’t see any. Dr. Peterson and Dr. Warren teased me relentlessly for this. Next time I hope. Dr. Peterson was our dive leader, but he chose to go off on his own pretty early in the dive, so I got to practice my navigation skills. It did not go as well as I hoped.

After the dive it was time for lunch and a lecture from Dr. Warren about coral reef stressors. The rest of the day was spent identifying species. I didn’t quite finish mine, so I will be back at it tomorrow!.

-Claire