Yesterday was a rather momentous moment for us – we completed our ID exams, and although we have some other tests and projects left, I did feel relieved to get the exam done, and felt quite better than I expected to be after the test. With some time off, I was able to join Emilie and Serena for a night-time snorkeling session. We got to see some freaky worm-like creatures that had claws fitted on their heads, a lesser electric eel, and even an octopus, one of which I saw when trying to fish out a camera case screw out of the sand.

The water was too turbid, but the octopus was definitely there!

Today, the professors took us to the Dunn’s River Falls and Park and to the city of Ocho Rios. I made the mistake of not bringing my dive boots to the Dunn’s River but did achieve climbing through a section of the falls referred to as the “firehose”. At Ocho Rios, I grouped up with Claire, Serena, and Emilie for some lunch and walking around the city before we returned to the lab.

Our group from left to right: Serena, Royce (me), Emilie, Claire

It was nice to take a trip outside the lab for some free time, and with halfway through the course, I’m nervous but still excited for the rest of it – hopefully, we’ll do as well as we have in the first half!

Heading back to DBML

-Royce