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

Today, my day began with the sun gently painting the sky at 7 am. A delicious breakfast fueled my excitement for the underwater adventure awaiting me. Joined by my scuba diving buddy, Ana, we submerged ourselves into the ocean’s embrace, reaching a depth of approximately 20 meters. The underwater realm unfolded before us, revealing a mesmerizing tapestry of life – vibrant corals, intricate sponges, and fish gracefully moving in their watery abode.

For 35 around minutes, we marveled at the ocean’s wonders before resurfacing at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab. The day’s exploration continued with lunch, followed by a deep dive into scientific names, expanding my understanding of the marine ecosystem.

I love this picture because I look very intimidating

Eager to experience more, I embarked on a snorkeling escapade to my beloved mangroves. There, I surrendered to the tranquility, watching anemones “dance” in the water and colorful fish play hide-and-seek amidst the roots. A sense of serenity enveloped me.

Sun anemones dancing in the water

I ventured closer to the reef. To my delight, I stumbled upon a majestic being – a Caribbean reef octopus. In a moment of pure connection, the intelligent creature lingered beside me. Swiftly, I captured a snapshot, preserving the memory before it gracefully vanished into the rocky sanctuary.

The most beautiful creature  [Editor note: I think this is one of the best pictures (octopus or otherwise) we’ve ever had in this class !]

What a splendid day of underwater exploration, filled with vibrant life, breathtaking scenery, and the joy of encountering nature’s intelligent marvels!

Natalia.

The stress is high here at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab, as our species identification exam is quickly approaching. Everyone has been studying very hard to get a good grade, but all of us are still scared. As ordered by the professors, though, we have all been trying to relax as much as possible to not let anxieties get too high. As I have been studying outside everyday with some classmates and the cats, the snorkel adventures have also continued. Yesterday, Dr. Peterson took the snorkelers over the reef crest before breakfast and it was literally like entering another universe. We got to see things we’ve never seen before and watching both the sunrise above water and the sights under water were unreal!

Colby Jack the cat, as named by some of us, supporting me in my species identification studies.

Snorkeling at sunrise past the reef crest and finding a West Indian Sea Egg

Ready for another great snorkel!

Later in the day, some of us took a walk on the boardwalk that went right along the water. This morning, Rose and I went on a morning snorkel, the last one before the exam, and we had the most amazing meal for lunch… spaghetti and meatballs of course! After taking the last lecture quiz, the class has been fitting in some last minute naps and studies before the test, in addition to laying out in the sun. We are all excited to finish up this exam and get ready to go to the waterfall and into town tomorrow!

Pierogi Paxton

Today was the day of our two species identification exams (a photo ID exam and a practical ID exam in the wet lab), so I spent the majority of my day studying and getting prepared. Unfortunately, my studying was made impossible by this weird furry fish that sat on my notebook? Very strange.

The weird furry fish that stopped me from studying.

After a long day of work, and after the two exams were completed, I had my first night snorkel with a few friends. During this snorkeling trip, I was able to see many creatures I would not otherwise see during the day. We were able to see a massive spiny lobster, two yellow stingrays, a spotted eagle ray, and several nudibranchs. However, my favorite sighting of the day was a stunning red and blue octopus we spotted on our way back to the dock. It was understandably very afraid of us, so the only pictures we captured of it were unfortunately very blurry.

The octopus trying to evade us.

After finally conquering our first two exams, seeing these creatures felt very rewarding. I’m incredibly excited for more to come.

-Extra-Cheese Emilie

Another amazing day in Discovery Bay in the books! After a delicious breakfast, we set out to dive at M1. I went in a small group with Dr. Peterson in an attempt to complete our 100 ft deep dive for my Advanced Open Water certificate. The dive started amazingly, as I saw a huge eagle ray right at the beginning. Unfortunately, it was too far away for me to get a photo of, but it was an incredible sight regardless. The dive didn’t go exactly as planned, as one of our group struggled to equalize and had to ascend early. Still, I got all the way down to 75ft, the deepest I have ever been! We saw a number of incredible species, such as Flamingo Tongue, Creole Wrasse, and Fairy Basslet. The other group, led by Dr. Warren, killed a number of invasive Lionfish too. After the dive, we dissected some of the larger Lionfish. I even got to take a picture with one of the Lionfish!

Here’s a picture of me holding one of the smaller Lionfish!

After Dr. Peterson’s afternoon lecture on Ecological Thought, we spent the rest of the afternoon working on species identification, getting our total really close to 120. The class has flown by so far, but with over a week left, there’s still so much to do!

Serena

Today was a fun-filled day that included some great scuba and snorkeling sessions. After our group breakfast, the divers went to a dive called M1. Sadly, I did not have my camera with me on this dive, but we saw many cool things, including moray eels, flamingo tongues, and lionfish. I even had the chance to spearfish some lionfish which are invasive species in Jamaica, but I sadly missed him and he got away. Despite this, it was still really cool trying something new like this.

Later in the day, I went out snorkeling and found some cool fish too. The highlight was this giant balloon fish that I had to chase around for three minutes to catch. When I finally caught up to him, he went under a cave I could peek in and there was a Caribbean Spiny Lobster in there! It was too dark for me to photograph, nonetheless, it was a great find. We are a week away (I think) from the end of this amazing trip and I know that there are still more fun surprises and new species of fish I will soon find.

One of the pictures of the balloon fish I found as he was swimming away from me.

-Dr. Pepper Dan

oday is now the 5^th day in Jamacia and so far, it has been incredible, a much-needed change of pace from the classic school setting. Being able to snorkel around the entire reef practically at any given free moment is amazing and something I have tried to take full advantage of. So far, I have snorkeled about 2-3 times a day trying to explore all areas of the reef surrounding the lab. This is the first time I have been to the Caribbean since 2014 and certainly the first time I will be able to vividly remember the experience. Being able to see the reef and all the creatures living in it has been awesome it feels like a scavenger hunt to try and find as many different creatures looking in all the nooks and crannies for life. Taking pictures underwater has been challenging as it is a new skill to learn and something I wish to get better at in the future. I wish my camera battery lasted much longer than it currently does as I could be out there for hours upon hours on one snorkel session just exploring.

Learning to put on my gear and use it was mostly seamless besides my mask fogging up on the first day. Otherwise, I have taken to the water like a fish. One notable moment today snorkeling I got the pleasure to see a sea turtle swim by in deeper water near the lab, only to be startled moments later by what I believe to be a giant barracuda swimming off in the distance. As someone who enjoys to fish this was both a cool experience and saddening moment that I don’t have a rod and reel not that sad but always in the back of my head ha-ha. The actual process of learning to id the creatures and learn the scientific names have been challenging as many of these fish/ coral/ invertebrates / plants are foreign to me but it has not been completely unenjoyable. Another aspect of this trip that is foreign to me is having roommates this is the first time I have ever had to live with people I don’t know. So far, we all have all gotten to know each other and we get along well, and it has been stress-free.

Getting 3 meals a day cooked for us is another enjoyable aspect of this trip. Today we just got told what we will be doing as far as contributing to one of the ongoing science experiments which this will finally be my first-time having hands on experience in the field with research and it is exciting to be able to be a part of that. Looking forward to continuing the rest of the trip with a positive outlook and enjoying this weather that I must wait all year for back home especially since it may snow from what I’m hearing. I have had a couple of other favorite moments finding cool creatures, but a lot of pictures came out blurry. I have considered myself lucky up until this point to be able to be a part of this class.

One of the first large animals I spotted on the trip close by the lab scared me when I Initially saw it.

One of my favorite fish in the area and this one was kind enough to stay still and allow me to get a clear picture.

Easily one of the best parts of the trip to be able to wake up to this view every morning.

-Jaden

On day 7 of snorkeling in Jamaica, the transformation from my hesitant start on day 1 was remarkable. In the initial days, grappling with malfunctioning snorkel gear and acknowledging my limitations as a swimmer posed many challenges in reaching the reef crest. This struggle not only impeded my ability to navigate effectively but also restricted the diversity and quantity of species I could find. But now, the spectrum had broadened significantly. The reef was a tapestry of diversity, showcasing massive starlet corals standing tall, intricate brain corals nestled among vibrant finger corals, and the mesmerizing yet cautionary fire corals. Schools of parrotfish, angelfish, and colorful wrasses danced among the corals. The unidentified plant species added an air of mystery, their unique shapes and hues captivating our attention, prompting discussions and speculation among our group as we marveled at the sheer abundance and variety thriving beneath the surface. Here are some of the cool things I’ve seen so far:

Peacock flounder spotted by Tim and me.

Queen Conch spotted by Tim.

Balloonfish spotted by me.

Despite the breathtaking beauty, this experience has been challenging, pushing me well beyond my comfort zone. Confronting my fear of the ocean was a hurdle I needed to overcome, and though it’s been a rough couple of days, the sheer diversity of over 120 species of plants, fish, and invertebrates has been both awe-inspiring and overwhelming. Trying to memorize the scientific and common names of these numerous species has been daunting. It’s been a mental workout, and truthfully, I haven’t felt confident about my grasp on the course material. However, I’m striving to maintain a positive outlook, embracing each encounter as a chance to learn and grow, even amidst the uncertainty and occasional discomfort.

-Ariana

Yesterday was an exciting day for me. In the morning after breakfast, I went out snorkeling with a couple of friends. The waters were exceptionally calm making for clear views. We decided to visit the section of the reef by the mangroves.

A picturesque view of the calm waters off the dock.

As I snorkeled towards our destination, I excitedly spotted a Long-Spined Sea Urchin with had eluded me during my past snorkeling trips. Reaching the area near the mangroves, a huge diversity of organisms greeted me. The sunlight penetrated the water and made rainbows appear on the seafloor. A few brave fish stayed out in the sunlit waters, but most huddled under the protective shading of the reef. Venturing deeper into the mangrove roots the water became shaded. I could feel a noticeable dip in water temperature. The various crevices in the area were full of organisms. Midway through my trip among the mangrove roots I found a small group of Houndfish.

Some Houndfish (Tylosurus crocodilus) found among the roots of mangroves.

Further in and by squeezing through a small opening I found a small “cave”. There  many species of Damselfish guarding their territory peered back at me. As I was exiting, I saw a Damsel with a bite taken out of its side. The poor fish lost a fight.

­A Red Land Crab (Gecarcinus ruricola) scampering along the mangroves.

I’m excited for what another day snorkeling in Jamacia.
• Mooncake Michelle

We have been here for 4 days now. I woke up at 4 am for the flight, and 7 am every day since then for breakfast. It’s the earliest I’ve consistently woken up in a very long time but it’s been so fun I don’t want to miss a second. As I am typing this we are discussing snorkeling tomorrow at 6:30 to hopefully see some organisms that aren’t common during the day. The first day we snorkeled, my underwater camera flooded and broke so I couldn’t get a picture of the only spotted eagle rays I’ve seen so far. It’s been sitting in rice for 2 days now. Julia has been nice enough to let me borrow one of her 3 cameras (she came very prepared for this trip, also bringing ID books which have been extremely helpful).

I’ve never had roommates before but everyone here is so nice and I consider us all friends. It’s great having 3 roommates that scuba dive because I’m not certified yet. I’m learning about what they do, how they do it, and organisms they can see deeper than I do snorkeling. We have been snorkeling everyday, at least twice a day, in order to identify as many plants and animals we possibly can. We stayed up late last night in the conference room studying their scientific names, until the Canadian professor gave us a pep talk. We were reminded it’s not all about memorizing, but actually learning. After leaving we played with the marine lab’s stray kittens for a little while. Today after breakfast I took an hour to work on our ID project then went out snorkeling. Immediately I saw a cushion sea star (oreaster reticulatus).

A cushion sea star (oreaster reticulatus) very close to the dock

Jaden and I wanted to snorkel beyond the reef crest but we couldn’t find the path. When we noticed the time we had 20 minutes until lunch. We quickly swam back to find chicken nuggets and mac and cheese waiting for us. The food has been amazing and so is everyone who works here.

My goal was to find a sand dollar. My new goal is to find a live one

An invasive Lionfish sleeping on coral

– Kiwi Kristina