Friday morning offered a new and exciting opportunity for Tori and Kaiya to step into the education side of DCP’s mission. After watching Kel lead information sessions for eco-tours and school groups throughout the summer, it was our turn to step up and take the lead. We did some preparation, then biked over to the Sea Crest where we met up with this week’s eco-tour group. On top of it being our first DCP presentation, we had the added element of utilizing a translator as we were presenting to a group of native French speakers. It was so interesting to hear our own words and DCP’s research in a different language! The guests were curious and animated about the information that we were sharing, making our job easy and enjoyable. It was a wonderful learning experience for us and, we hope, for the guests as well!
After a brief lunch at the apartment, we biked back to the Sea Crest for the 2 pm boat departure. Our first stop of the day was at Bimini Road for a brief snorkel. We saw some squirrelfish, Bermuda chub, parrotfish, and sergeant majors while cooling off in the clear water. The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully as we searched the somewhat choppy water for signs of dolphins. At one point Captain Audley spotted a large tiger shark! It was swimming peacefully at the surface, allowing us to get a good view before it traveled deeper into the water. After more searching, and a much needed swim break, Tori saw dorsals in between the waves! Soon we had three adult spotted dolphins riding our bow. An underwater encounter was attempted, but the dolphins were more interested in the boat than the swimmers. Back on board and headed for home, we enjoyed the peaceful sun as it sank towards the horizon, marking the end of another great day in paradise. We are excited yet saddened for tomorrow as it brings our final boat trip.
Until then,
Kaiya, Tori, & Kel