We woke to crashing waves and strong winds. The waves were washing over the mangrove roots near our cabins, and our cabins are on the east side of Anthony’s Key … the leeward side during the tropical storm that punched through last night to tonight. Not lots of rain, but lots of wind and seas that were crashing over the reef to the northwest of Anthony’s Key. The sound of the waves was almost deafening!
The seas meant zero underwater visibility and what became clear when we reached the water taxi stand was that the current was VERY strong, too. The current from the east was flowing west by the resort docks and vice versa from the west past Bailey’s Key. The channel through the cut between the two keys was a washing machine!
We spend time this morning reviewing natural and sexual selection and mating strategies and waiting for the wind to lessen. It did not. So, we went to Bailey’s Key after lunch for surface observation time. The taxi could not drop us at the taxi stand at Bailey’s because of the current … so we got out near where the trainers’ boat docks. Right after we stepped on to the dock, and balanced ourselves so as to not let the wind push us into the water, the rain started in earnest. We made our observations from the gazebo and discussed our respective research projects. Hopefully, we’ll be able to start some of our observations tomorrow …
The evening brought us to the fish ID lecture, which clarified several points about fish that we have seen and might again see. Tomorrow, assuming the weather improves (and it is supposed to tonight), we’ll have our first dolphin encounter and swim – when we get to meet the dolphins in person.
Cheers for tonight,
Kathleen, Amanda, Amber, Kristin, Sarah