I Can Hang Here 6/30/15

"I can hang here!" as Olivia says is becoming my outlook on life for the next 3 weeks or even longer. Today was the first time in a long time that I have willingly begun to wake up at 6:30am (granted I don't think I am quite used to the time change yet). We woke up and had a lesson right after a tasty breakfast of French toast and apples. We are beginning to familiarize ourselves with the species that we are observing on the reefs. The more we are out there the more we are seeing and noticing more detailed differences and the smaller species as opposed to just being overwhelmed with giant hunky bits of coral and fish in your face (literally sometimes). We had two snorkeling trips this time; the first was further, directly offshore to home reef which was at a much greater depth and which I think I saw a greater variety of species. We were out for over an hour and I'm told that next week we will be out for around two hours at a time. Some species of note were the barracuda, flamingo tongue (a beautiful time of worm), balloon fish (a pointier looking puffer fish, and two species of algae. The first algae kind of looked like a giant pearl or shiny bubble and the other looked like a beautiful green, fuzzy rose.

Christmas Tree worms

"Under water roses" also known as a form of algae.

Flamingo tongue. Interestingly they feed on theses fans.

Branching coral

Leukenoid sponge

After we came in we had lunch and rested. It always feels like you are just floating along out there but then you try and walk and realize just how tired you are from your body burning lots of calories to keep your body temperature up. Lunch was a tasty salad affair which also included us journal-ing down the various species that we had observed.

Then, all of a sudden, while I was reclining in a hammock there was this almighty bang/cracking noise!! What do you know a coconut had just fallen from one of the nearby trees. Natalie quickly went to grab it and shook it hopefully. Sure enough there was liquid inside. We hailed down Adam, one of the TBR guys and he got a hole opened up for us and in no time we were all drinking the coconut water straight out of little, blue plastic straws. I felt like I was in an advertisement! When the water was all gone, it had gotten mixed reviews with mine as a thumbs up, Adam whacked it open with a machete and I got to taste for the first time ever fresh coconut meat. Yet another billboard-esque moment for me. The meat was touch to scrape out with our teeth but after a while you got used to it. You just had to be sure you didn't bite right through the shell. After our little snack it was time to head out again.

The second dive seemed really smooth, partially because it was so shallow and warm and partially as we learned later, because of the longshore current that was pushing us in the right direction. Right off the bat, Austin and I found a  bizarre looking "walking".... We continued to kick along and  the habitats that we got to observe in the southern direction were rockier and the fish seemed to use the rocky overhangs for hiding. Everywhere you looked the water was clear and beautiful. As you swam along it seemed as though you moved from hot tub-like waters to cool and almost chilly waters. One really cool thing we got to see was what Professor Gilchrist liked to joke was "Fan City" because of all of the fan corals that were attached to the rocks. It was an interesting view that looked like purple cabbages waving to and fro in an underwater gust of wind.

This dude named a flying gnar (I am not really sure how to spell it) was "walking" along the bottom of the ocean floor with what I assumed are modified pelvic or pectoral fins. There were so many appendages that I don't know what exactly the "legs" were. 

This little gem was the shiny piece of algae. 

The purple in this picture doesn't do it justice!

The urchins were everywhere!

I think this was a piece of fire coral but the general rule has been don't touch anything, especially things that are red, orange, or yellow. 

Diseased :(

I couldn't get a good shot at this guy/lady, but once again pictures don't do the vibrancy of the fish justice.  

There was a very large and very long rick that was covered in this stuff!

Welcome to....

FAN CITY!

Once we got out back from this snorkel after swimming against the longshore current we were all beat. Everyone either got out to get dressed, flopped onto the sand, or floated aimlessly around in the shallow water right at the beach trying to get Kona to chase rocks. I'm sitting now in my hammock hung up on our porch listening to the water and wind and feeling the sun gently hit my face through the leaves of the trees. Its a satisfying day.

I think that later we are going to have class, eat dinner, get my dive license checked so I can go diving at some point, and then keep resting. Everyday its so very important to recharge so we don't get burnt out. Off to take pictures and see the sunset!

First Snorkel 6/29/15

Snorkeling was amazing. Period. It really was. Getting out in the perfect temperature of water with it even cooler and refreshing further down. We saw so so so many different fish and coral. Definitely not as bright as national geographic but in volume there were a heck of a lot of them. There were fan coral to brain coral to anemones to brittle stars. The fist were the brightest of them all with the parrot fish in vibrant blues and greens. It was so so so wonderful to see all swaying beneath you. Every now and then you would get this trippy sense that the ground was moving out from underneath you and you were just stationary. Everyone was at a different level of comfortability with their snorkel gear. I am trying to get the divers together so we can get a good rate on diving costs for our tank and equipment rentals. This area where we are is now considered a diving destination for "younger people" as Dr. Gilchrist says.

The time that we had out on the water was like nothing I had ever seen. I had been in the kelp forests in California but never a place with coral everywhere. Sometimes it seemed as though it would be he same coral over and over but just when you would be thinking that a new species would pop up or swim out. I found that the closer I looked under the shelves the more I found. The following are pictures that I got:

Apologies for the blurry ones! I am trying to perfect the art of being still and focusing on something small!

After we came ashore with Dr. Gilchrist we would come in or go out for a little while longer. I stayed out to explore the southern half of the water and below the dock with Austin, Adam, and Thomas. It was really interesting to see what was attached to the dock as opposed to what we had seen on the other side. After we came in we all rinsed off, hung out, or rested until dinner. I got a couple of good pictures of people while others struggled to crack open coconut after coconut and while Kona the coconut crazy dog waited for the pieces to be thrown for her to fetch. Dinner was tiny burgers (roasted veggies for the veg. people) and home made potatoes fries. One thing I can definitely say is between hiking up and down the side of the mountain to our cabin and all the swimming we are doing there's a bonfire of calories!!

After dinner we had a small meeting about the background of Honduras and safety precautions that should be headed. Apparently much of the land is being transitioned from Honduran families who have had the land in the family for generations to non-Honduran ownership. The amount of money being offered for these areas is a promise of a better life and education for their children. Cayos Cochinos used to be called Plantation Beach Resort but since then has changed, though the remnants of the plantation are still visible. The island that we are on is set apart from many of our neighbors because it is not part of the volcanic circle that many of the others are part of. Because of this there is not much lava evidence but there are other smaller traces that have washed over from the other islands. We also learned that barracudas like shiny things but there have only been 12 bites to humans ever. Basic rules of thumb: 1. "Don't molest the fish" 2. Don't wear shiny things cause we don't need a lucky 13th 3. Watch your heads for falling coconuts, 4. Overall rule. Don't touch the coral!!!

I ended the day relaxing on top of the dock staring up at the dimmer stars and the blindingly bright moon. It was so silent except for the occasional notes of Codee playing her guitar drifting down from the mountain.

The day ends and it seems like we were so busy and yet all we did was eat, ride a boat, snorkel and eat again. I wonder what its gonna be like when were are actually busy. ...

I'm exhausted and there's another day ahead! I'm out!

More videos to come!

The Boat 6/29/15

At 6:45am we rolled out of bed and were off to the grocery store to get any kind of snacks we might want. I noticed that there were tons of aloe plant fields as we were on the bus yesterday and while I was walking down the aisles there seemed to be every kind of way to consume the aloe from drinks to aloe flavored snacks. I got a tasty berry mixed aloe drink. We then packed ourselves back into our van with our driver (I think his name was Thomas) and drove to the boat yard/docking area.

Turtle Bay Eco Resort people were there to meet us Adam (the captain) and the dive master who's name was Thomas? Maybe? I'm bad with names. We then went on an almost 3 hour boat ride. I am so glad that I don't get seasick, knock on wood. Many of the students got to relive their breakfasts for the second time that morning. Among the students we have myself, Olivia, Codee, Austin, and Carlos (all of new college). Then we have Grace, Sonja, Adam, and Sophia (All high schoolers), and Natalie who lived in Sarasota but goes to school in New York. The professors traveling with us are Dr. Gilchrist and Professor Gillman (both of new college). The spray from the ocean, the motion of the boat, and the breeze were comforting to me but I can only imagine others were counting down the minutes until they were on shore. While on the Melissa (the name of the dive boat; also TBER's biggest boat) we had a good time talking and joking around. As we neared our destination we started seeing picturesque  tiny islands with little shacks on them. In the background loomed massive mountains of the pequñia version of our island. Finally a paradise appeared before us complete with coconut trees, friendly dogs, and small house structures.

Our lodging is *WAY* up the hill in what are essentially cabins with bathrooms and showers. By way, I mean up a very very steep and winding path and then um two sets of stairs. I am with Codee, Natalie, and Olivia. We each have a twin bed and the bug nets look like we have princess beds. We share an adjoining porch with the other three girls and there's one hammock on each side. After we got settled in and I to some dry clothes we headed down to the dining area where we had rice with sautéed vegetables and cucumbers and tomatoes in Italian dressing. Of you were a meat eater you got rice and a small taco with meat instead of the veggies. Oh and did I mention there's also hammocks, lizards, and iguanas all over the place!! They are perfect for chilling out and watching the world go by. While relaxing Olivia noticed two large groups of bats trying to escape the sun. I have also developed a fear of a coconut falling on my head! And speaking of falling, he have already had iguanas fall on our roof!! Apparently they and tarantulas are also common sights!

I'm off! We are swimming around part of the island today.

A Bus With a View 6/28/15

The flight from Miami with the rest of our crew arrived around 1:20pm but didn't clear "migration" and customs for over an hour. After some quick introductions is was straight onto a van with out luggage piled and strapped down to a trailer under burlap. The mountains lay in the distance with dense dark clouds warning us off the impending rain. We all piled in and were soon bumping and squeaking along. There were all sorts of homes cobbled together from broken down cement foundations, plywood, and rippled tin sheets for roofs. Children sat with their parents in brightly colored woven hammocks selling massive, interesting looking fruits and vegetables for a small price. There were people of all ages walking along the side of the road while others rode precariously balanced on bicycles and motor cycles. One little girl was perched on the front of her fathers motorcycle with an over large helmet on a long red piece of candy hanging out of her smiling mouth which was full of missing teeth. For most of the ride the homes were pretty spread out with many patches of just banana and sugar cane. Every now and then I saw cows, horses, dogs, goats, and chickens ambling around at the side of the road.

Towards the beginning of the trip we passed this amazing structure that had been built with lots and lots of spare parts. It had many levels to it and looked like an adults playground. The most notable thing was a bridge that was made out of an entire school bus!! It was a bit rusty but looked so out of place and yet so perfect and gave it an interesting child like whimsy. School buses were very common along the road with other advertisements painted on them.

I soon realized that the traffic laws in Honduras are very very different from those in Atlanta. To start with the school buses. Typically one would yield to one of these big beasts but our bus driver and everyone else it seemed, was in the habit of just passing each other at random. A couple of times it seemed like there were 4 lanes of traffic going along the skinny road with us almost hitting the other trucks. All of the vehicles looked as though they were either packed to the gills with people or had their truck beds with whole families riding in the back. One truck we passed had a covered bed and there were two boys that were sitting on stools and drinking sodas. Other times its seemed as though we were going to hit the bikers wending their way along the mountain passes (sometimes it seemed as we only left them inches free from harm).

Every now and then we would come upon a more densely populated area and see small shops or pop up food carts attached to bicycles. Two times we got stuck in some traffic because of military personnel holding up a truck and got to loom down some of the side streets which were often packed with people and thumping music.

When we weren't in these areas we whizzed by homes that were surrounded with concrete walls covered in hand painted advertisements. The houses varied from clean and freshly painted to patched and weathered. Some homes looked like they were part of a larger compound that opened up to a dusty central area. It was interesting that the few billboards that there were, featured Caucasian families but with Spanish on them.

We had a slight delay because one of Thomas's bags got left somewhere at the hotel or either fell out at during the drive between the hotel and the boatyard.

The trusty Melissa

We finally made it to La Ceiba in the later afternoon. We all spilled out of the bus glad to be away from the heart attack inducing driving. We are staying at Hotel Paris in town. It was so bizzare to see a see a burger King and a Pizza Hut right next to all the smaller family run Honduran shops. The majority of the group stayed at the hotel and ate at the restaurant on the bottom floor. My friend Carlos luckily is fluent in Spanish and helped us navigate through ordering and paying for our check in Lempiras (the Honduran currency; $1~21LMP).

We are all dozing off right now or are already asleep. I'm sharing a room with Olivia and Codee (New College students from my year) and Natalie from New York. Tomorrow we are leaving to get on an hour and a half long boat ride at 7:3am to Cayos Cochinos. After we arrive and are settled in we are going out on the water with Professor Gilchrist to get a tour. I'm super stoked but tired even though there's a two hour time difference.

Buenas noches!