Marine Biology Trip 2024
April 6-13
Saturday, April 6
Today was a long day! Met at the high school at 2 am.
Our flights from Columbus to Miami was great! Our Miami to Nassau flight was delayed a little but all our flights went smoothly. Our Nassau to Andros flight was also wonderful. It was on a smaller plane, so that was memorable.
We got to Forfar and got settled in with orientation and got into our cabins. We did a snorkel orientation so we feel better about our snorkeling tomorrow.
We had our first dinner, build your own taco/burrito/nachos. Very delicious. The cooks are amazing here.
We went for a walk looking at the stars in the clear sky. So many stars! We also took a spotlight to a bridge looking for sharks and other creatures. No luck besides a small stingray.
So, then everyone was pretty exhausted. Quiet hour is 10 so everyone has to be quiet starting at 10 pm. No problem with that tonight. It was like a ghost town by 9:30. Most everyone was asleep by 10.
Today was a long day! Met at the high school at 2 am.
Our flights from Columbus to Miami was great! Our Miami to Nassau flight was delayed a little but all our flights went smoothly. Our Nassau to Andros flight was also wonderful. It was on a smaller plane, so that was memorable.
We got to Forfar and got settled in with orientation and got into our cabins. We did a snorkel orientation so we feel better about our snorkeling tomorrow.
We had our first dinner, build your own taco/burrito/nachos. Very delicious. The cooks are amazing here.
We went for a walk looking at the stars in the clear sky. So many stars! We also took a spotlight to a bridge looking for sharks and other creatures. No luck besides a small stingray.
So, then everyone was pretty exhausted. Quiet hour is 10 so everyone has to be quiet starting at 10 pm. No problem with that tonight. It was like a ghost town by 9:30. Most everyone was asleep by 10.
Sunday, April 7
oday was our first sunrise at Forfar field station. They are amazing! You just have to get up early which was difficult after a long day yesterday.We had eggs, sausage, Johnny cake, and grits. Yum! One of my favorite Forfar traditions is that the students serve each other at meals. It makes it feel like we are a family.
Then we had a lecture about fish from Robert.
Today was a boat day. We visited Rat Cay (pronounced “key”) Blue Hole. It is an oceanic blue hole surrounded by coral and amazing blue hole. We say a Queen Trigger Fish, Queen Angel fish, French Grunts, and a Spiny Lobster to mention a few!
Then we went to Three Sisters Patch Reef. We saw lots of Angelfish, Sargent Majors, and Stoplight Parrotfish.
Then we went to Turtle Reef which is part of Andros Island’s barrier reef, the 3rd largest barrier reefs in the world. We saw a large barracuda, a large tiger grouper, swam through a crowd of comb jellies, and lots of large coral.
We came back to the field station for an invertebrate lecture from Katelyn.
Then we had barbecue chicken for dinner.
Students worked on their assignments and we left for the Night snorkel at 7:30 pm.
For the night snorkel we went to Dave’s patch reef. We saw a large porcupine puffer fish, a pod of squid, lionfish, spiny lobster and bioluminescent algae.
On the way back home, we saw a beautiful night sky full of stars.
oday was our first sunrise at Forfar field station. They are amazing! You just have to get up early which was difficult after a long day yesterday.We had eggs, sausage, Johnny cake, and grits. Yum! One of my favorite Forfar traditions is that the students serve each other at meals. It makes it feel like we are a family.
Then we had a lecture about fish from Robert.
Today was a boat day. We visited Rat Cay (pronounced “key”) Blue Hole. It is an oceanic blue hole surrounded by coral and amazing blue hole. We say a Queen Trigger Fish, Queen Angel fish, French Grunts, and a Spiny Lobster to mention a few!
Then we went to Three Sisters Patch Reef. We saw lots of Angelfish, Sargent Majors, and Stoplight Parrotfish.
Then we went to Turtle Reef which is part of Andros Island’s barrier reef, the 3rd largest barrier reefs in the world. We saw a large barracuda, a large tiger grouper, swam through a crowd of comb jellies, and lots of large coral.
We came back to the field station for an invertebrate lecture from Katelyn.
Then we had barbecue chicken for dinner.
Students worked on their assignments and we left for the Night snorkel at 7:30 pm.
For the night snorkel we went to Dave’s patch reef. We saw a large porcupine puffer fish, a pod of squid, lionfish, spiny lobster and bioluminescent algae.
On the way back home, we saw a beautiful night sky full of stars.
Monday, April 8
Another beautiful sunrise!Today we had peach pancakes, bacon and oatmeal. So good!
Then we made our way out to Pigeon Cay. This is an amazing island that has lots of geological features. We got to see and discuss chemical, physical and biological erosion. We got to see blow holes, a wall of shells deposited from hurricane David and hurricane Matthew and blood toothed nerites. Blood tooth nerites are snails that can’t digest iron that gets blown in from dust from monster sand storms in the Sahara! So their shells have blood red markings, hence the “blood tooth.” Crazy, right!
Then we had a botany and bush medicine walk. Leaned about local plants and some of their medicical use. We walked along shore during an extremely low tide and found all kinds of cool creatures!!
We also visited an old abandoned schoolhouse. We found termite mound and broke a small section of it off and many of use ate live termites!! Takes like mint. No joke.
Then we came back to the station. Played some volleyball and went for some ice cream.
Another beautiful sunrise!Today we had peach pancakes, bacon and oatmeal. So good!
Then we made our way out to Pigeon Cay. This is an amazing island that has lots of geological features. We got to see and discuss chemical, physical and biological erosion. We got to see blow holes, a wall of shells deposited from hurricane David and hurricane Matthew and blood toothed nerites. Blood tooth nerites are snails that can’t digest iron that gets blown in from dust from monster sand storms in the Sahara! So their shells have blood red markings, hence the “blood tooth.” Crazy, right!
Then we had a botany and bush medicine walk. Leaned about local plants and some of their medicical use. We walked along shore during an extremely low tide and found all kinds of cool creatures!!
We also visited an old abandoned schoolhouse. We found termite mound and broke a small section of it off and many of use ate live termites!! Takes like mint. No joke.
Then we came back to the station. Played some volleyball and went for some ice cream.
-12/6 - 2nd Payment Due - $300 - Make Checks payable to International Field Studies
-1/17 - Final Airline Payment Due **$600** Estimate - Checks payable to Waynesville HS Ecology Club
-1/14 - Marine Biology Class 6-8 pm
-1/28- Marine Biology Class 6-8 pm
-2/4 - Marine Biology Class 6:30-8:30 pm
-2/11 - Marine Biology Class 3-5 pm
-2/19 - Final Payment Due for Field station - **$1100** Estimate - Checks payable to Waynesville High School. Fundraising will be subtracted from the total due on this date so the amount due will be different for each individual
-2/28 - Notarized Paperwork, Photocopy of Passport and Medical Forms Due
-3/30 - @ 2pm March Snorkeling Practice @ Countryside YMCA Time - TBD
-4/6 - Meet at School @2:00am
Flight out of Columbus @ 6:00 am
-4/13- Marine Biology Trip - Andros Island, Bahamas
Return to Columbus @ 8:48 pm Pick up at WHS @ approximately 11:00pm
-1/17 - Final Airline Payment Due **$600** Estimate - Checks payable to Waynesville HS Ecology Club
-1/14 - Marine Biology Class 6-8 pm
-1/28- Marine Biology Class 6-8 pm
-2/4 - Marine Biology Class 6:30-8:30 pm
-2/11 - Marine Biology Class 3-5 pm
-2/19 - Final Payment Due for Field station - **$1100** Estimate - Checks payable to Waynesville High School. Fundraising will be subtracted from the total due on this date so the amount due will be different for each individual
-2/28 - Notarized Paperwork, Photocopy of Passport and Medical Forms Due
-3/30 - @ 2pm March Snorkeling Practice @ Countryside YMCA Time - TBD
-4/6 - Meet at School @2:00am
Flight out of Columbus @ 6:00 am
-4/13- Marine Biology Trip - Andros Island, Bahamas
Return to Columbus @ 8:48 pm Pick up at WHS @ approximately 11:00pm
Important Papers
Packing List
5 Required Forms
1. Online Medical History Form - HIPPA compliant Medical History form and participant registration. Allow up to 20 minutes to complete. Please fill out this form first and as soon as possible. Clearly list any diet restrictions or allergies as we reference this form for meal preparation.
2. Notarized Medical Consent & Assumption of Risk Form (Must be Notarized) -
Instructions: Please print out and submit the completed copy to your group leader.
Students that are under 16 years old will need to present this form to Bahamas immigration as proof of parental/guardian consent to enter the country.
*Notary is only required for US citizens.
3. Online Travel and Excursions Form
4. Online Covid-19 Travel and Liability Waiver
5. Wayne Local Assumption of Risk (Must Be Notarized)
WLS Assumption of Risk Form.pdf | |
File Size: | 542 kb |
File Type: |
Marine Biology Class Forms/Documents
This document includes estimated costs and pay schedule
|
|
Fall Bulb Fundraising Form
Bulb Fundraiser Form | |
File Size: | 1879 kb |
File Type: |