Bahamas J2019 blog
Welcome to the Chemistry 290: Immersive Experience on Andros Island, Bahamas...blog
This site will document activities associated with this course including a day to day blog of activities. Blog entries will be made daily using the limited internet access available at ForFar Field Station. Upon return, pictures and other reflections will be added.
Pre-trip Agenda
Fri, Jan 4th
MC Van will leave from Monmouth at ~1 pm
Meet at hotel by 7 pm
- Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport
- O'Hare International Airport
- Chicago IL 60666, US
- 773-686-8000
- Confirmation #3502103337 (one king beds) - BES (Brad and Kath)
- Confirmation #3506168610 (two double beds) - BES (Mike and Steve)
- Confirmation #3511258897 (two double beds) - BES (Jacob and Sam)
- Confirmation #3507331702 (two double beds) - KLS (Zack and Will)
- Confirmation #3507038608 (two double beds) - KLS (Emily and Z)
- Confirmation #3508543069 (two double beds) - KLS (Tara, Rachel, and Jose)
Sat, Jan 5th
Confirmation JCSEH5
- SAM eTicket #0162428295108
- JACOB eTicket #0162428295109
- WILL eTicket #0162428295111
- ZACH eTicket #0162428295113
- TARA eTicket #0162428295121
- RACHEL eTicket #0162428295123
- Z eTicket #0162428295125
- EMILY eTicket #0162428295139
- JOSIE eTicket #0162428295144
- MIKE eTicket #0162428295145
- KATH eTicket #0162428295146
- BRAD eTicket #0162428295147
- STEVE eTicket #0162428295148
- - Depart O'Hare Airport (ORD) , United Airlines flt#UA 5494 at 7:52 am (direct flight)
- - Arrive Nassau, Bahamas, Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) at 12:28 pm
- - Depart Nassau at ~2 pm on Western Air
- - Arrive on San Andros Airport (SAQ) ~2:30 pm
- - Transportation from Airport to Forfar - Western Air
- Sat Jan 05, 2019 (Flt #502) Departs Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) at 03:30PM arrives San Andros, Bahamas (SAQ) at 03:45PM
Live Update
Sat, Jan 5 - depart on time from Chicago…great (smooth) flight to Nassau. - Western Air flight at 3:30 pm was delayed until 6 pm…arrived at Andros by 6:20 pm and travelled in a Forfar bus and other taxis (vans)…arrived to Taco Night! - Had a quick orientation, then room assignments. - to bed by 9 pm
Sun, Jan 6th
- many were up by 6:45 am for the sunrise…it was unfortunately a slightly cloudy morning, so the sun rose, but was not visible until ~7:30 am (off the horizon).
- breakfast was at 8 am
- after breakfast we did a “botany walk around the Forfar Field Station grounds while the details our week were discussed among Brad, Doc (Larry Wiedman), and the station director Vivienne.
- we took some time to clean up and were on the station bus bound for the local Pentecostal Church…which was not in session today, so we continued to Blanket Sound St. Hope Baptist Church for a 1-hour exciting morning.
- We returned to Forfar for lunch, then packed up for our first ocean-outing.
- We traveled by skiff (w/ Captain Matt) to Pigeon Cay where we did our snorkel training and did a 20 minute snorkeling trip in some shallow waters and saw lots of small fish and invertebrates.
- we returned to shore and Laura (a station intern) had set up our first in-field lab activity, the “goniolith lab.”
- after flying the drone (Mavik Air) around Pigeon Cay, we loaded up and headed home stopping by Blue hole Cay. This small oceanic blue hole is ~ 40 feet off of the Cay and is ~ 20 ft across and 10-15 ft deep. We saw our first lionfish and quite a few larger (~1-3 feet) fish and a reef shark.
- We returned to the station, cleaned up and had dinner at 6 pm…mac and cheese and the famous bbq chicken + other items…good stuff!
- after dinner we heard a lecture by the station intern and native Bahamian (Aaron) titles the History and Culture of the Bahamas.
- Doc followed up with a short lecture on why the Bahamas even exist.
- We then celebrated Mike Sostarecz’s birthday with a cake/rice crispy treats made by Mike or Matt.
- As I write this the students are sitting hearing Doc stories related to his Geology background and his 30+ years of experience on Andros.
Mon, Jan 7th
It’s BOAT Day (with Captain Mike and Trinitti)
- Sunrise was beautiful!
- Breakfast at 8 am followed by a quick pack up for a full day on the boat.
- Left station around 9 am arriving at Rat Cay for our first snorkeling of the day. This snorkeling required us to jump in form the boat (a boat dive).
- We left Rat Cay and headed towards Three sisters (a coral formation) for a second boat dive.
- Then…we landed on Saddleback Cay where we were able to stand on solid ground. We stayed at Saddleback for ~ 4 hours walking around the cay and the surrounding out cays. We walked to the sand bar that appeared at low tide to collect sand dollars.
- on the return to Farfar we stopped at Turtle reef…the 2nd/3rd largest barrier reef…nice!
- We were happy to be back at Farfor to get cleaned up and dinner (lasagna/salad).
- …and although it might have been enough for the day, we invited Ms. Annie and her daughter Maryanne (Loraine was off-island) came to teach us Androsia basket weaving…most of us got it!
- after (~9:30 pm) Steve, Brad and Sam launched the Trident for our first underwater drone footage (just off the beach)!
- to bed…by 10 pm.
Tues, Jan 8th
On-Land Day
- sunrise?
- Breakfast at 8 am
- Packed the vans and left Forfar at 9 am for Red Bays (Northwest Andros); ~40 mins.
- Visited the west coast of Andros briefly before visiting the famous Ms. Marshall settlement. Ms Marshall passed ~2 years ago but the settlement have lived on. Spent some time with Otis who is a sponge diver, wild boar hunter and all around man. We purchased sponges from Otis as well as a few paintings. We purchase dour first baskets from Nicholas (the father of Amanda).
- We visited Henry Wallace, the famous wood carver. We purchased a few other items from Henry’s wife Eldita
- We then also visited Eldita’s Mom and purchased a few more baskets.
- After the Red Bays Settlement, we travelled to the J&H Market for a few cold drinks and to meet Amanda.
- After Red Bays, we travelled to Uncle Charles inland blue hole. Many of us swam, some tried out our new underwater drone, Steve collected in-air drone footage, and others just watched all the activity in the blue hole.
- After the blue hole, we travelled to Money Point where we turned over rocks during low-tide to uncover a variety of invertebrates…like sea urchins, brittle stars, etc.
- The it was off to home…Forfar for dinner.
Weds, Jan 9th
Boat Day...for most...
The majority of the group was out on the boat visiting 3 sites:
- -3 sisters
- -
Thurs, Jan 10th
- - Cooks night off...dinner out at local restaurant
Fri, Jan 11th
Sat, Jan 12th
- Leave Forfar at ~7 am
- Sat, Jan 12, 2019 (Flt #501) Departs San Andros, Bahamas (SAQ) at 07:30AM arrives Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) at 07:45AM.
- Depart Nassau on United Airlines, flt#1588 at 3:45 pm
- Arrive Chicago at 6:34 pm.
- van transportation back to Monmouth