July 8, 2023 - Tobacco Bay, BUEI and Night Snorkel at Whalebone Bay

In the morning we boarded the bus and headed to our first snorkel at Tobacco Bay about ten minutes away. The beach itself was small and crowded with beach chairs. We quickly geared up and swam out from the sandy beach and snorkeled around the rocks and islands for about an hour and a half. There were many small caves and inlets to explore here. We saw several large parrotfish including midnights which we hadn’t seen before, as well as various butterflyfish and angelfish. We also saw some interesting invertebrates like chitons and sea hares.

After lunch we took the bus to the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI). At BUEI we learned about the history of Bermuda and ocean exploration, the importance of seagrass and its decline, the sargasso sea, and the Bermuda Triangle. We also learned about why it is important to help maintain a healthy ocean, as well as threats our oceans are currently facing. Lastly, we also learned about successful research and conservation projects in Bermuda.

After some down time and dinner we headed out again to walk to Whalebone Bay for our first night snorkel. When we got there the sun had just set and it was getting pretty dark. Overall it was super interesting to see the reefs in the dark and we saw many species that are less common during the day. The highlights included two octopus, various tiny squid, two huge spiny lobsters, two balloonfish, a small spotted moray, and a needlefish.

-Elena and Brooke

July 7, 2023 - Blue Hole and Madiana

It was a dewy morning from night showers and we started the day making sandwiches for our boat trip. There were sandwiches of all varieties, but perhaps the oddest combination was peanut butter, cucumbers, and swiss cheese (Brian). We then ate breakfast as a group which mostly consisted of waffles, sausages, and hash brown patties. Afterwards, we all packed up our gear and got ready to get on the boat at 9 AM.

We rode the boat for over an hour to our first snorkel spot, blue hole. Blue hole perfectly fits the name. As we splashed off the boat into the aqua blue water the sun illuminated a circular shaped reef filled with colorful coral. The center of the reef (the blue hole) was filled with smooth sand. While the cavern like reef structures surrounding the sand were filled with schools of fish that we explored and identified using our reef identification charts. The most interesting creature we saw was a small jellyfish. We stayed at the site for around 55 minutes and then hoisted ourselves back up onto the boat. Each of us enjoyed a snack and drink plenty of water for our next snorkel site.

After a 35 minute boat ride, we arrived at our next snorkel site. The snorkel site was a nice shallow reef with interesting parrotfish, angelfish, damselfish, and more. Many people used this site to practice, diving underwater, observing, and surfacing for air. as usual, we identified all the creatures we saw, using our reef identification charts. We snorkeled at that site for around 60 minutes. Then it was time to eat lunch! We ate the sandwiches we had prepped earlier and drank plenty of water for our final snorkel site. We rode the boat 45 minutes to our final site, a shipwreck.

The seas were very choppy, and the wind had picked up. We weren’t sure if we could stay in the water, because there was a storm in the distance. Luckily, the sun shone quickly after we had entered the water. The wreck, as Brian says, was not like one you’d see in a Disney film. It was more so piles of wood and old unidentifiable metal parts surrounded by brain and fan coral as well as a handful of fish. We completed our last identification of the day. It was by far the hardest site we had to get back on the boat at because of the choppy seas, but everyone made it. On the way back to BIOS research center we enjoyed the hour long boat ride by sleeping, chatting and looking at the view. After we made it back to the research center it was time for a game of volleyball, a quick nap, a shower, our notebook assignments, and more.

We then joined each other for dinner. We had pork (or tofu), potatoes, quinoa, and salad. Some of us also had chocolate cake for dessert. We then had a lecture about ecology and history in Bermuda. After working on our assignments for the day, we went to bed.

- Josie and Madison

July 6, 2023 - Cooper's Island, Turtle Bay, North Rock and Plankton Tow

In the morning after breakfast we took the BIOS bus all the way to the end of Cooper’s Island (which is actually a peninsula). We got off at Long Bay, geared up, and did our snorkel check with BIOS staff which consisted of a 2 minute water tread without gear and a 50m swim with gear. Next, we grabbed our data collection boards and ID cards and snorkeled out away from the beach along the rocks. We saw many fish species including various parrotfish, wrasses, damselfish as well as several different corals.

Next, we walked up the beach and had a quick swim/ snorkel at Turtle Bay while we waited for the bus. We were hoping to see sea turtles here, but BIOS staff informed us that unfortunately due to decreasing seagrass levels they are becoming much less common around Bermuda. Fun fact, the temperature of the sand determines the sex of the sea turtle hatchlings! Cooler sand temps produce males and hotter sand produce females.

After lunch we took our first boat ride out to North Rocks, the highest latitude reef in the world. There were a lot more healthy corals here, although we did notice some coral bleaching. Groups saw lots of wrasses, parrotfish, and sergeant majors and a few people even saw a peacock flounder!

In the evening we went back out on a larger boat and did a plankton tow. This consisted of tossing a long, fine mesh, weighted net with a cod end attached into the water and towing for 10 minutes. Back at BIOS we listened to a lecture on the different kinds of plankton and their importance in marine ecosystems and the food chain. We also learned that they produce 50% of the oxygen that we breathe. Next, we headed to the lab to look at the plankton sample under the microscope. We each Identified at least 5 types of plankton and several people found unique species.

Lastly, we finished up the evening by working on our journal entries, and a group of us even attempted to play a game of night volleyball with headlamps.

-Elena