Location: Savannah Bay, Virgin Gorda
The first part of today was all about an introduction to oceanography and what to expect from science aboard Ocean Star. We then hopped aboard the dinghies and headed toward shore for a little exploring and to have a look at the differences between the windward and leeward sides of the island. At first, we walked along the picturesque white sand beach we’ve been facing these last two days at anchor, searching for signs of life. David caught a large ghost crab while others picked up shells, snails, fruits, and remnants of corals, among other things, along the beach. We then crossed the salt pond (mud squishing between our toes) to the windward side of the island. What a change! The white sandy beach was replaced by large rocks, smoothed by the constant pummeling of waves. On this beach, there were remnants of old fishing nets, sea fans, and sponges, in addition to lots of good rocks for climbing around! We took a group photo before heading back to the other side of the island and back to Ocean Star for lunch. The afternoon was spent finishing confined water dives, learning knot tying, and the location of the lines on pin rails. A couple of adventurous souls (Drea and Adam) climbed up the crow’s nest. For dinner, we had delicious rice and chili and watched a beautiful sunset from the cockpit of Ocean Star. This evening, we’re completing CPR and First Aid and are looking forward to seeing what tomorrow will bring!