Location: Gorda Sound, Virgin Gorda, BVI
After a delicious pancake breakfast, we departed Mountain Point and set sail for Gorda Sound. On the way, we did a fire drill and practiced the man overboard scenario. We managed to retrieve our man, a floating flag, without any problems. Phew! During the sail, a dolphin joined us and swam alongside Ocean Star for a ways. Then we gobbled up lunch underway near Necker Island, the famed residence of Sir Richard Branson. Once anchored in Gorda Sound, we headed out to do our first lab of the semester. We snorkeled out to examine the marine life residing in, on, and underneath this gnarled mass of roots and trees extending from land into the ocean. The mangrove lab opened our eyes to the extreme diversity that exists in this incredibly dynamic environment. We observed all kinds of fish, jellyfish, crustaceans, sea cucumbers, and an incredible range of coral species. After Kris’s excellent coconut chili lime shrimp dinner was now headed for a night out to celebrate Brooke’s 18th birthday. What a day!