Location: Ladder Bay, Saba
After a solid night’s sleep, we woke this morning to the intoxicating smell of bacon coming from the galley. After filling our bellies with bacon and eggs, we descended into the salon for OCE Research Project presentations. All semester, the shipmates have been collecting data to answer a research question they developed at the beginning of the semester. These questions ranged from “What environmental conditions are most conducive to a ‘green flash’?” to “Do feather duster worms become habituated to repeated underwater stimuli?”. All in all, the presentations were great! They were very creative, and I, as an instructor, even learned a few things I didn’t know before this morning.
In the afternoon, we set sail for the island of Saba. This passage was a “student-led” passage, so (as staff) I did nothing to aid in sailing or getting ready for passage unless explicitly asked to by the shipmates. Jo volunteered to be our skipper for the passage and did an excellent job motivating and organizing his crew. The navigation team led by Jon, Alex, and Annabelle chose our course from Statia to Saba and also selected the proper mooring ball in Ladder Bay for our large vessel. To top off the day, before dinner, many of the crew actually observed the green flash as the sun was falling below the horizon. I have yet to see the green flash, and even after this morning’s presentations, I think I will remain slightly doubtful of its existence until I see it with my own eyes.
Saba seems to be such an interesting place teeming with underwater surprises and adventures, and I cannot wait to get up tomorrow and experience them!