Location: Portsmouth Dominica
Today’s beginning was bittersweet- we had to bid adieu to a fellow crew member- Emily- as she began her trip home to her family. She will be missed. But with the beginning of the new day, we were also off to a new location as we made our way up the coast of Dominica toward Portsmouth. We made a couple of stops along the way in search of some elusive artificial reefs- in the end, we had fun snorkeling and continued our journey northward. Upon arrival at the harbor, we were greeted by a fleet of boat boys and our guide to our next activity, a trip up the Indian River. We loaded our boat with science gear and began our expedition upriver. The river area is protected, and while we arrived by motor, we soon switched over to a more peaceful mode of transport- the oar. As we made our way up the river, we stopped along the way to measure the temperature and salinity at various depths in the hopes of making a profile of the changes the river goes through as it passes from sea inland. We were rewarded at the top of the river with some fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, and as we wandered back down the river, we spied some iguanas lounging in the trees. Back on Ocean Star, we had shower time and a Mexican Fiesta for dinner- complete with guacamole-Ole! Tonight, the crew has an Oceanography mid-term to cap off a fantastic science-filled day!