Location: Bequia
Today we were able to go do something that all of us were looking forward to. After breakfast, we had a Marine Biology class with Jessica. We learned all about sea turtles because this afternoon, we were going to go to a turtle sanctuary on the island of Bequia. But before we could go, we had to show our appreciation to Ocean Star for all she does by sailing us everywhere, so we cleaned her up with a deck wash and made her look nice again. After we finished boat appreciation, we all went to land and were taken to the sanctuary, which is home to hatchlings and juvenile hawksbill sea turtles. Unfortunately, in Bequia, people still eat turtle eggs and meat, and so they are endangered. However, an old fisherman has taken it upon himself to raise hatchlings and then release them into the wild once they are larger, therefore increasing their chances of survival. He also educates the children of Bequia about turtles so that they hope will protect them in the future. We were excited to see all of the turtles, but we were equally excited by the chance to play with the dogs and goats that were also on the property! We found the cutest little goat that we wanted to take back to the boat but sadly couldn’t. We had a really great time there and then enjoyed a short bit of free time in the main town to purchase fresh fruit at the market or an ice cream cone in the main square before heading back to Ocean Star, where we were met with an amazing dinner, a Thanksgiving dinner to be exact – complete with roasted chicken, mac and cheese, green beans, and mashed potatoes. We are all ending the day clean, happy, and full.