We will watch the complex territorial behavior of damselfishes in tide pools, snorkel into a cave full of bats, trudge through mangrove swamps, watch a jade green octopus as it slithers over rocks in knee-deep water on a night field trip in the shallows, where every overturned rock reveals brittle stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and crabs. Intertidal zonation is extraordinary, with no fewer than 8 snails and 3 chiton species precisely distributed on each rock. You will use oceanographic instruments to analyze water quality. You will learn how to use a sextant to determine your position as members of your team obtain bottom samples of water and sediment. We will teach you how to snorkel.
Scuba diving is available at a modest extra cost to certified divers.
Three good Jamaican-style meals will be prepared and served family style. The laboratory is located near a small town on the north coast of Jamaica and is secluded to insure privacy. However, a 15 minute ride takes you to Dunn s River Falls. Jamaica s premier tourist attraction, where you can climb the 600 ft. high falls in the water, led by a guide. Ocho Rios, with its many hotels and bazaar, is only 18 miles away.