Blogging from Bahamas: Tara's final note
Tara Gosnell, an English and technical communication major, ends her series of blog posts from San Salvador Island in the Bahamas with a note about "the final countdown."
21 May
Today was more or less a "choose your own adventure" day, as the geology group went off on some field trip and biology went to the high school for an assembly. A couple English students went with the biology group, who presented a digital projector they bought for the school through fundraising. We stood outside, and I could only hear part of what was being said. I heard a prayer, they recited the Lord's Prayer, they sang the national anthem of the Bahamas, recited the pledge to the Bahamas, there was a reading from Genesis, a song called' What a Mighty God We Serve,' another prayer, and then a short speech from the principal. Sparrow, one of the biology students, said a few words to the students, and then we presented the projector and left. The whole thing lasted about 10 minutes. The students sang really well.
After the high school trip, those who didn't get to go out on the boats previously got to go. When I went, we just went to the two islands, but this day they got to snorkel. Some saw reef sharks. Some of the rest of us hiked up to North Point. I found a spot on the rocks where I could sit and watch the sea for hours. I saw the infamous Crab Shack, where it's apparently like a horror movie at nighttime, with all the crabs pouring out from every crevice. I climbed to the top with a couple other people (it reminded me of the boot camp rope course), and there was a pretty nice view from the top.
In the evening, biology gave presentations about their research, and geology sat through a groundwater lecture. Then we had the night dive. I was hoping my flashlight would last, since there was a light shining out of my bag when I first got to San Salvador. I paired up with Dr. Swenson, who also wanted to go just to say she'd done it. I successfully addressed my fear of dark water, and it felt to me more like I was walking in the desert at nighttime than floating in the water. I got somewhat disoriented, but I think that was partly due to my fogging mask. After seeing a starfish and some rock crab sea monster thing, and after I'd been stung several times, Dr. Swenson and I headed back toward the beacon on shore. We were swimming along when this large, metal object appeared out of nowhere, and we darted around it; we couldn't figure out what it was, though. Close to shore, Dr. Swenson's flashlight went out, and mine was getting really dim, but we made it, and now we can say we've been snorkeling at night.
Tonight is the last night for many things, including the following:
Sharing my bed with termites
Sharing my shower with spiders
Having my legs eaten by sand fleas
Having my arms and face bitten by mosquitoes
Sand "bleeps" (affectionate name the English group gave to the small burrs) (edited by Visions staffers)
Smothering myself in sunscreen every time I go outside
Liberally applying bug spray every time I go outside
Drying clothes in the rain
Finding crabs in my room
Zipper stealing my shoes
Sand in every place possible (even some places you'd think it impossible to get sand)
Most people are ready to get home. I'm going to miss this place.
Comments
Posted by: Bahama Lauren | May 25, 2007 01:04 PM