In the summer of 1995, as a rising high school senior, I left a family farm in North Dakota and traveled to The School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies on South Caicos in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
It is no exaggeration to say that the experience changed my life. My worldview was permanently altered by learning about environmental conservation and resource use and from gaining awareness of the affects of tourism on a country and its people. Plus, through connections made at SFS, I landed a position as logistics coordinator for a research expedition to Papua New Guinea, and I spent the summers of 1997 and 1998 chasing barracuda around the indo-pacific. There, I met my wife, who was teaching science in Papua New Guinea through the Peace Corps.
Sixteen years later, a trip to the Galapagos fell through and I found myself thinking about SFS and South Caicos. I was saddened to learn that the center I remembered had been destroyed by hurricanes in 2008. Fortunately, SFS saw that as an opportunity to reinvest in South and they rebuilt in the same location. I knew I wanted to see the new field station and visit the small island I had once called home.
It is true that SFS students and alumni are well-accustomed to field conditions, but I assure you, it is no easy task to convince your spouse that spending his or her spring break on a tiny island with no tourism, no tourist facilities, and no fresh water is a really good idea. It took a while, but, on March 14, 2011, we found ourselves knocking on the gate of The SFS Center for Marine Resource Studies on South Caicos.
Kate Berge, the student affairs manager, showed us around the reconstructed facility. While it retains much of the character that pre-2008 alumni will remember, many things have been modernized and views of the ocean have been improved. The center was bustling with activity and the 34 students were busy with a mix of activities from writing papers to surveying sea grass beds off the coast. The students were leaving the next day for a field trip to Provo, so our timing was perfect.
In addition to a tour of the grounds, Kate was kind enough to show us around town. On a small island with no tourism, most of the shops do not have signs. You can never be certain if you are walking into a shop or someone’s home. Add that to a lack of house numbers and you have a recipe for confusion. Fortunately, with Kate’s help, we acclimated quickly.
In 1995, tourism seemed to be just around the corner for South Caicos. For better or worse, the same could be said today. The airport is still a small wooden shed. There is a large, unfinished concrete terminal building next door but it does not appear to have been worked on since the 2008 hurricanes. There are several huge new hotel complexes in construction on the north end of the island. They are visible from everywhere on South. The locals seem skeptical about whether or not they will be completed; it would not be the first time.
With no source of fresh water other than infrequent rains or enormously expensive desalination, it is hard to imagine tourism taking hold – especially with more practical options available nearby on Grand Turk and Provo. That said, it was interesting to visit the unfinished projects and read about their plans to install an ice skating rink and other amenities that seem hopelessly out of place, both technically and socioeconomically, on South Caicos. It was also fun to look at the stock photographs on the developer’s website. I doubt that South Caicos’ “International Airport” has ever seen a 747.
We spent several days snorkeling on South’s shallow reefs. I am happy to report that they seem to be in good health. We saw no signs of coral bleaching and the sea grass beds looked to be in very good shape. We brought back videos and pictures of sea turtles, eagle rays, barracuda, and reef life for use in my wife’s science class.
It is good to know that, despite challenges, The School for Field Studies remains committed to marine resource studies on South Caicos. They are clearly a positive influence in the community and, I have no doubt, are still changing students’ lives every day.
