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Academic News

The first week of the fall semester has come to a close, and the students already look at home on South Caicos. On the morning of the second day they hiked the island, learning about the culture, history, social structure, and some of the biology of South Caicos. In the afternoon, they went on a sea tour, and were shown the various dive sites and marine ecosystems that will become extensions of their classrooms. During the first week, the students have been prepared for what is to come. This week they were given an overview of the course, and how the theory and skills are going to enable them to carry out their Directed Research projects later in the semester. The course is interdisciplinary in nature, and the students are learning about the many facets of life in the Turks and Caicos, about marine ecology, marine resource management, environmental policy, and the importance of the human aspect to resource management. With swimming, snorkeling, and dive check-outs completed, they have been given a glimpse of the underwater beauty that they are starting to learn about in classes.

This first week culminated with a beach BBQ on Saturday evening at East Bay, and watching the sun set and the stars beginning to emerge. It was a great end to a good first week, and the beginning of many more to come. Dr. Steve Newman, Center Director

Student News

Last week all 30 students landed on South Caicos. We've spent most of our time easing into the semester and getting to know each other. It is a very diverse group who all share a common interest and passion for the ocean. Everyone spent one morning doing a scavenger hunt through town. This proved to be a fun way to learn where all the important places are and who has the best candy selection. The students are well into learning their first set of IDs. They've been snorkeling around Moxy Bush to learn their mangrove and seagrass identifications. Being able to actually see the creatures they're learning about, in their natural environment, is one of the many things that make this experience so special. Kara Gober, Student Affairs Manager

Student Reflections

After a long day of traveling for many of us, we finally stepped off the plane in the very humid and sunny Providenciales airport. We boarded a tiny plane that many of us could barely fit down the aisle and made our way to our future home for the next few months. None of us could wait to jump into the saltwater pool to cool ourselves off, which we did as soon as we got settled in a little bit. The next few days were spent organizing ourselves and having introductions to our classes, where we met our amazing professors and learned about the beautiful environment around us. Over the weekend we had our first opportunity to do community service, which was really fun. We split up, with some people doing a beach cleanup at East Bay, some visiting the Wellness Center in town, and others working on the “Shake off Violence” skit which we will perform for the island next week. Everybody feels comfortable with each other now, and we are already dreading the day when we will have to leave this magical place. Krista Riihimaki, Smith College

It has only been a week since I arrived in South Caicos but adjusting to life has been surprisingly easy. With blue skies, blue water, and wonderful warm weather it's hard not to be happy. The past week has been filled with a lot of opportunities to get to know all of my fellow students who represent Alaska to Maine. I can't say it has all been fun and games, despite several rounds of Trivial Pursuit, the staff has jumped right into classes. Normally several lectures in a day would leave me at breaking point, but with the combination of snorkeling or diving in the field the days are going by quickly. Just yesterday we took our first trip to an island of mangroves to spend time learning the scientific names of the common species. With a partner and a staff member all to ourselves we saw all the types of mangroves, fire sponges, sea cucumbers, giant Caribbean anemones, and even several lemon sharks! I am still working to try and remember the scientific names of all of those. The days I have spent so far leave me excited for the coming months, and wishing all of my schooling could have been in a place like this. Colin Ackerman, Lawrence University

As of today, all the certified SCUBA divers will have gotten checked out and gone on their first dive here at the Center. In my free time I like to snorkel around the dock, including at night after dinner. We've found an eel, spiny lobsters, some barracudas, octopi, and several different fishes. I've seen at least three different puffer fish. I'd only ever seen pictures of them before so I was very amazed when the ones I've seen are all about two feet long and their eyes look huge. They're pretty wicked cute. The visibility in the water is amazing, especially compared to the water I'm used to in the Midwest. We've even seen rays while traveling in the skiffs, including one that leapt out of the water. I'm still waiting to see my first shark. Jake Winkler, University of Pittsburgh

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