After breakfast this morning, we went crap hunting. We began to learn how to use a quadrant and transect tape on land. Quickly after completing our intro experiment, we leveled up and performed a similar experiment on the patch reef. During this experiment, I saw my first upside down jellyfish. There were hundreds of them in a sandy region near the grass bed. Occasionally, the jellyfish would float up like little aliens blooping around until they drifted back down to the bottom.

After lunch, we got to go on a boat ride to visit a patch reef near the back reef. Woo! We performed a very similar transect experiment over the patch reef. Then, we went urchin hunting! This was my favorite part of the trip so far. I felt like I was on a treasure hunt peering into the coral crevices. I also spotted a few light grey and blue brittle stars in my hunt for urchins.

Today, was another good day for herbivorous fish! For the first time, I spotted Pomacanthus arcuatus (the grey angle fish) in the deeper reef. I also identified Chrysiptera parasema (the yellow tail damsel fish) and Stegastes paritus, the Bi-color damsel fish. I continued to see Stegastes variables (the Cocoa damsel fish in the adult and juvenile phases), Chaetodon capistratus (the four eye butterfly fish), Scarus Croicensi (the striped parrot fish, initial and terminal phases), and finally Sparisoma Viridi (the stoplight parrot fish, juvenile and initial phase). I saw all of these fish swimming around clumps of coral. Each species was usually swimming in pairs except for Stegastes paritus and Chrysiptera parasema which were typically alone. For the majority of the time, the fish were picking bits of algae off the coral or out of the sand.

Mosquito bite count: 85! (this means I am winning right )

Today was a busy day! We woke up at 5 am to get on the bus to go to Glovers Atoll. After a short drive, we arrived at the dock and met our marine safety officers, Javier and Adalfo. We then took a three-hour boat ride to Glovers. The boat ride was a lot of fun! Once we got outside the Great Barrier Reef of Belize, there were huge swells on the boat. A very large sea (approximately 6 feet wide) turtle popped up near the boat to see us. We also spotted lots of brown algae, a few pelicans, and possibly a flying fish.

We arrived at paradise, aka Middle Cay island at approximately 10:40am. We toured the field station and ate lunch. After lunch, we got ready for our first snorkel adventure. We snorkeled directly off the pier of middle cay on a patch reef. There were so many different organisms. I saw one of the largest lobsters I have ever seen peeking out of a hole in the coral. I also saw a yellow stingray swimming above the reef.

On the reef, I saw so many herbivorous fish!!! The first fish I saw was, Acanthurus bahianus, commonly known as the ocean surgeon fish. I also saw the adult form of Acanthurus Coeruleus, the Blue tang surgeon fish with the characteristic yellow caudal spine. The next herbivorous fish I spotted was Chaetodon Capistratus, the four eye butterfly fish swimming above the reef. I also saw Stegastes variables, the cocoa damsel fish, which is primarily yellow with a blue dorsal region. I identified Scarus croicensis, the striped parrot fish, in the initial and terminal phases. The last herbivorous fish I saw was, Sparisoma Viride, the stoplight parrot fish, in the Initial and Juvenile phases. I feel like I notice so many more herbivorous fish now!

After our snorkel trip. We hiked to the coral graveyard and learned how to identify different coral species from their calcium carbonate exoskeletons. I now see coral in a whole new light. I can’t wait to try to identify some of the corals tomorrow.To end the day, we ate dinner and listened to two presentations on Echinoderms and Hard Corals. We also learned how to make a quadrant!