What do these have in common? The Underwater Discovery group used all three to travel to their island off the coast of Belize yesterday. Mr. Brescia sent us a report of the day (see below) and beautiful photo. (Yes, they were swimming at sunset while those in NE bundled up for the brutal cold!)
Departing from Logan Airport at 5:40 AM on Day 1 (March 3), Mr. Johnson and I settled into our seats on American Airlines flight 1429 happy with how all 17 students enrolled in Underwater Discovery 2014 had arrived at the Schoolhouse so that we could leave on time! Our connecting flight in Miami landed in Belize City, where many sleep-deprived aspiring SCUBA divers lined up to speak with customs officers, and, by 1:30 EST, everyone was on the sidewalk waiting for our ride to the coast. After sorting out the only snafu of the day devoted to traveling, we boarded a bus for a three-hour ride, which began on the two-lane George Price Highway, heading west toward Guatemala, and continued south along Hummingbird Highway, at times squeezing across some very narrow bridges. Quickly, we learned that Belize's towns command respect from motorists thanks to their "sleeping policemen," the speed bumps that bring traffic nearly to standstill. Along the way, after noting how many houses stood on stilts, we passed the Belize City Zoo, countless general stores, Coca-Cola stands, acres and acres of fragrant orange groves and at least two plants producing juice for export.
With approximately 30 minutes remaining to that trip, the driver slowed the bus to a stop, with the bus pointed downhill, and then took his foot off the brake. Mysteriously, the white school bus slowly moved backwards (uphill) because, explained, of a strong magnetic pull at that location. He explained that this phenomenon was discovered by workers who first laid the surface of this main thoroughfare. Finally, we arrived at the docks, and within minutes we were knifing through the ocean in a race with another speed boat carrying our luggage to our final destination, the South Water Caye (pronounced "key") Marine Field Station, which shares an island with the Smithsonian. That bumpy but exciting ride lasted about 40 minutes. Before sitting down to a wonderful dinner of meatloaf and pasta with an Alfredo sauce, everyone dipped into the ocean before dinner with me impersonating a lifeguard. The day ended officially with Richard, a member of the management staff, presenting a short video about the field station and then offering comments to highlight the importance of conserving energy and especially water. Unofficially, the students lounged on the dock looking for phosphorescent squid and decompressing from a day of new sights and experiences.
Tomorrow (Tuesday), the SCUBA-related instruction begins! Katie Laughlin and Caroline Cort have already volunteered to post our next report, and the other pairs of students will follow suit.
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