Dia 4: Comienza la Investigacion (Day 4: Let the Projects Begin)

A pair of researchers walk in swimsuits and flipflops carrying Rubbermaid tubs of specimens and equipment, boats prepare for a long day of trips to and from reefs and islands, and the cicadas begin to hum deeply as the sun rises. This is the early morning scene at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and day four of our trip to STRI was the first day that we found ourselves at the center of this reality, ready to begin our long-anticipated research. The open air kitchen was filled with the smell of coffee, eggs, toast, and the buzz of plans between each group in preparation for our departure at 7:30 am to begin our projects.

Salty toes!

The ocean is as warm in the early morning as it is in the late evening in Bocas del Toro, the ideal conditions for each group to gather their equipment and begin a snorkel trip towards the research sites that will become a second home for a short time. With our fins flapping and water moving over our shoulders, the sound of our deep snorkel-breaths were drown out by a deluge of rain pummeling the surface of the water. Removing our masks and treading water, we all laughed and sang, embracing the moment of again being reminded that we are deep in the tropics of Central America. From the forest beyond the mangroves, howler monkeys bellowed deeply, joining our laughter from the trees.

The rain begins!

Haley taking in the rain

A howler monkey lounging in the trees behind STRI

At 11 am, we found ourselves dunking salty equipment in the freshwater tubs outside of the dive locker, discussing the successes and respective changes in our project methods, and feeling excited for rest of our time here! After lunch, we settled into our wonderfully air conditioned lab for a short lecture on coral reefs before leaving for the remainder of the day. Soon, our thoughts all turned to the ocean and the reefs, eager to use our fresh knowledge of coral nomenclature, formation, diversity, and history in the field.

Professor Richard Emlet describing the influence of wave action on reef formation

We visited 3 sites: Punta Caracol, Hospital Point, and Mangrove Point where we spent the day observing giant mounding corals and a variety of reef types, filled with more biodiversity than a short breath of air could provide time to observe or understand. Punta Caracol was a collection of patch reefs surrounded by white calcareous sand that laid gently around mounds of Montastrea and the many outstretched fingers of A. cervicornis and M. alcicornis. Sleeping among the very busy corals was a large sting ray who woke and, gliding away, guided me to a patch reef filled with beauty.

  

Our final stop was at Mangrove Point where we observed turtle grass, Thalassia testudinum, and the corals that appear our of the soft white sands afoot the dense mangroves. After a very brief snorkel, we made our way back to STRI where we stowed away our gear, showered, and gathered at the dinner table to laugh and share our experiences with one another.

The crew getting the lowdown on our final stop at Mangrove P

Hospital point was a unique experience for all of us since this was our second time visiting the reef. It's incredibly difficult to fully understand what you're seeing when you visit a reef for the first time, so this was our chance to use what we'd learned and experienced over the past few days as a personal guide. This time, a group of much slower, mindful, and arguably more coordinated students boldly dove and snapped pictures of all of the beauty they could see.

Descending on a reef outside of hospital point

At the end of each day, we have time to gather together or find ourselves in a wonderfully humid hut with our journals in hand, reflecting on the moments of each day. There, where our memories turn to ink pressed over paper, we cannot help but return to the realization that we are deep in Central America in the company of brilliant students and instructors. We are all here to learn, to grow, and crowd over buckets of anemones, spawning brittlestars, and plankton under microscopes. We are all here for the ocean. 

-Mack Hardy