Today we had a lecture on marine plants of Roatán before heading out for a group snorkel in the mangroves. Unfortunately, the wind was so strong that the visibility in the mangroves was too poor to snorkel, so we moved to the back reef instead. Even though we were constantly fighting the current, we collected a host of invertebrate species to observe on the boat before releasing them back into the reef. 

After the snorkel came lunch and some free time before the night dive. I took this opportunity to interview one of the locals named Becky. Becky works at the Coral Restoration Center of Roatán as the Community Development Coordinator. She was great to talk to and I learned a lot about her role at the center and what she's passionate about. Having an in depth talk with a local was an experience I can't recommend enough. 

In the evening we went on a night dive and snorkel. I attended the snorkel. The seas were still pretty rough but we were able to see a host of brittle stars, a huge porcupine fish, and a young octopus hanging out by the reef. And I didn't get nauseous once! Overall a great experience.

- Cadet Allie Johannsen

Professors Stephen Kielar and Ariel Setniker contributed to this blog entry.

Check back often and follow the adventure with our blog series that gives the latest news from the International Experience summer 2024 program traveling through Morocco and Honduras prior to returning to Vallejo on May 27, 2024.

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