Bahamas Field Expedition 2010

Poolesville High School Group
San Salvador, Bahamas

June 23rd - 30th

Columbus’s first land-fall in the New World

"The beauty of these islands surpasses that of any other and as much as the day surpasses the night in splendour." -- Christopher Columbus

The Expedition

Accompanied by staff of the Global Ecology Program, you will participate in a field experience exploring tropical marine ecosystems of the Caribbean. Investigate coral reefs, turtle grass beds and mangrove swamps. Discover the inhabitants of rocky and sandy beaches, as well as tidal caves. Learn about the ecology of this region, its importance to man and how you can help conserve these vital habitats.

Days on San Salvador will be filled with exploration and learning.  We will spend both morning and afternoon at various field sites around the island.  Evenings will be set aside for lectures/discussions, night hikes, or time for organism observations. 

Day 1 – We meet at BWI airport and fly to South Florida.  After an overnight stay we connect to San Salvador the following day.

Day 2 – We fly from Florida to San Salvador; transfer to the Gerace Research Center; and, once moved in, snorkel the grass beds of Grahams Harbor.

Day 3 -  You’ll be introduced to reef ecology as we explore nearby Dump Reef in the morning and the reefs of Rice Bay in the afternoon.

Day 4 –  We hike  to North Point to discover the inhabitants of the rocky intertidal region.  Later that day we’ll travel to Cockburn Town for some shopping and then investigate Sand Dollar Beach on our ride home.

Day 5 –  We’ll snorkel French Bay reef and visit the ruins of a 17^th century sugar plantation in the morning; have a picnic lunch at the Columbus Monument; and snorkel Lindsey Reef in the afternoon – a great place for sea turtles.

Day 6 –  We’ll take a boat trip to Gaulin Reef and investigate off-shore cays that are home to iguanas and seabirds.  In the afternoon we’ll climb the Dixon Hill Lighthouse and explore Lighthouse Cave .

Day 7 –  You’ll explore a mangrove estuary as we float down Pigeon Creek on the out-going tide.  We’ll relax on beautiful Grotto Beach  for a picnic lunch before preparing for our departure.

Day 8 -  We leave the Gerace Research Center and San Salvador.  Return to BWI via a flight from South Florida by late evening.

About the Island
San Salvador Island is one of the outermost of a chain of some 700 islands sprinkled throughout more than 5,000 square miles of the most beautiful waters of the world.  The island is unique for its history, ecology and inland lakes. 

San Salvador is a largely unspoiled, sparsely populated island which reflects a natural Bahamian charm.  Surrounded by warm, blue waters, the island is home to a variety of colorful reef fish and seabirds, as well as endangered iguanas and sea turtles.

Our base of operation

Our expedition will be based at the Gerace Research Center (GRC), which is part of the College of the Bahamas. As a former U.S. naval base, the GRC is a self-contained facility which consists of comfortable accommodations, a cafeteria, classrooms, a library, and beach front.  GRC plays host to a variety of groups throughout the year – high school groups typically visit GRC during mid-summer.

Participants will be housed in a dormitory consisting of separate rooms with a maximum of five people per room in single beds. Several rooms share a common bathroom.  Men's and women's rooms are located on separate floors of the dormitory. All rooms are cooled with ceiling fans.

The GRC has complete dining facilities for ninety people.  Meals are largely American fare. The bulk of the food utilized on campus is shipped from Nassau or the United States. The kitchen staff will provide well-balanced meals and can normally serve a vegetarian alternative.

Our Naturalist/Guides

Claire Hudson developed an interest in the marine world as a child and nurtured that passion though exploring the ocean habitats of the Arabian Gulf, South Pacific, and Caribbean.  She now shares her knowledge and passion for marine biology by teaching and leading field excursions. Claire was inspired by her experiences to form the Society for Ocean Sciences and share the magic of marine environments with others. Claire’s goal is to engage people in the wonders of the marine realm.

Drew Ferrier, a professor of Biology at Hood College and co-founder of the Society, has over 25 years of experience teaching biology and ecology in classrooms, laboratories, and a variety of marine field locations. He is a former director of the Hofstra University Marine Laboratory in Jamaica. Since 1984 Drew has been leading students on field trips to the islands of the Bahamas and Jamaica.

Expedition Costs

To participate in an expedition we ask you to make a minimum donation to our organization to cover the costs of the expedition. The donation covers certain costs and includes the following: round-trip airfare from BWI airport; all meals, lodging and transportation enroute and on San Salvador; GRC station fees; boat charter and naturalist/guides.