tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1985023802939498392024-02-02T15:53:56.979-05:00South Caicos IslandThis is a personal journal in a public space, kept by Jessica Moyer and Brett Matulis. We are not so vain as to believe that complete strangers are interested in our daily lives. Rather, this blog was created when we decided to move to the British West Indies. It is intended to serve as a way for us to share news, post photos, and eventually, revisit memories. It was created for us and for those of our friends and families that are interested in our lives on the remote island of South Caicos.Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.comBlogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-39807464409141602432010-09-26T09:35:00.000-04:002010-09-26T09:45:21.507-04:00Blog BookNow that Jessee's posted her last post, I've put the finishing touches on the "blog book." And so, with this, we're officially bringing the blog to a close. I've uploaded the book to blurb.com, and it's now available for printing. It's quite expensive (sorry!), but the price isn't up to us. It's determined by the size of the book. And we reached the maximum allowable length of 440 pages! The book itself is supposed to be quite nice though, with fully professional printing and binding. It should be a proper coffee table book with many large, full color pictures. Preview the content below:<br /><br /><center><div style="text-align:left; width:350px"><object id="myWidget" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf?book_id=1613682" width="350" height="270"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blurb.com/assets/embed.swf?book_id=1613682"><a target="_new" href="http://www.blurb.com/books/preview/1613682?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget"><img src="http://bookshow.blurb.com/bookshow/cache/P2264495/md/wcover_2.png" /></a></object></div></center><br /><br />If you like it, you can order a copy directly from the printer: <br /><a href="http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1613682?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget" target="_blank" style="margin:12px 3px;">South Caicos Island by Brett Matulis & Jessica Moyer</a>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-21826303317168877632010-08-29T23:59:00.001-04:002010-09-23T13:08:19.989-04:00What I'll miss most, Part 2<div style="text-align: left;"><i>Written on August 20, 2010... (just haven't had a chance to publish until now).</i></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqgTPmDWh0rJb71_OvmDHfmKlRb_36i_wAwPTdFzYYfveXEim9tWOnQO2XEAm4b_6K5DQdCL9KfHynor20JsaJFAkmrx8kY-8x3hdqbtvir6VYFEruDbWovBDd5Z9-BAOCoVgeWitZCXl/s1600/sweaty_jessee.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqgTPmDWh0rJb71_OvmDHfmKlRb_36i_wAwPTdFzYYfveXEim9tWOnQO2XEAm4b_6K5DQdCL9KfHynor20JsaJFAkmrx8kY-8x3hdqbtvir6VYFEruDbWovBDd5Z9-BAOCoVgeWitZCXl/s400/sweaty_jessee.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520150919118626482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It's hard to believe, but my time on "the Big South" has come to an end now too. I'm back in the States visiting my family and trying to prepare for our next adventure: moving to Edinburgh! I thoroughly enjoyed my summer in the TCI, and had two great groups of students to work with. I think I was really trying to soak up everything that I loved about my job with SFS (along with some sun, which I may never experience again in such enduring abundance), since I knew that I would be moving on at the end of the summer. I also took some time to reflect on the 15 months that I spent in the TCI, and am inspired now, by one of Brett's earliest blog posts actually, to share a few of the things that I'll miss most (and least) about the living in the islands. I think I’ll start with what I won’t miss so that I can end on a positive note.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>What I <u>won't</u> miss:</div><div> </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>1) So many invasive species.</b> That is, the critters that invaded my sleeping quarters and my shower and my personal space, including ants, rats, termites, mosquitoes, and hydroids, just to name a few.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFs-lH6uUoyqz34SrL4vxIKKCSWeLQIfiGII8unCKAA_ADVSI9TjwYd7ZafZmyloaQ9oeOdTZ37kt88OExr9H5nzvr1ZeIyVGShWI6a_Wl9qr13SaHPO0eXHNDoSJoF_ZT7ZQEaJRkgVj/s1600/termites.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFs-lH6uUoyqz34SrL4vxIKKCSWeLQIfiGII8unCKAA_ADVSI9TjwYd7ZafZmyloaQ9oeOdTZ37kt88OExr9H5nzvr1ZeIyVGShWI6a_Wl9qr13SaHPO0eXHNDoSJoF_ZT7ZQEaJRkgVj/s400/termites.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520150497095690434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></span>Termite tracks leading up to my bathroom window</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjqLRseJJjT8SlrgJO-4VaZ5MSLiu6FhU_q9Bpakf5ANWSSsawRFDX5ajg1VniGR_RXRluw0lBW-1GKHzycVHZXLCsd_TaTzPxe4em4ee_qfgHcN4kqdazWJIKETxP8z907Hb6WreKRTh/s1600/ant_bite.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjqLRseJJjT8SlrgJO-4VaZ5MSLiu6FhU_q9Bpakf5ANWSSsawRFDX5ajg1VniGR_RXRluw0lBW-1GKHzycVHZXLCsd_TaTzPxe4em4ee_qfgHcN4kqdazWJIKETxP8z907Hb6WreKRTh/s400/ant_bite.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518944256595091858" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 348px; height: 400px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><div style="text-align: center; ">Ant bite right under my eye</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_94YY8xW-WUtsxeX7lPP5yN6YTB7CxmgqtZMDxYiE9O7UcsldnuZarcaN-fipsyUPE3wqdgY_vULC_whLuedgsyKCU4pMmA9GOTpJr4SmCxIj3vJ4nXhkwQ7Y7wZjNvZSql3sXd_ktwsd/s1600/rat.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_94YY8xW-WUtsxeX7lPP5yN6YTB7CxmgqtZMDxYiE9O7UcsldnuZarcaN-fipsyUPE3wqdgY_vULC_whLuedgsyKCU4pMmA9GOTpJr4SmCxIj3vJ4nXhkwQ7Y7wZjNvZSql3sXd_ktwsd/s400/rat.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520150487583503202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px; " /></a></span>This rat was nibbling away at my soap every night for weeks before I finally set a trap</div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>2) Staff drama.</b> I suppose it's to be expected that any group of 10 people from a wide range of backgrounds and outlooks, who have to live, eat, work, and play together will have squabbles and cliques, and will include some misfits or even the occasional unfit, but our tenuous center staff dynamics weighed heavily on me sometimes. There are, nonetheless, many individuals at SFS that I feel lucky to have met and whom I truly enjoyed working with.</div><div> </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>3) Getting hit on.</b> Or at least inappropriate eyed up and down nearly every time I left the center to go into town. This wasn't special treatment I received by any means, but I think I may have been one of the least flattered, and therefore least tolerant, recipients of such attention.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>What I <u>will</u> miss most of all:</div><div> </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>1) The weather.</b> It's confirmed. I'm a warm weather person, and I just love sun and water. And then more sun. Even on the days when it was pushing 100 degrees and we were all complaining about the heat, a little part of me was still secretly reveling in toastiness and wishing I could stockpile some warmth and sunlight for future, chillier, grayer days.</div><div> </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>2) The underwater world.</b> I've become so attached to the various beautiful and fascinating creatures that I've gotten to know over the past year-- and likewise to the Humann/DeLoach field guides that help me connect names and important facts with what I'm observing. Most of all I'll miss the sharpnose puffers and the green turtles, but I truly loved seeing a range of new and intriguing species every time I went on a dive or snorkel. In a way, I feel like I have a home, and many many friends, in the tropical marine ecosystems of the Atlantic.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLIvDXp1KD9-eWgzda6ZataYVbqpZlZ_xU2uNLGuUE1SCgsPXDElbD5iLGcaPbIGRLC4KbCXREUcpxt1iogaCMz37eV_kxXjWIZozZ5YChqBxEWxJGXmm6kLtjYhlBsfQhQGcQC-SFyt0/s1600/lobster.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLIvDXp1KD9-eWgzda6ZataYVbqpZlZ_xU2uNLGuUE1SCgsPXDElbD5iLGcaPbIGRLC4KbCXREUcpxt1iogaCMz37eV_kxXjWIZozZ5YChqBxEWxJGXmm6kLtjYhlBsfQhQGcQC-SFyt0/s400/lobster.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520150485223613122" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 312px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Huge spiny lobster spotted during my final snorkel</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEA-zs8-_tcO6wpEmJhYsDDOtYaJuJEhv6MtEW7pOsyJujPS-j6j9k4Kkg8Jtj3euaEzQwSmjWdBuzcacN9VSlfbGffWt1D6JiAnulrRqwMjW77D_cswbqiwPnT8nfOU-yIM1ysZnpBaD9/s1600/field_guides.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEA-zs8-_tcO6wpEmJhYsDDOtYaJuJEhv6MtEW7pOsyJujPS-j6j9k4Kkg8Jtj3euaEzQwSmjWdBuzcacN9VSlfbGffWt1D6JiAnulrRqwMjW77D_cswbqiwPnT8nfOU-yIM1ysZnpBaD9/s400/field_guides.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520150480047250866" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well-used field guides</span></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b>3) Connecting with students. </b>I spent a good portion of the past year with intelligent, motivated, passionate, and curious young college students. Not all of the program participants I worked with fit that description, but the many who did made all of the work that my position required worth it!</div><div> </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>4) The porch.</b> I loved sitting in our hammock out there with a book, and just enjoying the breeze and the (relative) quiet.</div><div> </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>5) Baking cakes. </b>I did this for every student birthday, and for a host of other events and celebrations as well, sometimes in collaboration with other people and other times on my own. In fact, I probably spent way too many hours decorating cakes when I had a million other things I ought to have been doing instead. I wonder if I'll ever have another job that will incorporate cake decorating. I hope so! Some of the cakes got gobbled up before we could take pictures of them, but here are a few examples:</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKYR4zmcZz0vNDG6Wo4shSaZuGwu1uRnCVsb8XMVGeNeXVOkddbNjZg3oLuUTSkrrdH7Vloia0MNHrA508C0TWQVM3rHtDOvlmiJtQU3Bu5uZ_ZSYeROc1RR6trYCW89v8XoE9dzwP6xw/s1600/catherine.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKYR4zmcZz0vNDG6Wo4shSaZuGwu1uRnCVsb8XMVGeNeXVOkddbNjZg3oLuUTSkrrdH7Vloia0MNHrA508C0TWQVM3rHtDOvlmiJtQU3Bu5uZ_ZSYeROc1RR6trYCW89v8XoE9dzwP6xw/s400/catherine.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518944279989016034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKYR4zmcZz0vNDG6Wo4shSaZuGwu1uRnCVsb8XMVGeNeXVOkddbNjZg3oLuUTSkrrdH7Vloia0MNHrA508C0TWQVM3rHtDOvlmiJtQU3Bu5uZ_ZSYeROc1RR6trYCW89v8XoE9dzwP6xw/s1600/catherine.jpg"></a>(camping trip)</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNybuv36rwGdLl89sm24AsPV0_gnzU8jew_fbB5vr0OAGQWMRSqYwQsO-KGP15Q7TP5p5eGRcAg54C9GsBxqNlLOhk22cEfsnjMPPe52nvBwwnNzlFx7-Il2HZZr7XxkmFwG3Ku2eeV8k/s1600/sarah.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNybuv36rwGdLl89sm24AsPV0_gnzU8jew_fbB5vr0OAGQWMRSqYwQsO-KGP15Q7TP5p5eGRcAg54C9GsBxqNlLOhk22cEfsnjMPPe52nvBwwnNzlFx7-Il2HZZr7XxkmFwG3Ku2eeV8k/s400/sarah.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943271960092562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 206px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(night snorkel)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNybuv36rwGdLl89sm24AsPV0_gnzU8jew_fbB5vr0OAGQWMRSqYwQsO-KGP15Q7TP5p5eGRcAg54C9GsBxqNlLOhk22cEfsnjMPPe52nvBwwnNzlFx7-Il2HZZr7XxkmFwG3Ku2eeV8k/s1600/sarah.jpg"></a></span><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxpwZLrCcW8Gy0Wt9NVUY5CM0GU3cOCqPfsnAmH1vwesoDInWNPBY8O6Vo8xM_Oj_u8eibVWclZ_cDc3gIk8966mN0r5Qsb_ZJB5VOopEMd0VuxftYVkEswwLbkd1iByiWGW9KA_6eoyX/s1600/harrison.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxpwZLrCcW8Gy0Wt9NVUY5CM0GU3cOCqPfsnAmH1vwesoDInWNPBY8O6Vo8xM_Oj_u8eibVWclZ_cDc3gIk8966mN0r5Qsb_ZJB5VOopEMd0VuxftYVkEswwLbkd1iByiWGW9KA_6eoyX/s400/harrison.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943052050418866" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 211px; " /></a></span></u></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;">(bonefishing)</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQtVPpHS8XvZBryfCzuFZ2rB7dMZgHCD_4WGIhd0gjg3m6xqr3HuW3NzteOuWvig5hPCtwVEWjxUDubr3i4kbHgXh2JTWv3aj_Aex-Z2tBNTsqCeLX7WLgF_ZoNkKPwmnczn9xm3ViX8U/s1600/bridget.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQtVPpHS8XvZBryfCzuFZ2rB7dMZgHCD_4WGIhd0gjg3m6xqr3HuW3NzteOuWvig5hPCtwVEWjxUDubr3i4kbHgXh2JTWv3aj_Aex-Z2tBNTsqCeLX7WLgF_ZoNkKPwmnczn9xm3ViX8U/s400/bridget.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518944264616404242" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 219px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(well-camouflaged peacock flounder)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></u></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQtVPpHS8XvZBryfCzuFZ2rB7dMZgHCD_4WGIhd0gjg3m6xqr3HuW3NzteOuWvig5hPCtwVEWjxUDubr3i4kbHgXh2JTWv3aj_Aex-Z2tBNTsqCeLX7WLgF_ZoNkKPwmnczn9xm3ViX8U/s1600/bridget.jpg"></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YQqmteT2w-NLwH9uH-VGINy9VRPEnPlorMrtln-8wjyV2wzkrG3p6H6uRg3nIJqLve4jkS1cVOoiJp5G1ONEsGWGGrIxjIr6vm4WhSKTCwupVg9K5cwhgm9Pdxpo02MJBFGcTgk4lE6o/s1600/tim.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YQqmteT2w-NLwH9uH-VGINy9VRPEnPlorMrtln-8wjyV2wzkrG3p6H6uRg3nIJqLve4jkS1cVOoiJp5G1ONEsGWGGrIxjIr6vm4WhSKTCwupVg9K5cwhgm9Pdxpo02MJBFGcTgk4lE6o/s400/tim.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943413519462098" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 246px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;">(bon voyage party for our site manager)</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigdNV_ReI6rW0k90Y5H0fEBhXH9o_QAtYKIryVxYB-vXvgKAVn7SkEmN7DCAfsCdk3OgMa2f-Mm3JCfiacyVOwQ9CGy0Zap9K_vPuo0YnrSzp5mfIDtvKs5RQh0m-eJwV-y7uzjNqqTkP/s1600/maria.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigdNV_ReI6rW0k90Y5H0fEBhXH9o_QAtYKIryVxYB-vXvgKAVn7SkEmN7DCAfsCdk3OgMa2f-Mm3JCfiacyVOwQ9CGy0Zap9K_vPuo0YnrSzp5mfIDtvKs5RQh0m-eJwV-y7uzjNqqTkP/s400/maria.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943264684376626" style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 234px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">(juvenile smooth trunkfish)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigdNV_ReI6rW0k90Y5H0fEBhXH9o_QAtYKIryVxYB-vXvgKAVn7SkEmN7DCAfsCdk3OgMa2f-Mm3JCfiacyVOwQ9CGy0Zap9K_vPuo0YnrSzp5mfIDtvKs5RQh0m-eJwV-y7uzjNqqTkP/s1600/maria.jpg"></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWckpDriGb_yE2lg4ZYX9dKWmVV_dnEpPrkMGgEFO1gjl7OqxTySBN0LT2qMfV632xAtHzK22SrfNZOjmVuklss0Rkx3IhyphenhyphenhSqGtzbyuf32K3oVnZr5_8wcHtAeK8g1CNsUArr1tZgA3u/s1600/sfs.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWckpDriGb_yE2lg4ZYX9dKWmVV_dnEpPrkMGgEFO1gjl7OqxTySBN0LT2qMfV632xAtHzK22SrfNZOjmVuklss0Rkx3IhyphenhyphenhSqGtzbyuf32K3oVnZr5_8wcHtAeK8g1CNsUArr1tZgA3u/s400/sfs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943408319712514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 400px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33kCFdJJtO7evRU4hqAd8TsIL7sTjktwyMUcFkOt5J3rCgvROonOWrMQG70Vtvti6gX12_0YVwwMT_k5e7V2yot_7k-qxzD4HQqlDL5aXG1MefQId5FLPt-UW0xCGeV3jb8TutXHlfV_b/s1600/lucy.jpg"></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(SFS logo)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33kCFdJJtO7evRU4hqAd8TsIL7sTjktwyMUcFkOt5J3rCgvROonOWrMQG70Vtvti6gX12_0YVwwMT_k5e7V2yot_7k-qxzD4HQqlDL5aXG1MefQId5FLPt-UW0xCGeV3jb8TutXHlfV_b/s1600/lucy.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33kCFdJJtO7evRU4hqAd8TsIL7sTjktwyMUcFkOt5J3rCgvROonOWrMQG70Vtvti6gX12_0YVwwMT_k5e7V2yot_7k-qxzD4HQqlDL5aXG1MefQId5FLPt-UW0xCGeV3jb8TutXHlfV_b/s400/lucy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943259062255922" style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJSQr0A2NAV5exZqxY8hV1R6apxBoGZg2BohHHiOe4nfV3mjAU_7CeDtsaC69EGIal4y_vszuqa4G9niFLt-qF6KPJacxGTjtzc3Dx4gBygIKQtWA7qMreestZcfMvvM-lKRBD4V6h2qX/s1600/lindsey.jpg"></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2N-hoX6FyCWG9j1r8gQbhPCFjUgvRkg_iPyxvZNJN6jVzHJvLXFZ8iRrp0sd-pemLA5VRHfUyw72Fw1CZYleuC7aU1A7u3lFAus_jZi8UWQU1YHVNzoffymYeMB-AfznGcMwnCbPgCO2/s1600/leah.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2N-hoX6FyCWG9j1r8gQbhPCFjUgvRkg_iPyxvZNJN6jVzHJvLXFZ8iRrp0sd-pemLA5VRHfUyw72Fw1CZYleuC7aU1A7u3lFAus_jZi8UWQU1YHVNzoffymYeMB-AfznGcMwnCbPgCO2/s400/leah.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943072033582818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 271px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">(a double birthday -- the above two cakes go side-by-side)</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><u><br /></u></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2N-hoX6FyCWG9j1r8gQbhPCFjUgvRkg_iPyxvZNJN6jVzHJvLXFZ8iRrp0sd-pemLA5VRHfUyw72Fw1CZYleuC7aU1A7u3lFAus_jZi8UWQU1YHVNzoffymYeMB-AfznGcMwnCbPgCO2/s1600/leah.jpg"></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqqTbguHSxp0ddHRDMvgQrU3C3lFxmH7f2iM6HC4yi4KPkDnwfkIvYfCzEqj5kzrIhKsiczJTp2UdQpu18gCkW9JS1GX-KIWPEKoGE0_DPb7QvXfkqCiRBlIisi76KIEJU42sNqGc0pSr/s1600/kristof.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVqqTbguHSxp0ddHRDMvgQrU3C3lFxmH7f2iM6HC4yi4KPkDnwfkIvYfCzEqj5kzrIhKsiczJTp2UdQpu18gCkW9JS1GX-KIWPEKoGE0_DPb7QvXfkqCiRBlIisi76KIEJU42sNqGc0pSr/s400/kristof.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943062077189586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 215px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">(mangrove ecosystem)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinyP6e8INkpblOYm4sPYhu_sQtHa3i2aOW6U3n2Bp-1D7ZAJUU6XcnEAc9kw1533rx6XfK7OOxx6seCSz5wJeRXYzdUFcfswICjdxik9tbK5hDo1_31d0NlMS3LCieQQtikPUbhB0_xzl4/s1600/brooke.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinyP6e8INkpblOYm4sPYhu_sQtHa3i2aOW6U3n2Bp-1D7ZAJUU6XcnEAc9kw1533rx6XfK7OOxx6seCSz5wJeRXYzdUFcfswICjdxik9tbK5hDo1_31d0NlMS3LCieQQtikPUbhB0_xzl4/s400/brooke.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518944273522593234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(she brought a stray puppy, a.k.a. "potcake", back to the States with her)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinyP6e8INkpblOYm4sPYhu_sQtHa3i2aOW6U3n2Bp-1D7ZAJUU6XcnEAc9kw1533rx6XfK7OOxx6seCSz5wJeRXYzdUFcfswICjdxik9tbK5hDo1_31d0NlMS3LCieQQtikPUbhB0_xzl4/s1600/brooke.jpg"></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8N0ulGVOhJr-wsb-YjQ57VVdh7gWMD4JjjBVpPZ6bY9XdOZbhbpM1VH-Zt-YDqDIDw2Dz1bf9IG825rMtO1yMNadtDLoifLgZSXcIH7iPwKYtt0j7O-ojLHaEzDopFmuSTJ8b6zcUR3F/s1600/daniel.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8N0ulGVOhJr-wsb-YjQ57VVdh7gWMD4JjjBVpPZ6bY9XdOZbhbpM1VH-Zt-YDqDIDw2Dz1bf9IG825rMtO1yMNadtDLoifLgZSXcIH7iPwKYtt0j7O-ojLHaEzDopFmuSTJ8b6zcUR3F/s400/daniel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943049095799330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 242px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">(our nightguard was from the DR)</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnoeARXKbNqa963FMX33mr08_2r2XtZWeNa8kvSii2mQmHl3XvQ3fkkvNa2MCUTritmF9OhQ2XLn4bR2DT7r3FG9rlGWsh55YG5Tth9s_cjvGZ018X6SeeifIp_lpsO3PPjLrLO9xIZ5Uk/s1600/molly.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnoeARXKbNqa963FMX33mr08_2r2XtZWeNa8kvSii2mQmHl3XvQ3fkkvNa2MCUTritmF9OhQ2XLn4bR2DT7r3FG9rlGWsh55YG5Tth9s_cjvGZ018X6SeeifIp_lpsO3PPjLrLO9xIZ5Uk/s400/molly.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943268039758754" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">(queen angelfish)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJqGVIoGsbKvtSjq-QXdSQMRs2Wx2vpM6VTcUb5CD3M9Xefu8cWccNfEb7mLSBVLgMMg66CaOD4_PsbIsi3KuUmwfRG1nXkfpkyUcfCJ8b4AWUFWhgXOM2OzGLfGDvXi-Wd5hbKdS7Cb8t/s1600/jasjeet.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJqGVIoGsbKvtSjq-QXdSQMRs2Wx2vpM6VTcUb5CD3M9Xefu8cWccNfEb7mLSBVLgMMg66CaOD4_PsbIsi3KuUmwfRG1nXkfpkyUcfCJ8b4AWUFWhgXOM2OzGLfGDvXi-Wd5hbKdS7Cb8t/s400/jasjeet.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518943056846888290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 245px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;">(for a huge Lakers fan)</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWiMjMjO1DpdUcNmNJ4t2rqJ7_KOzXASuNZgGV0R6SKy8ZskuSJ_VBCv0lrv2J1DXUBZue4jPZhAixSMqDild00uYoTlqeKfnq-DvBtd9X-uXyxnjGA25f-S8sdf1aCtsVxfj0HxHG7c1/s1600/barbara.jpg"></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWiMjMjO1DpdUcNmNJ4t2rqJ7_KOzXASuNZgGV0R6SKy8ZskuSJ_VBCv0lrv2J1DXUBZue4jPZhAixSMqDild00uYoTlqeKfnq-DvBtd9X-uXyxnjGA25f-S8sdf1aCtsVxfj0HxHG7c1/s1600/barbara.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWiMjMjO1DpdUcNmNJ4t2rqJ7_KOzXASuNZgGV0R6SKy8ZskuSJ_VBCv0lrv2J1DXUBZue4jPZhAixSMqDild00uYoTlqeKfnq-DvBtd9X-uXyxnjGA25f-S8sdf1aCtsVxfj0HxHG7c1/s400/barbara.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518944258730884594" style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 244px; " /></a></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(the last cake I decorated on the island... so I went all out!)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>6) Saving money. </b> There isn’t much to buy on South, nor is there much need for "stuff". I appreciated living simply, and also being able to put so much of each paycheck right into savings-- which I'm likely to promptly deplete this next year in Scotland. Ugh.</div><div> </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>7) Sunsets.</b> I've lived in many places that boast gorgeous sunsets, but South can compete with the best of them. (Lake Champlain might be its only rival in fact.) There's just something about a sunset over water, especially when the sea birds or night hawks are out enjoying it too. Dusk sort of provides an opportunity to reflect on time spent, lessons learned, relationships developed, and experiences accumulated, as well as to dream about and plan for what’s ahead…</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwY3jpwJBpTub6JxCYG4F0X_VisT-qdrgoISMDwq9HPY8BZ_xAYsvyF6LxP3ofem2lsIaZzHtuv8IxIyu3GFltlHOTyNr5cb86K4lrv3jR8pt49Iucqr7_JF9kF-FvE3uFAQ8PvbdDBhqM/s1600/sunset.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwY3jpwJBpTub6JxCYG4F0X_VisT-qdrgoISMDwq9HPY8BZ_xAYsvyF6LxP3ofem2lsIaZzHtuv8IxIyu3GFltlHOTyNr5cb86K4lrv3jR8pt49Iucqr7_JF9kF-FvE3uFAQ8PvbdDBhqM/s400/sunset.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520150500232699682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div>Jessica Moyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13234861051796329039noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-44820316090543164722010-06-28T22:29:00.000-04:002010-06-28T23:28:02.271-04:00Summer 1 '10Jessee here. I know I haven't been doing a very good job of filling Brett's shoes as primary blogger lately, but I'll try now to catch you up a little.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLV7yjH4-37qQommcNxyLu8Rp6H1kDExwLTIfR4AJ5fqfYafQTnVl6w-kfAadzAfAhqoOTXrSzk_qFoYGTAYfHpdJwyOjTO6ASRQwaADVN7wbu_Vtlazr594HJghmiE8N0FT_KS-KkkcCE/s1600/big_shoes.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLV7yjH4-37qQommcNxyLu8Rp6H1kDExwLTIfR4AJ5fqfYafQTnVl6w-kfAadzAfAhqoOTXrSzk_qFoYGTAYfHpdJwyOjTO6ASRQwaADVN7wbu_Vtlazr594HJghmiE8N0FT_KS-KkkcCE/s400/big_shoes.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488029011734915922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Big shoes to fill (Brett left these here when he moved out)</span><br /></div><br />Since Brett left the island about 3 weeks ago, quite a lot has happened here. First of all, we got a brand new batch of students for Summer session 1! We've also had a few staff changes, including losing our Site Manager, Tim, and gaining 3 new Interns, two of whom arrived just last week. Before they got here, I had been filling in for the waterfront staff quite a bit, and though it made for an extra busy schedule, I really enjoyed going out on the snorkels and driving the boat for the field research projects.<br /><br />So far, the summer's been filled with lots of the usual activities and trips, such as camping, hikes along long cay, baking cookies, swimming at coast guard, and playing volleyball at High Point. On that note, we have some serious volleyball talent in the current group of students, and I think we may give the High Point guys a run for their money at our next face-off (probably tomorrow). Unfortunately though, I'm pretty sure I broke my toe at one of our practice sessions.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eE0GFYwzIcbjxzATRKAyv9wYL-g024zmGB5vmsXTpulCnlia_yuhC5la4X_1wOonMbluGlQh6tI6HP7rEOmTumA5NGdq5Z9KMZE7QfsXxsrWXwfo24g-ONMCG9YPSowG3hR9cZDWOkEx/s1600/broken_toe.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eE0GFYwzIcbjxzATRKAyv9wYL-g024zmGB5vmsXTpulCnlia_yuhC5la4X_1wOonMbluGlQh6tI6HP7rEOmTumA5NGdq5Z9KMZE7QfsXxsrWXwfo24g-ONMCG9YPSowG3hR9cZDWOkEx/s400/broken_toe.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488017643093803874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Pretty purple toe<br /></span></div><br />There have been some new activities thrown into the mix this summer too. For example, there was a celebration of TCI culture at the Regatta the week before last, in honor of a gentleman who put a lot of energy into preserving local traditions and foods and music, and who passed away recently. The junkanoo band paraded through the streets, children performed on stage at the Regatta Village, and there was food and drink for sale thoroughout the night. (SFS contributed a big TCI flag that our students painted, and it served as a backdrop for the stage.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLlw6sD63u6k8BEsp5cy-nD87vidlBr__sT6dqXrkXZiHhi8iV5otuFZOFf9THWlAjtdIHwJYszeHRSKMqNahZ3V1aokT_morgX1HlO1XGcxycxXWvAQwlDIFWJthkBgR6qweu2Swq2DI/s1600/TCIflag.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLlw6sD63u6k8BEsp5cy-nD87vidlBr__sT6dqXrkXZiHhi8iV5otuFZOFf9THWlAjtdIHwJYszeHRSKMqNahZ3V1aokT_morgX1HlO1XGcxycxXWvAQwlDIFWJthkBgR6qweu2Swq2DI/s400/TCIflag.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488017661753976178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Preparing decorations for the Junkanoo festival<br /></span></div><br />In other news, our pool is currently out of commission. We loaned our pump to a guy in town that Tim was friends with, and he apparently loaned it (or sold it?) to someone else. So, we're working on tracking it down, but in the meantime our community swim lessons have been cancelled.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUAOImbkZGpTY5_BwOJ2TMh40IZUPjaH2tJChJVpLeR1UqOhR0E1E7QaFPpWn0UyaliMLbhu1y9ZvGWH_bBfeOD639UVayu5Wj43UUII686ukERGGga3mFy6raq784D9v-AZhuxN8cfXg/s1600/icky_pool.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUAOImbkZGpTY5_BwOJ2TMh40IZUPjaH2tJChJVpLeR1UqOhR0E1E7QaFPpWn0UyaliMLbhu1y9ZvGWH_bBfeOD639UVayu5Wj43UUII686ukERGGga3mFy6raq784D9v-AZhuxN8cfXg/s400/icky_pool.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488017653473654626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Algae-infested pool</span><br /></div><br />The only bright side of having no pool is that we had to come up with a creative alternative activity for the kids who come to visit us every Saturday afternoon. We usually have arts and crafts projects available, and ping pong, volleyball, dominoes, cards, etc., but the swim lessons are by far the biggest draw, so I was prepared to have a lot of disspointed kids on my hands. We decided to set up a few touch tanks with sea creatures in them as a new and exciting attraction, and also as a way of teaching the kids about marine life and encouraging them to interact (gently) with their natural environment.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUKzhwBxfZ5vdywbwle_1Qc1_5i7jXSseWZht5uNNelMRtjyqBMIBpR7BMv-IqYxdHhWLv9Rn2ug5MX0Slv6RJiT9tydscEm4U3DzzT940gZwpIn4Dhy2CO8VCv1FX9yJYJjm6dGADYUS/s1600/touchtank2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUKzhwBxfZ5vdywbwle_1Qc1_5i7jXSseWZht5uNNelMRtjyqBMIBpR7BMv-IqYxdHhWLv9Rn2ug5MX0Slv6RJiT9tydscEm4U3DzzT940gZwpIn4Dhy2CO8VCv1FX9yJYJjm6dGADYUS/s400/touchtank2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488017982673219490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Touch tank<br /></span></div><br />Two of the faculty members and I went out in the morning to collect creatures, and we came back with several west indian sea eggs, a pencil urchin, 2 crabs that had taken up residence in unoccupied shells, a few snails, 2 brittle stars, a milk conch, a queen conch, a few flamingo tongues, a few sand dollars, a sea biscuit, some sea marbles, a few different types of algae, and... a small lobster and a shrimp that were living together inside a knocked conch shell! It was a huge hit! Some of the kids were afraid to touch things at first, but most of them worked up the courage to at least pick up a conch shell and look inside. The cutest reaction belonged to a little boy, Elrico, who pointed to an item in the tank that I explained was called a "sand dollar". He thought for a second, and then said "What's that mean? You can buy stuff in the sea with it?"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9jWvOzmAp4_t6vAna3HDUwqkvGSmCc4mOjToD_9rKJN7DwRkT8b7CZqks9DUuZqjShC7C9_FiGJx4jdNgDB-KVeslszizrPe0ag-6PA6N_s_GT7hYMnkmdojMfNh06-NZV5nOru_hEI_/s1600/touchtank3.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9jWvOzmAp4_t6vAna3HDUwqkvGSmCc4mOjToD_9rKJN7DwRkT8b7CZqks9DUuZqjShC7C9_FiGJx4jdNgDB-KVeslszizrPe0ag-6PA6N_s_GT7hYMnkmdojMfNh06-NZV5nOru_hEI_/s400/touchtank3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488017986062200690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The tanks kept the kids' interest for almost an hour... incredible!<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nRl0IlTwGxHD2eMfodNEYSM5benxMffzYUZhOMMjHzxC2RGGDVopzz8WBv2gMaHIZszXTQfGCvQ-SNpMGX_ifkDw9ZQYmxzQNZaI4KYbL7E2Ul9mp2UkKkBQ1gZ2VyHxplkVa57bEKFs/s1600/touchtank1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nRl0IlTwGxHD2eMfodNEYSM5benxMffzYUZhOMMjHzxC2RGGDVopzz8WBv2gMaHIZszXTQfGCvQ-SNpMGX_ifkDw9ZQYmxzQNZaI4KYbL7E2Ul9mp2UkKkBQ1gZ2VyHxplkVa57bEKFs/s400/touchtank1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488017665696497986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Princeton makes a new friend<br /></span></div><br />The current group of students took their final exam today, so there are no more lectures this session. In fact, they are only here for one more week. (The shorter summer sessions fly by!) This final week will be action-packed though. We had a frisbee game this evening, field research twice a day all week, a volleyball game tomorrow, the high school graduation ceremony to attend tomorrow evening at Regatta Village, a few recreational waterfront activities thrown in, the students' final research presentations on Saturday morning, some community engagement Saturday afternoon, the 4th of July, a day to pack and clean up the center and take a final field trip together, have a closure banquet and photo slideshow, and then I fly back to Provo with the students next Tuesday morning.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F3X7m97YOCEntTeer-StqX3ZxqWm-uS_gmxIXKPCLvb_pu5U4lt_C55eXzsUngjAO3lZRWqIWy8BxfxbAqOyxv2RzDqt9skAXe-DxDTSmAZacQZuqY09rEDhio0RSi7UEdJDzg6vASr7/s1600/morning_activity.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F3X7m97YOCEntTeer-StqX3ZxqWm-uS_gmxIXKPCLvb_pu5U4lt_C55eXzsUngjAO3lZRWqIWy8BxfxbAqOyxv2RzDqt9skAXe-DxDTSmAZacQZuqY09rEDhio0RSi7UEdJDzg6vASr7/s400/morning_activity.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488017658917924578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Our busy daily routine starts with a "morning meeting" and group activity<br /></span></div><br />I'll be sad to see this group go... I'm enjoying them a lot. I'm also starting to feel a little sad about leaving myself. I gave notice to my supervisor a little while ago, and then last Friday at our weekly meeting she annouced to the rest of the staff that I will be leaving SFS in August. (And, as of this post, I suppose the news is accessible world-wide.) So it's official. As of the end of Summer 2, I'm moving on. To where, I don't know yet. Somewhere that Brett are I are both able to find work and meaningful community involvement, is the idea. Wish us luck! Given the status of the current job market, we need it!Jessica Moyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13234861051796329039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-79400191976629011052010-06-06T11:20:00.000-04:002010-06-07T14:23:50.551-04:00Closing TimeMy time on the island has come to an end.<br /><br />As I noted before, it probably seems quite sudden that I left. But it has been in the works for months. It was February when I first began to realize I needed to leave. There's no place for "partners of staff" at the SFS center in TCI. As more and more restrictions on how I could be involved were placed on me (and the others in my same position), it became apparent that I'd be better off some place else.<br /><br />Despite how some characterized it, I never felt entitled to free reign over the school's resources or expected to be entertained by those who worked there. Quite the opposite, when I came I was more than happy pitch in where I could - to work for free! On numerous occasions I offered to be part of the staff-of-the-day rotation, monitor the radio, serve boat duty, or lead groups. I came with the attitude that I needed to "earn my keep." I would bear no burden on others and do everything I could to make the lives of those around me easier. That was what I could offer in exchange for the extraordinary opportunity of being allowed to live there.<br /><br />No matter what, though, some were determined to resent the fact that I was there in no official capacity. There's nothing quite as infuriating as being told, "you don't seem to understand that this is a school," when it was so far from the truth. (I must add, though, if you judge by the way this person conducted his course, it's understandable why someone might forget).<br /><br />But there's no need to dwell on the things that made life on South Caicos difficult. In the sincerest way I can possibly put it, I wouldn't trade the last year for anything. Despite the challenges, I've had some once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I'll never forget (especially since they're quite well documented in this blog). I logged over 170 dives, swam with dolphins, whales, sharks, eagle rays, and loads of tropical fishes. I've become an underwater photographer and gained an advanced knowledge of diving. I captured sea turtles and freed iguanas. It's been quite an adventure. And I couldn't be more thankful for it.<br /><br />We'll have to count on Jessee to keep this blog going through the summer. I won't be writing regularly anymore (though I may post once or twice more, for instance, when I finish the book). It's a sad feeling bringing things to a close. This blog has been pretty central to my life for an entire year. But all good things must come to an end.<br /><br />Farewell South Caicos!Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-15961928492786462482010-06-05T16:19:00.000-04:002010-06-05T16:28:20.833-04:00ThunderstormI took this video yesterday on the flight from Charlotte, NC to Fort Myers, FL. Fortunately, we flew around it and not through it. It was perfectly smooth and made for a good show.<br /><br /><center><object width="400" height="243"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/C5X2pn2Tj0k&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/C5X2pn2Tj0k&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="243"></embed></object></center><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Thunderstorm<br />(<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5X2pn2Tj0k">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5X2pn2Tj0k</a>)</span></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-89598469345653179102010-06-05T00:17:00.000-04:002010-06-05T00:39:40.499-04:00On the MainlandIt was a long and arduous journey, but I've arrived safely in Naples, Florida. As the crow flies, South Caicos is only about 600 miles from Florida. If only I could have flown directly, it would have taken hardly more than an hour. Instead, it took me 16. So close, yet strangely far away.<br /><br />There are few things less pleasant than commercial air travel these days. It seems that collectively airlines have given up all effort of providing decent service. Instead they try to wring every last penny they can from you. I was charged $25 to check my bag and $3 for the on-board snack. They've even gone as far as placing advertisements on the tray tables! On top of that, the TCI government charged me $20 for permission to leave the country. They get away with all of this because they know we're captive consumers. We'll keep purchasing their product no matter how bad it is because when it comes to long distance travel, there's nothing else we can do.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GkICgtKaCTjfxpz4D-cBFF7y1fz10TY6L19l5X1rIIlOHEa8UrTZ8_HsPCIoYd4I_8-sMxS63lNk_CB0wFjPh2IE-82C6uZU6_7sT8XnjYxjLGyc5ucW2q3-2QqJMxTMsvGPTAIoJBVs/s1600/IMG_1043.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GkICgtKaCTjfxpz4D-cBFF7y1fz10TY6L19l5X1rIIlOHEa8UrTZ8_HsPCIoYd4I_8-sMxS63lNk_CB0wFjPh2IE-82C6uZU6_7sT8XnjYxjLGyc5ucW2q3-2QqJMxTMsvGPTAIoJBVs/s400/IMG_1043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479143154956911890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Shameless.</span></div><br />But I guess, when it comes down to it, I can't complain because they did manage to get me from point A to point B without any mid-air disasters!<br /><br />I do, however, always enjoy the island-connector flight from South to Provo. See some of the photos from it below:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ghhqMo1HwYQfXkG6oy6aAMKIdagsQtIDhZxN-E80hUJWk_YjrtytCNA4zXNZiFIcOSMxhkDEIGgG5lgIfWkgzLeLkjSnlqcc5O1SzCnoYug1CxI_onrnpD5H_0TnTT2zPTfu_UMwyHJo/s1600/IMG_1028.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ghhqMo1HwYQfXkG6oy6aAMKIdagsQtIDhZxN-E80hUJWk_YjrtytCNA4zXNZiFIcOSMxhkDEIGgG5lgIfWkgzLeLkjSnlqcc5O1SzCnoYug1CxI_onrnpD5H_0TnTT2zPTfu_UMwyHJo/s400/IMG_1028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479143132711064642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Boarding in South Caicos<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1IdxFqkXepJSFxbETYGMFFtQgchDcWGd9v-rbNQ7krtdC8i2IAx_JyDUUPwWYy1ii7pQVYKncWT6U9r6puZrEPrf4QBfmj1bfEqxH0Yv4QqpRMDmHkpsl0krFJ5jRhApv9kLSNyxNcIZ/s1600/IMG_1033.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1IdxFqkXepJSFxbETYGMFFtQgchDcWGd9v-rbNQ7krtdC8i2IAx_JyDUUPwWYy1ii7pQVYKncWT6U9r6puZrEPrf4QBfmj1bfEqxH0Yv4QqpRMDmHkpsl0krFJ5jRhApv9kLSNyxNcIZ/s400/IMG_1033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479143140714500674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">You can really see the damage that the East Bay resort has done dredging sea grass.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXRjc2Jmdjcd0fFvlK3KKVWbMjI5fnj_9SX2qwUDAFUQRT1UpgoQfuUzYQ2bhTk3ItdwMAz2caysUR_uRCwTaW2pFNsPP_SzUaUVu1u3u5_jntAqa7Vk9b77Ggki2SeWqHvOIdm-M3Dr4/s1600/IMG_1034.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXRjc2Jmdjcd0fFvlK3KKVWbMjI5fnj_9SX2qwUDAFUQRT1UpgoQfuUzYQ2bhTk3ItdwMAz2caysUR_uRCwTaW2pFNsPP_SzUaUVu1u3u5_jntAqa7Vk9b77Ggki2SeWqHvOIdm-M3Dr4/s400/IMG_1034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479143147251914546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Dove Cay and Long Cay<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupyQ94bJ-AvK78g1Z7NSC_Dt7eh06971Zr1b4Htjnisg8JOsPE8hgnRSvSUoF9rapol8r_CmJ3lugb5oiscG-Vt6pn_beuC3re-ocxK15rzm7RyXuaByhmKFvo9DznlJx0xGHa3q5QKCT/s1600/IMG_1035.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupyQ94bJ-AvK78g1Z7NSC_Dt7eh06971Zr1b4Htjnisg8JOsPE8hgnRSvSUoF9rapol8r_CmJ3lugb5oiscG-Vt6pn_beuC3re-ocxK15rzm7RyXuaByhmKFvo9DznlJx0xGHa3q5QKCT/s400/IMG_1035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479143149467072770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">One final goodbye - looking down at the Center.<br /></span></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-13897698925430614492010-06-03T12:07:00.000-04:002010-06-03T12:26:32.197-04:00Rain on my ParadeJune 2nd, I mentioned last year, is a special day for us. As of yesterday, we've been together for 8 years! We didn't get to spend it together last year, so I had grand plans for it this year. But there was rain on my parade.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUU2uL3YSaDiTQ7X8VK3T2WtTTN8aUyvAtmNF2-mze5_AOY9eMa_hRZgyj8dw1mcf0FNe4ivd8ujjdlpzqhw_-SOnxxKtQGy-bN3NQidcEeQXEMD-8o5SqzGiXY3gZ41guyVmVWKQ1kIF/s1600/IMG_0948.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUU2uL3YSaDiTQ7X8VK3T2WtTTN8aUyvAtmNF2-mze5_AOY9eMa_hRZgyj8dw1mcf0FNe4ivd8ujjdlpzqhw_-SOnxxKtQGy-bN3NQidcEeQXEMD-8o5SqzGiXY3gZ41guyVmVWKQ1kIF/s400/IMG_0948.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580300464481122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Rainy Day<br /></span></div><br />There was thunder and lighting for the better part of the day. Both of us were a little bummed out because of it, but incredibly things cleared up in the evening and we still had an enjoyable time (even if I wasn't able to carry things out in their full glory). We went for my final South Caicos dive, just the two of us. And while we were down there, I gave Jessee her card.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxnB6jXym0ozci1KSmuqp24r1EBZgDSaF59epW2u4biSB1nkDpmcIDI20PYAObBaDTLzi9IZoQDUWwcFCcC0I8T5zNJZFYt-D0WXgNGMKbE26CfmRVZSQzeccjyRzDtuOZduLMvlStJ8p/s1600/IMG_0989.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxnB6jXym0ozci1KSmuqp24r1EBZgDSaF59epW2u4biSB1nkDpmcIDI20PYAObBaDTLzi9IZoQDUWwcFCcC0I8T5zNJZFYt-D0WXgNGMKbE26CfmRVZSQzeccjyRzDtuOZduLMvlStJ8p/s400/IMG_0989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580564295828194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtehyphenhyphengAN7tVnkrp8V4Kh2TAk5RFkndVS1-eW0SyLmEeDHsQeLIGhSOoSMMR4UlNFkoM8UZ4VT4AQxsAOjg_dYLKEPfV5pkbjXnXAAZDMChBS3ATKHwFvBtjCAo2348Dol7lHHc_AmN0apP/s1600/IMG_0988.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtehyphenhyphengAN7tVnkrp8V4Kh2TAk5RFkndVS1-eW0SyLmEeDHsQeLIGhSOoSMMR4UlNFkoM8UZ4VT4AQxsAOjg_dYLKEPfV5pkbjXnXAAZDMChBS3ATKHwFvBtjCAo2348Dol7lHHc_AmN0apP/s400/IMG_0988.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580316016338466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QhUvUZ7aEXTmncQSh4v9tCUPlehW3zTgnYS6Obl21CSIId6KNi7zdJz5cZQzNctUoYJAZbqZRRHh8W4970yWTdk1EHc8fum_OjmNN2B8blJcdupX06OVHK_PvqewoTxFimqrj6B-CCZU/s1600/IMG_1011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QhUvUZ7aEXTmncQSh4v9tCUPlehW3zTgnYS6Obl21CSIId6KNi7zdJz5cZQzNctUoYJAZbqZRRHh8W4970yWTdk1EHc8fum_OjmNN2B8blJcdupX06OVHK_PvqewoTxFimqrj6B-CCZU/s400/IMG_1011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580587912376546" border="0" /></a><br />It was a good last dive too. We got a good sampling of the regular South Caicos megafauna - a Nurse Shark, a Reef Shark, and a lone Eagle Ray. It was as if they were all coming out one last time for me. Aside from that we saw lots of Horse-eye and Black Jacks (my favorite fish) and a Sharpnose Puffer (Jessee's favorite). Just before we ascended I spotted a Golden Coney too. Coneys are quite abundant, but Golden ones are a rare color variation. I've only seen 3 or 4 others the whole time I've been here.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInLWE5GyjvMvThsFo3flvj3jvF_ADD50iX_HDkTPz03GaLyqvL0RtbT3z9XNSflilZCuPNFflzon7nc6sx57lxUAwJ17CvRG7JsQkbv5Kn5REitK7Qle575kUdxhhCIWeRpIYuPbWQ-uA/s1600/IMG_0969.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInLWE5GyjvMvThsFo3flvj3jvF_ADD50iX_HDkTPz03GaLyqvL0RtbT3z9XNSflilZCuPNFflzon7nc6sx57lxUAwJ17CvRG7JsQkbv5Kn5REitK7Qle575kUdxhhCIWeRpIYuPbWQ-uA/s400/IMG_0969.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580305726900578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A bit blurry.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N2r1BSN0x1g58es77qwMRYeZJQv9lsSFNwsvoA0A683T_AmrjmsdSAKURI6-emeMrA_rWgnsrhL9SZh7OJALG4-8dlD32MNTRtf4ncLDy-G5lhOgK7XtPQI2TGgSxI2UyE-96I4E9LNw/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N2r1BSN0x1g58es77qwMRYeZJQv9lsSFNwsvoA0A683T_AmrjmsdSAKURI6-emeMrA_rWgnsrhL9SZh7OJALG4-8dlD32MNTRtf4ncLDy-G5lhOgK7XtPQI2TGgSxI2UyE-96I4E9LNw/s400/IMG_0979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580312458336610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A bit grainy.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQaHAuaYyghh8WaQR_A2_rrpDW3THIuuZAESC3y2L6BUYA2QQszrtPo6jOF6lq1f7fjp3xdoUTHFUJgqkF5kUu7FUHHXorneeMr1vGnzfKOT5vLS7TCpnocJ50_w2WLIRPwjldQCztQbU/s1600/IMG_0971.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQaHAuaYyghh8WaQR_A2_rrpDW3THIuuZAESC3y2L6BUYA2QQszrtPo6jOF6lq1f7fjp3xdoUTHFUJgqkF5kUu7FUHHXorneeMr1vGnzfKOT5vLS7TCpnocJ50_w2WLIRPwjldQCztQbU/s400/IMG_0971.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580307598682226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Nassau Grouper<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqxvL6NIH0LRQ7ELVQQDZCY2ivgEq9u5f5t0fodInRzrh8u5nkj_CZ3dOqQsqpzfoo0mpMR5lry4PeE7rNkGzUpGUz91XcJTHC9GXcStpOV3dEmTuVrBF8LuMNs5J-RxShIqIOK8gOxpy/s1600/IMG_1001.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqxvL6NIH0LRQ7ELVQQDZCY2ivgEq9u5f5t0fodInRzrh8u5nkj_CZ3dOqQsqpzfoo0mpMR5lry4PeE7rNkGzUpGUz91XcJTHC9GXcStpOV3dEmTuVrBF8LuMNs5J-RxShIqIOK8gOxpy/s400/IMG_1001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580569896351858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Sharpnose Puffer<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5-xzBGYPLNuFCG1qSHPbsA7mlc1HWHXelTJJraVOXrIJAupCmriCBI0E1ktXJfSDoQmLDdsTq4jM9RuOEmtjvM6iYGshCtTp326dBg_UxV21Txw76p7yrxMJfjuox1G2DqRhKXKJMdYB/s1600/IMG_1008.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5-xzBGYPLNuFCG1qSHPbsA7mlc1HWHXelTJJraVOXrIJAupCmriCBI0E1ktXJfSDoQmLDdsTq4jM9RuOEmtjvM6iYGshCtTp326dBg_UxV21Txw76p7yrxMJfjuox1G2DqRhKXKJMdYB/s400/IMG_1008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580578741110322" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Golden Coney</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho5yupwtq7J5_0X4h673MFpMomZ24XwELT4OjXTIY8U3ardKSyvUA3dQtUlbtaWClvwU6Nrtu8WOlzsT9FdohQr2T3QbAbo012EHLejsN6xjFDnWBZQA1YtINE_HzzAFxeSN8hed_jf2V/s1600/IMG_1006.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgho5yupwtq7J5_0X4h673MFpMomZ24XwELT4OjXTIY8U3ardKSyvUA3dQtUlbtaWClvwU6Nrtu8WOlzsT9FdohQr2T3QbAbo012EHLejsN6xjFDnWBZQA1YtINE_HzzAFxeSN8hed_jf2V/s400/IMG_1006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478580576528803026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">They're somewhat shy.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgek5bt2v6AU_B3Gt_MipIcLgviCi5vX8_c3thX4X_o5mU8EhJHqHEto6IU-3PPoq_hW-sgIzUT9_Qu5PzxX8OzgFzJ0J25b0WD6NNyqG5TQFt_ZTKbQ4SgWGcTgrvUH4tpAh3SZ2lYHym9/s1600/IMG_1019.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgek5bt2v6AU_B3Gt_MipIcLgviCi5vX8_c3thX4X_o5mU8EhJHqHEto6IU-3PPoq_hW-sgIzUT9_Qu5PzxX8OzgFzJ0J25b0WD6NNyqG5TQFt_ZTKbQ4SgWGcTgrvUH4tpAh3SZ2lYHym9/s400/IMG_1019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478581072475789618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">That's supposed to be an 8<br /></span></div><br />After we cleaned the salt off our equipment (extra thoroughly for mine since I'll be hanging it up for a while), we went out for dinner. There's not much in terms of "fine dining" on this island, so we embraced the situation and went for the bottom rung of what was available - The Chicken Shack.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1X8w8gIs4oS434TN1CsSFmY2tyHoe4sh2416cRQcMnmL0mza-kXU5bZDdLN5Cb9xq2KtjC6wSlDrBrQG5PbanDzSeVtmnTrHAcw5Dlx_7UlDCTqWvguldEmt_1LQ1LjgKuVU_vR-PoLA3/s1600/IMG_1024.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1X8w8gIs4oS434TN1CsSFmY2tyHoe4sh2416cRQcMnmL0mza-kXU5bZDdLN5Cb9xq2KtjC6wSlDrBrQG5PbanDzSeVtmnTrHAcw5Dlx_7UlDCTqWvguldEmt_1LQ1LjgKuVU_vR-PoLA3/s400/IMG_1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478581082275161762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Fried chicken and french fries. It made us both feel sick.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5cetF3GmHDqMj4O_bSKXU74OCIdVIsmLlM9UZCAdlLIsjyG-_I7l8-KQH45-Al4ipHgpdDe5sp-qJfW2xmD9YWvZWpAuHbMRurvJXxjQQro3jccW8V3oLK651LpMpdUfMhzDtXGBZIm4/s1600/IMG_1022.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5cetF3GmHDqMj4O_bSKXU74OCIdVIsmLlM9UZCAdlLIsjyG-_I7l8-KQH45-Al4ipHgpdDe5sp-qJfW2xmD9YWvZWpAuHbMRurvJXxjQQro3jccW8V3oLK651LpMpdUfMhzDtXGBZIm4/s400/IMG_1022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478581077313192322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Bruno was happy, though, because he got our bones.<br /></span></div><br />And one more thing, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-82587345594892809812010-06-01T15:46:00.000-04:002010-06-01T17:03:02.838-04:00April and May PhotosHere are some of the photos I took in April and May:<div><br /></div><center><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fbmatulis%2Falbumid%2F5458706121909861505%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></center><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">April</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/bmatulis/RepublicaDominicanaApril2010">http://picasaweb.google.com/bmatulis/RepublicaDominicanaApril2010</a>)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><center><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fbmatulis%2Falbumid%2F5470210026340409713%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></center><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">May</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/bmatulis/SouthCaicosMay2010">http://picasaweb.google.com/bmatulis/SouthCaicosMay2010</a>)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've also updated the slideshow of photos in the sidebar to display Spring 2010. The old "Winter 09-10" photos can still be found here: <a href="http://www.slide.com/r/UDrmSQOrqz8DVQZ-WkgT5OribaOYBJFd">http://www.slide.com/r/UDrmSQOrqz8DVQZ-WkgT5OribaOYBJFd</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To view the Spring 2010 slideshow larger, go here: <a href="http://www.slide.com/r/wLM_4xh67j-Xi8-c_YhTc222558arYuS">http://www.slide.com/r/wLM_4xh67j-Xi8-c_YhTc222558arYuS</a>.</div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-62002959781781177532010-06-01T12:54:00.001-04:002010-06-01T13:11:31.416-04:00Raising AnchorYesterday Jessee and I helped the waterfront staff in one of their tasks. They needed to move a large anchor that was abandoned on the seafloor over to our swimming area for use as a new mooring for our rescue boat. In its current position, when the tide is really low and the wind is blowing from the southwest, the boat gets dangerously close to the rocks. In all the right conditions (wrong conditions?) the boat could sustain damage.<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9kSMa0ONEUK_ny8-jqg6wlgtp6g4qOdQxIlt3f_cdC_yZcAhwthjt2BQf99R7tjS0uXApqGV6Mudf22gAl6zJRywwzF7flsO_EZlOMeKbeYqRiTxSrD_IPYz4eNZaMT8QH_cLKpxlb6v/s1600/IMG_0906.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9kSMa0ONEUK_ny8-jqg6wlgtp6g4qOdQxIlt3f_cdC_yZcAhwthjt2BQf99R7tjS0uXApqGV6Mudf22gAl6zJRywwzF7flsO_EZlOMeKbeYqRiTxSrD_IPYz4eNZaMT8QH_cLKpxlb6v/s400/IMG_0906.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477850002802545314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Abandoned Anchors</span></div><div><br /></div><div>The objective was to dive down and raise one of the abandoned anchors using air-filled "lift bags." None of us had seen these anchors before, but we had GPS coordinates of where we could find them in the bay. We went out there initially with 400lbs of lift capacity believing it would be plenty. As soon as I got in the water and snorkeled over them, however, I knew we'd need more. I guessed just one of them was going to weigh over 1000lbs!</div><div><br /></div><div>Since we were out there and had already gone through the effort of throwing our anchor out, we went down and gave it everything we had anyway. With all 400lbs of lift attached, we could just barely muscle it around. We'd need twice that to float it high enough for it to be towed back to the Center. The problem was we didn't have enough equipment to do it properly. We went back to the shed and grabbed everything we had that would float.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kh4bW0gt_gUcCzIICqmW50VTshmYbaCStQaeKl8Fy1HrHYdtWpKeXhgHWBeDzzl18s5n7gyBrVlrX82pqfitRKPBvNx1tdwyjnpG0Sus0LP6f1Yrw7-6PrwGrqQsO2ll92W6kjFN-b9H/s1600/IMG_0910.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kh4bW0gt_gUcCzIICqmW50VTshmYbaCStQaeKl8Fy1HrHYdtWpKeXhgHWBeDzzl18s5n7gyBrVlrX82pqfitRKPBvNx1tdwyjnpG0Sus0LP6f1Yrw7-6PrwGrqQsO2ll92W6kjFN-b9H/s400/IMG_0910.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477850000499856498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">400lbs of lift barely moved it.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>We spent another half an hour on the bottom (it was only about 12 or 13 feet deep) jerry-rigging it. Eventually, though, we got it up there. We had buoys tied on in several places, leaky lift bags that needed periodic re-filling, and even a few life jackets holding the thing precariously below the surface. If anything gave, we'd better not be underneath!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQeDN9Vx37pQdU4lgmHfEIIpq1ne2HUitwF3s1iUROnFowADqhgFxB4XSzQANYHLokNvTAcuDHOQePj_wMM3kiy-I5vqRYKiPGRTiHFIe1d4ZOh9ajBbr2WaETL_uIhtvs6vWEdI4WLMP/s1600/IMG_0916.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQeDN9Vx37pQdU4lgmHfEIIpq1ne2HUitwF3s1iUROnFowADqhgFxB4XSzQANYHLokNvTAcuDHOQePj_wMM3kiy-I5vqRYKiPGRTiHFIe1d4ZOh9ajBbr2WaETL_uIhtvs6vWEdI4WLMP/s400/IMG_0916.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477850005563641938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Getting there - 700lbs of lift.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZmC32dEQkOT6iezlvZ6f0pKtnlqtkwwXM03tONcEIyRc4zLEGMT9FLoEVb8nA8enugkxhXeeajD7f3tK0m1k6X8ms_ilIZX0395j5yTw_2Sggl0OfPmzBFJSKXGfo1ppFcrdSve69o3R/s1600/IMG_0928.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZmC32dEQkOT6iezlvZ6f0pKtnlqtkwwXM03tONcEIyRc4zLEGMT9FLoEVb8nA8enugkxhXeeajD7f3tK0m1k6X8ms_ilIZX0395j5yTw_2Sggl0OfPmzBFJSKXGfo1ppFcrdSve69o3R/s400/IMG_0928.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477850010327386322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Two big buoys finally got it off the bottom.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoli5yfWH9ruaPQqIj8tZhbae8r5xCXa-SroPub7ZkjNk6dDK5iuUjJe7a-XpO9J3OP_Mqte4EHTgvj-cIqzMVOE7UUUECY4MM35RRp6k3NPpyQNT_TDnE3rUNzCk2n2U05vtdPzQ1kfKF/s1600/IMG_0929.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoli5yfWH9ruaPQqIj8tZhbae8r5xCXa-SroPub7ZkjNk6dDK5iuUjJe7a-XpO9J3OP_Mqte4EHTgvj-cIqzMVOE7UUUECY4MM35RRp6k3NPpyQNT_TDnE3rUNzCk2n2U05vtdPzQ1kfKF/s400/IMG_0929.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477850012291079634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Freediving with a life jacket was challenging to say the least.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>To raise it the last few inches, I climbed on top of the buoys to sink them slightly as the others pulled in the slack on the ropes. It worked well for most of them, but one twisted to the side and the rope slide out. I rolled off into the water and buoy went sailing towards the horizon. We tried swimming after it, but there was no hope. After a few heated words amongst the group, we cut the anchor loose from the boat (leaving it to drift freely in the bay) and chased down our lost buoy.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8StBwKssp6HELNRIH2LSHF2cWLco8_ZaTEbedHaGgR3IOWDFAy2I3L2NIaerJumJLOwtwlctWt29spgVJ_ABEMMo5EGEnXRhiVN1fHmxhulGxGWh0o5QcdTb2B2NfjvKgbdUnjDj7il2/s1600/IMG_0932.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8StBwKssp6HELNRIH2LSHF2cWLco8_ZaTEbedHaGgR3IOWDFAy2I3L2NIaerJumJLOwtwlctWt29spgVJ_ABEMMo5EGEnXRhiVN1fHmxhulGxGWh0o5QcdTb2B2NfjvKgbdUnjDj7il2/s400/IMG_0932.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477850212463523330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Attempting to sink a buoy.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Once we got things under control we still had about a half mile of towing to do. Two of us stayed in the water to make sure it wasn't going to get hung up on anything. We held on to the whole thing and were dragged back with the anchor. It wasn't all that far to go, but without proper tow lines the boat couldn't really go in a straight line. It would only veer to the left or right (depending on the side to which it was attached). As a result, we had to make big circles all the way in. People on shore must have really been wondering what the heck we were up to.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzU-Dku6EFeRvUjfEXIZv5WJbliyL28PVt7hxEnFiBoA_DELJHBpKFCvLU-iqHkgdetJxsEZj7hhgxANsAW2Zapbtl8EYFoW55rxaU5xrQVDiVVhiffLcTLEs2BlhGKOdXtmLwh7X2PoBu/s1600/IMG_0938.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzU-Dku6EFeRvUjfEXIZv5WJbliyL28PVt7hxEnFiBoA_DELJHBpKFCvLU-iqHkgdetJxsEZj7hhgxANsAW2Zapbtl8EYFoW55rxaU5xrQVDiVVhiffLcTLEs2BlhGKOdXtmLwh7X2PoBu/s400/IMG_0938.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477850214214532818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Getting dragged behind the boat.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, we got it into position, deflated the bags, removed our improvised floats, and sank it in its new home. We'll still need to attach some mooring lines before we can use it, but the hard part it behind us. I was a bit worn out from it in the end (it took about 5 hours to do the whole thing), but it was great fun wrestling with it and problem solving to get it moved.</div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-73076952730283495272010-05-31T14:48:00.000-04:002010-05-31T16:29:10.510-04:00Big South RegattaThe biggest event of the year on South Caicos is, by far, the annual Regatta. People come from all over the TCI and the celebration lasts for four days. It's such a big deal that normally (we were told) the coordinators of the event receive funding from the government to put it on. This year, however, in these hard economic times, no funding was available. Being such an important event though, they went forward with it anyway. The only difference was that it needed to pay for itself. That meant an entrance fee. A $30 entrance fee!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6-VgKbEPauyc52yl24LSyrpblK86hfE4U0yRD0ubwHFBA1JCJz1Ku9YwqbMMtS8OAiIrXkOgZy8DqqqC90-K24_DEbz6QkA7U9ldHUolrV8O-67ecAznQz3DQKFROcVbYBlMWPwluYIL/s1600/IMG_0943.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6-VgKbEPauyc52yl24LSyrpblK86hfE4U0yRD0ubwHFBA1JCJz1Ku9YwqbMMtS8OAiIrXkOgZy8DqqqC90-K24_DEbz6QkA7U9ldHUolrV8O-67ecAznQz3DQKFROcVbYBlMWPwluYIL/s400/IMG_0943.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477511134229558370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Regatta</span></div><div><br /></div>Regrettably, we decided we just couldn't spend that to get in. According to the fliers, we missed out on beauty pageants, live music, food, and other performances. Some other information I found said that, historically, there were also donkey races (that might have been worth the $30!). It's been going on unbroken since 1967 to commemorate the Queen's visit in 1966.<br /><br />What I was most interested in was the boat race. Which, of course, we were able to see without paying the entrance fee. In fact, we had a really good view of it from the center - the cliff adjacent to the water was excellent for viewing.<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx01FEOoBR5_cztmqOp1eJhpv_lU85_EAUZ8MICxpcngppGmWCNFnPXoVb1ZP1Jq_AIMOrbVKp7cGQFOWIOixKyCkuxMfOY5g2toG2X7ktvkdYH-A0rVdrODArhxeEsnuFatR22Wgy2rkU/s1600/IMG_0864.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx01FEOoBR5_cztmqOp1eJhpv_lU85_EAUZ8MICxpcngppGmWCNFnPXoVb1ZP1Jq_AIMOrbVKp7cGQFOWIOixKyCkuxMfOY5g2toG2X7ktvkdYH-A0rVdrODArhxeEsnuFatR22Wgy2rkU/s400/IMG_0864.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477510987297830482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Races</span></div><div><br />It wasn't clear how the race was organized, or if it was held all at once. But boats were zipping around (dangerously close to one another) all day long. Some were just souped up fishing boats, others were dedicated racers, and a couple were multi-engine powerhouses clearly from out of town. We were invited to race our rescue boat, a zodiac, but the acting Center Director decided we couldn't risk damaging it (probably a wise decision!). It seemed that several of the fishermen put a great deal of money into this race - the wisdom of which I couldn't help but question. They were putting their livelihoods on the line for a day of racing. And <i><b>at least</b></i> one boat sank! In fact, a couple SFS staffers witnessed it happen. Jessee and I missed it by a couple minutes, but we saw the aftermath.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhN_kRypRGP9bQ9YluTKX3qeD8iTECv5zLIHG40GOsPd8YX88Fi3BrIBANMYaAQ-McqJD8wrKx3M4EYJM1VvSjZA_h6orXhYlIKAkkiUKpQjQVQsOZK2eWeAqjwwPziK_WR6jpAJy1rUu/s1600/IMG_0866.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhN_kRypRGP9bQ9YluTKX3qeD8iTECv5zLIHG40GOsPd8YX88Fi3BrIBANMYaAQ-McqJD8wrKx3M4EYJM1VvSjZA_h6orXhYlIKAkkiUKpQjQVQsOZK2eWeAqjwwPziK_WR6jpAJy1rUu/s400/IMG_0866.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477510990840366418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Mayhem!</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhN_kRypRGP9bQ9YluTKX3qeD8iTECv5zLIHG40GOsPd8YX88Fi3BrIBANMYaAQ-McqJD8wrKx3M4EYJM1VvSjZA_h6orXhYlIKAkkiUKpQjQVQsOZK2eWeAqjwwPziK_WR6jpAJy1rUu/s1600/IMG_0866.JPG"></a><br />Three boats were screaming past the SFS dock (recklessly inside of our cordoned-off swimming area) when one crossed the wake of another. At the speed they were going they completely lost control. The boat swerved hard to the right, narrowly missing our moored rescue boat and throwing the passengers into the water. The boat kept going and slammed into the limestone cliff in front of the center. The staff who watched it happen said they were thrown 20 or 30 feet! Had they not fallen from the boat, they very likely would be dead!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2v1xm6IxSuSOAZvwWzHVh2bDRH6Atnsk4diqIXEjpz5zUz5k8h5HJWd0nJoV2pspUup9zB09EoiU-V_Iz8z9XTeYNapLkCgL-JruFbKefBPSOHt0zONjCdpSDy8oAE8dlUAt2c1hbglA/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2v1xm6IxSuSOAZvwWzHVh2bDRH6Atnsk4diqIXEjpz5zUz5k8h5HJWd0nJoV2pspUup9zB09EoiU-V_Iz8z9XTeYNapLkCgL-JruFbKefBPSOHt0zONjCdpSDy8oAE8dlUAt2c1hbglA/s400/IMG_0854.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477510972545972834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sunken Boat</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2v1xm6IxSuSOAZvwWzHVh2bDRH6Atnsk4diqIXEjpz5zUz5k8h5HJWd0nJoV2pspUup9zB09EoiU-V_Iz8z9XTeYNapLkCgL-JruFbKefBPSOHt0zONjCdpSDy8oAE8dlUAt2c1hbglA/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVK-qp2MvEWg-IwRkrlDM2sdap3duintRqy87CraRfp4b9ed3l4XND8CQ1lyN0ZPWVwQ_YXoY3skoWgiRy4keFc6-PxBBeEksybntJxKu2TMRlzFP0So2pDboX8ModgEXizRZCyZZB4oFa/s1600/IMG_0860.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVK-qp2MvEWg-IwRkrlDM2sdap3duintRqy87CraRfp4b9ed3l4XND8CQ1lyN0ZPWVwQ_YXoY3skoWgiRy4keFc6-PxBBeEksybntJxKu2TMRlzFP0So2pDboX8ModgEXizRZCyZZB4oFa/s400/IMG_0860.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477510976229536530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px; " /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVK-qp2MvEWg-IwRkrlDM2sdap3duintRqy87CraRfp4b9ed3l4XND8CQ1lyN0ZPWVwQ_YXoY3skoWgiRy4keFc6-PxBBeEksybntJxKu2TMRlzFP0So2pDboX8ModgEXizRZCyZZB4oFa/s1600/IMG_0860.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Towing the sunken boat.</span></div><div><br /></div>Just moments after it happened Jessee and I were walking by and noticed some commotion. We went to the cliff edge and looked down to see a completely submerged fishing boat, a couple people splashing around in the shallow water, a couple other boats looking on, and a lot of shouting. There was debris from the crushed hull floating nearby. One of the interns swam out to see if everybody was okay. She took a look at the boat while she was out there and reported that there was a 4ft gash in the side!<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-kGAwPhizJhahIDYFxi913CxwUH49ob-itryF9k_BuJrT8jjMpIurzOQjQVWL5qDLckpzyNRHEjwwVZIPiu5mE93x-g1jH4seBOGCy8uVqFK_lB9YZYXGzXAVhD2HplPEX2lgIipCAVx/s1600/IMG_0867.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-kGAwPhizJhahIDYFxi913CxwUH49ob-itryF9k_BuJrT8jjMpIurzOQjQVWL5qDLckpzyNRHEjwwVZIPiu5mE93x-g1jH4seBOGCy8uVqFK_lB9YZYXGzXAVhD2HplPEX2lgIipCAVx/s400/IMG_0867.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477510996540369810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Attempt #2</span></div><div><br /></div>With a great deal of effort the other boats managed to pull the sunken one up from the bottom and tow it back to the docks. As long as they kept moving it partially floated. The ropes snapped once and it sank again in slightly deeper water, but I'm pretty sure they got it back eventually. This is just about as much excitement as sleepy little South Caicos ever gets. It's no wonder Regatta is such a big deal!</div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-63049224325155121092010-05-29T18:29:00.000-04:002010-05-29T19:47:35.795-04:00Dolphins!We saw more Dolphins this morning! This time they were Bottlenose Dolphins, like Flipper. They're much bigger than Spotted Dolphins, so much so that I questioned whether or not they were Porpoises at first.<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYhIsYNcJszu7VUrV8JA-9Anm4tq4ARIzdB1lmWDbPPxOkoM7xrJL4i_KkW6goB5sEHsx9hG4S6gocad80dLgy-e_KjmEILA6_q_TDzozwiR1FLDumm7Rt25CKeDTcMmMRqJ6Jn7E_wql/s1600/IMG_0831.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYhIsYNcJszu7VUrV8JA-9Anm4tq4ARIzdB1lmWDbPPxOkoM7xrJL4i_KkW6goB5sEHsx9hG4S6gocad80dLgy-e_KjmEILA6_q_TDzozwiR1FLDumm7Rt25CKeDTcMmMRqJ6Jn7E_wql/s400/IMG_0831.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476839748927624802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYhIsYNcJszu7VUrV8JA-9Anm4tq4ARIzdB1lmWDbPPxOkoM7xrJL4i_KkW6goB5sEHsx9hG4S6gocad80dLgy-e_KjmEILA6_q_TDzozwiR1FLDumm7Rt25CKeDTcMmMRqJ6Jn7E_wql/s1600/IMG_0831.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bottlenose Dolphins</span></div><div><br /></div><div>The book says they can grow as big as 13 feet! You can tell just how big they really are from the picture below. There were three total, and my guess is that they were all big enough to be males. They sneaked up on us, circled around, looked directly into my eyes, and swam off. At least, that's what we saw them do. They were probably watching us for longer because Jessee, who was on the surface, got to watch them for several minutes. They swam within feet of Dave, one of the divers down with us, and he didn't even notice - you can see him looking at his dive computer in the picture.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnErRwDJROB-MAHVVWJMswvCVEZNb2TE9cKa-dm2k1iYtOjx_gppw6f5YqYcyD6Rt35qvGmlz4FevFrv9sN1Sg22cLr1SCGzFvRpp0izXWN7ox0lRciLBnYpmEX88YQQ2qqT-4KKHUlRU/s1600/IMG_0829.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnErRwDJROB-MAHVVWJMswvCVEZNb2TE9cKa-dm2k1iYtOjx_gppw6f5YqYcyD6Rt35qvGmlz4FevFrv9sN1Sg22cLr1SCGzFvRpp0izXWN7ox0lRciLBnYpmEX88YQQ2qqT-4KKHUlRU/s400/IMG_0829.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476839737526248802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Captain Oblivious</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxoi-KyZyf1liuOFRwBxeSHyQ304Y-OGUiRydTfH_HzjdddcB2FpMeIWUQP6cns7_TAoeRrivAZ0vJ_fDKZCGXb_4e6Ttc48zu7l4wBTfQm1vhHpJDceAsw7ddahYGvqu_zGAzMUjinS8/s1600/IMG_0830.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxoi-KyZyf1liuOFRwBxeSHyQ304Y-OGUiRydTfH_HzjdddcB2FpMeIWUQP6cns7_TAoeRrivAZ0vJ_fDKZCGXb_4e6Ttc48zu7l4wBTfQm1vhHpJDceAsw7ddahYGvqu_zGAzMUjinS8/s400/IMG_0830.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476839748122973330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Approaching Cautiously</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqTlKd_Bq0AabApzRkCkVLvVBIagXUQrAeOp1o5VXaARh-ioV-qGx-CoyyBtVjiKGMXlUygdh42bF5CAH4OGoly5qOmXK-CFvcjUCtn_TGygvIPkDrICq0DcaoR8v5pJnonB8d5OIXe0W/s1600/IMG_0837.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqTlKd_Bq0AabApzRkCkVLvVBIagXUQrAeOp1o5VXaARh-ioV-qGx-CoyyBtVjiKGMXlUygdh42bF5CAH4OGoly5qOmXK-CFvcjUCtn_TGygvIPkDrICq0DcaoR8v5pJnonB8d5OIXe0W/s400/IMG_0837.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476839755038683010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Going up for air.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>It's so exciting to see animals like this. They're not all that common in this area (I'm not sure why), so it's really special when we get to see them. It's really different to see mammals than it is to see sharks and other fish. You can tell there's not much "going on upstairs" with fish, but Dolphins are completely different. The way they look at you and move around you really shows their intelligence. They're intriguing to watch (a lot like monkeys, except wetter).</div><div><br /></div><div>Tonight we're planning to watch The Cove, a documentary about the Japanese Dolphin Slaughter. It sounds interesting, but perhaps not as uplifting as seeing them today was.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RgsyK2eOFT1KKAqidX6A_AodPsR_gxpTiaReXGWVK5HagdIfN_cIGTmypBa6HCMaXZCyiXsokrMbNV7kNfG3ODuMO0CzPBM0mbq0AwLYEwnG43hvQh9Po8ByQ9oO9ifBajPcdqd2-DGK/s1600/IMG_0832.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RgsyK2eOFT1KKAqidX6A_AodPsR_gxpTiaReXGWVK5HagdIfN_cIGTmypBa6HCMaXZCyiXsokrMbNV7kNfG3ODuMO0CzPBM0mbq0AwLYEwnG43hvQh9Po8ByQ9oO9ifBajPcdqd2-DGK/s400/IMG_0832.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476839750549168418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Checking Me Out</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOwWGlWYrUt-dQO9A08riufdKvDD9-5skzFVdEIYtsmzcAX4xLj6T0MH8nxdY09mR9GOTvPSi8eYknlBAqE2E5v_6RIOcgxsrViNddqVi5K9TuvQOSetRF3bGhSdtNEHYUciFeZBBhTqI/s1600/IMG_0851.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOwWGlWYrUt-dQO9A08riufdKvDD9-5skzFVdEIYtsmzcAX4xLj6T0MH8nxdY09mR9GOTvPSi8eYknlBAqE2E5v_6RIOcgxsrViNddqVi5K9TuvQOSetRF3bGhSdtNEHYUciFeZBBhTqI/s400/IMG_0851.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476840115927485186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px; " /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Jessee poised at the ready in case they returned.</span></div></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-11748428466432130072010-05-27T12:21:00.000-04:002010-05-27T12:36:03.380-04:00Summer's ComingThis morning we woke up in a stuffy hot room. It was the first time in months that it's been uncomfortably warm that early in the morning. Summer is coming. Which means it's also about time to solidify summer plans.<br /><br />I had long ago hoped to have things sorted out and had been waiting until then to give this update. Unfortunately quite a bit is still up in the air. I had hoped to be starting a PhD program in Scotland this Fall. I was accepted to the University of Edinburgh, but I haven't been able to secure enough funding to go. It costs a fortune for overseas students! And my backup plan, the University of Vermont, turned out not to be much of a backup when I found out they had never received my transcripts. Now I feel a little bit lost.<br /><br />I decided months back that I would return to Washington for the summer to work and prepare for the move. I even bought plane tickets - 4 June is my last day on South Caicos. Very soon! I had just been waiting until I knew the whole plan before putting it into writing on this blog.<br /><br />As it stands, I'll be visiting my grandfather for a few days in Florida before a two week contract with Gray Wolf back in Washington. After that, I have no idea. I applied (and actually already interviewed) for an exciting job in Costa Rica with Outward Bound, but I haven't heard back from them yet. Either way, it's time (perhaps past time) to leave this island. It's been an unforgettable experience, but there's not much for me here. As time has progressed I've found that I can't really be involved with SFS life and the South Caicos community just isn't big enough to provide me with any outside opportunities. Life on a tiny tropical island just isn't always what the imagination leads you to believe.<br /><br />Having such wide open possibilities would normally be pretty exciting for me, but this time I'm feeling a little less adventurous. All I really want is to start school this Fall. And I especially DON'T want to repeat the process of seeking scholarships or applying to backup schools for next year. I'm still waiting to hear how much money the federal government will lend me (things are delayed this year because of the recent changes to student loan laws), but it's doubtful it would be enough to attend and I'm leery of accumulating so much debt anyway. So, where I'll be come July, is very much unknown.Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-62476331130573538052010-05-23T17:00:00.000-04:002010-05-23T21:07:54.287-04:00The Daily RoutineAs Jessee mentioned, we're trying to keep in the habit of running. I don't really like doing it, but I <i>do</i> like having done it. It makes a world of difference in how you feel. For the last two days we've taken advantage of the fact that the water has been dead calm and, instead of just floating around at the dock to cool down, we went for a couple of long snorkels. Yesterday we swam around Dove Cay, and today we crossed the entire bay to Shark Alley. According to Google Maps, each route is about a mile.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=k&msa=0&msid=104781959957579632954.00048749787c48b265c51&ll=21.487335,-71.532154&spn=0.01198,0.017123&z=15&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=k&msa=0&msid=104781959957579632954.00048749787c48b265c51&ll=21.487335,-71.532154&spn=0.01198,0.017123&z=15&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Snorkel Routes</a> in a larger map</small><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The water has gotten much warmer since the winter and it's really nice to be out there. The surface water was especially warm because there were no waves to churn things up, and the thermocline was especially distinct. The top 12 inches was probably 8° or 10° warmer than the water below that. It's just a shame it wasn't this flat when Jessee's family was here.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9Vt0DiBGdRaaAT7gfDBqX5DdY8JQQ8oXy7i5FsQ0rAbhIXTyLngC-zSqiHeaGwKTbMd5ynnJQE2reLBjIYqszX1GZfE6W_BjlIGRgtYPudnKnqNAQhNQIxYm7zvvR9laa2_TfmPHyVLx/s1600/IMG_0547.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9Vt0DiBGdRaaAT7gfDBqX5DdY8JQQ8oXy7i5FsQ0rAbhIXTyLngC-zSqiHeaGwKTbMd5ynnJQE2reLBjIYqszX1GZfE6W_BjlIGRgtYPudnKnqNAQhNQIxYm7zvvR9laa2_TfmPHyVLx/s400/IMG_0547.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474582662689081490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">Dove Cay</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ME8v7SaL1hVPgoe3pLBhMQSatbSj4HUYex1hjuhs3ikWVJPaEEcTJjtAvAZrrC-KTp7ygk10cGGEMUd27l-EYmIs6x3QgYIfXxQL2Y6RUsk1lEcIAeoJH84dc76zkiW6kNHIVAXug6MR/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ME8v7SaL1hVPgoe3pLBhMQSatbSj4HUYex1hjuhs3ikWVJPaEEcTJjtAvAZrrC-KTp7ygk10cGGEMUd27l-EYmIs6x3QgYIfXxQL2Y6RUsk1lEcIAeoJH84dc76zkiW6kNHIVAXug6MR/s400/IMG_0519.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474581291681648658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">We attached our shoes to the signal float. Yes, that is ocean water not pool water, by the way.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="16px" style=" ;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWxbEPMQQqNPFU899JwtxUfs4i92KoGc2WluqIieG-Mv0b2l25SofRML2qXXmXXzhN2vGQc98xvsJFDyjlGAPrS2-KFkSAYw-l1b0iSQiiomkkCFXSjU8IcZuE4uTydlaGJT3HwFWLq2Q/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWxbEPMQQqNPFU899JwtxUfs4i92KoGc2WluqIieG-Mv0b2l25SofRML2qXXmXXzhN2vGQc98xvsJFDyjlGAPrS2-KFkSAYw-l1b0iSQiiomkkCFXSjU8IcZuE4uTydlaGJT3HwFWLq2Q/s400/IMG_0526.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474581293629380882" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></font></font></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">Jessee always pulls the float because she's the better swimmer.</font></div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><br /></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY6SifprJG2YPyiVlDQcsIBS-XeLZFVpPIIo-hxJj7t8JfBl3gdkm3D3QPaWtBP1SJpeCm6qI-DBRqgULOZUWKetK4kRo-EWP0O0psB3iMM6PVb6NQxwGu3upowLE9x-yXk_ZXrg0eD6C/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMY6SifprJG2YPyiVlDQcsIBS-XeLZFVpPIIo-hxJj7t8JfBl3gdkm3D3QPaWtBP1SJpeCm6qI-DBRqgULOZUWKetK4kRo-EWP0O0psB3iMM6PVb6NQxwGu3upowLE9x-yXk_ZXrg0eD6C/s400/IMG_0538.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474581313274271218" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">There's some new Elk Horn Coral growth on the far side of Dove Cay.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><br /></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9sAhDd7ejVm9-kUmMLNHYucSd7u1KHrms0cirynqIYAzZnj4YuLxTFh7-HhNxOD3gzc-b_OpAXUxHr_bXXFhfr6p-AFUPWR8DMd78r8i4t9bhJv2rPu0T3KPPNS_9kpkrNJ3CyFBn2iC/s1600/IMG_0533.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9sAhDd7ejVm9-kUmMLNHYucSd7u1KHrms0cirynqIYAzZnj4YuLxTFh7-HhNxOD3gzc-b_OpAXUxHr_bXXFhfr6p-AFUPWR8DMd78r8i4t9bhJv2rPu0T3KPPNS_9kpkrNJ3CyFBn2iC/s400/IMG_0533.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474581306809970338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">A <i>Massive</i> Lobster</font></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXjKB-A49Fni7NSeAleO5b6turOBwAQ1YI5KiyPONeYN9gFsja_LJKwBg3otFey7EjthxoL7g9yZFbZ-Gi506OWZ3vmzF_MLPsztGS_J4SVu2_gO10GObW8TbDY4ZVttwIgSXsFXxIhgu/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXjKB-A49Fni7NSeAleO5b6turOBwAQ1YI5KiyPONeYN9gFsja_LJKwBg3otFey7EjthxoL7g9yZFbZ-Gi506OWZ3vmzF_MLPsztGS_J4SVu2_gO10GObW8TbDY4ZVttwIgSXsFXxIhgu/s400/IMG_0530.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474581298935965890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">That's a nice leaf.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><br /></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jvvTnAHxRxhkxqIahZC1AUxzgA60B1SPLrPvvg3t_U_KWQt2vRl483o8wS_zTpzDNEBF4USgqZLFeAm3X4vA-srB_t4Gu1h2g72F84Qcd1X-xZTyFiWgiO0lCeLM_I-EMGHFqpSITVr7/s1600/IMG_0552.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jvvTnAHxRxhkxqIahZC1AUxzgA60B1SPLrPvvg3t_U_KWQt2vRl483o8wS_zTpzDNEBF4USgqZLFeAm3X4vA-srB_t4Gu1h2g72F84Qcd1X-xZTyFiWgiO0lCeLM_I-EMGHFqpSITVr7/s400/IMG_0552.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474582675127230786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">We saw this same "buddy pair" both days - a Sting Ray and a Bar Jack.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><br /></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">The swim across to Long Cay today was especially eventful. Well, actually, Shark Alley (the area at the tip of Long Cay) was. It never disappoints. We saw three turtles (two large Hawksbills and fairly large Green), 7 Eagle Rays, and a Reef Shark. The two Hawksbills had tags, and when they saw us they took off without looking back. I guess they recognized us. The Green turtle came swimming by while I was photographing the shark. I actually got both of them in a single frame. Shark Alley is really one of a kind. If you saw any single one of these animals in the Dominican Republic, it would be something to talk about. Here you're not even finished looking at one when another comes swimming by. This is really a special place.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><br /></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABy2uqd9OLXMfxv2EdNuHYFlW2nuNItmyEs9Z_ygxhK-WsUCF4nerapS29E9OXWFDWCND31CSUT3CRjmSPiXVwMaItaaJI18C015FZWpnnjf0DpNkwx_zKCymyVInQxirYR0PfnjI-okh/s1600/IMG_0617.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABy2uqd9OLXMfxv2EdNuHYFlW2nuNItmyEs9Z_ygxhK-WsUCF4nerapS29E9OXWFDWCND31CSUT3CRjmSPiXVwMaItaaJI18C015FZWpnnjf0DpNkwx_zKCymyVInQxirYR0PfnjI-okh/s400/IMG_0617.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474583391644712770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; "></a></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">We started at the dock for a more direct line across the bay.</font></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmLeSCG7y-55NUnDuUv09BNaiCgtlqqnj01gEWjYoeMpBPLGZvq20Elnjdb70LvqZLEdohBQUhR32e9j1ptR_s_t68OSBZBdsl-5EktwBp04aP2hVJIMbe8K5q5hne1hek6AdcM6Evqv-/s1600/IMG_0629.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmLeSCG7y-55NUnDuUv09BNaiCgtlqqnj01gEWjYoeMpBPLGZvq20Elnjdb70LvqZLEdohBQUhR32e9j1ptR_s_t68OSBZBdsl-5EktwBp04aP2hVJIMbe8K5q5hne1hek6AdcM6Evqv-/s400/IMG_0629.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474583394182301346" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">Barracudas spend most of their time lurking.</font></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIeolSjgJ8us7y-n24PDIZ0XqYM08986GB-4Vvc2YZ5kT8lzuXCtAWn6tmdDQIAHHft8jHksbSnBcuN9JEXR1E64tgxMjmyOWP7FwLhmVfhOjO-8f0h65l090F_oI3ysMNGaC7iwMiRzl/s1600/IMG_0637.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIeolSjgJ8us7y-n24PDIZ0XqYM08986GB-4Vvc2YZ5kT8lzuXCtAWn6tmdDQIAHHft8jHksbSnBcuN9JEXR1E64tgxMjmyOWP7FwLhmVfhOjO-8f0h65l090F_oI3ysMNGaC7iwMiRzl/s400/IMG_0637.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474583402914171826" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">It's a bit grainy, but the turtle is just behind the shark in the lower left.</font></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrpf5xJ3bMA_CqE7fqKBQbRvumwC9fdJr5E7t2brUzFCkQJueDINdiS11NCpUG3DIijac77M8orsuZBQI1vJgglfnv_xa4CzB_wJ4urAXe84f0vLq5ZRy99J1MMeuTsvy9zmrDITo_r1_/s1600/IMG_0652.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrpf5xJ3bMA_CqE7fqKBQbRvumwC9fdJr5E7t2brUzFCkQJueDINdiS11NCpUG3DIijac77M8orsuZBQI1vJgglfnv_xa4CzB_wJ4urAXe84f0vLq5ZRy99J1MMeuTsvy9zmrDITo_r1_/s400/IMG_0652.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474583844819354274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">Queen Triggerfish</font></div><div><br /></div><div>There was an abandoned fish trap at Shark Alley with a Coney trapped inside. I decided I'd free him. Sometimes in rough weather traps get lost. Until all the bait is used up, they'll continue trapping fish, which simply die of starvation. It took about 10 breath-hold dives to get the gate open. I had to untie several knots and bend some wires, but eventually I did it.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZBCHUzhr5UAgwvhceSweXSaUF6JRF8ncdNKn9PMyiZ5TSpQPchW2W_9rqP9NFjJCarkmUGL7_q14WpnP-MsDmVMisaK5Oes5NENQUndoJinTQVYVvSh-6A6lCidKV82pVUACZW45rTXs/s1600/IMG_0646.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZBCHUzhr5UAgwvhceSweXSaUF6JRF8ncdNKn9PMyiZ5TSpQPchW2W_9rqP9NFjJCarkmUGL7_q14WpnP-MsDmVMisaK5Oes5NENQUndoJinTQVYVvSh-6A6lCidKV82pVUACZW45rTXs/s400/IMG_0646.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474583408232885602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">The fish is in the top right corner.</font></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNuLWnIYpHLyYrYCjrI3IFb1yEHEwno934Ei816KM2EnvlSd4uh9bMXM3NEpBNnqKkwQ8cz48NNrY8v2ViA20Kuo0-ekOfGvXV1cgfV9sVhL8wa2CwHCWVULHlSEnsqXpoFPc2e46sY-3/s1600/IMG_0647.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNuLWnIYpHLyYrYCjrI3IFb1yEHEwno934Ei816KM2EnvlSd4uh9bMXM3NEpBNnqKkwQ8cz48NNrY8v2ViA20Kuo0-ekOfGvXV1cgfV9sVhL8wa2CwHCWVULHlSEnsqXpoFPc2e46sY-3/s400/IMG_0647.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474583414576151202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">Gate's Open</font></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8O6RjM-65SvBJ9eCwrfOeZ-yLUTbXS6fuzWsPazVqu3NaunPNW8A0svZsplEi2nib5Q2P3GUhLAWEEGENead-BoJBgzZtW1ou6vnj_w6yyXd6MHaQYSANvPZsuJc1Vb54DQN0zHzIzqJk/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8O6RjM-65SvBJ9eCwrfOeZ-yLUTbXS6fuzWsPazVqu3NaunPNW8A0svZsplEi2nib5Q2P3GUhLAWEEGENead-BoJBgzZtW1ou6vnj_w6yyXd6MHaQYSANvPZsuJc1Vb54DQN0zHzIzqJk/s400/IMG_0648.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474583834730267170" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">And the fish is free. You can see him swimming away to the left.</font></div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday afternoon we went for a dive too. Right off the boat we saw the biggest Snapper (a Dog Snapper, I think). It was probably 3.5 or 4 feet long, absolutely enormous for a commercially valuable species! I can't imagine what it weighed. It was a beast. Again, there aren't many places in the world where fish like this still exist.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCT5drWAt_eCzvCLRRmM8om0si8vUk4Iwm293yz5W6bVSAHSa1TBFDWni5FaUMA7NsxqwrtOYNtMAbMQPjEAmUwdSUCX6ZTJhFgbJRifDWI15MTiSi21ZaEXoYqhU-ENTP0SZVPYDDYU7/s1600/IMG_0558.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCT5drWAt_eCzvCLRRmM8om0si8vUk4Iwm293yz5W6bVSAHSa1TBFDWni5FaUMA7NsxqwrtOYNtMAbMQPjEAmUwdSUCX6ZTJhFgbJRifDWI15MTiSi21ZaEXoYqhU-ENTP0SZVPYDDYU7/s400/IMG_0558.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474582680898536466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">Monster Snapper</font></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPaRu0xbhOe_WNkh3yqTBo2SuuCfER5OAQojZIGcwfuwAMP7LeWJq3hOTZXzEiwL9o1ve_WePiVGF3GzHNLaScUFT4cZA_UrAohfDjKIbW5ywHRzi22OF8GK7o1fEdlimjgYrgPw7TG-y/s1600/IMG_0563.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPaRu0xbhOe_WNkh3yqTBo2SuuCfER5OAQojZIGcwfuwAMP7LeWJq3hOTZXzEiwL9o1ve_WePiVGF3GzHNLaScUFT4cZA_UrAohfDjKIbW5ywHRzi22OF8GK7o1fEdlimjgYrgPw7TG-y/s400/IMG_0563.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474582691150409794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">This Cero Mackerel swam curiously around us for several minutes.</font></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTiTZMkzDEZzMfonA1nnDA-HR3Rs2EacThwngVIbps59szynGJs-eTwQr6KbU3WTc_sn_c15uM__cS7P9qiaHh9qHRu6ABTjQoxvVbXlkTUqUaVyPUSj9NBQ68T2mMclf7Xk2tmy6QPJ-0/s1600/IMG_0605.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTiTZMkzDEZzMfonA1nnDA-HR3Rs2EacThwngVIbps59szynGJs-eTwQr6KbU3WTc_sn_c15uM__cS7P9qiaHh9qHRu6ABTjQoxvVbXlkTUqUaVyPUSj9NBQ68T2mMclf7Xk2tmy6QPJ-0/s400/IMG_0605.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474582697723445938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; "></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="small">Jessee looking at her favorite fish, the Sharpnose Puffer.</font></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-16323616350544685182010-05-22T20:53:00.000-04:002010-05-23T22:06:16.261-04:00Moyer Family Visit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bv9ExxqzgqJz4U_wQuk3si4NzTyB9q5Q_hKEWHjiUz2SKCbfj16iwUQB7iy0CDxV7NGHXKYxjEgkkQc00xCtR5N1U4ZS4vTc2ntXE34AIpydBDOgKuRk2tCpalg09aE66S0b4QufhNTX/s1600/IMG_0444.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bv9ExxqzgqJz4U_wQuk3si4NzTyB9q5Q_hKEWHjiUz2SKCbfj16iwUQB7iy0CDxV7NGHXKYxjEgkkQc00xCtR5N1U4ZS4vTc2ntXE34AIpydBDOgKuRk2tCpalg09aE66S0b4QufhNTX/s400/IMG_0444.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474265708072719538" border="0" /></a><br />We haven't blogged in a little while because we've been spending time with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Moyer</span> family (my parents and sister) this past week. They arrived last Saturday, and we decided to break them into the regular waterfront routine here right from the beginning. We tested out our masks in the pool and then went for a snorkel off the dock on their very first day here at the center. (They spent Saturday night in Provo.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYOoWMLsHXOYuPLMsIu_mkuhulyl_usogthcPhZ_G0BRu7XVhPKCamhSYWUJZ9CUfhP346bdsKzDsGaTGWYyKUS8otj9qbE2MXjzTOFJlc6qnyzAwz84YzaV8K8jVQlcTtCKejKoxwAeh/s1600/IMG_0395.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYOoWMLsHXOYuPLMsIu_mkuhulyl_usogthcPhZ_G0BRu7XVhPKCamhSYWUJZ9CUfhP346bdsKzDsGaTGWYyKUS8otj9qbE2MXjzTOFJlc6qnyzAwz84YzaV8K8jVQlcTtCKejKoxwAeh/s400/IMG_0395.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474263444938167202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mom and Dad suiting up for the first open water snorkel<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7S19bJ2hoCArXW1xBtCZY-w8Lex7dewKbUfw7sEfSjPdsqizVKUsBa3UQSSK3T5rA7-EIRO8gz-jM6RdCSmxEzGreONOx9dbTDTn1jJA11MIdWOoUcn97A0FpelFtXVYsebB8H68Nnlw7/s1600/IMG_0393.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7S19bJ2hoCArXW1xBtCZY-w8Lex7dewKbUfw7sEfSjPdsqizVKUsBa3UQSSK3T5rA7-EIRO8gz-jM6RdCSmxEzGreONOx9dbTDTn1jJA11MIdWOoUcn97A0FpelFtXVYsebB8H68Nnlw7/s400/IMG_0393.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474263441213010082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Amanda's Boston tan<br /></span></div><br />The next day we walked out to East Bay to check out one of the developments underway, and to snorkel from the beach.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpdFunam8ceexnWejq_YpkQ1pfZ0L2C5kaGW2FY_WngVZHwpR3DR1_3u2j0oe2E0vXa_yK24T4DusH9fKfzlLKT278ts1NYILIKLSXvp-yQnxA01iAegJnPskAiBe_XavwwmFZSmh-4gX/s1600/IMG_0401.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpdFunam8ceexnWejq_YpkQ1pfZ0L2C5kaGW2FY_WngVZHwpR3DR1_3u2j0oe2E0vXa_yK24T4DusH9fKfzlLKT278ts1NYILIKLSXvp-yQnxA01iAegJnPskAiBe_XavwwmFZSmh-4gX/s400/IMG_0401.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474263449427020786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Preparing for the snorkel at East Bay<br /></span></div><br />Amanda hadn't had enough yet, so we took her to Shark Alley too, a favorite snorkel site just in front of the center, and introduced her to some of South <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Caicos</span>' finest <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mega fauna</span>. She even saw a huge reef shark (in addition to the one pictured below) that Brett and I missed because we were busy following a porcupine fish beneath us.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dp48HtqLk0K3-ht51IwmLPJbCbtjoaxnbrnb6OBqbveYq8ibaSSp-kc-jjpyCSZkXmNn9HXyRUyRNs5Yxv-ChCXBj87eY85PdF6sWNu3wa1K6B2DIjh4FJl5AwbOZjg1fZk-CCGVJE0I/s1600/IMG_0408.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dp48HtqLk0K3-ht51IwmLPJbCbtjoaxnbrnb6OBqbveYq8ibaSSp-kc-jjpyCSZkXmNn9HXyRUyRNs5Yxv-ChCXBj87eY85PdF6sWNu3wa1K6B2DIjh4FJl5AwbOZjg1fZk-CCGVJE0I/s400/IMG_0408.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474263458194856402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Reef Shark<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuTQVU-tJhEOAgsfOqSvXJT5IDJjKGdmsjri5gLbcirIXow-ST_nBYLZeBZz0fW2jK1FbwZc5qGsDDyZVxX9erGfx6qmUOdzhv34vwfamLvlM5Ru10iQAjdMPRj1nmczEOD8Vfauljy3S/s1600/IMG_0421.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuTQVU-tJhEOAgsfOqSvXJT5IDJjKGdmsjri5gLbcirIXow-ST_nBYLZeBZz0fW2jK1FbwZc5qGsDDyZVxX9erGfx6qmUOdzhv34vwfamLvlM5Ru10iQAjdMPRj1nmczEOD8Vfauljy3S/s400/IMG_0421.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474263461068554210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Eagle Rays<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVMRDufOe_SwhQ6i6buVI4rXS36-znkZIixv3SJS2quU8yrBa9VQcVvP8Z5d95K6px8toSMrD4eo1YQq2CwCucYmq4gSfcSaLO_tEguqEWyYy4k7Xk1dT8NEp-CnWq47XidOwSmr3KLhk/s1600/IMG_0481.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVMRDufOe_SwhQ6i6buVI4rXS36-znkZIixv3SJS2quU8yrBa9VQcVvP8Z5d95K6px8toSMrD4eo1YQq2CwCucYmq4gSfcSaLO_tEguqEWyYy4k7Xk1dT8NEp-CnWq47XidOwSmr3KLhk/s400/IMG_0481.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474266373969912802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Amandius</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">moyeranthan</span></span><br /></span></div><br />We got in a lot of good birding during the week too, particularly on the day we took a town tour and then walked out to the boiling hole in the middle of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">salinas</span> (from which, we discovered, there's a nice view of our mural at the primary school). We spotted flamingos, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">kildeer</span>, plovers, terns, cattle egrets, a reddish egret, brown pelicans, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">american</span> kestrels, and several different types of herons including a night heron and an intermediate phase (mottled) little blue heron.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ykxD-7oxqkRuPjqCQLnPQUchCu2NoMxyiZkZRHXc5AAISDUiIOZ7QVtflGcJZYR8FWQZuO8mUEnDXtmI1JhoO1hJIWEMfaa2QXXpSzcOkbUhh7tDisVDEMP5KLZjA0EjFT62MA1I0t2z/s1600/IMG_0431.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ykxD-7oxqkRuPjqCQLnPQUchCu2NoMxyiZkZRHXc5AAISDUiIOZ7QVtflGcJZYR8FWQZuO8mUEnDXtmI1JhoO1hJIWEMfaa2QXXpSzcOkbUhh7tDisVDEMP5KLZjA0EjFT62MA1I0t2z/s400/IMG_0431.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474265704744052434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Walk through the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">salinas</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57yhk1_SLDge3rYp2RAp67SxCUB-ujsETaSyrr1GoC9EAtJVktgVl7D30DaQZCoPmSE7Wwq3_uA4DEDuJH_EgzQVja1CBtB3gqSDTsp8rsn8axM1dhRpk945xGDqTLN8_S9QmSspcEo-c/s1600/IMG_0428.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57yhk1_SLDge3rYp2RAp67SxCUB-ujsETaSyrr1GoC9EAtJVktgVl7D30DaQZCoPmSE7Wwq3_uA4DEDuJH_EgzQVja1CBtB3gqSDTsp8rsn8axM1dhRpk945xGDqTLN8_S9QmSspcEo-c/s400/IMG_0428.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474265689489310194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Stopping to pose for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">cameraman</span><br /> </span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthA2HIn59kRLOirAbtKxOReGFWtUfXxjdtKk6OAgxiPYPyampFmyiC8u2c2u-BrJrJRhS5g4QZ3v5oAo_xZsnmuNJfnYK25QDQ0NCprprnKkNAK6x8_2oA8sJJGD4Vur-Dp-wbD_9m_FO/s1600/IMG_0430.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthA2HIn59kRLOirAbtKxOReGFWtUfXxjdtKk6OAgxiPYPyampFmyiC8u2c2u-BrJrJRhS5g4QZ3v5oAo_xZsnmuNJfnYK25QDQ0NCprprnKkNAK6x8_2oA8sJJGD4Vur-Dp-wbD_9m_FO/s400/IMG_0430.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474265702027080066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The mural from a distance<br /></span></div><br />We did actually walk to the primary school on a different day so that I could show my family the recently finished masterpiece, and then we got in a few rounds of tennis on the school's court while we were there. Brett, Amanda, and I also went on a jog every day this week except one, which was always followed by a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">cooldown</span> session in either the ocean or the pool.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IziGWapyZ7YjTtfVOZyygOneHYTMJrMr4IQSBLZkUsaPSjm3wE0Cu_oJ-gIOcWj-4BDC2B58-eBY3I6bbxiUYn-F5unLHStrTBwlkTZY3PxMS3j6IDyjbQitJFG2TKey0dA_1aEXl14B/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IziGWapyZ7YjTtfVOZyygOneHYTMJrMr4IQSBLZkUsaPSjm3wE0Cu_oJ-gIOcWj-4BDC2B58-eBY3I6bbxiUYn-F5unLHStrTBwlkTZY3PxMS3j6IDyjbQitJFG2TKey0dA_1aEXl14B/s400/IMG_0455.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474266357438639202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Recently developed cheek-cooling technique<br /></span></div><br />On Wednesday we took a trip out to Coastguard to snorkel around (in really wavy water) and walk out onto the cliff where Brett likes to inch his way towards the edge until I squeal and cringe to his satisfaction. This time, everybody else decided to join him at the point and I got <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">queasy</span>, even though I was several feet inland.<br /><br />Thursday was stormy here, which is pretty unusual. It was even thundering most of the day. We played multiple ping pong tournaments in the morning, followed by some Hoopla, and then went out to lunch at Darryl's to get a taste of island cuisine (conch & fish). Then we watched our second movie of the week, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Time Traveler's Wife</span>. (The first was <span style="font-style: italic;">Avatar</span>, which sparked some interesting discussion on virtual realities, the "noble savage", 3D graphics, and more.)<br /><br />We spent most of the day Friday in the water. First we snorkeled at Admiral's Aquarium.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN1w1W3yMtXgv2a9eG5_CAEbTe7cYQxDgURYnQWX88YySGZ0_o42a6J4oFnAGK6knlNSAyeD807PG8M12AcRVxrhND9x-8xS8yzEKVgR0Wzj7MRJP3StyG91569KHRncpT4l84TZffsnm/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN1w1W3yMtXgv2a9eG5_CAEbTe7cYQxDgURYnQWX88YySGZ0_o42a6J4oFnAGK6knlNSAyeD807PG8M12AcRVxrhND9x-8xS8yzEKVgR0Wzj7MRJP3StyG91569KHRncpT4l84TZffsnm/s400/IMG_0466.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474266367711297266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Dad getting his feet wet</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivI9B7zExw6A1DrrJ7OD0wyy-Ripj09rUOdKeXu7lkQViQe0k8th94inbFFF_woobeIjgVrAT8IOc8giPEtYKm-4Ei9cTZOpMsVsGsQXe3QIn0Q0gYBeDqO3b0Fy5G0TZUdjF1xquMZZeF/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivI9B7zExw6A1DrrJ7OD0wyy-Ripj09rUOdKeXu7lkQViQe0k8th94inbFFF_woobeIjgVrAT8IOc8giPEtYKm-4Ei9cTZOpMsVsGsQXe3QIn0Q0gYBeDqO3b0Fy5G0TZUdjF1xquMZZeF/s400/IMG_0469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474266369627928706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Off to the Aquarium<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDLnKjlcj3ukr6Q5N6ptxg9_76R73PacUgZ9sr-xn5b1VTVrRNic_ct2ANtGwPwxEfmu-LnnqkrXqYuYN4bHf7B-8ceskHCNl_3C3bsjsSxwbtyzv1_feJif5kMldPPgeHz9mQvs_axwU/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDLnKjlcj3ukr6Q5N6ptxg9_76R73PacUgZ9sr-xn5b1VTVrRNic_ct2ANtGwPwxEfmu-LnnqkrXqYuYN4bHf7B-8ceskHCNl_3C3bsjsSxwbtyzv1_feJif5kMldPPgeHz9mQvs_axwU/s400/IMG_0491.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474267023715736242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Snorkel buddies<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0jcbJIYYXph6E6sruZ8dXhXPJTPGuUV-60-oWKDHFuZtJZQZ91URJmV7YmEMQGzBB0qDMZQ3QNGleBaWIRhyphenhypheniGcV6ENi6KMmKulQ4PDZOva7H2nC96nM_kTY7TDJ3Y6onP9KU7zU80Fm/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0jcbJIYYXph6E6sruZ8dXhXPJTPGuUV-60-oWKDHFuZtJZQZ91URJmV7YmEMQGzBB0qDMZQ3QNGleBaWIRhyphenhypheniGcV6ENi6KMmKulQ4PDZOva7H2nC96nM_kTY7TDJ3Y6onP9KU7zU80Fm/s400/IMG_0489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474267011231822962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Mom and Amanda with a school of French Grunts<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHBlCTc8fdk9luRP0fgVicaTXnHqKXeaCszf_8mOdVqQfk0elIZG02ZA68UHxOvJ4c0bz7XZJxBqTP7Ti_-Z2JDxGS1WC01iUNxcOFlcPEsli25Tcg9IVvGHcg3SBUGBt4juQy6Mb1PRD/s1600/IMG_0490.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHBlCTc8fdk9luRP0fgVicaTXnHqKXeaCszf_8mOdVqQfk0elIZG02ZA68UHxOvJ4c0bz7XZJxBqTP7Ti_-Z2JDxGS1WC01iUNxcOFlcPEsli25Tcg9IVvGHcg3SBUGBt4juQy6Mb1PRD/s400/IMG_0490.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474267016582003730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The boat crew<br /></span></div><br />We came back to the center to cook lunch (pasta <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">primavera</span>!) and then went out in the water again in the afternoon. This time, to Shark Alley. Mom, Brett, and Amanda tried out the Manta Tow, the technique we use to look for turtles where you hold on to a board that gets pulled behind the boat. This way they didn't have to fight the current, which happened to be at max flow. Then, Brett and Amanda both tried out the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">kneeboard</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">water skis</span>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzylnIzZdJL-dNBqbO_LeLNy6KTl4a6qhzu3Zbn4QDoXcLT35KjAj8fjgJPpxZula0hvwQdPz9y0WlZHVA9PdWf4dgnoe6uASvuC1QNIc9GgFvkAfo-0pl3QL5fWV8hmMsFzWKJrWrUFS/s1600/IMG_0493.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzylnIzZdJL-dNBqbO_LeLNy6KTl4a6qhzu3Zbn4QDoXcLT35KjAj8fjgJPpxZula0hvwQdPz9y0WlZHVA9PdWf4dgnoe6uASvuC1QNIc9GgFvkAfo-0pl3QL5fWV8hmMsFzWKJrWrUFS/s400/IMG_0493.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474267026501923234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Manta Towing at Shark Alley<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzun-6KOWGgZOap7RUSOhqlyCYk0FUgQbFLQ_r5tm7E7PJjL6aQeVcWXezX7dUStEUSRH7rJijAJLfD34saawrLiTq4kE4b7cDvvNM7dzY2Om5XLRP30ug_ZzW0D7Umgy2IgaIEk8uGreu/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzun-6KOWGgZOap7RUSOhqlyCYk0FUgQbFLQ_r5tm7E7PJjL6aQeVcWXezX7dUStEUSRH7rJijAJLfD34saawrLiTq4kE4b7cDvvNM7dzY2Om5XLRP30ug_ZzW0D7Umgy2IgaIEk8uGreu/s400/IMG_0502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474267031458295714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Amanda preparing for liftoff<br /></span></div><br />All in all, I'd say we've had a pretty active and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">jam packed</span> week, but we also managed to squeeze in time for some reading, lounging, board games and even a few naps.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9JrmI_p5iiLe6GwBnCBbGuG5jaUV5UspRsuW4n2u6kTruDFfq4513DEbzcFsltikrYT3LCtgRkb0KXCUOPYZYHynWbr4LqMcMBsLYeeFcwnRBENbt6LJK5MPXvmnqnoHyZDW3VGezmTf/s1600/IMG_0445.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9JrmI_p5iiLe6GwBnCBbGuG5jaUV5UspRsuW4n2u6kTruDFfq4513DEbzcFsltikrYT3LCtgRkb0KXCUOPYZYHynWbr4LqMcMBsLYeeFcwnRBENbt6LJK5MPXvmnqnoHyZDW3VGezmTf/s400/IMG_0445.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474265713423441202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Scrabble<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8P3Q8MawwIke67zF4338XyVIakXbDxMEj7UHjLYnK5XSSppRsCgS8GYh5zeaWe-0GICkFz1p7b_9bBXVUZ51XXCRaWck69SBw6ccHby0AWY0ih2CnesfhfgCT1Az1iglhmOR6ZQ0zcIgC/s1600/IMG_0458.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8P3Q8MawwIke67zF4338XyVIakXbDxMEj7UHjLYnK5XSSppRsCgS8GYh5zeaWe-0GICkFz1p7b_9bBXVUZ51XXCRaWck69SBw6ccHby0AWY0ih2CnesfhfgCT1Az1iglhmOR6ZQ0zcIgC/s400/IMG_0458.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474266362892662546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Me trying out the sign language Amanda just taught me, while she interprets<br /></span></div><br />We ended our visit together with a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">boat ride</span> back to the dock at sunset. (Brett's not in many of the above photos because he's often on the opposite side of the camera, so I've added him into the shot below.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRQ_fGqQTyX53D2IFuv-JDu1orHIADpufLTmWjCS0xFrWL-94SrKH4ja8T_z6uyAA0yqYVYxZASQphw-T9eyEJ5oorwSr3q4dViBbhrdgjAYbQIbtWe9e-XviB8W7D0TZGQ1uxynNmVXq/s1600/with_Brett.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRQ_fGqQTyX53D2IFuv-JDu1orHIADpufLTmWjCS0xFrWL-94SrKH4ja8T_z6uyAA0yqYVYxZASQphw-T9eyEJ5oorwSr3q4dViBbhrdgjAYbQIbtWe9e-XviB8W7D0TZGQ1uxynNmVXq/s400/with_Brett.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474267505585394802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Last evening together<br /></span></div><br />Now I finally feel like I've had the break I've needed since our Spring semester here ended. Hopefully we didn't tire out our guests too much and they feel like they've had a restful and relaxing vacation too!Jessica Moyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13234861051796329039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-83402980979368545922010-05-16T17:32:00.000-04:002010-05-16T17:57:25.342-04:00Christmas Tree WormIn the early scenes of the recent movie <i>Avatar</i>, several of the alien creatures are based on real life marine organisms. One of them is based on the Christmas Tree Worm (<i>Spirobranchus giganteus</i>), which are quite abundant in our area. If you've seen the movie, you'll recognize it here:<div><br /></div><div><center><object width="400" height="324"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eS8OYF7isCU&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eS8OYF7isCU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="324"></embed></object></center></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Christmas Tree Worm</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, they're quite a bit smaller in real life, only about an inch or two. They fan out, collecting food suspended in the water and retract when disturbed, just like in the movie. Despite not really looking like it, they are actually a worm, a segmented worm to be exact.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2655/3945679456_cb04e656ab_o.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2655/3945679456_cb04e656ab_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Christmas Tree Worm from South Caicos</span></div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAc7n2wcssCzSfvkbriEf_OyRIbuoOLyP3J2dg-ztIienaoaPbT260nHFl7ySnQkq_xW3GpV2Xb9x9r6XIoKmSfTHkJUXEr-RMC2kyvic72BPIg6ovmVydZNCiwwn7CSuIcDuvXRa33kw/s400/IMG_5680.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAc7n2wcssCzSfvkbriEf_OyRIbuoOLyP3J2dg-ztIienaoaPbT260nHFl7ySnQkq_xW3GpV2Xb9x9r6XIoKmSfTHkJUXEr-RMC2kyvic72BPIg6ovmVydZNCiwwn7CSuIcDuvXRa33kw/s400/IMG_5680.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Multi-Colored Christmas Tree Worms in Sosúa, Dominican Republic</span></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-76494873312215067632010-05-13T18:03:00.000-04:002010-05-13T18:05:22.735-04:00Blog BookOver the last five days or so I've been hard at work formatting the blog to be printed as a book. I found an independent publishing company that will print as few as 1 book at a time for a reasonable price (<a href="http://www.blurb.com/">http://www.blurb.com/</a>). The blog is great to have, but you can't hold it and it feels somewhat impermanent. Even though the electronic version will be hosted online indefinitely, I thought it would be nice to have a bound copy when our time here finally ends.<br /><br />Blurb even provides free design software for the layout. It's somewhat buggy and can be slow, but it does the job. It'll be printed in full color with all the text and photographs. Obviously dynamic elements like videos and external links won't work, but it will include references so they can always be found.<br /><br />Arranging the layout for printing is a hugely time consuming task (5 days of work has only gotten me up to August!), but I think it will be worth it in the end. Fortunately, I've been able to break it up with exciting things like diving with a Hammerhead!Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-38501349404735358852010-05-12T21:13:00.000-04:002010-05-12T21:27:48.056-04:00A GREAT DiveSo many times when Brett and I have headed out for a dive, he's said "I hope we see a hammerhead," to which I've often replied, "I hope we don't!" Today, he got his wish. We actually had several shark sitings throughout the dive, starting with a small reef shark that came over to greet us as soon as we arrived at the wall. He startled me a little bit because he was moving swiftly towards us... and then Brett started me when he began swimming right back at it with only his camera as a buffer between them. But the little guy was harmless. In fact, there was a school of rainbow runners playfully swimming circles around him.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw11_TX4IjyvWy7zbltkjdGRzz89OZAFuG2Xn00ReLioBW9NcCz7b0xXGrlGO14e08Mqc3knOKsYLeruI_tvNYmP-g9EAXgUESzdCUis1tv6tpbd9qUTQzQiUjIjFvpPuLzBX-Kj_cHew/s1600/IMG_0322.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivw11_TX4IjyvWy7zbltkjdGRzz89OZAFuG2Xn00ReLioBW9NcCz7b0xXGrlGO14e08Mqc3knOKsYLeruI_tvNYmP-g9EAXgUESzdCUis1tv6tpbd9qUTQzQiUjIjFvpPuLzBX-Kj_cHew/s400/IMG_0322.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470557326882340914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Reef Shark and Co.</span><br /></div><br />So we watched them for a short while and then turned left to continue our dive towards "the grotto", and were even greeted by a couple of other reef sharks along the way. I spent a good portion of the dive admiring the many angel fish and scanning sponges for a (pea-sized) juvenile smooth trunk fish, and Brett worked on expanding his underwater photo portfolio. I think we saw about 3 lionfish too.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3xrTv2q-1rKtKh-6iGpBiVXuO8tq1-UObTEuqMds3vQJPCmXc-uCHCnOxqVkRd65zdUMnhUxNI777B38J2_2sbvxQlnTkvi41M_S4npzwI4z9_Sd_AVMPOltgZtFAXTt-XYPbnpyV_Mm/s1600/IMG_0329.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3xrTv2q-1rKtKh-6iGpBiVXuO8tq1-UObTEuqMds3vQJPCmXc-uCHCnOxqVkRd65zdUMnhUxNI777B38J2_2sbvxQlnTkvi41M_S4npzwI4z9_Sd_AVMPOltgZtFAXTt-XYPbnpyV_Mm/s400/IMG_0329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470557329516631682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Lionfish</span><br /></div><br />After leaving the wall and heading back towards the boat, Brett stopped to get a picture of a huge channel crab that was hanging out under a coral overhang.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSkI5DNDZFHv71BS8V0qad9wDIxFx4IcGwpfKK-y0lMHNpfISg-7rySgsHoAKvOUErQi7pHFtS6wH7r3HLa1Y2F1SFXNnToVTa3OVQWZGPRyNK2bdE-ptQNjVc7034sAJOEJp2L17scGi/s1600/IMG_0341.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSkI5DNDZFHv71BS8V0qad9wDIxFx4IcGwpfKK-y0lMHNpfISg-7rySgsHoAKvOUErQi7pHFtS6wH7r3HLa1Y2F1SFXNnToVTa3OVQWZGPRyNK2bdE-ptQNjVc7034sAJOEJp2L17scGi/s400/IMG_0341.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470557334570811810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Channel Crab</span><br /></div><br />He was intently shooting away, and I was sort of hovering by him when I looked up to find another shark swimming straight towards me. This one was no little reef shark though. It was HUGE. And funny looking. (That was my first thought.) I even wondered for a split second if it could have been pregnant... I was so focused on its oversized belly. But when my gaze shifted up slightly, I realized - without a doubt - that I was looking right into the eyes of a Great Hammerhead. And it was looking right back at me.<br /><br />I started banging on my tank to get Brett's attention. There was a third diver with us too, but she had already spotted it. Brett, however, was still enamoured by the crab and ignoring my noise-making. He said later that he heard me and guessed that I wanted to show him something, but just thought to himself, "I really want to get this shot... I'll see whatever it is in a second." Little did he know that what I wanted to show him presented much more exciting photo opportunities than what he was looking at. Once the hammerhead was within probably 15 feet of us, it sleepily turned to the right and sauntered off. It was apparently mildly curious about us, but then didn't find anything to hold its attention. Brett did finally look up in time to see the hammerhead, and he took this photo as it swam away.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8amHxR1aKsdWHsm6bOFhlAwutSSqjGRiKwgqQbCapKO90QBfD_-w_IJIN9_pu67ewbRRrPorWg-p7UUwVKiNXi4VKQnfrBs7KvPpdRBr-6q0apmZJqu3QKTsTxYXl3Np_yrEDosY6nBXk/s1600/IMG_0342.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8amHxR1aKsdWHsm6bOFhlAwutSSqjGRiKwgqQbCapKO90QBfD_-w_IJIN9_pu67ewbRRrPorWg-p7UUwVKiNXi4VKQnfrBs7KvPpdRBr-6q0apmZJqu3QKTsTxYXl3Np_yrEDosY6nBXk/s400/IMG_0342.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470557345871806818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Great Hammerhead<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRFTTEBvkuDvGV3GRefyG4Nb-mzGrQJaFqUYFr1P_SiH9CEXTyfoUkX50aUQG_Ml-OUfYY7QUUPiW781DqqgQJ3q28EMm5fVvSxLmuCMCFytq2hyphenhyphenkT30f3cEgC7QQPActI7ECb9n0hTOO/s1600/IMG_0342-1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRFTTEBvkuDvGV3GRefyG4Nb-mzGrQJaFqUYFr1P_SiH9CEXTyfoUkX50aUQG_Ml-OUfYY7QUUPiW781DqqgQJ3q28EMm5fVvSxLmuCMCFytq2hyphenhyphenkT30f3cEgC7QQPActI7ECb9n0hTOO/s400/IMG_0342-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470557346723958818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(Close up)</span><br /></div><br />So exciting! I still wouldn't say that I "hope" to see a hammerhead on my next dive, but I'm thrilled to have seen one! And (more to the point) to have lived to tell about it!Jessica Moyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13234861051796329039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-18386721333502394102010-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:002010-05-09T09:00:04.810-04:00Mothers' Day<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Happy Mothers' Day, Moms!!!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoj2vdB3ptxxMcfu_BDPz07oLwwc7_rNUWFCWHW7TYKuae-K0_Heim6-P7IPBVfzguBBhZtOgEkTPoIw-Ltfja8wKnlK0Nh1X7qVRSmYhR1oxtpQQKTavxKG11KQSTbEii7slPlKgIPqsQ/s1600/mday.bmp"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 322px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoj2vdB3ptxxMcfu_BDPz07oLwwc7_rNUWFCWHW7TYKuae-K0_Heim6-P7IPBVfzguBBhZtOgEkTPoIw-Ltfja8wKnlK0Nh1X7qVRSmYhR1oxtpQQKTavxKG11KQSTbEii7slPlKgIPqsQ/s400/mday.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469074173910774034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I picked you some flowers.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohNa0xAjyhEj2ogdcPLph6ioou118zJ0PdGOqBmJC3svnzQD07yfTMpD2TPAhtX8cQyvzvXj2E825H-3YN_bxzAoKPqCt7G81PAJEup0gX_y0iD1ZJf3Cvu9UdMEwFagh_98xfrl80MzW/s1600/BFASTinBED.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohNa0xAjyhEj2ogdcPLph6ioou118zJ0PdGOqBmJC3svnzQD07yfTMpD2TPAhtX8cQyvzvXj2E825H-3YN_bxzAoKPqCt7G81PAJEup0gX_y0iD1ZJf3Cvu9UdMEwFagh_98xfrl80MzW/s400/BFASTinBED.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469086682817456738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">And Jessee made you breakfast in bed.</span><br /></div><br />We hope you both have a great day!<br /></div></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-1442375089173417882010-05-06T09:24:00.000-04:002010-05-06T10:13:34.084-04:00Mural ProjectJessee is, once again, in Provo for the day seeing off the students. Yet another semester has come to a close. This semester Jessee took on a huge project as part of SFS's community engagement/service. The principal of the primary school asked if we could paint them a mural. We knew it would be a huge undertaking from the beginning, but the students were excited about leaving their mark on South Caicos, so we accepted.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgegOwLv3rS8Az3jrKgLUO_dKWu-VtdfqpH0Iu0z9j0KkwkMXZHHc4nDHyDX-4BGpDh9iN6TKcTtfgpZ1llUt8nAMmRuwgVuYvxVtxck9Cvm2nudI-niOuzS0XluVNZiJqlZV-DXWTd-jg/s1600/IMG_4802.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgegOwLv3rS8Az3jrKgLUO_dKWu-VtdfqpH0Iu0z9j0KkwkMXZHHc4nDHyDX-4BGpDh9iN6TKcTtfgpZ1llUt8nAMmRuwgVuYvxVtxck9Cvm2nudI-niOuzS0XluVNZiJqlZV-DXWTd-jg/s400/IMG_4802.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468154083471909186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The Initial Design</span><br /></div><br />Just how much work this mural was going to be didn't become clear until well beyond the point of no return. On top of her regular job responsibilities, Jessee spent hours and hours working on and planning for the mural. It seemed to be on her mind constantly. She was getting up before 6am to work on it in the mornings and was still anxious that it wouldn't be finished before the students left. In fact, she didn't even want me to write about it in the beginning in case it didn't get finished!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmmX8RfmJ8aXR65JH6R3tz_rIqOD8b9F8K7mBoBS_wbUxXcHbCCzSndumLSlzLCObYLawgNNmfGjjEbLCx6z4wpZXGRB8QfhSlrSOP8nUxNJ0lYGlr14EEcUtrGN9N2WBvH6yPCI6pLT8/s1600/IMG_4804.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmmX8RfmJ8aXR65JH6R3tz_rIqOD8b9F8K7mBoBS_wbUxXcHbCCzSndumLSlzLCObYLawgNNmfGjjEbLCx6z4wpZXGRB8QfhSlrSOP8nUxNJ0lYGlr14EEcUtrGN9N2WBvH6yPCI6pLT8/s400/IMG_4804.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468154079069323474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Laying out the measurements.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNg1WNn21hZFEH38GCeU9MqyGjJXggXnLfF617A8sRGFcooVHedss5gm43SXYRK6Hhr7oDleAYReyx03Rq_E4JWlBmGMlsgSlZcckKPKED5YYVbspKzEm5M8DAjhFpFU0iElN2IWvuOK_n/s1600/IMG_4812.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNg1WNn21hZFEH38GCeU9MqyGjJXggXnLfF617A8sRGFcooVHedss5gm43SXYRK6Hhr7oDleAYReyx03Rq_E4JWlBmGMlsgSlZcckKPKED5YYVbspKzEm5M8DAjhFpFU0iElN2IWvuOK_n/s400/IMG_4812.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468154072233677122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Paint's on the wall. There's no turning back now!<br /></span></div><br />There were times, I'm sure, that she regretted ever starting it. But there were also many times that I could tell she was really happy how it was coming along and what it meant to both the SFS and the primary school students.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiupjHALvMkxN3S6Z2BnKsPJut4XYdkO2CBkkOOurBQ703QdtQP_WFjXZe1zAgziRuuF3QpMu482jl4M81UGHncLJRrUODXfLdQCaDgDTohSlKs0O7BZLamzuvnK8PBsy6o3ftZcYD_wwS/s1600/BrettAway+037.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiupjHALvMkxN3S6Z2BnKsPJut4XYdkO2CBkkOOurBQ703QdtQP_WFjXZe1zAgziRuuF3QpMu482jl4M81UGHncLJRrUODXfLdQCaDgDTohSlKs0O7BZLamzuvnK8PBsy6o3ftZcYD_wwS/s400/BrettAway+037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153733855509794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The primary school kids were impressed already.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2QKdwm_ttxe4xlq3YLitOLsPK1x02gvXFS51VqGAzle9D7-uGd-wVEqJHy7ibIGr86ZG1jbC6Kn69BkIQ36kMIxibrzLoVjGSW5GMNtopUWYnyPiP4zETYYFwJ1ggFYXqvt0xFVTfvLo/s1600/BrettAway+042.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2QKdwm_ttxe4xlq3YLitOLsPK1x02gvXFS51VqGAzle9D7-uGd-wVEqJHy7ibIGr86ZG1jbC6Kn69BkIQ36kMIxibrzLoVjGSW5GMNtopUWYnyPiP4zETYYFwJ1ggFYXqvt0xFVTfvLo/s400/BrettAway+042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153735175998658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Progress was slow when students were busy with their coursework.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjPfoXC1sNROsW7-xknTDIAnJ5s0m2OD1i14s0HheaV6Cncb9IVuHAX6Qjzm9GecJfJLcTpzkoua2X-JMysIwtrVrciStGt3_tANvHKF9mc7jtTByNOjnlIPsiXarX16gpb9xuntmIZCX/s1600/BrettAway+052.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjPfoXC1sNROsW7-xknTDIAnJ5s0m2OD1i14s0HheaV6Cncb9IVuHAX6Qjzm9GecJfJLcTpzkoua2X-JMysIwtrVrciStGt3_tANvHKF9mc7jtTByNOjnlIPsiXarX16gpb9xuntmIZCX/s400/BrettAway+052.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153725701368994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Little by little.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6q6BeKJJy_4KzJpgDuMs7Ih-cA_gbNd9q-92VvamTKHod2UzuU7xP_jkKg49K9mlpH0wlYDDifJs1Fj4wR17c_Qdgau6MRnNfCNeKOjgf0u_cT8pqg9tXyCaUN0QrYSftb7V2QW_P9IBC/s1600/BrettAway+055.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6q6BeKJJy_4KzJpgDuMs7Ih-cA_gbNd9q-92VvamTKHod2UzuU7xP_jkKg49K9mlpH0wlYDDifJs1Fj4wR17c_Qdgau6MRnNfCNeKOjgf0u_cT8pqg9tXyCaUN0QrYSftb7V2QW_P9IBC/s400/BrettAway+055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153720945080434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Weeks compressed into a series of pictures.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0J_JzQigpmIqFpuDjBmnJe4l9aqvBgu1-P-DrkAkVeOljiULHY5hjRf7HT8nXEC_ovnc-r9KAz3oHjACsfPVlVZN9NQEi4BG_2V4GdmMdjHY56BTmodkKhbX5ZHcKmu8A0QFf9Y9ibqQ/s1600/BrettAway+067.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0J_JzQigpmIqFpuDjBmnJe4l9aqvBgu1-P-DrkAkVeOljiULHY5hjRf7HT8nXEC_ovnc-r9KAz3oHjACsfPVlVZN9NQEi4BG_2V4GdmMdjHY56BTmodkKhbX5ZHcKmu8A0QFf9Y9ibqQ/s400/BrettAway+067.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153713476032386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Getting there!<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggd49dlBdGWoL_ukqtAc5NIThLE3AWnbdBo390vKT75clscqHH6meZ4bAGwbrMPjYlNEx7WlRNeprxP_RyIffnt8Yg04Ralzp47IHN66JBse560Zq5CrQ3KOuMDnnlc_U3bJ4b_E41wCzV/s1600/BrettAway069.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggd49dlBdGWoL_ukqtAc5NIThLE3AWnbdBo390vKT75clscqHH6meZ4bAGwbrMPjYlNEx7WlRNeprxP_RyIffnt8Yg04Ralzp47IHN66JBse560Zq5CrQ3KOuMDnnlc_U3bJ4b_E41wCzV/s400/BrettAway069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153312380585762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Some of the finer details are starting to be added.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUF0g0fmgQKYni_xaNAkjJ465ww_Pux6NNAYvc7IBpfU4A61Kt0oIzizJM-zRsAHMDl-HiE4Y9EM_HRUh3BYUMcgkDDWaHZC1NCc-ZU7Qr1swdZt9AdqZqOrMJOcbXSh_NgGrxPvw5DUQ/s1600/SDC11419.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUF0g0fmgQKYni_xaNAkjJ465ww_Pux6NNAYvc7IBpfU4A61Kt0oIzizJM-zRsAHMDl-HiE4Y9EM_HRUh3BYUMcgkDDWaHZC1NCc-ZU7Qr1swdZt9AdqZqOrMJOcbXSh_NgGrxPvw5DUQ/s400/SDC11419.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153311609196914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Almost there.<br /></span></div><br />In the end we finished, just barely in the nick of time, before the students left. Yesterday morning (at 6am!), we finished up the top border. Later that morning the school kids and some of the students involved gathered for a photo and to dedicate it to the school.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2PxNBfWOpBMt993EOIkOJTptb_psLilsr36aGpKSZlSYiYwFe_8Y-_bl2bU4I6JaYaXBCAmYCI7aIpc1K0Q9H5sh6B2kaaYDtu3_2YMcREdBDZwqekz7PmqhJ7L7hVTYFV6rzzcatGng/s1600/IMG_0111.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2PxNBfWOpBMt993EOIkOJTptb_psLilsr36aGpKSZlSYiYwFe_8Y-_bl2bU4I6JaYaXBCAmYCI7aIpc1K0Q9H5sh6B2kaaYDtu3_2YMcREdBDZwqekz7PmqhJ7L7hVTYFV6rzzcatGng/s400/IMG_0111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153304890586658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The final strokes.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gMfhBiX3Qiz2ES3q8akGwjPtYDbmalWAQu2KQuiR2rw7l6gbSiW1f8I-OIHNXhiXMhP-Yb55YxuqCFFaOSiQ-UK2Vhq8gYDuibVmxAefGPMi45y8OK5gBelHLiUepZGGTuvG6gKRm-HA/s1600/IMG_0116.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gMfhBiX3Qiz2ES3q8akGwjPtYDbmalWAQu2KQuiR2rw7l6gbSiW1f8I-OIHNXhiXMhP-Yb55YxuqCFFaOSiQ-UK2Vhq8gYDuibVmxAefGPMi45y8OK5gBelHLiUepZGGTuvG6gKRm-HA/s400/IMG_0116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153295140529922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Some of the finer detail.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSCfRodEdGssXh4d_5MLU_vzVV-gfTdcUzQj1fWxS12wXKLUEAqcmakKq9D9eITnpuX3-6-JEhzCA7UxqmSmlSUt-HtBEfSezhWs64QFajnpIc5Hs84XBm327YVNU0EDWa4S71ptjiiWJ/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSCfRodEdGssXh4d_5MLU_vzVV-gfTdcUzQj1fWxS12wXKLUEAqcmakKq9D9eITnpuX3-6-JEhzCA7UxqmSmlSUt-HtBEfSezhWs64QFajnpIc5Hs84XBm327YVNU0EDWa4S71ptjiiWJ/s400/IMG_0130.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468151761415684626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I think there were days of effort put into this lobster.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4KWxOB-T_1pfRBy0-25ketD-9A_4Wdlb-u-6GRltYDI_uChHgeU6wLaRDyRxI637-IkBnztIPftOg_pcvrLGmlwdFqYgJ2FgCP3_K6Yd4CC1Uc7EBX95wmicZOqxsum3KbdQEGOgWpsW/s1600/IMG_0131.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4KWxOB-T_1pfRBy0-25ketD-9A_4Wdlb-u-6GRltYDI_uChHgeU6wLaRDyRxI637-IkBnztIPftOg_pcvrLGmlwdFqYgJ2FgCP3_K6Yd4CC1Uc7EBX95wmicZOqxsum3KbdQEGOgWpsW/s400/IMG_0131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468151169123838626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">That's a fine looking Grouper.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtafIYqSkGb90hLCJeEd8vsM0up37S4oqpZgDwl-yMuhmzCGZ10mCQ_rmAazifVicaPz7SzWQhpSQm54xDPD_dEz7Kr0dJm6c5g6UURA3JHWHnT3OpKGZMTV_ghoBPZebN5whrLfT1z9ls/s1600/IMG_0119.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtafIYqSkGb90hLCJeEd8vsM0up37S4oqpZgDwl-yMuhmzCGZ10mCQ_rmAazifVicaPz7SzWQhpSQm54xDPD_dEz7Kr0dJm6c5g6UURA3JHWHnT3OpKGZMTV_ghoBPZebN5whrLfT1z9ls/s400/IMG_0119.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468151783234295122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Damselfish<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyS9yY3RWNDQMB3dZHXpMHvTBgf2Y4Jxl0wcfiIyA4TAXlEGDZDue2Inp5DFiX5dyzt-eb8gsF10RHG7x_DoP8fCKi6EcQIb5h38VdYguRHuLH9BGZw1V1eDkDrUxXGvUTEc81HarTBFza/s1600/IMG_0129.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyS9yY3RWNDQMB3dZHXpMHvTBgf2Y4Jxl0wcfiIyA4TAXlEGDZDue2Inp5DFiX5dyzt-eb8gsF10RHG7x_DoP8fCKi6EcQIb5h38VdYguRHuLH9BGZw1V1eDkDrUxXGvUTEc81HarTBFza/s400/IMG_0129.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468151764865433506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I think we forgot to give this shark an eye.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTG8HXnNq5zHwySRKlOTygWhd9xMdwFtQ5iyYV7460VE9q3zOQQQoPqoEn9if9p8V3TvD1KT3MT0Fk79wWXtPZqj41rYF85qO144bY9_s1xa6j2hEWqdJtuP1aRH0ouQ3dCk76N72HSKWM/s1600/IMG_0127.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTG8HXnNq5zHwySRKlOTygWhd9xMdwFtQ5iyYV7460VE9q3zOQQQoPqoEn9if9p8V3TvD1KT3MT0Fk79wWXtPZqj41rYF85qO144bY9_s1xa6j2hEWqdJtuP1aRH0ouQ3dCk76N72HSKWM/s400/IMG_0127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468151780154266914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">It started as a spear, but we changed it to a net.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8A_u7Gmuurly9GSeBgZ-wL4YWrgu0ldeF-q-0waAZJQYk4GnMvVVYn2zBQVys9NOfc7QtWX-VPVmhtG-8XQ_8z9KNHyXy2S0viLZlLT59gmtP9bKao_ZKsQFNh7-tAmnJW5Jm8lapqrts/s1600/IMG_0118.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8A_u7Gmuurly9GSeBgZ-wL4YWrgu0ldeF-q-0waAZJQYk4GnMvVVYn2zBQVys9NOfc7QtWX-VPVmhtG-8XQ_8z9KNHyXy2S0viLZlLT59gmtP9bKao_ZKsQFNh7-tAmnJW5Jm8lapqrts/s400/IMG_0118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468153291115198754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Goofy looking Conch.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-d2oycIUuSrFPbCUwdKcECioqRrzQljbKI2jxiiCdBr9qcCQg0jju0beAfh9gux0_0CbNdQatGsgasFHUeZD3eB8vNV1Mh8-F-GP7UK5p5f1FCLiYCXSX4rdUQbyATgnHl5c0BKF61LZ/s1600/IMG_0128.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-d2oycIUuSrFPbCUwdKcECioqRrzQljbKI2jxiiCdBr9qcCQg0jju0beAfh9gux0_0CbNdQatGsgasFHUeZD3eB8vNV1Mh8-F-GP7UK5p5f1FCLiYCXSX4rdUQbyATgnHl5c0BKF61LZ/s400/IMG_0128.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468151775635250018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The octopus was Jessee's design.<br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFz4ktwIDgBUJBFuEbQku5aaYSkr4Rim08P7KzQd7KA5_YlggmfGfI0CXHXYpNFKsu-TtS5CvlZEDS3_vOuozBUHLMYWhlhOS_RYB5_zVWdA8KkMO9uaVbE-tdzB_3588AdAKxPiWaLDlj/s1600/IMG_0148.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFz4ktwIDgBUJBFuEbQku5aaYSkr4Rim08P7KzQd7KA5_YlggmfGfI0CXHXYpNFKsu-TtS5CvlZEDS3_vOuozBUHLMYWhlhOS_RYB5_zVWdA8KkMO9uaVbE-tdzB_3588AdAKxPiWaLDlj/s400/IMG_0148.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468149520618107442" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The paint was still wet when we unveiled it.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4XeASyFcCp9He3pV_ZfFO_EPckbRjrJ59Sc5wvBgQsalPlv5z5VIKtGILnpKTsCBm7u83ghzboI5xeFB7tr9wJwRI8QobihLKHkfR2tIOlSq_V3x-D_tQhuAP8Ra5GRwtI9svNV07Snx/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4XeASyFcCp9He3pV_ZfFO_EPckbRjrJ59Sc5wvBgQsalPlv5z5VIKtGILnpKTsCBm7u83ghzboI5xeFB7tr9wJwRI8QobihLKHkfR2tIOlSq_V3x-D_tQhuAP8Ra5GRwtI9svNV07Snx/s400/IMG_0138.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468149523180184610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Finished!</span><br /></div></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-83098107795750674722010-05-03T09:30:00.000-04:002010-05-03T09:45:55.384-04:00Home Again, Home AgainI arrived safely back on South Caicos on Saturday and got settled back in right away. On the way back from the airport we drove past the Primary School so Jessee could show me the progress they'd made on the mural they've been working on. It's nearly finished, but the students will only be here for a few more days, so they're really down to the wire getting it done.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmokIbUsof3J_vPiHL2IcLgrJlvzX8PapIla0B0RU-chV2Fb_mU_cDXW2aglHhHVwQbbFGdTZL0J_XNwXND8rJjU1GrtPgqDm_4rH7ohM-PsfpziLetDvnee0DOyxgWVBlGVWTqEbSsY-/s1600/IMG_0099.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmokIbUsof3J_vPiHL2IcLgrJlvzX8PapIla0B0RU-chV2Fb_mU_cDXW2aglHhHVwQbbFGdTZL0J_XNwXND8rJjU1GrtPgqDm_4rH7ohM-PsfpziLetDvnee0DOyxgWVBlGVWTqEbSsY-/s400/IMG_0099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467036059271868402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Above Santiago<br /></span></div><br />I brought Jessee some chocolate truffles from the DR (good chocolate is one of those things that doesn't exist on South Caicos). But they were a little worse for wear after the journey.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJGVJsjsQzgInL3SGJ9PJdbhcmSYzK5nSbqjrerF4bpf9AMZ8LSJtX2Bl1_W5PgsgNMfLhl2xPcBkLx-rBJMD7e6Es7MDN7Hn9vuis1xzaJAsh02Top6c9Z9qpm8qVBZQBy9LYLTIFho6/s1600/IMG_5699.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJGVJsjsQzgInL3SGJ9PJdbhcmSYzK5nSbqjrerF4bpf9AMZ8LSJtX2Bl1_W5PgsgNMfLhl2xPcBkLx-rBJMD7e6Es7MDN7Hn9vuis1xzaJAsh02Top6c9Z9qpm8qVBZQBy9LYLTIFho6/s400/IMG_5699.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467038031182427298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Before<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmLWes66ScpW8a2BFxtcp14wNdsvAO2ENtK_UzF4ytu0DGHIzTOMfyJQt5RFiEWd2FSiS8YrMqfjHVl7eulJ1omPLIg9ik77S5EXO2VMXcowQsrL9VMVDUR2feRaCRKogzzsGxbeP-ux5/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmLWes66ScpW8a2BFxtcp14wNdsvAO2ENtK_UzF4ytu0DGHIzTOMfyJQt5RFiEWd2FSiS8YrMqfjHVl7eulJ1omPLIg9ik77S5EXO2VMXcowQsrL9VMVDUR2feRaCRKogzzsGxbeP-ux5/s400/IMG_0107.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467036171454787858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">After<br /></span></div><br />Sunday is the day off, so we spent it snorkeling at nearby Six Hills Cay. It was nice to go there because we'd never gone before. You can see it from South Caicos, but it's not in our usual range. Compared with the Dominican Republic, the water is so clear and blue! I'm realizing how spoiled we've gotten being here. Not many places we'll go after this will measure up. You have to be remote, anymore, to get to see water this clean and fish this abundant.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLktu5DWfZzsBSEx2M6D_tkfGIog_ubK90F2qaa9iOQTWTIs1IvgSVkwpnwFvPFQ1NztLk7_x641gi3BI856eWBQdm0t4fDQzV9A9VUdTpnfi82JyEXoo0nRZPr0jr9aZ4OooSOKiSEK0D/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLktu5DWfZzsBSEx2M6D_tkfGIog_ubK90F2qaa9iOQTWTIs1IvgSVkwpnwFvPFQ1NztLk7_x641gi3BI856eWBQdm0t4fDQzV9A9VUdTpnfi82JyEXoo0nRZPr0jr9aZ4OooSOKiSEK0D/s400/IMG_0103.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467036161095933378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">On the boat near Six Hills.<br /></span><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"></div><div id="refHTML"></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-16849448540520637612010-05-01T09:27:00.000-04:002010-05-01T09:31:30.030-04:00Time Traveller?<div>This morning I'll be heading to the airport and back home to South Caicos. When I initially decided to fly instead of take the boat, I was excited for this return trip because of a unique situation. The flight is only 45 minutes, but you cross a timezone on the way. In effect, I'd arrive 15 minutes before I had left!</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://teamsubmarine.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/the_time_machine_large_01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 342px;" src="http://teamsubmarine.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/the_time_machine_large_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Time Machine</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, I later found out that the Dominican Republic no longer observes Daylight Savings. So twice each year the country switches timezones. In the Spring and Summer months, the country is in the Eastern Timezone, the same as the Turks and Caicos, so I won't get to timetravel. Dang!</div><div><br /></div><div>While I was here, though, I learned something quite humorous on the topic. Years back the Dominican government attempted to adopt daylight savings in an attempt at simplifying things for international business. Rather unpracticed at it (or perhaps missing something in the translation of "spring ahead, fall back"), the Dominican government had everybody switch the clocks the wrong way! Christian, one of the people I dove with in Sosúa, told me for several weeks after the change there was a lot of confusion and it was getting dark really early! Just imagine the chaos that would cause. Hilarious! Anyhow, they decided to scrap the idea altogether and went back to not observing daylight savings.</div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-23938576125319326102010-05-01T09:21:00.000-04:002010-05-01T09:27:31.394-04:00SantiagoToday (Saturday) I took the bus to Santiago. In the morning, I'll be heading back home. I didn't spend much time in Santiago on the advisement of a friend from South Caicos. Santiago is a real working city, and there's not much in the way tourism. It's the sort of place where you can really get the feel for contemporary Dominican life, but it doesn't showcase much of its history or culture in museums or monuments. It was nice for the day, though.<br /><br />I spent the afternoon walking around seeing what there was to see. There were a lot of open air markets where people sell fruits and vegetables, shoes, clothes, and other essential things. I spent a while looking for a pair of earrings made from pieces of coconut shell (a special request from Jessee), but I couldn't find the ones she wanted (sorry!). It's the sort of thing they sell to tourists. And there are no tourists here!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiep6Rg4N7lZYFvt_4i2Pa6ktPIN03kjx25LquFZ8vpt9Goboo5x9zQpxHMwSy-ncUkUYmNzn1wobmJjjYVnqTABa4vut4XP26Tahk2Zg3O9GcRs0CbzhqhaanW-0ig8P6WSwySR-Akqb34/s1600/IMG_0087.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiep6Rg4N7lZYFvt_4i2Pa6ktPIN03kjx25LquFZ8vpt9Goboo5x9zQpxHMwSy-ncUkUYmNzn1wobmJjjYVnqTABa4vut4XP26Tahk2Zg3O9GcRs0CbzhqhaanW-0ig8P6WSwySR-Akqb34/s400/IMG_0087.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466292033797637058" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;">A Haitian woman selling produce. This picture is from Sosúa, but they walk everywhere selling things this way (I bought two bananas almost every morning). It's practical, really. Imagine how your back would hurt holding all that food in your arms out in front of you.</div></span><br />I visited Duarte Park, Fort San Luis, and the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration of the Republic - just about exhausting what there was to see in central Santiago. I had two full (and delecious) meals for a grand total of 215 pesos ($5.97), and I'm staying in a hotel that costs 480 pesos for the night ($13.33). The low prices are one benefit of non-touristic cities.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl5vzb_LZbXNAj7R3dlnX_ni488lf4IMdX9rDuYXlt9wCnMAzEBWi5V0ezaqMIo8ye56XDiO2Uu0ukra3r_wezgvdNeBhEhESg4zsx1HyNitE7ae8_Vj-autEyGEKlZQAmx58S71VzyP4/s1600/IMG_0089.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl5vzb_LZbXNAj7R3dlnX_ni488lf4IMdX9rDuYXlt9wCnMAzEBWi5V0ezaqMIo8ye56XDiO2Uu0ukra3r_wezgvdNeBhEhESg4zsx1HyNitE7ae8_Vj-autEyGEKlZQAmx58S71VzyP4/s400/IMG_0089.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466292037125269858" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Catedral de Santiago Apóstol</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Parque Duarte</span></i></span></div></i><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kLoGhs5TLId-U6SN89bENM899oNgwl_ggVOzw2-oWGCCZPW2TnMCiVBR441gZgZeq1K-grC6GlSO4Gpy4FrMUQ9AI7ypMcajZSEJSUwcNmOD7pxWl23tvcW2x9miX69lVzJFGOsZYeoB/s1600/IMG_0091.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kLoGhs5TLId-U6SN89bENM899oNgwl_ggVOzw2-oWGCCZPW2TnMCiVBR441gZgZeq1K-grC6GlSO4Gpy4FrMUQ9AI7ypMcajZSEJSUwcNmOD7pxWl23tvcW2x9miX69lVzJFGOsZYeoB/s400/IMG_0091.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466292043834366354" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fortaleza San Luis</span></i></span></div></i><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgHPvntiQZW2JoN3ZIJhf93v0VsM2jDf3AEHZH646KOkBbdb-2_z4KmSK1Qa137PFkMjX4EmZeaCPzkUUB4xZxjDW2vhwZ5sKNgDE78Mq20V7-E5rbBcJsHuiQ8mDZIyPYLH8hVbEVUUO/s1600/IMG_0097.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgHPvntiQZW2JoN3ZIJhf93v0VsM2jDf3AEHZH646KOkBbdb-2_z4KmSK1Qa137PFkMjX4EmZeaCPzkUUB4xZxjDW2vhwZ5sKNgDE78Mq20V7-E5rbBcJsHuiQ8mDZIyPYLH8hVbEVUUO/s400/IMG_0097.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466292051940224898" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Monumento a los Héros de la Restauración de la Repúblic</span>a</i></span></div></i>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-34585399169825313942010-04-29T18:16:00.000-04:002010-04-29T21:59:17.737-04:00DamajaguaToday I went to great little tourist attraction, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Viente-siete Charcos</span> (27 Pools) of Damajagua. It's a series of small waterfalls and pools along a stream that you first climb up and then slide and jump your way back to the bottom.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPgskML0EJJyq47SGf6HxlkjUOKMQzTi3UtV88_Qup4l2mq0Hlxi5xX3Y1WQhoTrZLljLiyckMRoO7jBO_l5-Pqm0HVQ27R3PUTZ32Shm12Ryr-4SgNpwAwb0shm-LzJoHNLaBmmZBLhQ/s1600/IMG_0008.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPgskML0EJJyq47SGf6HxlkjUOKMQzTi3UtV88_Qup4l2mq0Hlxi5xX3Y1WQhoTrZLljLiyckMRoO7jBO_l5-Pqm0HVQ27R3PUTZ32Shm12Ryr-4SgNpwAwb0shm-LzJoHNLaBmmZBLhQ/s400/IMG_0008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465687942697054418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The first pool.</span><br /></div><br />It was set up for tourism through a Peace Corps initiative originally by Joe Kennedy (grandson of RFK). Back then it wasn't set up for tourism, but locals would often go there (and they still do, at least half the people there were Dominican). There also were no safety precautions and somebody actually died because of it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoBk5lO0kV9QMAr63vOyfc750QQT4m2kukBPgSBrSM-6ymxNPt8WlhVGD-BARGW-5-Pg2wpKj5wub6mBoC-tOUP-4_X74csMBlggqM1N6cgaJIoOjZU25i6I23Vh64sFwVcR71vdDOE03/s1600/IMG_0038.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoBk5lO0kV9QMAr63vOyfc750QQT4m2kukBPgSBrSM-6ymxNPt8WlhVGD-BARGW-5-Pg2wpKj5wub6mBoC-tOUP-4_X74csMBlggqM1N6cgaJIoOjZU25i6I23Vh64sFwVcR71vdDOE03/s400/IMG_0038.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465690697793182786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I was required to wear a helmet and life jacket.<br /></span></div><br />It was a lot of fun going both up and down. It was really good to get some physical exercise, for one thing, but the water was very pleasant and the jumps were exciting. The biggest one is probably 20 feet or more. I really hesitated before jumping off that one!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6la-t3f3zLzB396s0zrOvJqu0F5VM8rEhXSNld_rVvjlIKQ-xcGHg41DDHJez6Y_A9YMKh8IBDE8qCxTvjgoO17oMFWXnFjf_shgMTbmQQnVpFc2ukO7wKVMj1og9059rL8DP1F1aLAek/s1600/IMG_0041.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6la-t3f3zLzB396s0zrOvJqu0F5VM8rEhXSNld_rVvjlIKQ-xcGHg41DDHJez6Y_A9YMKh8IBDE8qCxTvjgoO17oMFWXnFjf_shgMTbmQQnVpFc2ukO7wKVMj1og9059rL8DP1F1aLAek/s400/IMG_0041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465690701572360130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Ready, set, ...</span><br /></div><br />I kept thinking about a place in Costa Rica just like this. It's inside a park, so it wouldn't be able to be set up like this, but there's really high potential in other places, I'm sure.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lP8IJoP8VgI9yBj4Ug8v6jM1RUkuFqbPFNYx1OIVaFrDB3EVDltXPnPE3Dv1WQMr8IL24IKoZ-w2gawZSzrzFeDt97gNtqEgyDkNABmALjkgsMlElIP2R3zoLXWKb7i2w_OiU6NCk9gH/s1600/IMG_0013.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lP8IJoP8VgI9yBj4Ug8v6jM1RUkuFqbPFNYx1OIVaFrDB3EVDltXPnPE3Dv1WQMr8IL24IKoZ-w2gawZSzrzFeDt97gNtqEgyDkNABmALjkgsMlElIP2R3zoLXWKb7i2w_OiU6NCk9gH/s400/IMG_0013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465687951529151186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The jump was right between the two falls.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeTv5wWODVxQy5L3pSYOOFweqHYAbC57EqnBiGN92LcXZhyYYCTOtUeNQx5k1hjH4xE0ZBKDlVs5gfw41K13VGO8GfPO0_OJjtIOW_yfqQxRWDI01RGDSXdKCL9baaSL3HbPQldOsFFdX/s1600/IMG_0028.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeTv5wWODVxQy5L3pSYOOFweqHYAbC57EqnBiGN92LcXZhyYYCTOtUeNQx5k1hjH4xE0ZBKDlVs5gfw41K13VGO8GfPO0_OJjtIOW_yfqQxRWDI01RGDSXdKCL9baaSL3HbPQldOsFFdX/s400/IMG_0028.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465687965061316722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The pools were spaced apart, but in between was nice too.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXS4kmEEjgfFEyHtFWvuH8aTrJAf5_Von-u8hVHoTSdY73NahC9gnrPSHMkO85NPQ1tuQCfn6GgLkedldGoQ3HDfDxT4NmH1Qc45qAmCMdpRj1dnGK7yE23UbQH1G7UGoSvRkMS3wh6NaP/s1600/IMG_0021.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXS4kmEEjgfFEyHtFWvuH8aTrJAf5_Von-u8hVHoTSdY73NahC9gnrPSHMkO85NPQ1tuQCfn6GgLkedldGoQ3HDfDxT4NmH1Qc45qAmCMdpRj1dnGK7yE23UbQH1G7UGoSvRkMS3wh6NaP/s400/IMG_0021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465687956005324226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">It's just the flash that's making it look like a cave.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iOH3GOVUCEJ76WotvlhblCLjhVabUhX5px8XdXFxbK_N19dmJp0AhfDPTqp36tCrTYySjlAT60d7nicBoOoHjriZdkCitDVdC7D9UnmfiXZEWxSha9osmfU-7XgfPZVZJpSe9p8HIqJ1/s1600/IMG_0024.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iOH3GOVUCEJ76WotvlhblCLjhVabUhX5px8XdXFxbK_N19dmJp0AhfDPTqp36tCrTYySjlAT60d7nicBoOoHjriZdkCitDVdC7D9UnmfiXZEWxSha9osmfU-7XgfPZVZJpSe9p8HIqJ1/s400/IMG_0024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465687958237291634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">My guide's name was Yunior.</span><br /></div><br />I was reluctant to bring my camera along because I was concerned for the housing in all those jumps. But it was fine, and I'm really glad I did. Watch the video of some of the jumps:<br /><br /><center><object width="400" height="324"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pxiDoNkf1m0&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pxiDoNkf1m0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="324"></embed></object></center><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Jumping at <span style="font-style: italic;">27 Charcos</span>.<br />(<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxiDoNkf1m0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxiDoNkf1m0</a>)</span><br /></div><br />I made a stop at Puerto Plata (Silver Port) on the way back to my hotel. My guidebook says you should make it a day trip and stay elsewhere, but from what I saw, it was really nice. Much better than neighboring Sosúa (where I began my trip and where I am staying now). It's not as touristy and people aren't so aggressive trying to sell things.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77huO8xQ6lvwsLxL-NkfQ8XqO81s4J7LHkpAycwAzKMTzSAeOdN8b3NbeefxqSOeX_rjJSp9jYenLrEAxbpZOS-uefaYE-QxmxP-MWeV_OAbgrmr5HjSN9T1P0vfFuvEZNmMkecbSdcGv/s1600/IMG_0056.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77huO8xQ6lvwsLxL-NkfQ8XqO81s4J7LHkpAycwAzKMTzSAeOdN8b3NbeefxqSOeX_rjJSp9jYenLrEAxbpZOS-uefaYE-QxmxP-MWeV_OAbgrmr5HjSN9T1P0vfFuvEZNmMkecbSdcGv/s400/IMG_0056.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465690705776078914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Central Park in Puerto Plata</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9Y-IzVbVEjjhKpVqIL-hQO_S5jrR-OrvWOrL2o_ByL9-8ahlugQxXOONM5-iCAYkJD1JLz7eXlV9Jn6D4wBveE9s89LPd12AJ8LFkUY63AQMKPCqbK99wOuD3TNAx7g7435iX__tvfLY/s1600/IMG_0061.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9Y-IzVbVEjjhKpVqIL-hQO_S5jrR-OrvWOrL2o_ByL9-8ahlugQxXOONM5-iCAYkJD1JLz7eXlV9Jn6D4wBveE9s89LPd12AJ8LFkUY63AQMKPCqbK99wOuD3TNAx7g7435iX__tvfLY/s400/IMG_0061.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465690713149405826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The Malecón was a particularly nice shaded and breezy place to sit.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaM8Ary3hhLQplruqpSrafHCf5aYkExAaZP3ni37p2rU8sJREs7HivFfeBR4hqWzAKzw5jKSHmjqKWHdinhTeZqnFyBIKwm09qyvycLUFvt8kav-TGI-hCwSyEfcMi1OtHYq92tXfhT_6j/s1600/IMG_0067.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaM8Ary3hhLQplruqpSrafHCf5aYkExAaZP3ni37p2rU8sJREs7HivFfeBR4hqWzAKzw5jKSHmjqKWHdinhTeZqnFyBIKwm09qyvycLUFvt8kav-TGI-hCwSyEfcMi1OtHYq92tXfhT_6j/s400/IMG_0067.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465690718908959618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I visited <span style="font-style: italic;">Fuerte de San Felipe</span>.</span><br /></div><br />The fort was built in the 1500s to protect against pirates. The British Empire encouraged piracy in the Caribbean (calling them "privateers" rather than pirates), as a way of disrupting Spanish power in the region. The fort was never used to defend from an attack, though.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSzHtRzfOZ9jeyIA8vnWqrpisCOX5a8TvmQ3e1FuPr59ctuWuPvOCUakntDtkfMqTkMd4YfQnwZqZ2BDT8PkorF01AxtZ9J6GHW26bJQgkNsI4Ez_EcDomzRoQlm5sPuLTaSA6tFlYnqw/s1600/IMG_0077.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSzHtRzfOZ9jeyIA8vnWqrpisCOX5a8TvmQ3e1FuPr59ctuWuPvOCUakntDtkfMqTkMd4YfQnwZqZ2BDT8PkorF01AxtZ9J6GHW26bJQgkNsI4Ez_EcDomzRoQlm5sPuLTaSA6tFlYnqw/s400/IMG_0077.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465691044763518450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Cannons on the Fort<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuOd0qt63G59g82CMGINnPOZe1VLaS1B1B4f4iqFb5sHH8kOfZpO0oNl7OnfeLWIuvCrfwGYV_RjoL0-auYlDk0W-Ybz4cuhSVBaI9fy2DfYeHnQFLfdmH5Cp7fQwyEpg5_e_fFHCaFnO/s1600/IMG_0075.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuOd0qt63G59g82CMGINnPOZe1VLaS1B1B4f4iqFb5sHH8kOfZpO0oNl7OnfeLWIuvCrfwGYV_RjoL0-auYlDk0W-Ybz4cuhSVBaI9fy2DfYeHnQFLfdmH5Cp7fQwyEpg5_e_fFHCaFnO/s400/IMG_0075.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465691040302810674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I would hate to try to get up these stairs with somebody shooting at me from above.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYTvVlYmK-_NSGgb4yXGAUByBkssKUFdh-bszdOqgNyWlgLowp5cF1wZo5uLd0R7pAyyWOMnYWEJw8Bd56nBjKdEJibgyg0FnoId9BNYkJkBtCwMIzLTdisDs6_QhlYOxn-4G-qiPiTS-/s1600/IMG_0071.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYTvVlYmK-_NSGgb4yXGAUByBkssKUFdh-bszdOqgNyWlgLowp5cF1wZo5uLd0R7pAyyWOMnYWEJw8Bd56nBjKdEJibgyg0FnoId9BNYkJkBtCwMIzLTdisDs6_QhlYOxn-4G-qiPiTS-/s400/IMG_0071.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465691032986463538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Columbus gave Puerto Plata its name in 1493 because of the way the sun reflected off the water.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdl4XCfxk1mt1GG5oNg9-NShC-OCWtMSB0jPVqJYlNt4K79LmoMcHctAx3vDMfW-FnPnIqqhSJs2DuPh4F-22wPG3oE5hKZ1A1snnKLz0mdp4Af2lo-v42Pe065QQRG6UrpJ8Sl9LAo3i/s1600/IMG_0086.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdl4XCfxk1mt1GG5oNg9-NShC-OCWtMSB0jPVqJYlNt4K79LmoMcHctAx3vDMfW-FnPnIqqhSJs2DuPh4F-22wPG3oE5hKZ1A1snnKLz0mdp4Af2lo-v42Pe065QQRG6UrpJ8Sl9LAo3i/s400/IMG_0086.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465691045755387986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Either a small horse or a large person, you decide.</span><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"></div><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-15067292556303517822010-04-29T17:36:00.000-04:002010-04-29T17:40:57.716-04:00MangúThis morning I tried <span style="font-style: italic;">mangú</span> (not to be confused with a mango). To begin with, any food with the sound "goo" in it's name is starting with a strike against it. When I asked the lady at the counter what it was, it got strike two - she explained that it was mashed bananas. I imagined something between slimy over-ripe bananas and baby food. Since there were really only two things on the menu besides dinner items and both included <span style="font-style: italic;">mangú</span>, I gave it a try.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2bXOSvzF8vnYZGBfKBqTP0gPr1403x8Whw3xldPjh-Ygsqisi2IDZDGJMbT1o6po-mUGqEKclM1xeFvYdN9K5vxcNe-3DEtkuN_UYs-EVffOfyHDF9EQvt0fOQZGi_rEiv3fj3jwbXRS/s1600/IMG_0002.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2bXOSvzF8vnYZGBfKBqTP0gPr1403x8Whw3xldPjh-Ygsqisi2IDZDGJMbT1o6po-mUGqEKclM1xeFvYdN9K5vxcNe-3DEtkuN_UYs-EVffOfyHDF9EQvt0fOQZGi_rEiv3fj3jwbXRS/s400/IMG_0002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465677133571736674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">This whole meal cost me 60 pesos ($1.67)!!</span><br /></div><br />What a great surprise! <span style="font-style: italic;">Mangú</span> has to be one of the best foods I've ever tried outside of my comfort zone. It's not sweet like I was expecting. And it's actually not made from bananas, as I was told. It's made from yellow plantains. I don't really know how to describe it. It's closer to mashed potatoes than anything else, but the seasonings in it go really well with the onions, green peppers, and eggs. I think there might have been some olive oil in it too. Tomorrow morning I'm going looking for more.<br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198502380293949839.post-22649411074716480352010-04-27T14:15:00.000-04:002010-04-27T14:55:14.162-04:00JarabacoaThere was only one reason I came to the rural town of Jarabacoa. It was to see their famous waterfalls. I was slightly more impressed with the visual created by my guidebook than I was with the actual thing, but it was worth the short side trip. I hired a <em>motoconcho</em> (motorcycle taxi) to take me there. I was reluctant to go this way because it seems dangerous - these guys are always zipping around and never wear helmets - but he actually brought me a helmet and didn't go that fast.<br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIYH9HMja9h03GLFgui2cX4UTE1athp4lJxTCPBsZX61eFZ8c18V0g0jv5AEeyx7OUJbqB_FcMzsuUBDuSIF9eaFRPlsp3-uSjQK51intF_lGLHxHjka75hwcRQm7YZEkwu-xZqAYLyyw/s400/IMG_6594.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:85%;"><center>I quite enjoyed the motorcycle. It made me want to tour around Ché Guevara style.</center></span><br />The big falls, Jimenoa Uno, is particularly famous. It is pictured in <em>Jurassic Park</em>. In the early scenes when they are arriving in the helicopter, Jimenoa Uno is the one in the background.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrI9WeirFaPHJcgo-GhctDX99MXen_qau-rEJur5Lq0Oxb9rInxCtE0KGL4KPTYURuzPlhMSdorm_BFJJSqt07_ptRCv9xNRwKazXJCE1j6jOxrXalsCjFrhaLgbEwAnnl7J-RxEIOLbm/s1600/IMG_6587.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464884568583101970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrI9WeirFaPHJcgo-GhctDX99MXen_qau-rEJur5Lq0Oxb9rInxCtE0KGL4KPTYURuzPlhMSdorm_BFJJSqt07_ptRCv9xNRwKazXJCE1j6jOxrXalsCjFrhaLgbEwAnnl7J-RxEIOLbm/s400/IMG_6587.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbfzvByOcZqZz2Jmrra7amSFpmavALmnnLlJw1Q8N_aj0dNAtmgec6qdyRfkB2xZCiG4XgtEqXxFE58hw7OjyjakKEuITqF1PEPdv_WyAkskjL-iuc78o2IMNgVa6ZGFjBiMPo3NjCs8k/s1600/IMG_6568.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464884564356523122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbfzvByOcZqZz2Jmrra7amSFpmavALmnnLlJw1Q8N_aj0dNAtmgec6qdyRfkB2xZCiG4XgtEqXxFE58hw7OjyjakKEuITqF1PEPdv_WyAkskjL-iuc78o2IMNgVa6ZGFjBiMPo3NjCs8k/s400/IMG_6568.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> <center>Jimenoa Uno</center></span><br />It didn't really look like what I remember from the movie. Part of the reason for that, my driver told me, was because the hydroelectric plant was running today. The plant diverts much of the water around the falls to produce electricity. Even still, it was a pretty sight.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibxLHdb38xjuL1QnKR5_2V2avQ9FJPEdcXYXP92WxRVolZbowba5xtFM_MENM39gzANr_g83qimQTLGpf5VzMi6O8VRZpGp32YfHr0BcXIYIEjubcC560CcU00VtOnPF0tzjN-D4tvLu0/s1600/IMG_6555.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464884553538070274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibxLHdb38xjuL1QnKR5_2V2avQ9FJPEdcXYXP92WxRVolZbowba5xtFM_MENM39gzANr_g83qimQTLGpf5VzMi6O8VRZpGp32YfHr0BcXIYIEjubcC560CcU00VtOnPF0tzjN-D4tvLu0/s400/IMG_6555.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> <center>Jimenoa Dos was a little bit smaller.</center></span><br />The third falls, <em>Baiguate</em>, was on the other side of town. It's the smallest of all, but had more water flowing over it. It was my favorite.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy70O87lLvBqMSGLM6H9du-ZTly5gU1KD1FJI8V17bTnAolZ367A6bZaZflmxghdo-NZwVehhmrhaGS9NBACpvLg-xRl3p6D5sP8j87hAK_vIJptBvomvMFyeEscs6REnPtdjnlCIzD9WU/s400/IMG_6597.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy70O87lLvBqMSGLM6H9du-ZTly5gU1KD1FJI8V17bTnAolZ367A6bZaZflmxghdo-NZwVehhmrhaGS9NBACpvLg-xRl3p6D5sP8j87hAK_vIJptBvomvMFyeEscs6REnPtdjnlCIzD9WU/s400/IMG_6597.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> <center>Salto de Baiguate</center></span><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HFjcVRAuZbUoW7ZJT50HqW5gBXZWAGxa9TTwLyw6QknMLBd4G3Dv96-P27oOBEWhRjuBZ17D4D8p6MYOQ7tPBK25l3Z_jlt9CfY2G4ZE6NYabpbeIkgdA30lsilwVi34o6UD3wubt5Ee/s1600/IMG_6550.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464884550836044514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HFjcVRAuZbUoW7ZJT50HqW5gBXZWAGxa9TTwLyw6QknMLBd4G3Dv96-P27oOBEWhRjuBZ17D4D8p6MYOQ7tPBK25l3Z_jlt9CfY2G4ZE6NYabpbeIkgdA30lsilwVi34o6UD3wubt5Ee/s400/IMG_6550.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Pofirio was my driver and guide. We spoke only Spanish, and I actually understood most of what was said.</span></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaP3IWDjLwaAjBFQcobfTkSo7q9z3RBjvZrw2tj4RJKA9XEtb7BrozAlarv24FBQZ1O2bTtvMDOqG88JK7rcqAyNHuFqtp6Ja7Np7c4jcxlAF_fl0kx6gpZbRYBPzdFRRliUPIslIRLvS/s1600/IMG_6590.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464884830622727650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPaP3IWDjLwaAjBFQcobfTkSo7q9z3RBjvZrw2tj4RJKA9XEtb7BrozAlarv24FBQZ1O2bTtvMDOqG88JK7rcqAyNHuFqtp6Ja7Np7c4jcxlAF_fl0kx6gpZbRYBPzdFRRliUPIslIRLvS/s400/IMG_6590.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Along the way we stopped at the <em>confluencia</em> of the <em>Yaque de Norte</em> and the <em>Jimenoa</em>. A place, it seems, frequented by locals.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjokdcY_v8IhOml0r26dcd8WYGCBnhl2ywOBQh-CdySiDYYcc8B2uH-6wqx2QRqMEtPUoB0kOnC4t0JIk0lG-Av4ysFwdWu5lJ2kNl7-pAm-B0ynGNvv7zgSJ-z1E1Ih2Y99vGmKi7h7xw/s1600/IMG_6547.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464884544785756562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjokdcY_v8IhOml0r26dcd8WYGCBnhl2ywOBQh-CdySiDYYcc8B2uH-6wqx2QRqMEtPUoB0kOnC4t0JIk0lG-Av4ysFwdWu5lJ2kNl7-pAm-B0ynGNvv7zgSJ-z1E1Ih2Y99vGmKi7h7xw/s400/IMG_6547.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Others come to Jarabacoa to climb Pico Duarte, the highest point in Hispaniola reaching over 3000 meters. That's it behind the clouds.</span> </div>Brett Sylvester Matulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03425555870471681406noreply@blogger.com0