Trip to the Bahamas gives context to biology course
From left to right: Holly Madland ‘14, Hannah Grose ‘13, and John Vitarello ‘13, float against the blue background of the open ocean (Photo courtesy of GCC&M).
By Carter Ashforth, Contributing Writer
When asked about his experience taking Biology 228, taught by Professor Istvan Urcuyo, Senior Josh Monk, who took the class last spring, exclaimed, “[It] was the learning experience of a lifetime!” This class is no normal tropical marine biology class primarily because the students were able to see with their own eyes everything they had been learning about. These fourteen lucky students got to experience for two weeks the tropical fish, ecosystems, marine organisms, sandy beeches, mangrove forests, swamps and coral reefs both in the active and tidal zones. What this unique lab component also offered was a very real encounter with the impact humans have on the oceanic environment.
To prepare for the two-week-long field experience lab in the Bahamas, the whole class participated in a high ropes course workshop with the Gettysburg Recreational Adventures Board (GRAB) last spring. Senior John Vitarello recalled the importance of this activity.
“[You] need to get close because you are in a pretty unpredictable environment and you need to rely on your peers.”
After spending a semester in class together and bonding on the ropes course last spring, the class jetted off in late May for a learning adventure that would prove to be invaluable.
Monk fondly remembers landing on the island of San Salvador on a tiny one-engine, unstable plane. San Salvador is the most eastern island of the Bahamas. Its 21 miles is host to about 1,000 residents along with one airport, one bar and a long-standing reputation for sport fishing, famous coral reefs and a world-renowned research center. The island was formerly used as a Navy station to track down Russian submarines. It is now the home of the Gerace Research Center.
Both Monk and Vitarello enthusiastically remembered the long days they spent in the water snorkeling around the island exploring the waters. Monk’s description of the class’s activities illustrate how this was no vacation – or walk on the beach.
In the mornings and afternoons, the class would spend the majority of their time in the water and later had a night lab during which students identified and talked more in depth about the organisms and ecosystems they had encountered earlier in the day. For the last four days, the students completed their own research projects, which enabled them to focus on a more specific portion of their studies.Monk specifically looked at the ratio of hard corals to soft corals that inhabited the sheltered and weathered reefs. He discovered that the hard corals were found in the weathered reefs and the soft corals were found more often in the sheltered reefs.
Despite their busy schedule, the students and Prof. Urcuyo still found time to explore other aspects of the island, culture and environment. Monk recounted his adventures cliff jumping, caving, hiking and night snorkeling. On one particularly unsual hike, the group ran into a banana spider, which is known as one of the largest non-tarantula spiders in North America. Vitarello made a point to get scuba certified before he left for the Bahamas; he and Prof. Urcuyo took a boat out to the continental drop-off and took a dive down the steep slope of the continental shelf. Vitarello dove down 80 feet where he saw grouper, giant sponges and even a hammerhead shark.
Another highlight of Vitarello’s experience was the day they spent at Pigeon Creek. The class went to Pigeon Creek, a tidal channel, to examine the mangroves. They arrived very early in the morning when there was low tide and the current brought them upstream and inland. Vitarello explained he felt like he was on a “lazy river.” The members of Biology 228 even got a chance to feel a part of the Bahamas culture when a San Salvador resident who cooks for the research center invited the crew into town for a home-cooked meal. The townspeople caught the fish, skinned it and cooked it all in the same day for Monk, Vitarello and their peers. They feasted on triggerfish, grouper and fried conch.
Beyond the unique fish, fabulous beaches and waters and thrilling adventures, the students gained a deeper appreciation for the ocean and reefs. Vitarello now feels a great admiration and respect for the environment.
“San Salvador has some of the most pristine coral reefs in the world because it is so far removed from civilization. To see the disease spreading through the corals, you appreciate it more.”
The students not only explored the untouched reefs of the western coast of the island, but also ventured over to the eastern shore, which faces the Atlantic Ocean where most of the fishing takes place. Monk recalled it as “a whole different world [with] trash everywhere, even in a secluded place like San Salvador. [These reefs were] not as healthy as the other reefs.” Monk said that this confrontation with reality “helped us realize the importance of keeping the ocean clean.”
Monk said it was the “best class I have ever taken at school – great teachers, learned a ton and had fun doing it. It opened my eyes to how we need to take care of our oceans. If I get the time, I am going to try to help and spread awareness.”
Monk’s admiration and enthusiasm for the course, his peers and professor is truly inspiring.
“I recommend [the course] to every biology student I speak to,” Vitarello echoed. This course truly embodies the College’s commitment to education both in and outside of the classroom.
