Marine Biology 2023 Begins!

Ten students arrived on Tuesday, ready to begin class on Wednesday morning! We started the day with breakfast together and orientation to the course, then we loaded our equipment on the boat and headed to the Bight. The Bight is a protected mudflat dominated by the seagrass Thalassia testudinum. We also observed the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopeia xamachana and several species of green macroalgae. We spent most of our time just getting used to snorkeling and conducting research in a marine environment! After supper together, we were sitting at the edge of the water observing some small fish when we were surprised to see a nurse shark and then a moray eel. It has been a good beginning and we are looking forward to more exploration of this unique marine ecosystem.