As the sun began to rise above the boathouse, we boarded Red Rising and set out for a free diving excursion at Tunnel Rock. Swimming down 40 feet beneath the surface, we explored the underwater world. There was so much to be seen on this reef, from schools of Bar Jacks, swimming to and fro, to Stoplight Parrotfish, munching on algae. We broke the surface of the water, leaving that world behind as we prepared for the long Island School day ahead of us.

For the third day in a row, campus felt empty without our friends on the down island trip, yet we powered through the exciting and packed day ahead of us. The Food Systems group spent the morning at Edrin’s farm, a 6oo acre two-man operation, and the Marine Ecology group spent the morning diligently working in class and preparing for their afternoon dive. In the afternoon, some explored the island by land, at Joseph’s slash-and-burn farm, while others explored the ecosystems in each of their patch reefs on ocean floor. As our second academic week comes to a close, we are shocked by the amount of time that we have passed together, and sad at the prospect of the dwindling days remaining, but excited to show our parents the island that we have come to call home.

Your Caciques,

Madeline Doten and Emily Arnold