Experiential education is catching on here in Eleuthera. Last week BREEF (Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation) held a teachers workshop in Savannah Sound. Local teachers came from far and wide to take part in the one day coral reef training workshop. Educators gained a plethora of lesson plans to connect students to the coral reefs in their surrounding environments. Those attending the workshop participated in a number of skills based learning techniques such as, games, reef mapping and a field trip. Continue reading →

We are proud to announce that we have won the Three-Minute Shower Challenge put forth by The Body Shop and HerCampus.com!  Thank you to all that watched our video.  We’re confident Island School-style navy showers will continue to spread across the globe!

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Recently in patch reef we learned about the internal and external anatomy of red lionfish. We had an example lionfish dissected for us and we learned about how the different organs work inside the lionfish and their function. It was a good lesson in fish anatomy. We studied lionfish because they are an invasive species in The Bahamas, so catching lionfish increases survival of native fish. Afterwards, we went to our patch reef research sites in Rock Sound and recorded the fish species and abundance of fish we observed. In the field, we observe one patch reef at a time. In order to minimize double counts of a single fish, we observe the reef in an “S” pattern over the top and then explore underneath the reef. However, there is no full-proof way to not have any double counts. The best we can do is decrease the possibility of counting an individual twice. Some responsibilities we have on the water include boat chores. These tasks can range from preparing the engine to dropping the anchor. After our surveys, we returned to school to input the data that we collected into REEF.org.

- Damian Bleiberg

Ninja Black Fingers (Jessica) and Ninja Skye started our lionfish research class by running in dressed in black and carrying palm frond ninja sticks, like true lionfish ninjas do. We are not ‘normal’ ninjas. We are lionfish ninjas!  Our efficient ways help with our ridiculously rapid clod card deployment. We had a mere 3.5 hours to visit 16 different sites, deploying a total of 32 clod cards. These clod cards aren’t so simple and easy to carry. They were attached to cinderblocks and we lionfish ninjas had to carry them above the water through treacherous currents (see awesome-amazing-super ninja video and pictures). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eTKFdGT0bc I’m sure you’re just dying to ask what clod cards are. Well, hey, good thing you’re reading this blog. We’ve got your answer!  Clod cards are a plaster-like substance that slowly dissolve away as the current runs over them. We take the initial and final weights of the clod cards and use a formula to find the current speed of each site. We think that these currents may affect the lionfish distribution around South Eleuthera. Well, I hope you’ve got your answer. Peace out lionfish ninja blog followers.

-Ellie, Jessica, and True

One topic we think about a lot here at the Island School is how to live as sustainably as possible. Dealing with human waste is an issue that we’ve tried to confront many times in the past, but until now haven’t found a practical solution. There are several reasons as to why the issue of human waste is so problematic. First of all, pumping it out to be driven to a landfill is bad for the environment since it leaches into the ground, which can pollute both fresh groundwater and ocean water. Also, burning it releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which contributes to the widely discussed issue of global warming. Currently we have created a waste water, or, as it is more affectionately known, “Poo-poo” garden on campus to handle our waste. Toilets, sinks, and showers run into this garden, where solids settle out and liquids gravity flow to two beds, providing nutrients that promote plant growth, especially for thirsty plants like bananas. But what about the solids? How can we find a final resting place for our human waste? Continue reading →

Spring 2011 will celebrate two legacy days this spring, where they spend the entire day working on the campus and leaving their mark.  In the past, legacy projects have included earth bagging to build the biodiesel shed, creating a compostable toilet, building stalls for outdoor showers, creating a trellis at the boys dorm to grow delicious passion fruit, and a LOT of landscaping.  Many of our older alumni would be shocked to visit campus today and see how lush and green it is, compared to the white “parking lot” it used to be.  One of the greatest things about legacy day is that students really begin to appreciate the hard work that our facilities team does every day.  The first legacy day of this spring took place on Wednesday; check out the hard work of our Spring 2011 students continuing to make our campus beautiful!

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April 4, 2011 marked the start of the fourth season of the Caribbean reef shark offshore research project at the Cape Eleuthera Institute. The day began at 6:45 am, packing the boat with necessary equipment, bait and tools for a full day of field research on the water. A team of four headed three nautical miles southeast of Cape Eleuthera to a sampling area known as ‘zone four’, where the oceanic shelf drops off dramatically. This interface between shallow mid-bank waters and extreme depths in known as “the wall”. The wall is a popular site for fish aggregations, and therefore, all offshore surveys are set in close proximity to it. After an hour and a half soak time, the team began to haul in the 500m long scientific survey line and its 40 hooks, hoping that at least a few had sharks attached. Just before unclipping the second gangion from the line, a large dark vision approached the surface. Continue reading →

Royal DSM N.V. presented The Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) with a cheque for $70,000 to further research for offshore aquaculture. DSM and CEI are collaborating to demonstrate that raising fish in an offshore cage within The Bahamas and other warm-water locales is possible and can be done with assured success and in a sustainable manner. This support demonstrates DSM’s commitment to sustainability and feeding the world’s poplulation.

DSM Dyneema and CEI have been working in partnership since 2009 to find improved predation controls for warm-water aquaculture. Although netting with Dyneema® is already being used, all parties felt the need to improve existing solutions. These funds, in conjunction with in-kind donations from NET Systems, Inc. of Bainbridge Island, WA are being used to design and test new ultra abrasion resistant netting materials that will be used to manufacture enhanced shark-resistant fish cages. This is the first corporate sponsorship CEI has received. CEI promotes conservation of tropical and coastal ecosystems throughout The Bahamas and greater Caribbean by facilitating research, supporting education of all levels, and promoting outreach to enhance the conservation awareness of local communities. Continue reading →