At about 5:00pm on Thursday afternoon on the Island School campus, the girls’ dorm was in the midst of our 2^nd deep clean. As clothes were being thrown across the room, and brooms were gliding across the floor, a high pitch scream came from Girls Dorm North. Although you may think this is bizarre, it’s truly not: just your average day. Music was blaring from the common room as we continued to clean and clean and clean (oh, and clean). Our usual song was playing-Stolen Dance by Milky Chance- as we continued to prance around, removing all existence of dirt, sand, and hair that builds up as the weeks go by. Quite possibly, this deep clean was needed.

All of the sudden the whole dorm erupted in a loud scream. Girls were running around like maniacs- also not unusual. But something was different this time. A second later a loud voice echoed through our humble abode: “KAYAK GROUPS ARE UP!” This was a moment we all had waited for. Several girls threw their mops down and sprinted out the door, only to be brought back a minute later by the news that we had to finish our deep clean BEFORE we saw the groups. At this news, we completely changed into beast mode. The floor was being swept in half the time, and mops were flying around the dorm like they were magic- and everyone was lending a hand. The fact that we would soon find out our kayak groups excited us so much that we then worked as a well-oiled machine to finish the remainder of the deep clean. Teamwork like never before. As the last beds were made and towels hung, we all sprinted out the doors, down the stairs, and to the dining hall. Once again, screams were heard, and excitement was more than present for the kayak trips and next 50 days of this Island School adventure.

-Jessa VanderWeide

Today was the first day that we really focused on developing our sense of place here on Eleuthera. One of the “three pillars” here at the Island School is sense of place, and this week during orientation we are focusing on establishing that. Students were divided into K1, K2, K3, and K4 groups that would determine their schedules during orientation week, and throughout the whole week the final goal was to establish sense of place through land, sea surface, and under water. Each day, each group embarks on a different journey in hopes that they will familiarize themselves with the land and the people.

K1 and K2 would spend the next two days focusing solely on scuba diving certification, which aimed to familiarize the students with the ocean and the different species we will study in the coming weeks. To those who have never dived before, it is an incredible experience to view an entirely different world, to forget what land feels like, and to be able to stay underwater longer than you can hold your breath. All of the students, from those who have been already been certified, to those who have spend little time in water, let alone under it, have taken the challenges in stride and have had a great time getting to explore an unfamiliar place.

K3 embarked on their first down-island trip to visit different spots on South Eleuthera, stopping at different settlements to learn about each one along the way. On their journey, they visited a beach in Deep Creek where they snorkeled and saw a lot of fish and even a few sting rays, they walked through caves that were the home to hundreds of bats, they shopped at a local market, they jumped into “Ocean Hole” in Rock Sound, and they finished off their journey with a local favorite “Papaya cups” that was a delicious popsicle like treat made from fresh local papayas.

K4 set out on a journey to get to know the water from the surface, on a kayaking trip. They went all around Eleuthera, stopping at different beaches, and practicing new skills they would need for their longer kayaking trips in the future.  One of the guides, Nick, helped the students build a fire on the beach and rumor has it some students managed to make quesadillas with the fire. All of the students are looking forward to the days to come during orientation.

Your caciques of the day,

Kate Grossman and Will Ryan

The kayak trip was a great experience for all Island School students.  We learned the basic kayak skills, such as what to do in a situation when the kayak tips over.  The current was both with and against us at different points during the trip.  We traveled from campus to Triangle Cut then through the Marina to Sunset Beach.  At Sunset Beach, we began a lesson about the moon phases and how the position of the moon affects the tides.  We enjoyed a short snorkel and swim at the beach.  For lunch, we ate awesome PB&J tortilla wraps with great GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts) on the side.

After lunch, we got back in our kayaks and made our way to No Name Harbor, where we explored the mangroves while fighting the current which tried to push us to shore!  The wind began pushing us back to campus as we started our travel in our kayaks. Although we were tired and sore by the time we got back, it was a great day on the water.  We finished up our kayak day by washing the kayaks and lifting them back under the boat house and we were free to explore the Cape for exploration time!

In addition to kayaking on the surface of the water and exploring the island on vans on the South Eleuthera Road Trip (SERT) this week, we began to develop a sense of place for South Eleuthera through SCUBA diving!

We took our first breath underwater and plunged deeper and deeper into the ocean.  In order to be certified divers, most of us had to develop skills such as buddy breathing, buoyancy, and other basic skills.   In addition to these requirements for certification, we had a great time taking in our surroundings.  A couple of ways that we made the dives fun were break dancing in the water and doing handstands.  While underwater, we also had the opportunity to see some really cool marine life such as: sting rays, battle stars, and many colorful fish.

Even though our orientation week has been really busy, we are learning a lot about where we are and we even found time to unwind on the Fourth of July to celebrate America’s independence. We roasted marshmallows on the bonfire and we made s’mores (which for some of us was a first!) out on Boys Dorm Beach. We laughed and sang songs that reminded us of home. We realized how close we had become in only a few days!  We lit sparklers and hung out all together.  We are getting even more excited for the Bahamian Independence Day celebration tonight in Governor’s Harbour!

K1 and K2 returned from their 3-day expeditions yesterday afternoon and now it is time for K3 and K4 to head out to sea! Meanwhile, back on campus, K1 and K2 are busy getting scuba certified!

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