We did a lot today.

Started the day off well by hitching a ride with a lovely family of tourists, who let us share their cab for free. Then spent the whole day visiting several forts, such as San Cristobal and El Morro. Since the SEA program is called “Documenting Change in the Caribbean” we have been talking a lot about this region, and it was great to finally put things into perspective by actually being here. San Juan is just full of historical places dating back to the Spanish colonization, and to hear the tour guide mention things we’ve been discussing in class was a slightly fulfilling moment.

We did a lot of walking around Old San Juan. Just gorgeous.

We also saw a lady get run over, and were overall tourists. Jamaica Kincaid would be ashamed. But I’m happy to report that we did stay and ate at local places. Well, except when Di and I crashed the Marriott’s pool. Good times.

Landed in Puerto Rico today. Beautiful places and beaches. It’s a stark contrast to the rainy, New England weather of the past six weeks. Tomorrow, hopefully visiting El Morro (not sure that’s how to spell it) and then Old San Juan, capped with sunset at the beach (our little local hotel is right by the Condado Beach).

Sarah Dixon giving us her best Top Model look. Tyra would be so proud.

…With the added chance of drowning.

Oh, and it’s snowing right now in Woods Hole. How fitting. When I got here there was snow on the ground, and as we leave, there’s snow falling.

The shore component of the program has been quite interesting and fun. At the end of the day, it’s how we’ve built a family. You can’t change your family, so you accept them as they are, and hope they do the same with you. You work together and play together, and appreciate every bit of them, and you love them for who they are. I know I do. And having lost most people yesterday to their parents or drives home, I already miss them, and cannot wait to reunite (hopefully sans any snowboarding injuries, Chelsea).

I’ve been trying for the longest time to upload a video of two of us racing to put on our survival suits, but the internet connection has not improved one bit since we got here.

Kat Conway trying on the flexibility of the foul weather gear, and Tim A and myself with our survival suits on.

So, its time to put on all of our learning into practice. We’ve learned the basics of sailing and navigation, but it’ll be interesting to see how it all comes together out in the Caribbean waters.

The schedule is: Monday, fly into Puerto Rico, spend a few days meandering the island, maybe a little beach action. Then Wednesday morning fly to St. Croix, go snorkeling with our Chief Scientist, Jeff, to collect data for our coral diversity and health project, and then hopefully a tour of a Rum Distillery.

Thursday, a tour of a sugar mill (St. Croix and the Caribbean in general have an extensive and complex history with sugar production) and then report to the SSV Corwith Cramer at 1400. We’ll be sailing to St. Martin the next day.

Then we’ll make stops in Samaná, Dominican Republic; Port Antonio, Jamaica (and Discovery Bay), returning to Key West on May 9th. I’ll stay on board as a deckhand, and help bring the ship back to Charleston, SC.