 | Oceans Live '97 Journals from South Caicos
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From the week ending April 25, 1997
Big, Blue, Free Diving
Erica Fenton
In honor of Jacques Mayol, the world champion free diver who is visiting South
Caicos, our conch directed research group took a rest from collecting data and
went on an ocean free dive. The water was very calm and flat, with only a mild
current. Our intern drove the boat out past the wall, which is where the ocean
floor drops from 60 feet to 700 feet. When we were about a quarter mile off
the wall, everyone donned their snorkeling gear and buddied up. We lowered
the anchor about 30 feet down, and we hopped in the water, which was royal
blue. It was an eerie sensation because it seemed as if there was poor visibility,
but in reality there was just nothing for us to see. We could see each other, the
boat and the anchor line perfectly, but in every direction there was blue. It gave
us a good idea how vast and deep the ocean truly is. We all took turns free
diving to the anchor. About midway through our dive, a barracuda appeared
from out of nowhere and stayed close to us for the remainder of our time in the
water. Our intern told us that sometimes reef sharks which have never seen
people will show up and swim very close to you, but we didn't encounter any.
At one point, a student lost a quarter from his pocket, and we watched it fall
for at least 125 feet. We could see it perfectly, but all of the sudden it just
disappeared into the blue abyss. Even though we didn't see anything new, this
snorkel was one of the most enjoyable and mystical ones of the entire semester.
A Site Manager's Day
Charles Smithwick
As site manager my day normally begins a 6:15 a.m. when I awake and head
down to the cistern to check the water level. I note the water level and how
much water we used over the last 24 hours and make sure the chlorine
injectors and filters are in ship shape condition. Breakfast and a staff meeting
are at 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m.. I normally try to do any office work such as
ordering equipment parts or supplies, handling insurance policies or permits,
and dealing with the Center’s finances in the morning. While I am doing this,
Ganger is hard at work correcting any problems in the students’ rooms. After
lunch, I work on what ever needs fixing at the time. Our vehicles, the truck and
our four vessels currently in use, seem to occupy most of my time. My
workday ends at about 4:30 p.m. when I try to get in a dive or snorkel and
have a little time off. Dinner is at 7:00 p.m., after which I usually read a book,
write letters, or email my friends. And that is a typical day in my life here.
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