On the Expedition

Swim and snorkel in the name of coral reef science!

In the crystal clear waters of one of the Bahamas' outermost islands, you'll snorkel with an underwater tablet and marker in hand to survey the reefs. As you swim along regular transects, you'll quickly learn how to tell a hard coral from a gorgonian, and a sponge from algae. In the evenings, you'll transcribe the day's data, watch films, and participate in presentations and discussions on research and science. In your free time, you can scuba dive, go spelunking, see where Columbus first set foot in the New World, nature hike, or just enjoy your beautiful surroundings.

Meals and Accommodations

At the comfortable Gerace Research Center (GRC), a former U.S. Navy base, you'll sleep two per room (single gender), with a fan, sink, adjoining shared bathroom, and showers. The GRC cooks will provide simple, filling meals served in the GRC cafeteria. We will also have a meal or two out at a local restaurant and finish the expedition with a slice of guava duff (cake)-a volunteer favorite!

About the Research Area

San Salvador is an island surrounded by warm, turquoise blue waters full of beautiful subtropical reefs. The island’s interior is mostly uninhabited and is comprised of hypersaline lakes. San Salvador is one of the outermost of a chain of some 700 islands sprinkled throughout more than 5,000 square miles. While similar to the other islands of this archipelago, it is unique for its history, ecology, inland lakes and potential for future development.

In 1492 Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the New World at San Salvador. Searching for a place to moor, he found what is now known as Grahams Harbor.

The harbor remains as it was except for the Gerace Research Center, which is located on the berm of a beach composed of calcareous sands. Within walking distance from the campus, Pleistocene sand dunes, sea cliffs, arches and stacks can be seen, made visible by wave action.