Programs Blog

Wednesday, 18 March 2026

Noon Position: (Lat and Long): 18 13.192’ N, 63 04.409’ W

Ship Heading (degrees): 123 degrees

Ship Speed: 0 knots (anchored!)

Log: 995.7 nm

Weather: Wind ESE Beaufort force 6, Sea going East, 2/8 clouds, 28 degrees C. Sunny in the morning with rain in evening.

Description of location: Crocus Bay in Anguilla

Hello friends and family from Anguilla!

Today, we completed our reef recon of Sandy Hill Bay, which is when we snorkel around the reef for the first time, looking for potential spots for our transects, locating any hazards, and finding fish or invertebrates we don’t know so that we can practice IDing them before collecting data. This site had so much sargassum, we were wading in it to get to the water! Unfortunately, the reef was probably the unhealthiest one we’ve seen so far, filled mostly with turf algae and macroalgae, which is usually the substrate that takes over reefs after corals bleach and die. Heather was describing how, when SEA students surveyed this reef last year, a lot of the corals there were bleached. It seems like the reef wasn’t able to recover. However, we still saw some cool fish, and had a fun time swimming around. When back on the beach, I found a soccer ball, and enjoyed kicking it around with friends 🙂

One of the many things I will take away from this experience at sea is the joy of the people here, and the deep connections that come with living with each other every day and experiencing the ups and downs of sailing together. I’ve really felt that community these past few days!

Among group activities, talking with local conservationists, and homework, we’ve had a lot of well-earned free time in Crocus Bay to explore and enjoy the beauty of the island. I’ve been spending a superb amount of time at the beach, enjoying the teal, clear waters and soft sands. There’s a section on the beach along the water that’s just the right portions of wet and dry so that when you step on it, it feels like squishy memory foam. We often swim with fish and other sea creatures, such as sea turtles bobbing their little heads out of the water. Once, as I was swimming and enjoying watching the boats in the bay and the sun on the horizon, I saw an eagle ray leap out of the water in an arch, the sun shining behind it, so that it became a dramatic silhouette.

Something about swimming with friends in the ocean brings out the humor in us. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much as when we’re in the water just chatting and playing around. You’d think, seeing the same people every day for the past couple months, we would run out of things to say, but I feel like we could just go on for hours. The jokes, both on the boat and on land, truly just make this experience that much more fun. Such as the fact that we all have the most ridiculous pirate names, and say them constantly. Say hello to Hausbeth III. Or the fact that we send silly “fines” and “cease and desist” letters to each other through our makeshift mailbox system based on whatever the inside joke is at the time.

One day, Tessa/The Dead Pirate Kesha, our Program Assistant and Medical Officer, planned a “promenade” on the boat. Sending out invitations to each person through mail, we gathered on the deck in blanket dresses, pots as hats, and distinct British accents, making our entrance to impress the Queen Craig, dressed in a wig made of sail ties and a paddle as a scepter. Ever since then, I’ve been embracing my inner British while eating Digestives and Ribena at the local supermarket, and talking way too much in a husky English accent.

I’ve also just felt closer to the community on a personal level. Yesterday, we did a lot of reflecting and sharing our thoughts as a group through meetings as a watch and the full group of students. In C watch, we did a lot of reflection on our time here, how we think we have changed, and what we will take away from this once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was comforting to hear that my fellow watchmates were feeling similarly to myself, and it was interesting to think about what life might be like after this program. I feel like I’ve gained a new perspective on life in some ways, such as the importance of being aware, enjoying nature, and disconnecting from the online world. Later, in our community meeting, we gathered in a big circle while swimming in the ocean, and took turns speaking our thoughts if we wanted. If you agreed, you would patter the water with your hands. We then took time by ourselves to think about a goal we still wanted to complete by the end of the program. Overall, I felt a lot of gratitude for where I am and the people I am with.

These next few days, we are completing reef surveys at two different sites! I’m excited to continue snorkeling and seeing more of Anguilla. Bye bye!

Shoutouts: Sending love to friends and family back home! I miss you and hope everything is well. I’m having the best time and can’t wait to show you lots of pictures 🙂

Riley Carver-Longley, C-Watch, Oberlin College