Guess what? Libna, Lee, Chris, Tommy, Porshai, Michelle and Josh are now Open Water SCUBA Certified! Meanwhile, Lulu, Dina and Denise are finishing their Adventure Diver Certification and Jess is working on her Discover SCUBA!


This compass skills dive was our last Open Water certification dive! Some compasses were on our Breathing Control Devices (BCDs) and some had their compasses on their wrists. We need to know how to use them so that we wouldn't wind up losing our way in the ocean, which is pretty easy to do. Anyways, enough of that. Here are the Sea TURTLES thoughts on their certifications:

I am excited for everyone's certification. I'm glad everyone had an opportunity to work with a PADI instructor because when I was certified, I didn't get this kind of opportunity to come to such an amazing place to get certified. I only had dives in a pond in Connecticut and dives at Gloucester Beach. I had four dives in total for my certification. Everyone here is lucky to have this great opportunity to be certified out here.
-Denise

I am really excited for everyone. I was certified in a pond that had no visibility. This is an amazing opportunity to dive here rather than in the cold weather in
Boston. Im glad because I had Sarah as an instructor and I know she is a wicked good teacher.
-Dina

Im basically really excited. Congratulations to you all. Yeah, just... wow.
-Lulu

I'm happy that I was able to dive on this trip and see these beautiful animals. I'm excited for everyone who got their certification and I can't wait to be certified in the future!
-Jess

I am so relieved. I got it done! I successfully did every task. Now, I'm anticipating a future in diving in either the G.O.T., Bahamas, and other places.
-Porshai

It hasn't hit me yet but I'm relieved. I'm excited to explore and dive
without having to go over dive skills.
-Tommy

I feel accomplished. It was difficult for me to start diving in the beginning but I proved some people wrong. Now, I can't wait to dive in the G.O.T.
-Libna

Getting dive certified, I felt great. For the first time, I got to go down in the water and all my life I've been snorkling. Instead of floating at the surface, I got to go down to the bottom and stay down. I get to absorb so much more down there.
-Chris

I am still in disbelief! The idea of being certified is still settling in! I'm extremely excited though, we finally accomplished something that we worked so hard for!!! I can't wait to see more of this whole new world and go on some more spectacular adventures!
-Lee

So I finally got certified and I feel awesome. I feel like an expert in diving and its all thanks to our dive instructors Mike and Sarah. We all feel confident diving in open water and we have come a long way from our first pool session. Being dive certified, I will start to get more involved with diving environments and meeting new people so I can experience new adventures. Getting certified is one of the best things to happen to me since getting my learners permit
-Josh

I have to be honest. I don't feel any different. I'm one of those people who need time and experience to fully realize something. Other than that, it is great to finally dive and not have to go over skills anymore. I'm pretty sure that once I get my certification I.D., it'll hit me and I will say "Wow. I'm a certified diver." I will cherish these memories and never forget any of them.
-Michelle

Today was a big day for all of us. It is now our time to make adventurous dives and our next dive will take place at the Sapona (photo above), a wreck that has a lot of history to it [last year's Sea TURTLEs posted about it here]. We will be diving in the daylight and at night!

-2011 Sea TURTLE Expedition writing from the Bahamas

Hello world, this is Libna! So far the Bahamas has been treating us all well.

Between our dive certification we have some down time. Some Sea TURTLES take naps and others go outside to tan. I decided to both. I took a nap outside and slept for about an hour and a half. When someone woke me up my face was really red!! I was in disbelief, I always thought Hispanics can't burn. Oh well, this proves that everyone is different.

With my burn I began to think why I can burn more in the Bahamas than back home in Boston. Well with some thinking and some help from my chaperones I came with a conclusion: the Earth revolves around the Sun and hits more here near the equator than back in New England. With more heat and more sun I was able to burn quicker.


I also should have put on a little bit more sun block. Lesson learned!!! :)

Mama te amo y te extraño!!!

-Libna

We are almost there. In just a few short days, the Sea TURTLE teens and instructors will be together in Miami and then on to the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. Everyone has put in a lot of time and work to get to this point: applications, interviews, seven weeknight classes, three pool sessions, awesome guest lecturers, SCUBA quizzes and tests and (of course) blogging. And all the while, teens and instructors alike have had to balance Sea TURTLE with family and school and work.


Amid all of the expedition preparation, tonight we took some time to reflect on what still lies ahead of us: a ten-day expedition aboard a research vessel in the Bahamas. As a group, we all spoke about what we were most excited about and also got a chance to share anything we were nervous about. Here are some of the things that we shared:

Sleeping on a boat, tasting new foods, seeing the fish and the water—everything! –Denise

Diving in general and growing closer to everyone over 10 days! –Dina


Night diving, meeting Bahamian teens and a week away from technology (like cell phones) –Lulu


Everything but especially the food! –Chris


Being in a new environment—the Bahamas! –Libna


Getting there and experiencing a new place! –Jess


Getting away from the city air and “chillin with the wind in my face” in the Bahamas! –Porshai


My first time on a plane, on a boat, being in another country and swimming in the ocean! –Lee


Everything! Just excited to get to be in the program and get to this point! –Josh


When I heard about night diving, I was like “ahhhh” (in a good way). And being away from my life in Boston –Michelle


All the SCUBA and night diving! –Tommy


The reactions on everyone’s faces as they experience the Bahamas! –Mike, Divemaster


Having the teens meet the ship and it’s Captains! –Sarah, Expedition Leader


Watching how teens adapt to a new environment! And experiencing a beautiful island together! –Jenna


New experiences for everyone and sharing this big adventure together! -Dave




Being on the boat during a natural disaster. –Denise


The night dive. –Dina, Chris


Having my SCUBA gear fall off in the ocean. –Libna


Seasickness. –Mike


Being homesick for my mother, father and brother. –Porshai


Everything, bust especially forgetting to pack something important like SCUBA mask or passport. –Lee


The plane. And using the ship’s bathroom and breaking it. –Josh, Michelle


Telling my coach I’ll be out of the country. –Tommy


That teens forget their passports. –Jenna

My Name is Libna and I am a Sea TURTLE team member and this is my first blog!



Last week in class, Jenna started us off with a fun group exercise, a way for us all to get close (physically) since we're going to be on a boat together for ten days. I think were going to get along just fine.


All eleven of us had to stand on this small platform at the same time!

Tonight our guest speaker was Dr. John Mandelman.



He has been at the New England Aquarium for ten years as researcher. His specialty is in elasmobranchs (sharks, rays and skates) and how they get stressed out when they are caught by hooks and nets. Animals that are accidently caught when fishing are called bycatch.

One thing Dr. Mandelman told us was that when sharks and other fish feel threatened, they just keep swimming until their bodies shut down or they die. For some reason, they don't realize that they are tired like humans do.

This is a huge problem because sharks are part of healthy oceans. Unfortunately, there are many species of sharks that are threatened or endangered because of bycatch or people catching them for their fins (see this recent post from Fiji on the Global Explorers Blog).


One of the ways that the New England Aquarium helps sharks in the wild is by educating people about them. Make sure to check out The Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank opening this April!

With the Bahamas slowing approaching, excitement is rising; our brains are overflowing with information of diving and information about the Bahamas. Things are going well.