Monthly Archives: June 2012

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Crash Bandicoot Hike to Natural Springs

We left Friday at 6AM to hike to the natural freshwater springs in Great Bay, a fishing villiage in the Treasure Beach area. Our guides, Shaka and Gishard, led us over tall sand hills, where biting red ants sped us up…around thorny twists and turns…under the hot sun…into a cool, underground cave where the water sprang from the earth and the rock above provided shade. We tested the water quality at 3 springs and really appreciated the privilige we enjoy to drink clean water anytime we want it. We were so hot from the hike, we ran straight into the ocean to cool down on our way home. I forgot my phone in my pocket and it no longer works. Anyone trying to reach us can now call 1-876-855-0974.  

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Day 3 Save the Sea Turtles

We’ve had such great experiences so far! A highlight has been Day 3 Save the Turtles. Internet service has not been our friend on this trip so we’ll be updating photos as often as we can. Yesterday,we had an amazing day of waterfalls and a beautiful road trip. Today we are meeting our Treasure Beach friends to paint the mural at the primary school, meeting with BREDS an environmental activist organization local to Treasure Beach, and more water testing on natural springs. Here is a taste of more great photos and videos….

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Day 1 in Treasure Beach

Despite fears of our flights being canceled due to the forecasted “flooding rains” yesterday and today, everyone arrived safe and on time. We received just enough showers to cool us down after 2 months of no rain in Jamaica.  The weather is perfect!

We also made it through customs with our water test supplies with no problem!

Today we enjoyed getting to know each other on our 3 hour drive from Montego Bay to Cacona Villa in Treasure Beach, Jamaica. How lucky we are to be traveling with such a talented group of high school honors graduates, the valedictorian (Shruti Patel) and salutatorian (Stephanie Medina). We have a diverse group of talented dancers, pianists, mathematicians, bi and tri-lingualists, and the youngest researcher ever, the 6 month old baby boy Bodhi, who reminds us to keep our sunscreen on.

We stopped at the farmer’s market to purchase food for the week and bought the paint we will use for the school mural….and witnessed a crocodile sunbathing under the Black River bridge.

After settling into our rooms, we circled up on the sandy beach for our orientation meeting, and took a walk along the shoreline and a swim in the warm Caribbean Sea.

Michelle and I cooked potatoes, cabbage, salad with homemade mango dressing, red beans, and curried goat. After gobbling down our food, we studied a little patois, the local language. Karla from our guest house brought by a yummy banana nut bread that put us into a coma and now everyone is off to sleep to rest up for a fun day at the Treasure Beach Womens Center tomorrow.

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Packed and ready!

Jacqueline has landed in Jamaica and is waiting anxiously for us! We’re packed and ready…. hope everyone is as excited as I am! Got the test kits packed…. everyone send good thoughts that they won’t get questioned in customs! LOL

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Ready…set…go!

The SeaVibe Club goes to Jamaica in just 4 days!  High school students will conduct water quality testing and environmental field studies in the Black River Watershed and the Treasure Beach communities along the South Coast of Jamaica. Black River was the first town to get electricity on the island….even before New York City!  Treasure Beach is known as a “Hidden Treasure,” a string of small, rural fishing villages far away from the hustle and bustle of popular tourist spots. We’ll be working with local students and community members to develop a watershed monitoring plan that will be carried out over the next year.

Thanks to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Green Team, University of California Santa Cruz, and the Marilyn C. and Raymond E. Davis Memorial Scholarship for supporting this project!

Stay tuned for the exciting adventures to come!!

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