Calabash Caye

A University of Belize student, Adrien, joined the group for their stay on Calabash Caye from June 8-20. In addition to her own research, Dee Dee assisted the undergraduates with their research projects. Elisa compared juvenile fish abundance between sea grass and mangroves. Billy observed cleaning stations. Adrian analyzed otoliths (fish ear bones) to determine the age of the fish. Juan sought to determine if barracuda spots were fish specific and whether the fish were territorial. Keith used conch shells to see if certain fish species preferred this as a habitiat over seagrass. David, a MS candidate, caught fish for his gut analysis work and Becky, a PhD student, used suction dredging to obtain invertebrates.

Dee Dee's thesis focuses on the abundance and biomass of reef fish along the reef in front of the field station on Calabash Caye. As different species are active and feeding at different times of the day, her surveys were done at sunrise and sunset. Using SCUBA and a digital videocamera in an underwater housing, she was able to record her surveys. Attached to the camera was a PVC pipe marked in 20mm increments so that she could estimate the length of each fish. Midway through her stay, the housing became unusable and she had to perform her surveys visually without being able to estimate size. The data she obtained this trip may not be enough to permit a thesis, so she may need to return to Calabash next summer.

The field station on Calabash was built by the University of Belize and the government. Many universities from all over the world use it, so it is quite nice. There are dormitories, a lecture hall, scuba shack, dining hall (with cooks!), soccer field and volleyball net. Some Canadian students were building a bench press and arm pulleys. Rain water was collected in cisterns for uses other than drinking and there were compost toilets. Electricity was only available from 6-10pm using the generator. There were two boats (with captains!) and after one ladder broke, everyone perfected the "seal landing".

While on Calabash, the group endured many maladies such as sunburn, heat rash, diaper rash, pica pica and Hydrozoa (both cause itchy welts), bug bites and Man-O-War stings. On land, the group braved scorpions, wolf spiders and tarantulas, boa constrictors, saltwater crocodiles (in the water too) and flea-bitten, but love-starved dogs. No sharks were off the Calabash reef much to Dee Dee's dismay, but she was able to swim with dolphins off the bow of the boat. Elisa tricked Juan into snorkelling in the same channel the aforementioned crocodile favored by telling him it was home to many barracuda. Upon seeing the crocodile five feet below him, Juan refused to swim with Elisa again.

The group had a wonderful time and Dee Dee will add more pictures after the group reunites.