One of the first activities I learned about from the Puerto Rico study abroad was the trip to Bioluminescent Bay. When the previous students discussed their experience swimming through the bay at night, I knew I had to experience that moment. Our tour didn't start til about 6, and the first stop we made was to Cayo Caracoles. We were there for about 45 minutes, and at this time, anyone could swim or stay on the boat. I opted to stay on the boat as I wanted to read my book. Once the sun set and it got pretty dark, our captain drove us to the bay to start our swim. When we were finally able to get in the water, I was completely mesmerized. We were swimming in a sea of stars while the ones from above twinkled down on us. It was so magical to swim around and see the beautiful light that the dinoflagellates produced. There were quite a few boats out also enjoying the bay, but I was so focused on swimming around the gorgeous water that I wasn't paying attention to who was around me. I totally understand why Dr. Steichen finds phytoplankton so intriguing; they are such tiny creatures, but produce a variety of materials and nutrients needed for survival.
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