If you haven't figured it out yet, the world I'm describing is not some outer-rim planet in some film (ex. Geonosis, Kamino, Naboo) but right here on our good earth. Deep beneath the fears and cares of this upper world lies another world, alien in nature but intimately connected to ours. It is the ocean. 71% of the earth is covered with it, yet we know less about it then we do about the moon's surface. Just like the earth above, the earth below is covered in a wide variety of habitats, from barren deeps to colorful reefs, from kelp forests to gently swaying fields of sea-grass. In a word, the aquatic world is breathtaking.
This week I had the extraordinary privilege of exploring this world for a few brief days off the sunny island of Roatán, Honduras. In the process I also earned my open water SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) Certification and experienced the local culture, language, and people or Roatán. The purpose of my visit (Besides the obvious purpose of diving, which is in itself incredible) is to prepare myself for the following summer of research in Honduras. My research, as you may or may not know, is working specifically toward the conservation of juvenile hawksbill sea turtles in Honduras (for a full description and discussion of hawksbills shoot me a comment or wait for a future post) and globally. Needless to say I have a lot to learn in a short amount of time, but I trust in God to give me the strength to endure.
Anyway, diving is incredible and I highly recommend it to anyone that desires to see some of the most beautiful diverse, places on earth. Truly all Creation sings the praises of the Creator! Adios and Amen!
For all you visual folks, here you go. (All pictures are taken by fellow research student and friend Dustin Baumbach).
Subadult Hawksbill sea turtle
Reef Wall
Subadult Hawksbill Sea turtle
Our troop
Soft Coral
The benthos
Me Scuba Diving
