Tour of Nassau Historical Sites

IFS is proud to announce that we are now offering historical tours of Nassau/New Providence in partnership with C.P. Louis Transport. 

This trip is a great option for groups that have a late departure time from the Nassau airport on their way back to the US. The scheduled flights for your group from Andros to Nassau will arrive in Nassau around 8am or 9 am. If your departure flight to the US will be leaving after 2 pm, the Nassau tour will work well for your group and will provide ample time for the tour. We suggest that groups check-in for their international departure flight and check their bags with the airline before departing for the tour. The average length of this tour is between 3 and 4 hours long. 

The tour is $22 a person. If you choose to do the tour, it will be added to your final invoice that is due one month before your trip. Please contact our office for details and help with scheduling this tour. The tour focuses on visiting a number of historical sites throughout New Providence and includes a stop for lunch at Sailor’s Choice (not included in tour price typically $15-$25 per person). The bus is driven by a licensed and insured professional driver. The driver will also act as your tour guide and will provide detailed information about each site you visit and many others that you will see while driving. They are very knowledgeable and are happy to answer any questions you may have. See below for additional details about the tour. 

To start the tour, your group will be picked up directly outside the Domestic terminal at the Nassau airport.

Fort Charlotte

Fort Fincastle

Queen's Staircase

Fort Montagu

Arawak Cay

• Most common stops for our groups during the tour:

  • The Caves - A historic limestone cave system on the western end of the island, featuring natural rock formations and cultural significance tied to early inhabitants. 20 minute stop. 

  • Downtown Nassau - The vibrant city center with colonial architecture, local shops, and cultural landmarks that reflect Bahamian history and daily life. Drive through sightseeing. 

  • Rawson Square - The civic heart of Nassau, home to government buildings, statues of national figures, and a central point for historical orientation. Drive through sightseeing. 

  • Fort Fincastle - An 18th century fort shaped like a paddle steamer, built to protect Nassau, offering panoramic views of the island. 20 minute stop. 

  • Queen’s Staircase - A 66 step limestone staircase hand carved by enslaved people in the late 1700s, now a shaded historic landmark surrounded by lush vegetation. 20 minute stop. 

  • Fort Montague - The oldest surviving fort on the island, located by the waterfront and known for its scenic coastal views and historical relevance. 30 minute stop. 

  • Atlantis - A world-famous resort on Paradise Island. 30 minute stop.

• The tour guide will plan to get you back to the airport around 2 hours before your flight departure.

There is no required paperwork for you or the students to complete.

If you're interested in receiving more details or would like to move forward with booking the tour, please contact the office. 

End of Year Giving

Giving back to your community or to a cause you care about is one of the best ways to celebrate the holiday season. Donating to a nonprofit is a great way to have an impact and cause real change that you can see! If you’ve ever interacted with Forfar Field Station and International Field Studies (IFS), then you have probably seen the opportunities it has given to students and teachers around the world. See why your donation matters, why end of year giving is a great idea, and how you can donate to and support IFS.

Why does your donation matter? Your financial contribution directly supports IFS in meaningful ways, including our Transportation Vehicle Campaign. We are currently raising funds for a new van at the Forfar Field Station, which will safely and reliably transport participants to our many island locations—expanding access, opportunity, and impact for everyone we serve.Your contribution can also support our Walter ‘Ben’ Bohl Scholarship fund. The scholarship fund directly supports local Bahamians, as well as, US students who want to participate in marine science education. This can be a life changing experience for someone who otherwise might not get the opportunity. 

Why donate now? 

1. A donation to a worthwhile cause can also make a fantastic holiday gift for friends and family. If IFS has had an impact on you or your loved ones, then consider making a donation in their name as a quick and easy gift. It supports an organization that is important to both of you. 

2. Donating to a nonprofit organization like IFS can earn you a deduction on your taxes! If you itemize your taxes instead of taking the standard deduction, you may qualify for a charitable tax break. Many employers will also match donations up to a cap. Consider checking with your employer to see if your donation could have double the impact. 

3. Donations, especially around the holidays, are very useful to nonprofit organizations for planning ahead to the next year. They help provide the stability needed to maximize their potential in the upcoming year.

How can I support IFS? Donating to IFS is simple, head over to https://www.intlfieldstudies.org/donate to make a contribution. Direct donations aren’t the only way to have an impact, there are many ways to support IFS and Forfar Field Station. These include volunteering your time, donating items to the station, or designating IFS as your Community Rewards Partner through Kroger Rewards.

Coral Conservation with Reef Rescue Network

By: Zoe Stannard

REEF RESCUE: CORAL PROPAGATION REVAMP

At the start of April, our team had the awesome opportunity to work with the Reef Rescue Institute to rebuild one of Andros’ beautiful coral propagation sites. 

Since 2015, we’ve been proud partners with the Perry Institute for Marine Science and the Reef Rescue Network and have worked closely together on our coral nursery, the ‘Coral Propagation’ site. They return every year to check in, repair, and examine coral growth for fragments ready to be outplanted. In 2023, the network expanded, with five metal dome structures planted at a site called ‘The Pool’.

Reef Rescue’s amazing team, Alex, Anwar, and Kandize, were ready to dive with us into our coral conservation project. Straight away, we began learning all about effective reef construction, the different techniques used in coral nurseries, and just how much dedication and effort go into maintaining a coral nursery. The Reef Rescue Network manages 50 coral nurseries all across the Caribbean. Their work includes not only planting and maintaining coral nurseries but also conducting research on coral diseases and recovery methods. They work so incredibly hard at not only protecting our reefs but by spreading educational awareness everywhere they go. They’re truly inspirational people!

Thanks to them, our team gained our Reef Rescue Diver certification and was trained in cleaning coral structures and outplanting coral fragments using epoxy. We’re thrilled to now be a part of this wonderful project and protect our local reefs in the fight against reef degradation.

April 1st, 2025 – Day 1: Site visits and dome removal

The morning’s objectives were to examine the existing line nursery at the ‘Coral Propagation’ site and visit the dome structures at ‘The Pool’ site.

First stop, ‘coral propagation’ site. Alex, Anwar, and Kandize began by assessing the coral fragment growth on the nursery lines and observing the conditions of the line nursery and the surrounding outplanting plots. After that, we made our way to ‘The Pool’ to begin extracting the metal dome structures. Our divers, Steph and Cam, cleaned each dome while Alex and Kandize carefully dislodged each leg. Captain Franklin and I managed boat support, as Anwar transported the structures to the surface. We carefully lifted them onto the boat, and the process resembled a life-size game of Tetris. Trying to fit five structures onto the boat was hectic! But we secured them all safely and even had enough room for all five divers to climb aboard, too. Mission Success - level up!

Afternoon: Cleaning, Coral Transport, and Outplanting

Our afternoon objectives were to clean the recovered domes, visit another site to clean coral tree structures, and outplant coral fragments into the plots at the ‘Coral Propagation’ site.

With so much to do, we split into two teams. Renaye and Jess made up the land team and got busy on the domes. They spent hours using a pressure washer to make sure each structure was completely cleaned of any algae or debris. I’ve never seen a more dedicated team! And they’re hard work paid off as the domes were ready for the next step.

The rest of us made up the boat team and journeyed to our first stop. At the ‘tree nursery’ site, we dove straight in and began with Alex demonstrating to us the proper cleaning techniques and how to safely remove algae and corallivores (small coral predators AHHHHH). As the Forfar team cleaned, Alex, Anwar, and Kandize carefully collected the bigger coral fragments that were ready for transport.

At the ‘Coral Propagation’ site, Alex and Kandize went down first to prepare the outplanting areas and collect all the fragments from the lines. Zoltan, Steph, Cam, Eve, and I stayed on the boat to learn how to prepare marine epoxy with Anwar. Marine epoxy is a type of marine-safe adhesive made by mixing a resin and a hardener until it forms a putty, which is used to secure coral fragments to the reef and survive the harsh marine conditions.

Once the epoxy was ready, we split into dive buddies and went down to begin outplanting the coral. Anwar demonstrated the proper application of epoxy onto the coral and even showed us another method, for if we run out of epoxy, called weaving. This way, the coral fragments support each other and grow strong together, recreating a more natural reef environment. This worked magnificently and created a sturdy field of intertwined branching corals. The abundance of fish that would rush over to the plots as soon as we moved away was mesmerising. It was satisfying to see our hard work already being enjoyed by the locals and fascinating to see their interest in us. In particular, a Nassau grouper was captivated by Zoltan to the point that they became face to face as the grouper watched Zoltan place fragments into a plot. It was such a memorable experience.

April 2nd-4th, 2025 – Days 2, 3, & 4: Preparing to revamp

Over the next few days, our focus was on preparing the dome structures to be placed back into the ocean and constructing new coral clips and fishing lines.

On the line nursery team, Alex and Kandize focused on measuring and cutting the fishing line, and Eve and Steph worked on assembling the clips for the coral fragments. They used fishing line to create adjustable loops so different-sized coral fragments could fit easily, which is genius!

On the dome team, Anwar, Cam, Renaye, Zoltan, and I worked on coating the metal domes with a protective layer. Over the next couple of days, we applied a mixture of silica epoxy, which created a gooey, thick substance. We worked in teams, where one person thickly coated the  metal bars and the others applied sand on top, to create a sand-coated surface. This gives the domes a more natural, reef-like appearance and environment for the corals. This will encourage marine growth and attract more life.

On Day 4, we finished the final sand coating, and once it dried, the domes were ready to be placed back into the ocean. Later that evening, the Forfar team was given a lecture on coral restoration by Alex which awarded us the final step to getting our Reef Rescue Diver Certification. YAYYY!

April 6th, 2025 - Day 6 Morning: Dome Drops

The work didn’t stop there. After a day of bad weather, we had to step up and come together to complete the final steps of the reconstruction project. It was the BIG day of taking down the old line nursery and replacing it with two new buoys and lines, as well as dropping in our five newly coated and ready-to-grow dome structures.

We set out early in the morning on two boats to the ‘Coral Propagation’ site. One boat was loaded with all five domes, and the other carried all the components to install the new structures. First, we had to get the dome structures into the water. Eve, Renaye, and Zoltan were tasked with carefully tying up the domes and lowering them into the ocean. We signaled down to Alex, who detached the domes and planted them close to the line nursery. There, Anwar hammered the domes into the sand securely.

Our next dive objective was to replace the 2015 line nursery. Alex was so amazed at the ecosystems that had developed on the old buoys, so she decided we needed to keep them on site. With some muscle and hard work, we managed to unscrew and rescrew some metal pins closer to the nursery, and both buoys were lowered deeper and attached to the pins. It was very impressive to watch how Alex and Anwar managed to adapt and operate in less-than-ideal conditions to keep this ecosystem. Their dedication is inspiring. Meanwhile, Cam was being chased by a lionfish, which was extremely funny! But not to worry, Kandize came to his rescue and shooed the lionfish away.

Afternoon: Line Nursery Construction

After a quick lunch, the new lines were attached, and the nursery was ready and waiting for those coral fragments. Alex placed each fragment on the clips, and we formed a diving chain. Each diver passed the fragments along the line as we clipped 10 corals onto each level. We proudly hung 40 coral fragments, all set to grow.

It was such an honor and privilege to be a part of building this structure. It felt amazing to swim back and look at all the work we’d done, knowing that the coral fragments we placed will thrive and grow. To know that we’ll be taking care of them for the next year until they’re ready to be outplanted is truly a magical feeling.

A big thank you to Reef Rescue, not only for all the hard work they put into teaching and constructing the nurseries here on Andros, but for the work they do every day all over the Caribbean. We appreciate all the vital coral conservation work you provide, and we hope to continue to help you in this fight against reef degradation. And the biggest THANK YOU to the wonderful Anwar, Alex, and Kandize, you guys were amazing!

Bird Tour Trip Blog 2025

Day 1

Today was our first full day at Forfar Field Station, where I worked as Station Director in the late 1980s. I was up for the sunrise as usual. Turns out a plant taxonomy class from Miami University (of Ohio) is at the field station and they are having a plant ID exam this morning. So, I join them to test my Bahamian plant identification skills. After that, I took a short walk through a coppice trail behind the field station and am rewarded with a ton of great bird sightings! In no particular order there were Ovenbird, American Redstart, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Palm Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Red-legged Thrush, Loggerhead Kingbird, Thick-billed Vireo, and Black-faced Grassquit. My birding group arrives tomorrow and this walk has got me pumped to show them the birds of Andros.

Day 2

We visited Pigeon Cay in the morning and then took a ride up Stafford Creek, into the interior of the island, in the afternoon. On the Stafford Creek trip we saw a loose flock of 1500-2000 wintering Lesser Scaup. There were also herons and egrets, kingfishers and osprey. The highlight of the afternoon, for me, was watching an immature Peregrine Falcon try to make a Greater Yellowlegs an afternoon snack.

Day 3

Another day and, you guessed it, another beautiful sunrise. Hemmingway wrote, “I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy.” That’s how I feel in the Bahamas. Not to mention that when I’m here I feel perpetually 23…Today, we “birded” Blue Hole National Park in the morning and scanned the mangroves for herons and egrets and rails in the afternoon. The highlight of the day for many was getting long, soul-satisfying looks at a pair of Great Lizard-cuckoos. That’s definitely a target bird for the trip, and crossing it off the list early made this trip leader happy. The park is the most “developed” birding destination on the island, and is a must visit, but when you’re there it will likely be just you and the birds.

Day 4

We’ve had summer-like weather, so far. Calm, sunny days (and mornings) as opposed to the blustery weather you can get in winter. Every sunrise so far has been like a postcard! Today, we headed south to bird some spots I wasn’t particularly familiar with, which is breaking a cardinal rule of leading a trip like this. Turns out the birding wasn’t great, but my son James came along for the day, so that was a highlight for me. And the group didn’t mutiny. Ha! Tomorrow we’ll get back on track!!

Day 5

Birded the “middle” of the island today. The middle is the agricultural part. Given the large size of Andros, there have been repeated efforts to turn it into a “bread basket” for the Bahamas. But the efforts have been problematic. With that said, the ag land habitats can make for some interesting birding. New species (for the trip) encountered on the grounds of the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute included Painted Bunting, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cattle Egret, and Savannah Sparrow. We had lunch at a blue hole where we were entertained by a pair of Least Grebes fighting over a blind cavefish. And we saw orchids and Atalla Butterflies at a stop on the drive “home”. Back at the Field Station, it was “everyone to the beach” when a pair of bottlenose dolphins were spotted. I loved how young and old were excited to see the sight and I hope I never get too “old” or “boring” to run to see dolphins!

(Animal pictures courtesy of Christine Bisaha)

Day 6

Another day in paradise, as they say. Today, the tides were right for a morning trip to a couple of tidal flats in search of shorebirds. Our first stop was at Blanket Sound where we saw 29 Piping Plovers, in addition to a handful of other species. Then, back at the Field Station Flats, we eventually found a group of 8 Wilson’s Plovers. In the afternoon, with special passes arranged by Christine Bisaha, we birded AUTEC, the Navy’s Atlantic Underwater Testing and Evaluation Center. The highlight of the stop was more butterflies and moths at the sewage treatment plant than birds, but we did see Bahamas Orioles, too. Oh, and House Sparrows. Ha! There were a couple students from the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) with us for the day. They’re taking an ecoguide course and were observing the tour for class credit. They did a nice job of “fitting in” and helping. Tomorrow is the last day of this first birding trip for me in over 20 years! It’s been a great trip. And hey, we still have our Big Day tomorrow!

Day 7

Today was our birding BIG DAY. We revisited several birdy spots from earlier in the week and we explored new ground. The highlight for me was getting to Morgan’s Bluff, the highest point on the island at about 70 feet above sea level. We ended the day with 60 species. The most memorable sighting for me was soul satisfying looks at Neotropical Cormorants. Trips like these are unique because we spend so much time together. The group gets pretty close in a short amount of time. And we had a good group. Final species tally for the trip is 82 species. We missed a few, but we got some unforgettable looks at some amazing birds, too. Thanks to Christine Bisaha for sharing all your amazing animal photos. Already planning next year’s trip, January 10-17, 2026. God spare our lives, like they say down here!

Day 8

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Monique’s dad once said, as he was leaving us after a visit, “You can’t come back until you leave!” Truer words were never spoken. When we woke this morning, long before the sunrise, the wind was howling. I was concerned that our short flight to Nassau, in an inevitably small plane, would be an adventure. But the flight was smooth and we arrived in Nassau less than 20 minutes after takeoff. Mark Twain had a quote for that. He said some version of, “I’ve worried about a lot of things in my life, and some of them have even happened.” It was a trip full of soul-satisfying moments and precious time spent with my son. Sad that it’s over but hey, you can’t come back unless you leave. I chose a montage of “people pictures” for this last post, because in the end, palm trees and beaches and birds are great, but it’s all about the people you meet along the way, isn’t it?

Androsia Scholarships 2024

Dennise Adderley and Maria Adams

IFS is dedicated to working alongside the local community on Andros and our larger global community. All programming is meant to pursue our mission of providing environmental education, scientific research, and cultural awareness through experiential learning. In addition to our programming, we aim to give back to the community and our students as much as possible to expand our impact and create equal opportunities for young scholars.

One of the main ways IFS gives back is through our Androsia Scholarship Fund. All profits from the local Androsia wares and IFS branded merchandise sold at Forfar Field Station go directly to the Androsia Scholarship Fund. In 2024 we gave a total of $3,000 in scholarship to local Androsian students.

Two $1,000 scholarships were awarded to two students attending Huntley Christie School, Dennise Adderley and Maria Adams. Two $500 scholarships were awarded to other local Androsian students. Below are their stories.

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Kelly Riley

"Hello everyone! My name is Rakell Riley, although most know me as Kelly. I used to work at Forfar for 2 years until I began my Trained Clinical Nursing Program under the Public Hospitals Authority Academy on Sept. 18th 2023. It's an 18-month course that qualifies you to work as a practical nurse. My scope of practice includes almost that of an RN other than administering IV medications. While this program requires me to live in New Providence alone, I find comfort knowing that I'm doing something that makes me feel fulfilled as a human being. I'm currently rotating through Princess Margaret Hospital doing my first 2 seven-week internships. I'm set to complete my program in March of this year, after which I will sit my Bahamas Nursing Council Examination to acquire my nursing license. My hope is to relocate to Grand Bahama, Freeport to work at the Rand Memorial Hospital as that island environment is closer to the island life I'm used to. However, I'm feeling a motivation to go back to university to acquire my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and eventually become a midwife. Who knows what the future holds! I'm excited to face it. I am absolutely most appreciative that Forfar Field Station saw fit to invest in my future, and I thank each and every one of you. Thank You and God bless you all tenfold."

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Rodneal Hanna

Our final $500 scholarship was awarded to Rodneal Hanna. She is attending the University of The Bahamas, majoring in Secondary History and Geography. She will be graduating in May of 2025 and hopes to apply to the Ministry of Education to become a History and Geography teacher on Andros while also applying for an online master’s program for education.

Lindsey Christ, Executive Director of IFS, Farewell Message

After 9 seasons with IFS and Forfar Field Station, I am moving on from the organization.  It has been an honor to take over for Dr. Ben Bohl and help move the organization forward.  I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish during my time which includes upgrading all the electrical wiring on the field station, adding a septic tank, remodeling all the guest cabins, replacing the vehicles and boat engines, and purchasing a new boat.

In the Bahamas, we established Forfar Field Station as a nonprofit, strengthened our relationships and partnerships with BAMSI, BNT, & the Reef Rescue Network, and continued to work within our local settlements on Andros as a valued member of the community.  In the office, we created a website, social media presence, digitized all the files and forms and refreshed the logo.  Each year, we had balanced budgets and created a financial safety net that allowed us to weather the literal storms such as Hurricane Matthew and the figurative storm of COVID-19 which shut down the operations for over 6 months and impacted our programs for nearly 2 years.

 We worked tirelessly to improve processes and safety at the field station and significantly increased the pay of the local and educational staff.  As a former student in 1996 and 1998, it was a dream job to become the 2nd Executive Director of International Field Studies, Inc.  I will miss my staff at the field station and in the office who have come to be known to me as family.  I will value the relationships I have fostered on Andros with businesses, organizations, and individuals.  Thank you for a great run and wish nothing but the best for IFS for the future!

I am also proud to introduce my replacement, Mike England.  As a former intern and Station Director, Mike comes back to IFS with a true passion and love for the organization and the people who make the organization run.  I have spent the last few months working with Mike to get him up to speed and I feel good about leaving the organization in his hands with the direction of our Board of Trustees.  The future for IFS remains bright!

Lindsey Christ
Executive Director (Nov ‘15-July ‘24)