Alumni Highlight: Shelby Brown, Student and Dive Instructor

Shelby Brown, Former Student & Current Dive Instructor

Shelby teaching students how to dive at Forfar

When did you first visit Forfar?

I first visited Forfar as a student in 2014. I was originally pursuing a Wildlife Management degree but had a lot of friends in the Hocking College Ecotourism program. They were all talking about a field trip to the Bahamas which got me interested!

Are you still in touch with your friends from the trip?

I do still keep in touch with friends from the trip. We live further apart now so it’s harder to see everyone but I made close friends and still keep in contact with my original dive buddy, Todd.

What is the most memorable or favorite part of your time as a student at Forfar?

SCUBA diving was what really stuck with me! But there were lots of other amazing experiences too. I remember snorkeling an oceanic blue hole and the coral were all super healthy and there were huge fish swimming around me. We also had one moment where a shark swam right next to us and it was one of the most memorable parts of my trip.

Your experience at Forfar with Hocking College is the same curriculum we have implemented in our 6-week Forfar Marine Science Program. What would you say to students who may be interested in spending their gap year at Forfar?

Definitely do it! My life wouldn’t be the same if I hadn’t gone on this trip, I never would have learned to dive, or met Andy (my current boss) or fallen in love with the ocean. Just do it, I don’t think it’s possible to have a bad time on this trip, regardless of what you do later it will leave with a lot of lessons. Whether academic, cultural, or lessons about yourself. The disconnect and lack of technology meant we spent so much time together and had new experiences. I learned to find joy in simple activities like playing basketball and just talking with other people. It’s a phenomenal place and it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself there.

How did the Forfar program benefit you in your current job?

I wouldn’t have my current job, as the store manager at Columbus SCUBA, if I hadn’t gone to Forfar. The program introduced me to so many different career paths that I hadn’t previously considered. My experience gave me the initial certifications to get started in the scuba diving field. When I latched onto diving, it just exploded from there. Learning to dive at Forfar is probably what allowed me to fall in love with diving. If I learned to dive back in Ohio in cold, muddy quarries I don’t know if it would have had the same impact.

I finished the program at Forfar with my PADI Open Water and PADI Advanced Open Water certifications. Then I immediately signed up for my Rescue course and bought my own gear. I was working on my Divemaster course when I was offered a full time job at Columbus SCUBA. I felt incredibly lucky to be offered this job, before I had even completed my Divemaster training. I gained my Dive Instructor certification in December 2015 and since then I have progressed in the field becoming a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer.

What are your responsibilities in your current role? 

In my current role I get to do a lot of SCUBA courses in the swimming pool in the winter and in local quarries in the summer. We dive locally almost every weekend and there are lots of opportunity for travel. I’ve taught in Bonaire, Little Cayman, Florida, and The Bahamas. It’s not all diving though, I do a lot of administration work too. I make sure that everything in the store is running smoothly by managing the crew at the store, maintaining equipment, cleaning, working directly with customers and scheduling SCUBA classes. For me, having a good work family makes it all an enjoyable experience and I think I have the best work family!

Shelby (center) teaching students to dive at Forfar in 2018

What was it like returning to Forfar as a dive instructor for the program you graduated from?

It’s an amazing, super nostalgic experience for me, it’s like everything has come full circle. I can see myself in the students because I was in their position once. I understand the anticipation, the nervousness, and the excitement they are feeling because I felt that, too.  I think the students trust me more because they know that I’ve been through the experience before. Getting to go back and teach at Forfar is one of my absolute favorite parts of my job, every time I go back I form a deeper relationship with Forfar.

Did you connect with any local staff during your visits as a student or dive instructor?

Yes for sure, I really connected with Daddy Cool on my original trip to Forfar and every time I return, we have deeper conversations, I love hearing about his life and his family. Same with the breakfast cooks, Doramae and Catherine. I remember being intimidated when I first met them but now every time I return, they always come and say hello and we have great conversations catching up. I love to talk with Cardo and Randal to hear about what has changed and see the different phases of Forfar. I have definitely developed a relationship with all of the local staff and enjoy being able to experience Bahamian culture directly by hearing about the lives and stories of local people on Andros.

Shelby (right) diving at Forfar

Where is your favorite dive site and why?

On Andros, it has to be Amphitheater. It feels like you’re in a coral stadium with the swim throughs and the corals built up on either side of you. There’s one portion that looks like a big sand road and leads down deeper into the Tongue of the Ocean which is so cool. I’ve seen some really amazing wildlife there like big barracudas and reef sharks.

What would you say to someone who is interested in scuba diving but anxious to try it for the first time?

I would say just try it! The more time you spend in the water the more comfortable you will become, nobody is an expert the first time they try something. All dive instructors were once Open Water students so no one is judging you! If people are worried about safety, yes diving has inherent risks but they are easily avoided and that’s all part of your initial training. Stay within the limits of your training, build your experience slowly, and you can minimize most risks. It’s not as scary as it sounds!

Did you know Ben Bohl? Any memories you want to share about Ben?

I first met Ben on my pre-trip meeting at Hocking College before I visited Forfar. I met him again once I started working at Columbus SCUBA and we shared office space, he was always super kind to me. From everything I’ve seen at IFS, I can tell that he really cared about educating students and cared deeply about Andros.

Shelby (far right) with Forfar staff in 2017

What does Forfar mean to you?

Forfar means a lot to me, it’s the place I figured out what I wanted to do with my life and my career. It’s a place you can go and disconnect from the more superficial and frivolous things in life and just really be in the moment, get back to basics, and connect to nature.

Is there anything else you want to add or would want our (blog) readers to know?

I would want them to know that Forfar is amazing but you need to be willing to go with the flow, it will teach you to be flexible, and roll with the punches! It’s a valuable life lesson to learn that plans can change moment to moment and how best you can adapt to those changes. Forfar is awesome and you should go! It’s rustic but that’s part of what I love about it, it makes it an adventure and is part of the fun.

About Andros Island

Overview of Andros  

Andros is the largest island of the Bahama Archipelago, which consists of more than 700 islands. At more than 100 miles long and 40 miles wide, it is the fifth largest island in all of the Caribbean [1]. Andros is composed of three major islands (North Andros, Mangrove Cay, and South Andros), numerous smaller cays and inlets, and is laced with creeks and wetlands with a densely forested inland. Transportation between the north and south islands is not possible by land. 

Today, compared with other Bahamian islands, Andros has a much smaller population with fewer than 8,000 people [2].  Most of the settlements on Andros are located on the eastern coast, with more than half the population centralized in 3 main towns: Nicholl’s Town, Andros Town (aka Fresh Creek), and Congo Town. The island's western coast is still largely uninhabited with one key settlement called Red Bays.

The western coast of Andros is home to the 1.5 million acre West Side National Park. This makes up part of the largest protected area in the Bahamas with four other National Parks; the Blue Holes National Park, Crab Replenishment Reserve and North & South Marine Parks all maintained by the Bahamas National Trust (BNT).

History and Culture

Although Andros is less than 200 miles off the coast of Florida, the language and culture are distinctly different from the United States. We share a common language, but Bahamian English carries influence from African and island dialects and is often spoken more quickly than standard American English [3]. Virtually untouched by the tourism industry common to other Bahamian islands, Andros remains a rural area characterized by small tightly-knit communities.

Visitors who embrace the Androsian people and their culture will be richly rewarded and educated by the experience. Andros has a long and varied history that includes Arawak, Lucayan, and Seminole Indians, European colonizers, enslaved people from Africa, pirates, bootleggers, and smugglers. Today Andros is known for its annual festivals and local celebrations, most notably it is home to the weekend long All Andros Crab Fest. This annual festival celebrates the catching, cooking, and eating of land crabs famously found on Andros. Highlights of the festival include releasing of the crabs and traditional Rake n’ Scrape live music. Other celebrated festivals on Andros include Homecomings, Sailing Regattas, and Junkanoo celebrations.

Flora and Fauna

A bahama oriole captured and tagged at forfar field station by the omland lab at UMBC

Andros lends itself well to terrestrial studies since its size correlates with its diversity. Andros is a subtropical island with 10 distinct vegetation zones [12]. Pineland, saltwater marsh, savanna, scrub, freshwater swamp, beach/strand, coastal rock, mangrove, coastal coppice, and interior coppice areas are all accessible for field studies. The mangroves of Andros are currently being restored with efforts from the Bahamas Forestry Unit and BNT. In both wetland and forested areas, over 200 endemic and North American birds have been included in long-term bird counts. You can actually find six of the seven bird species endemic to the Bahamas right here on Andros [4] including the critically endangered Bahama Oriole, which is the focus of current ongoing research projects with University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and BNT.

Uncle charlie’s blue hole on north andros

Reptiles include the endangered Bahamian boa, several different species of Caribbean sea turtles, the endangered Andros rock iguana and a variety of anoles. Along the coast, compare the rocky shores to the white sand beaches and ask to visit some excellent invertebrate tide-pooling areas.

More than 50 species of wild orchids thrive in the subtropical forests and the wetlands of Andros. The orchid genus Epidendrum has nine species endemic to the Bahamas, all of which can be found on Andros [5].

Geologists are attracted to many features in the Bahamas, including the thick limestone foundation of the island, dramatically cut by deep channels. The geology and topography of the island is distinctive. With 178 inland and 50 oceanic blue holes and a network of underwater caves Andros has the highest concentration of blue holes found anywhere in the world [6].

Andros By Sea

When people think of the Bahamas, they visualize white sandy beaches, a balmy breeze, and azure, crystal water. Andros has all of these in abundance, but perhaps the barrier reef is the most stunning feature. The reef is flanked by the The Tongue of the Ocean (TOTO), a U-shaped trench which separates the islands of Andros and New Providence. The TOTO reaches depths of 6,000 ft. and is approximately 20 miles wide by 150 miles long [7].

Just one of several marine habitats, the reef runs the full length of the island. The Andros fringing barrier reef is the third largest fringing reef in the world, second only to Australia and Belize, and is considered by many to be the most diverse and pristine. The reef has both fringing and barrier characteristics and supports a colorful and amazing diversity of life. It offers a tremendous variety of 10 to 25 foot deep gardens abloom with both hard and soft corals, some of which emerge from the seas at low tide. Like many coral reefs, the Andros barrier reef is under threat from global warming, ocean acidification, and overfishing. To help conserve our reef the Perry Institute of Marine Science and Reef Rescue Network have been developing a network of coral propagation sites across Andros.

You don't need to be a SCUBA diver to enjoy the benefits of the ocean. Our snorkeling sites described in the “Sites and Sights” guide offer fantastic views of a great variety of fish, coral, turtles, and other invertebrates guests experience when visiting Forfar Field Station. Exotic reef fish species that make this place home provide a pleasurable kaleidoscope for divers and snorkelers alike. In the waters farther off shore, you will find marlins, tarpons, sailfish, tunas, snappers, jacks, plus other game fish [7]. Occasionally, snorkelers enjoy the rare privilege of spotting wild dolphins or manatees that may join in for a dip off the beach at Forfar.

Economy

Androsia Fabric

Historically the economy on Andros was highly varied including agricultural farming, fishing, sponging, and logging. Today the tourism economy on Andros is centered on sport fishing, birding, SCUBA diving, and handicrafts such as wood carving and basket weaving. Andros is known as the “Bonefishing Capital of the World” due to its vast flats and thriving bonefish population and there are numerous bonefishing lodges on the island. [8]

Agricultural farming on Andros is currently being revolutionized with help from the on-island college Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI). The economy on Andros is also supported by a number of Mennonite missions, a few small resorts, commercial fishing, and the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) - a NATO base run by the US Navy.  The largest employers on Andros are the Bahamian government and AUTEC.

The (unofficial) national fabric of the Bahamas is also produced on Andros the Batik fabric known as Androsia is a distinct, bright fabric that is created through a unique process involving hand carved stamps and hot wax. [9]

Climate

The temperature on Andros is pleasant all year long. The single most important climatic agent affecting the Andros weather is the warm trade wind. During the winter months, the Gulf Stream warms the island, in May, southerly trade winds return to gently cool them [10] [11].

Average water temperatures (°F)

Jan 74°    Feb 74°     Mar 75°     Apr 78°    May 80°   Jun 83°   Jul 85°    Aug 86°    Sep 86°   Oct 83°   Nov 80°   Dec 77°

Gap Year on Andros

Forfar Field Station has expanded our educational programming to allow individuals to visit as part of a Gap Year experience during our Forfar Marine Science Program! This unique opportunity is available to students aged 18-24 interested in spending 6-weeks on Andros to study marine biology. Students earn SCUBA diving, Wilderness First Aid, Sea Kayaking, and Leave No Trace certifications. They will study marine science with the ocean as their classroom, volunteer with local nonprofits, and have the experience of a lifetime as they explore Andros! Enroll today!

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Citations

[1] "Andros." The Official Site of The Bahamas. The Islands of the Bahamas. Accessed May 26, 2020.

[2] "2010 Census of Population and Housing" PDF. Department of Statistics. The Government of the Bahamas. p. 45. Web. 19 May 2020.

[3] "Our Language." The Official Site of The Bahamas. Accessed May 26, 2020.

[4] “On Andros Island, the Birding Is Prime and the Crowds Are Sparse”. Audubon News. Accessed May 26, 2020.

[5] Campbell, David. The Ephemeral Islands, A Natural History of the Bahamas. p. 42

[6] "Incredible Blue Holes of the World." The Weather Channel. Accessed May 26, 2020.

[7] "Andros Barrier Reef and Tongue of the Ocean." The Official Site of The Bahamas. Accessed May 26, 2020.

[8] “Andros Island” Bahamas Fly Fishing Guide. Accessed May 27 2020.

[9] “The Androsia Story” Androsia. Accessed May, 19, 2020.

[10] "Andros Town The Bahamas Monthly Weather."The Weather Channel. Accessed May 19, 2020.

[11] "Andros Town Sea Temperature." Global Sea Temperature. Accessed May 19, 2020.

[12] On the Nature of the Dry Evergreen Forest (Coppice) Communities of North Andros Island, Bahamas. Accessed June 25, 2020.

5 reasons parents worry about gap years (and why they shouldn’t)

High school seniors and undergraduate students may find themselves at a time in their life where a Gap Year experience would be perfect for their personal and professional goals. But sometimes one of the roadblocks to pursuing this dream is their parents not agreeing with this type of decision. Well parents, we get it. There’s lots to worry about and any deviation from the norm for your child can seem like the wrong move. But, we are here to tell you why your biggest worries are not actually worries. 

1)  Gap Years are way too expensive, how can I justify the high cost?

Yes, some Gap Year experiences can cost just as much (or more) than a semester of college courses. But, our Forfar Marine Science Program is inexpensive considering what the program offers. Students leave with 5 professional, internationally recognized certifications, hours of hands-on marine field skills they can add to their resume, volunteer experiences with local nonprofits, and 6-weeks of personal growth to last a lifetime. Not to mention, the program cost includes all food, lodging, transportation on island, lab activities, and roundtrip in-country flights. Plus, how can you put a price on life-skills? 

If that wasn’t enough convincing , IFS even developed a need-based Scholarship Fund for students. 

2) Isn’t a gap year a waste of time?

In 2020, employers are looking for experience over grade point average or the typical linear academic path. They want to know if you can think critically, respond well to unique stressors and challenges, and what type of creative edge or personality you can bring to the team. All these are skills cultivated from experiences students gain outside the classroom and in a  6-week Gap Year experience. Soft skills are marketable now more than ever and help candidates stand out on competitive interviews. 

There is not only one way to be successful. Experiences allowing students to learn in the field and have experiences they would have nowhere else in the world can help foster their drive for success. Getting outside your comfort zone and developing a new sense of confidence and self-awareness makes a stronger impact than memorizing facts for an online test.

Any experience that contributes to a student’s professional and personal growth is not a waste of time, especially one designed to do just that.

3) Will my child never go to college because they opt to take a year off from traditional schooling?

Studies have found that 90% of students return to college after completing a Gap Year. Not only do the students return, they often perform better than those who did not take a Gap Year. 

Taking a Gap Year allows for the stressors of institutional education to fade, allowing students the chance to see what they enjoy learning and what areas they want to focus on without being forced upon by an outside source. “60 percent reported the time off had either inspired or confirmed their choice of career or academic major” said Karl Haigler in her book The Gap Year Advantage. Being a life-long learner is not something that can be taught but it can be cultivated in the right setting where exploration and curiosity are at the forefront. 

Experiences outside the classroom can help students develop a real passion for their studies and give them the motivation needed to persevere  in the face of challenges once they return to college. It also gives them a chance to avoid burnout, a reason many choose a Gap Year before Medical School. 

4) How will my child excel academically without the structure of college?

Like most Gap Year experiences, the Forfar Marine Science Program has a strong academic component with structured lectures, homework, and quizzes and optional college credit. 

The academic experience students have at Forfar Field Station involves the ocean as a classroom or lectures followed immediately by in the field activities to strengthen their understanding. This type of hands-on reinforcement helps keep students academically sound and increases their interest in learning outside of the bounds of a room in a school building. 

Living away from parents and peers, this experience also lends itself to learning how to be responsible for completing school work on time and learning how to study most productively. The marine field skills courses, 5 professional certifications, and classes held each week are sure to keep students academically inclined while in the program. 

5) I’ve read all the news about COVID-19, how do I know it will be okay to travel?

Safety is the first priority of International Field Studies, the nonprofit that runs Forfar Field station. IFS has been running field study experiences to Forfar for over 50 years and is well versed in the safety measures needed to create a safe learning environment. IFS understands how to respond to unprecedented events and make the best decisions for everyone’s safety as evidenced by our previous temporary closing of the station in March-June, 2020. Preparing for better days ahead this fall, IFS fully intends to run the Fall 2020 cohort of the Forfar Marine Science Program and has developed new cleaning and safety measures for all students and staff. 

IFS would alert students right away if the travel dates changed or there was a program update. With the uncertainty of COVID-19, we understand no one knows what the world will look like in the coming months so our student refund policies have been rewritten to benefit Forfar Marine Science students and guarantee full money back if travel is not permitted. 

We hope you will join us in planning for a better future this fall and taking the step to secure an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience for your son or daughter.

More details on Forfar’s response to COVID-19 can be found here.

Alumni Highlight: Krista Smilek

Krista Smilek, Former Student and Staff of Forfar Field Station

Krista and her Husband DAn when they were interns at Forfar

When did you first visit Forfar Field Station?

I first visited Forfar on a 2 week course in December 2002 - January 2003 with Ohio University during my senior year of college.

How did your student visit impact your career plans?

I was a biology major with a concentration in marine science and was really excited to be there knowing IFS hired recent college grads at the time. I spent my trip talking with current staff about how to get hired as an intern and hearing about their experiences at Forfar.

What was the most memorable experience as a student?

It was my first time in The Bahamas and I absolutely loved it! I especially loved the people I met, the local staff, and had lots of favorites throughout the trip. My memories from being a student and staff sometimes merge together but I remember the boat trips were the big highlight during my first trip.

What advice would you give to students who are about to visit Forfar?

I would say to have an open mind about everything. Go into this experience knowing you’ll have new experiences you have never had before and they may challenge your thinking. Especially, take in everything during the visit to Red Bays.

What was your experience like during your internship year at Forfar?

top row L-R: Ryan, Lodi, Jeremey, Shannon, Joann, Catherine

Bottom Row L-R: Local staff, Krista, Rivean, Bubba

I visited during my Spring Break for the “Applicant Week” where they tested our skills and interviewed us for the position. I then received a week of training in Nelsonville, Ohio at Hocking College before driving down to Florida with all the other interns. I loved my year on staff, especially anything with the boats and all the SCUBA diving. I had my Open Water certification when I started and earned my Dive Master while there. I loved diving at Rat Cay, sitting out on the veranda at night, and everything I learned living on Andros for a year. I still think about it a lot; I miss island time and would love to retire on Andros.

We had a few rare weeks where there were 160+ people at the station, at Shelia’s and elsewhere, and that experience taught me a lot. We would meet as a staff every morning and troubleshoot how to make each day work, then I would take the boat out with students and we always had a fantastic time. Most weeks were more calm with a group or two but even then I still learned skills I keep with me today.

How did your internship at Forfar influence your future career path?

Forfar helped me get into graduate school and helped me land my current job. I earned my Master’s in geology and now work as the Academic Director in the Department of Geology at University of Cincinnati in Ohio. In my interview, the department head saw my Forfar experience on my resume and asked about my ability to lead students on field studies. They also inquired about my lecture experience from Forfar. Those experiences helped me land cool perks in my current job of leading field trips every other year and teaching an annual summer course on natural hazards.

You mentioned meeting your husband at Forfar when you were both interns, could you share more about your story?

Dan and I officially met during training week before our intern year. Once we got to the island, we kept getting to know each other. It was interesting dating and working together but funny because we always requested to work different assignments so we could have space. As our time was coming to a close we started thinking “what happens next?” and ended up living together in Ohio. I was back at OU getting my Master’s while he finished undergrad. I defended my thesis, got a job at the University of Cincinnati, we moved to Cincy and the rest is history. We’ve been here 11 years now and have an 8 year old daughter, Samantha. Ideally, we will eventually live somewhere on the water again but for now we are avid travelers and spend lots of time camping.

When did you last visit Forfar?

I was able to return to Forfar for an Alumni Week during July 2016! It was amazing to see some of the local staff I worked with who are still there. It was nice realizing the charm and feel of Forfar has stayed the same over all these years. I hope to return with a student group in the future!

What else do you want to share about your time at Forfar?

I think the big thing is I loved it, still love it, and think about it a lot. One of my favorite things was waking up early and drinking coffee on the beach watching the sunrise. The sun bleached hair, the slow speed of life…man it was the life!

Alumni Highlight: Sarah Covington, Hoover HS

Sarah Covington, Group Leader

Sarah on an early morning dive at Forfar!

How long have you been bringing students to Forfar Field Station?

I first visited Forfar my second year of teaching in the 2002-2003 school year. When I started teaching, I taught biology/marine biology and now I teach mainly biomedical sciences at Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio.

What has it been like seeing the changes at Forfar over time?

Visiting every year allows you to see the island and people change, like how we visited before and after the roads were paved. I’ve seen BAMSI start up and watched as the staff members grow up, such as Randal who was about two years old when I started coming.  

Every once in a while, we’d come down and one of our former students was an intern. I think we’ve had three or four former students who returned to intern on the island. Some of them were just like, “I’ll be back”. Some of the kids just take the class because taking a marine biology course is so exciting, especially when it culminates in a trip to Andros. But the kids who are actually interested in marine biology as a career, those are the ones that end up coming back. And obviously there has been lots of change with the grounds and the buildings, like the trees and landscaping, since it can all look completely different after a hurricane.

Have you been staying in one of our newly renovated cabins?

I have and it’s amazing! It’s so nice. Before I came to Forfar for the first time, the teachers who trained me, they used to camp on the little beach just North when they visited.  They would hang their shower bags up to heat up during the day so they could shower at night. So I was expecting it to be very rustic my first time and then when I came down it was like, oh there’s showers and this is nice.  Over the years they’ve fixed up roofs, the grounds, and now the cabins look amazing. We’re really happy with the upgrades.

Did you get to spend some time with Ben Bohl over the years?

Oh yeah! Back in the day, an IFS staff member would always meet us in Fort Lauderdale where we would spend the night before flying over to Andros the next morning. Some years Ben would pick us up and take us to the airport. He would always make sure to get donuts and have us fly donuts over for the staff. Other times, Ben would be here on island. Then, as his health deteriorated, we saw less and less and less of him. But he was pretty much who we talked to on the phone to organize each trip for the first several years.

I’ve always appreciated that the Bahamians were included in the staff and that our day trips include meeting locals. I think that’s probably what our students bring up the most in their journals; sitting and talking to the locals like Terpy, Virmeno, and Maryanne and a lot of their entries were about Daddy Cool and what he was saying. For a lot of our students it’s their first time on a plane and first time out of the country. It allows them to meet people who don’t have the same kind of material stuff they have at home but are so happy, generous, and welcoming. Like Otis, who always has a handful of fruit for whoever visits. I think the cultural aspect of it probably had a lot to do with how Archie and Ben respected the locals.

What did your group enjoyed most this year at Forfar?

This might be my favorite year of all my trips. It’s such a nice mix of educational staff and we only had 20 kids. Sometimes we bring 38 kids and it’s just a lot of bodies in the water at the same time. They were really impressed with the main reef, it looked really good this year. I saw a lot of live coral and it was very fishy out there today, so very good. I think the students saw everything at its best which is nice. They really liked the interns and of course loved the Red Bays trip. They thought everything they saw snorkelling was huge. They have no reference so to them a hogfish the size of a plate is huge, but we’ve seen hogfish out there the size of small ponies. The students just loved everything, especially the blue holes.

Sarah and her students from their recent February 2020 Trip to Forfar.

Is it a rewarding experience for you to come to Forfar?

Definitely, it is. It’s a lot of work planning a trip like this. But this week was just so relaxing. The staff were just so safety-first, extremely helpful, and everything in all the cabins works. It was just nice; it was the perfect week. It’s rewarding and I love that IFS has programming for the local Bahamians. It’s such a neat educational experience for the kids. I think over the years, a lot of the students have become more conservation minded as well, so they’re starting to think about some of the choices they make and how it effects the oceans. In our last class before visiting Forfar, we had a speaker giving a coral lecture talking about coral propagation. So then the students came down and were all really excited hearing about the Forfar coral propagation. I think it really is life changing for the students, even if it’s small things, those small things add up, and you get to say that you were a part of that and it’s a good feeling.

What have been your favorite memories at Forfar over the years?

It was always my birthday so I think my 27th through 35th birthdays were probably always spent on the island. Everyone would always let me pick an adventure.  Another favorite is the memories I made with the people here. One year we visited earlier than usually and I heard Maryanne say, “oh, you’re early this week,” like she knows our group and she knows the adults. Or Otis, he’ll look around at our group and say, “Where’s Sarah? Oh, there’s Sarah!” And that’s crazy since he only sees me once a year for 15 minutes and there he is asking for me by name. The kind of relationship that has formed between people who visit Forfar and the different Androsians on the island, it’s just a beautiful thing to see those relationships. That, and probably the first time I saw a reef shark in the ocean. The first time I saw a hogfish, I almost lost my mind. It was the size of a child and it’s so cool to be able to identify them after learning from a book. It’s neat to see how things change too. It’s nice knowing people care and are putting time, effort, and money into continually improving this place.

Sarah assisting students during a beach clean up on Andros

What does Forfar, overall, mean to you?

I think Forfar epitomises hands on learning because we can sit in front of these kids for seventeen, 3-hour courses and they’re excited, but it’s nothing compared to when they have their faces in the water the first time, and are like, “I saw a beaugregory!” and they know it because we had them learn it. That excitement wasn’t in the classroom, that excitement was in the field. That’s probably the most meaningful thing as a teacher, to see the learning in action, and see their faces light up when they are able to identify or see something for the very first time.

Coral Propagation at Forfar Field Station: Update, October 2024

Off the shores of Forfar Field Station, efforts are being made to repopulate and diversify the coral populations. Our Forfar Educational team works closely with staff from The Perry Institute for Marine Science and Reef Rescue Network to set up and maintain these coral restoration plots near Forfar. We have had a coral nursery since 2015.

In 2023, we established 5 coral domes at one dive site called “The Pool” which as the coral fragments grow will become an artificial reef. We also set up a plot for continual outplanting at Staniard Reef, where we hope to see improvements in hard coral cover. 

In March of 2020, Reef Rescue Network staff Hayley-Jo Carr joined Forfar Educational Staff on Andros, Bahamas to continue the ongoing coral conservation project with the Forfar Nursey.  A total of 121 coral fragments were successfully outplanted and the 69 remaining fragments in the nursey were maintained to cultivate more growth for future outplanting.

Corals are a marine invertebrate made up of polyps that live in colonies.  Most corals form reefs by growing and expanding their surface area. Over time, single coral heads, or fragments, can build up and expand into expansive reef systems. Here on Andros, we have the third largest fringing-barrier reef in the world. It spans one hundred and ninety miles along the East side of the island. The coral types seen along the reef can vary from large bouldering Brain corals to soft gorgonian Sea Fans, and even branching Staghorn and Elkhorn corals.

The Forfar nursery is a hanging line nursery that is situated on the deeper side of the fringing-barrier reef. Multiple rounds of outplanting have been successfully completed at this site and past attached corals have grown quickly and prolifically.  Two suspended ropes with horizontal fishing lines hold up to seventy pieces of growing branching corals. Staff visit the coral nursery once a month to clean away algae and hard growth, like fire coral. They ensure the corals are growing well and no disease or predator has caused damage to the colony. Recently, the bottom line of growing corals was broken. Forfar Educational staff were able to reattach the line using parachute cord and all the living corals were cleaned and cared for. Any corals that died or dropped off of the line were replaced with new fragments. Thanks to their quick efforts, the coral nursery is back in good health.

After the corals reach a certain size, usually between six months to a year of growth, staff are able to take fragments from the main coral body and plant them on the fringing-barrier reef. Cutting fragments from the suspended corals allows for new, faster growth on the main body of the coral. Corals can reproduce sexually or asexually. They can reproduce with mass spawning events in the water column or a small fragment can extend its growth even when it is not connected to its original colony by reproducing asexually. When fragments are cut away from the main body of the coral, the new fragment becomes its own body and growth will sprout. The original section will also re-sprout new growth.  

Using non-toxic marine epoxy, Forfar Educational Staff then transfer the cut fragments and attach them to holes in the cleaned substrate of the outplanting site. Once the marine epoxy hardens, it holds the corals in place until they grow enough to hold themselves to the substrate. Over time, the new coral will reproduce and aid in repopulating the reef by diversifying the genetic variations in branching coral species.

Currently, the Forfar nursery has 69 total growing corals; 56 are Acropora cervicornis (staghorn), 11 are Acropora palmata (elkhorn), and 2 are Acropora prolifera (fused staghorn). Of the three species, Staghorn and Elkhorn are critically endangered, thus most of the growing space is devoted to those species. Branching corals like Fused Staghorn are becoming endangered as well. Branching corals are fast growing, but relatively brittle corals. They are also more susceptible to bleaching events due to rising water temperatures and ocean acidification.

Forfar Educational Staff will continue to clean and maintain the good health of the nursery and hope to outplant more coral fragments in April 2020. To learn more about what you can do to help protect and preserve corals, please visit oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/thingsyoucando.html.

Written by: Haleigh Collins, Forfar Educational Staff