If a doctor could diagnose today, it would be “multiple personality disorder!” Looming over the island for the entire day was a grumpy storm cloud that had a nasty habit of ruining the otherwise delightful day.
Even More Quadrats
The morning started as usual: hot, sunny, and sweaty. We spent our time working on our research projects. Some of us stayed at GRC while others went to Bonefish Bay or Monument Reef.
After rigorous data collection from all groups, we hopped onto the truck and headed back to the GRC. A little ways into our drive, we were suddenly pelted with a barrage of stinging rain. JB’s “Rite in the Rain” notebook was soaked beyond repair. A few people held up towels to block their faces from the merciless “sandpaper rain” while others yelled in agony.
Rain Drops Falling on Our Heads
After arriving back at the GRC, we attempted to dry off. On our afternoon trip we headed to the “Grotto.” Grotto Beach is secluded from almost all Bahamian life. The water was the clearest we have seen all trip! Today’s purpose was to relax before the storm of “Quizzes” (do not let the name fool you they are actually midterms), Final Exam, Research Projects and Phylum Presentations begin to remind us that we are still in school 
!!
Grotto Beach Fun
To relax, we created synchronized swimming teams. The girls made an artsy show, while the guys created an acrobatic one. In our humble opinion and the consensus of the guys, the team of “Coco Thunder,” “Jonny Bravo,” “Boo Boo,” “Spanky,” “Poseidon and “Boop!” won the Gold. After all the fun, videos and pictures that we had at Grotto Beach, we were dragged out by “Mommy,” “Daddy” and “the Awkward Cousin.” As a common occurrence the last few days our truck ride consisted of blistering rain. We made a quick stop in town for supplies for our research projects. To end our day we are sitting here listening to a lecture on corals…as you can tell it is very exciting since we wrote this during it!! Joking; class was fun!!!
Peace Out
Ben and Kevin
P.S. To Parents…your tuition money is well spent do not worry!!
-written by Ben Rausch ’13 & Kevin To ’13
Today June 9th I awoke to the desire of eggs and bacon with toast and yes the sound of distant t-storms by time the eggs were done the rain was coming down in buckets and the lightning with cracks of thunder was soon to follow the sad part is still no winning lottery numbers so i will not be able to join you all
LOL .
well to kathi and jen there has not been any more news on grandma so i would assume she is doing better i know they were waiting on the blockage to pass instead of doing surgery so i will call mommy today and see if there is any change and do a second comment.
Love from stormy OHIO
Keep up the great work and keep getting great pictures.
till next time this Tony signing off
What a nice surprise to wake up and find thunderstorms and 3 posts! Read everything to Dad before he left for the first Parent-Teen trip on the Little Miami (do note I said I woke to THUNDERSTORMS…and they are still leaving on the trip (can you believe no parent has called to cancel???!!!)) You can fill in to everyone what I mean by that since you did that trip last summer!
T-Bone is on both A relays down at Lakeside so he will swim at night at least 2x. His best seed is 26 at the 200 Back. He might make it back in that too. Top 20 swim at night. Lots of college kids here; VERY speedy.
Ian’s coming to clean your tank this morning. He will fiddle with the power head to try to make anenome happier. Everything else looks OK.
Miss ya lots. Glad all is good and looks like you are making memories of a lifetime. If you get a moment, would love another email…hint, hint…see how subtle I am?! LOL
TTFN
Love, Mom
Wow! It’s sure nice to see some more posts to the blog… I was beginning to get withdrawals! (Rachael, I think we should have practiced not talking for a few days at a time before you left! I definitely am not used to prolonged periods between chats!) You all look like you are having such a wonderful time. I love all of the underwater pictures, but the people pictures are fabulous! Everyone looks to be sporting a nice tan at this point. I can’t even imagine how painful it must be to ride in the back of a truck in the pouring rain. Glad to hear that the divers were able to get in again! What sort of depths are you diving? Is there any current? How has the visibility been? Looking forward to the next post… Hoping for no more rain while riding in the trucks… Love and Miss you ~ Mommy Nuzzo
“Aruba, Jamaica, ooooh i wanna take you to Bermuda, “BAHAMAS”, come on pretty momma Keylargo, Montego, baby why don’t we go down to Kokomo……….” o i love that song and everytime i listen to it i miss you rather badly
but i hope you are enjoying yourself BON BON!!!!!!! XD haha. by the way today in summer gym me and my horse,star, who was HUGE, didn’t like to listen to me and went off-roading as we passed many other horses in line while the instructor was yelling at me to make her stop but i didn’t; it was fun! I look forward to your return!
P.S. As i don’t understand all these creature’s names ya’ll describe (yes i said Ya’ll) i am anxious for you to come home and tell me! LoVe, HuNtEr
I think you can tell from above there has been rain here. I’m not sure about the mens synchronized swimming. I think there is a rule about being completely out of the water. Hint about the rain drops. If you get low enough(or behind a bigger person) and the truck goes fast enough, the rain drops will not hit you.(similar to convertible in the rain). Mom is in Chicago and I don’t think she and Alyssa have left yet. They will be home very late tonight. She leaves on Friday. Matthew finished school today and is hanging with his ‘peeps” I am trying to find us a place to stay in barcelona when we get there. Let us know more about the hammerhead, they look really cool. Did you get a picture? Miss you
Love you Mom Dad and Matthew
For Kathi and Jenmo
Grandma update…….the blockage has passed and if she feels well on thursday she could go home….they found a lot of stuff in her appartment that she had been eating that she had no buisness eating so that may have been the coulpret who knows.
Mommy has been posting comments as well but older posts so I dont know if you look backwards on them so I look forward to the next post keep up the good work and be safe love you both.
Hello everybody. We truly appreciate the blogs. Enjoy reading every word and the pictures are great! Love to see everybody smiling and seemingly having fun. Seems as if you are experiencing many learning opportunities that will be a part of wonderful memories. Can you believe it? You will come home next week. YEH!!!! Will McKelvey, we can hardly wait to see you. Similar to Robbin Nuzzo, I needed to practice this thing of not talking for long periods of time; I needed to work harder to find a way to communicate by telephone. Looking forward to seeing you next week. Love you much.
Mom and Dad
Hey Kath and Jen- they are going to keep gramma until she starts eating and her bowls move–It is so pretty out today- I got my good clothes on to take Darlene to the hospital so now she’s not going so I guess I’ll change and go outside and work- just about ready to paint the table legs- daniels (chore)ha ha was to get the paint off the legs for me(not my idea) so I’ve to wait—Hope you guys are having the time of your life(once in a lifetime thing) LOVE YOU so much and miss you too!!!!
It’s great to hear that you are having so much fun despite the painful rain and unending, irritating bug bites! Keep up the good work and keep your spirits up! You are creating and experiencing perhaps some of the most wonderful, memorable moments of your lives. Bask in it and soak it all in!!!
Ben Rausch,
Beautiful day today. Sounds like this trip was an excellent decision.
Looking forward to your return. Having you back safe–Priceless!
Miss you,
Mom & Dad
Happy Thursday, we have sun! Had a horrific drive down to Louisville…really, ZERO visibility. Thank goodness Tommy decided not to drive. Almost pulled over, but was afraid to change lanes. Thankfully, all got here safely. Alex L. is not here so Tom made it on the relays. (woohoo) Had good swims in both the 200 free and 100 fly. Just had lunch at Olive Garden so we are on a carbo high. Jimmy John’s for dinner…makin you hungry yet? LOL
Looking forward to your next post and hope research is going well. What is your topic? You can email me that…haha…subtle hint again…hope you’re laughing
Haven’t heard from Dad so don’t know how the biking is going. Fish are home alone…hopefully they won’t have a drunken party while we are gone.
Miss ya,
Mother Dearest
Sounds like every day is an adventure combined with hard work. Stephanie, I hope you’re enjoying the diving and it was worth all the creative packing to get your gear there
Less than a week to go. Enjoy every minute and we will see you soon. I can hardly wait to see you and hear all of the stories. The blog just gives hints of your adventures!!
Love, Mom
Rachael, We are going to be in Cleveland tomorrow and will miss seeing you! BUT…I know you are haveing a wonderful time! ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Anne Taglia
Hey Hia stop.
Just fyi Florida is a go! stop. plan on traveling late into the night stop. Kim and aunt B are excited stop. No accidents on this trip ok? stop. more info when you return home stop. Love, MB & sam
Hi Amanda
Loved the email. I called Aunt Barbara and read it to her, she to laughed as hard as we did while reading your words. We wondered why you were wearing your glasses in a few of those pictures. We figured you must have lost or destroyed the contacts, never dreamed of Pink Eye. Oh well. Dad and I are so enjoying reading about all the “wild” adventures you and your classmates are having, and all the hard work that goes along with the fun.
Bring lots of pictures home, I’m ready to scrapbook them with you.
See you in a little over a week – love Mom
Hi Hannah. Thanks for the email. We were so happy to hear from you. This trip is an amazing oppurtunity and we are so proud of you and can’t wait to hear details and wow the hammerhead must have been something. Any color of shirt is a ok. One week and counting. We are so sorry for all the discomfort you are having with the bad bugs. Hang in there and enjoy as much as you can take in. Air condition is getting fixed in Sheryl this weekend and the ac is on at home. Taco bell awaits. love mom and dad
FOR AMANDA ALLBEE:
Squish! Sounds like you’re having an amazing time (minus the pink eye and bug bites)! Glad you’re getting a tan though, and getting to play in the ocean! I would have freeakedo out about the shark and the whole cave thing… so wouldn’t be doing that, although I did see a reef shark below us when I was snorkeling on the GBR, and I freaked out then, even though it was a a baby :/ Anyways, hope all is well, and I can’t wait to see you and hear all the great stories!
Bring me back a souvenir,
Steiny
P.S.- Tell Nemo & Dory I said “Just keep swimming…”
Hey Sis
Try to stay injury free the last week. I just got a mosquito bite. it sure hurts. Are there any 38′s in San Salvador?
Take lots of pictures.
Me & D just back from a W. 2 SQ’s, 1-Chipi and 1-bunny; Help! D given a bath: rolled! Don’t forget to bring me some sand.
Watching some great Futball (WC)
I am so enjoying the Witt Blog from the group in the Bahamas. So much fun wrapped up in research, wish all labs could be like this. Keep up the great work. Joyce
i can see Steph being one of the people screaming in agony at the sandpaper rain, amirite? haha i hope teh bahamas are fun, and i hope to someday experience sandpaper rain, i have no idea what that’s like, but it sounds hilarious.