The Diver's Post

I'll be uploading photos of the divers as pictures are taken during the trip and posting them here

Since Dr.Zimm took these photos this Black Durgon will suffice until we get a better picture of him. THIS IS HIS FAVORITE FISH!

Sunday Sunday Sunday!

So it looks like we'll be updating the blog a day behind from now on. Our days have been so busy so it is just easier this way. We did our checkout dives and our first reef dives Sunday morning and afternoon. We had a class session before each dive to ensure we knew our stuff. Checkout all the water action below with photos from Terry and CJ with the camera mask and some pics I took myself.

Before each dive we would have a lecture on a section of the reef. We covered everything from the fish and invertebrates which live on the reef to the corals themselves.

 Spiny Lobster "Panulirus argus"

 Green Moray Eel "Gymnothorax funebris"

 A video of the barrier reef

A yellowmouth grouper "Mycteroperca interstilitialis" checks us out

 A hog fish "Lachnolaimus maximus"

 That thing that looks like a rock is actually a spotted scorpion fish "Scorpaena plumieri"

A school of sargent majors "Abudefduf saxatilis"

The reef made a cavern of sorts which the divers could swim through!

 Many of us were excited to know that there is a happy hour nearly everyday of the week here!

Hello Honduras!

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates! It was a long day of traveling  yesterday... We arrived safely in Roatan around Lunch time yesterday. (2pm PA time) The temperature here are sweltering, but we managed to get a lengthy snorkel in after orientation. See photos below! Look for an update later this evening after we embark on our first SCUBA dive!

A view of Roatan from the plane

 The "inflight" video!

 Introductions and orientation with Jack

The Hibiscuses are everywhere here

As are the Iguanas

 Terry found a Queen Conch "Strombus gigas" during the snorkel

 Dr. Zimm holds up the infamous donkey dung sea cucumber "Holothuria mexicans"

History of Marine Biology at Lyco

This will Dr. Zimmerman 22nd expedition to the Caribbean! We leave today at 12AM from Williamsport! Click on the travel itinerary above for more travel info. Before you do though, check out the photo flashbacks below:

 Dr. Zimmerman and his wife Gail Directed the Hofstra University Marine Laboratory from 1989-1990

 First May term trip to Hofstra University lab ( HUML) in Jamaica 1984

1998 May Term to Jamaica

 2000 May Term to Jamaica

2004 May Term to Jamaica

Final SCUBA preparations

Four days and counting until we leave for the island of Roatan! In the meantime more prep work for both diving and snorkelers was held at the Milton YMCA pool this past Friday. This gave everyone an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their equipment and review proper techniques. The pool was pretty cramped but we still managed! Checkout the photos below!

 The snorkelers get ready to practice

 Brittany practicing technique

 View of the pool at Milton and the divers getting ready

Julia diving down

 Zeb and Lynette practice clearing their masks

Laura doing her thing

Classes have started!

Classes started yesterday, but students have been preparing for the trip this past week by getting PADI certified in SCUBA diving. Below are photos of CJ  and Emily in the Loyalsock Creek near the 973 bridge (what's left of it anyways). Less than two weeks left before we leave for Anthony's Key Resort!

 CJ's game face!

PADI Dive Master Frank Morrow giving Emily some pointers.

Things are gearing up!

This year Dr. Zimmerman of Lycoming College will be teaching his Tropical Marine Biology class, Biology 329:

• A field oriented course where students study the creatures of the fringing reefs, lagoons, turtlegrass beds and mangrove swamps at a tropical marine laboratory.  Studies will include survey of plankton, invertebrates and fish as well as the physical and chemical characteristics that influence their distribution.

Things are gearing up here at Lyco as we prepare to start classes in a few weeks. (Schedule below)

May 21 - 25: Full day classes (8:30a.m.-4:30p.m.) at Lycoming College

May 28 – June 1: Full day classes (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) at Lycoming

June 2 - 9:  Full day classes at RIMS in Roatan!!!

~Checkout the past May Term blogs and these videos in the mean time!

2007 May Term Blog

2009 May Term Blog

Blog by Gary Dole, a friend of Dr. Zimmerman, who was at RIMS last year – great pictures

Lionfish invasion video


 Want to see where we are headed?   Checkout the Google map of Roatan