Hello Bermuda, 

The day has finally come were I will take a plane for hour and a half and land in Bermuda! This is probably the shortest plane ride I have ever been on. By the time the drinks and snacks were passed out, the seatbelt light went back on. We were preparing for our descent and landing! As the plane was landing I could see the white caps along the surface of the clear blue ocean. Once we got closer, it became easier to see underneath the surface of the water. 

     

Approaching landing at the BDA, Bermuda airport. 

I have offically landed in Bermuda and made my way to the Bermuda Institue of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), which is home to R/V Atalntic Explorer (RVAE). Although on this day the ship is still out so I will have to wait until morning. Once I dropped off my bags in my room for the night I was given a tour of BIOS and then dropped off at the Marine Opperations Building where I met Jillon, the marine technician on the RVAE and the previous MATE-intern Emily. As I was waiting, Rick, the port captian, asked for Emily’s and my help, moving crates around in the warehouse, trying to make more room. There wasn’t much to move, but boy was it hot and humid out, quite the difference than this morning when I left Boston, MA. I was then on my own for the rest of the night, where I explored a few of the beaches and bays around BIOS. 

The next moring, as I was eating breakfast, I saw the RVAE coming back to the dock! I will finally get to meet everyone aboard and begin to learn the layout of the ship. After breakfast, I went down and meet the ship and the crew (I am beginning to remember everyones name). Nick, my mentor shows me my room on board and then gives me a tour of the ship. I begin to explore and get my bearings of the ship. Since the ship just returned, there is not much for me to do yet, so I go and explore more the island. I took a walk into St. Georges and made it to another bay on the other side of the island. During this trip I got rained on four different times, but luckily it was warm rain and I was dry soon after the shower passed. It is the first night and it feels good to be sleeping back on a ship. Even though I have only been here for a day, it has already begun to feel like home. The first cruise departs Monday morning!

R/V Atlantic Explorer returning to BIOS