24 November 2009

There have been 14 college students staying at Cottages By The Sea since last Saturday (21 November), but until last evening they displayed little interest in our mongoose project despite several attempts to include them. The have been at sea for six weeks after spending six weeks at Woods Hole. However, this morning most of them stopped by to hold an anesthetized mongoose and learn a little about our project. I guess it just took them a few days to reacquaint themselves with society after being on a ship for six weeks and having no contact with others from outside their group.

We stopped into to UVI this afternoon on our way to Christiansted to check out housing students in their dorms. Unfortunately I don't think their prices meet our budget. They charge $50 per night per student to sleep in a double-occupancy dorm room. That's more expensive then Cottages By The Sea, and not near the beach! The cafeteria meal charges are as follows: $6 for breakfast, $8 for lunch, and $8 for dinner. We can feed students for half that price.

In Christiansted I purchased a new diving mask to replace my leaky 25-year old mask. I also purchase Jonathan a new mask and a pair of swim fins that won't fall off his feet. After all this exhausting shopping we went to the Fort Christian Brewpub for dinner. The food was good and the waterfront view is out of this world. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with the Hammerhead Ale. It tasted more like a nut brown ale than an IPA and was not hoppy nor bitter. After failing to get an explanation for the change I tried their stout, which was acceptable. Oh well, the sun can't shine all the time in paradise.