Blog #3 Day 2

Dinner last night was a lot of fun! The lost dog had great pizza and it was such an interesting atmosphere. People are encouraged to write on the ceiling and the walls with chalk and some of the things written were comical. We had a lot of fun playing foosball and listening to the jukebox. When we got back it was still so warm out so I decided to go night snorkeling. I took a big underwater spot light with me and went out into the ocean. I was out there for quite a while but did not see anything. After that we had some drinks with the people next to us and went to bed early around 10 pm.
This morning the never shy Jonathon woke me up at 7:30 am. I wearily got up and made myself eggs, bacon, and cheese on homemade 7-grain bread Buzz got from the baker yesterday. After stuffing my face, I took a shower and we headed to the farmers market. We arrived there around 9:30ish and bought star fruit, tomatoes, and some bananas. I also got a water coconut to drink out of while I was there and it was delicious. After the farmers market we went to Kmart to see the prices of rum and get fishing line for catching lizards (I know it sounds weird but I’m going to explain about this a little later). Then we went to the grocery store to buy chicken feet to bait the mongoose traps and other grocery store items.
When we got back to our cabin Jonathon and I quickly got our bathing suits on and we ran to the ocean. After swimming for a while I decided to go snorkeling with Katie. I took several underwater photos and videos of fish. It was absolutely beautiful. It is like an entirely different world under the water.
After snorkeling for a while we all ate lunch and I decided to test my lizard fishing abilities. The lizards that I was fishing for are Anoles and Geckos. Buzz took a long stick and tied a piece of fishing line to it about three inches long. Then he tied a noose at the end of it. The object of this “fishing” is to get the noose around the lizard’s neck and give it a little yank so that you have trapped it. (Don’t worry the line doesn’t get so tight as to hurt the lizard. It’s just tight enough so that the lizard can’t get away). After you catch the lizard you have to grab the back leg of the lizard and take the noose off. (If you grab the tail then it will likely rip off and the lizard will get away). Most of the time when you grab the back leg the lizard will bite you but it feels like a light pinch.
So I decided to give this a try and after about 30 minutes or so I was very unsuccessful and frustrated. I gave myself a break and decided to try again. I was bound and determined to catch one. With patience and skill I finally caught my first Anole. Buzz showed me how to release him and we let him go. Throughout the day I caught these Anoles and I have currently caught 5. We will see home many more I will catch during my time here.
After catching my first Anole, Buzz and Katie went to pick Phil up, the other professor helping us out, and I stayed and watched Jonathon. We build a sand castle and it was a really good one, but before I could get my camera a wave came and washed it away. Buzz soon came back and I decided to go snorkeling again. This time I went far down the coast in front of a condo. I got 3 feet away from a huge stingray and I say multiple kinds of fish and sea urchins. I didn’t have my camera with me this time but I will take some more tomorrow.
Buzz and Katie went to set some mongoose traps while Phil and I continued to soak in the paradise feeling. I took some great pictures of the sunset and also took a video of it. I then climbed a palm tree, made it pretty high and then decided it be smart to not go any higher. Katie got a good picture of it. I scraped my hands up a bit coming down, but its nothing some salt water won’t heal.
Tonight we are cooking BBQ chicken at the cabin and relaxing by the beach. I am excited to go get the mongoose tomorrow afternoon. It will be quite the adventure!