Alumni Experience Research on San Salvador Island, The Bahamas

Three recent Elmira College alumni participated in a winter break alumni trip to San Salvador, The Bahamas. Jennifer Davidson '09, Emily Van Allen '18, and Julien Hockenberger '18 joined Dr. Daniel Kjar, associate professor of biology, on a six-day adventure to the Bahamas. It was a return trip for all three alumni.

"The alumni travel course is meant to provide a little bit of the experience that students have during Term III in the Bahamas, meet new and old EC friends, and reconnect with Elmira College," according to Kjar. "Although we are on the island for a short time, we hike, snorkel, attend lectures from visiting scholars, and enjoy all that the island has to offer."

Davidson, who was a biology major at EC, now works as a marine lab supervisor at the University of Hawaii's Institute of Marine Biology. Davidson has been to the Island as both a student and an instructor.

"San Salvador has held a special place in my memory since I first went during Term III of my freshman year at EC. It's the place where I fell in love with field research, especially relating to marine biology," said Davidson. "Having the opportunity to go back to this special island 12 years later, as a professional marine biologist, felt like going back to my roots. It was great to see familiar sites and faces, while also having a new appreciation for everything I learned about so many years ago. San Salvador, like EC, is a place I won't soon forget."

Hockenberger majored in biology at EC and is now working at Taconic Biosciences with transgenic model organisms. He visited the island in 2016 as a research assistant with Kjar.

"San Salvador is an island that you have to see yourself to believe its beauty," said Hockenberger. "It's amazing to go back to the island and see the changes that happen as society and nature affect the Bahamas. I hope trips like these can encourage people to take care of our beautiful earth."

Van Allen was an English major at EC and is currently working towards a master's degree in library science. She also visited San Salvador as a student in 2016.

After a short flight to San Salvador Island from Nassau, the group moved into their rooms at the Gerace Research Centre and went for a long hike on the eastern side of the Island. The following day the group snorkeled Lindsay Reef, which is named after the late Elmira College emeritus professor of biology, Dr. Bill Lindsay. Lindsay's family donated a portion of his estate to the Gerace Research Centre and the Centre is currently using that donation to rebuild and improve the T-building. The T-Building houses the teaching labs, lecture hall, and wet lab at the GRC. This important building also functions as the island's hurricane shelter. When renovations are complete the building will be named in honor of Lindsay.

After snorkeling and enjoying the incredible flour like sand at Lindsay reef, the group ate their field lunch at Monument Beach - the beach where Christopher Columbus first stepped foot on the new world and met with the Lucayan Indians living on San Salvador at the time.

While on the Island, the group attended a lecture on the hydrology of islands by Dr. John Mylroie, emeritus professor of geology at Mississippi State University. The lecture also was attended by students from McMasters University, University of Ottawa, and Cornell College (Iowa).

Over the next three days the group hiked the New World Trail, snorkeled Sue Point, visited Sandy Point, listened to a lecture on reef invertebrates by Dr. Jim Carew from the College of Charleston, snorkeled in Grahams harbor (there were 10 spiny lobsters in the old engine block!), and hiked out to North Point. The group also visited Snow Bay and Pigeon Creek. Those who may remember the Ocean House, it is now gone; replaced by a very large (and fragile looking) mansion. The group went to 'The Thumb' a couple of times on this visit, once for swimming and another time to hike south to the cliffs in search of fossilized ant nests.

Upon arrival back in Nassau, the group took the Jitney (small local bus) downtown to wander Bay street, see the sights, and eat dinner. We found a restaurant overlooking the port, ate conch fritters, cracked conch, conch salad, grouper fingers, some strange 'fish of the day', and enjoyed watching the monstrous cruise ships collect their passengers and slowly leave the port.

"We had some interesting moments on the Jitney as we did some off-roading to avoid the Bay Street traffic," said Kjar. "All of us managed to catch our flights home the next day without issue. We look forward to offering another February break alumni trip to San Salvador Island next year and hope to see you there!"