On the Expedition
Join the race to provide data to protect the reefs and other natural resources of this unique island chain before they're gone forever.
You’ll gain a unique understanding of the natural communities of the Bahamas, both above and below the waterline, as you gather the data that will guide their conservation. You can help provide information for sustainable development before it’s too late.
You’ll measure the shape of the shoreline using modern GPS technology and survey the amazing diversity of animals along it. Guided by satellite image maps, you’ll also help identify where different plants are found on the ground. You might also transplant native plants, place artificial reefs in waters close to shore, or record human environmental impacts.
In your recreational time, you can learn to bone-fish, take a guided boat excursion through the islands, visit historical settlements, do some spectacular snorkeling and enjoy the world’s best beaches—knowing you’re doing something to help save them.
Meals and Accommodations
The January 2009 team will be based on Long Island in rental apartments with up to three people per room. There are two bedrooms in each apartment with a shared living area and kitchen. There is also an indoor kitchen and bathroom facilities. While it is expected that there will be air-conditioning in the evenings, it is not guaranteed.
The June 2009 team will stay at the Exuma Education Resource Centre on Great Exuma. A van will be used to get to George Town and Elizabeth Harbour while study sites will be reached by boat. The centre has comfortable, air-conditioned, dormitory-style housing, with bedrooms and shower facilities separated by gender. There is a large conference center with a kitchen for meetings and meal preparation.
Both July 2009 teams will be based in Matthew Town, Great Inagua, staying part time at a guest house and part of the time on a live-aboard ship. More details available on the Great Inagua accommodations will be available in the spring of 2009.
All teams will prepare their own breakfasts and field lunches, and provide some assistance with dinner and clean-up.
About the Research Area
The Bahamas, an archipelago with 30 major settlements and towns, is an independent country where tourism thrives--presenting challenges for transportation, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and environmental management across several hundred miles. During the research season, some Earthwatch teams will be based on islands which remain fairly undeveloped, while others will experience those with development pressures in full force.
The 2009 teams will focus on the southern Bahamas, with research sites on Long Island, Great Exuma, and Great Inagua.
Long Island is the southernmost of the trio of Atlantic islands on the edge of the Great Bahama Bank. The northern and southern tips of Long Island end in cliffs at Cape Santa Maria and Cabo Verde, respectively, and there are many cliffs along the eastern coast. The western coast also has some unusual features, most notably the extensive wetlands and mangrove systems. Salt Pond Cave and Cartwright Cave in central Long Island are among the two largest cave systems in the Bahamas. One of the largest flatland areas on Long Island is in the vicinity of Deadman’s Cay, where the Earthwatch team will work, and farming has altered much of the vegetation here. Besides the mangroves, the island’s vegetation now consists mainly of broad-leaved tropical hardwoods.
Situated in the heart of the archipelago on one of the most splendid natural harbors in The Bahamas, George Town, Exuma, is among the islands’ most interesting and picturesque townships. While George Town remains the administrative and modest commercial center of Great Exuma, it is fairly quiet throughout most of the year.
While working on Exuma Earthwatch volunteers are guests of the Exuma Education Resource Centre and the College of The Bahamas Exuma campus. The project will be working with these local partners to start the propagation of coastal plants for restoration projects.
Great Inagua is the largest of the southern islands, roughly similar in size to Abaco and Grand Bahama. Ridges line the eastern and southern coasts, reaching over 100 feet in several places, and also occupy the central part of the north coast. The rest of the island is extremely flat and large parts of it are occupied by lakes, of which the largest is Lake Rosa.
Great Inagua is also largely uninhabited, despite a substantial settlement in the far southwest at Matthew Town. The main attraction of this island has been its natural salt lakes which have been raked for salt for centuries. The eastern half of Inagua, which is part of a National Park, retains its original character, and is noted for its large flocks of West Indian Flamingos.
In 2008, The Inaguas were hit by Hurricane Ike. The storm was devastating to Matthew Town, with a major reconstruction effort going on now. It will be important to look at the coastal impacts of this storm over the summer of 2009.