BVI Monday

-up at 5:15 to leave by 6

-ate my energy plus peanut butter in room and packed a cheese, mayo, mustard, and sprouts sandwich for lunch

-headed out to the camera traps where nothing ate our bait really but ants

-we went then to the head start facility where the juvenile iguanas are raised until old enough to be released and not have a cat be a threat

-there, Kelly and Jessi put each one into a pillowcase in its cage

-Lauren then brought one over, Connor M. scanned for the pit tag, Erika weighed the iguana in the case and it separately, then Kelly tool nose to vent length and tail length with me or Connor I, or Myles, or Croix helping. We then grabbed the iguana once Kelly out back in and tied it back and put in cage after Abby put the tape on the case with pit tag number and weight and all this info was recorded by Paige on computer, and Jessica by hand. Jessi and Haley cleaned dishes and gave them water. Then I grated carrots as a part of the dinner Jessi was preparing. Then I helped to release them in my way, by grabbing it and then inverting the pillowcase

-we went back to bait our traps and we heard an iguana run away from our first trap, and our last trap, everything was eaten

-then we went to Big Bamboo beach, went to the gift shop, we swam, looked for shells, snorkeled, which was crazy with the current pushing you but saw some cool fish, and Abby and I made a sand iguana

-then we shared stories and I got sun burns on my legs :(

-it started to rain when we left so we turned back and waited it out a bit

-we started dinner and I made my fajitas

-then we played never have I ever outside where I was second to last out 

-tried coke with a little Malibu coconut rum 

-then we played the dice game Farkle where Myles ridiculously won every time when he did some crazy action and made noises 

-Abby, Croix, Jessica and I stayed up a bit more and talked before we all went to bed

BVI Saturday

-up super early again for the salt pond

-up at 5 to be there by six, had my energy booster peanut butter and a banana for breakfast

-left and walked out to the salt pond

-was very clay like, and like walking through clay like playdoh

-very smelly, saw a skeleton of a flamingo, which we saw a few love ones from a distance(!!!) as well as an old carcass of a wild calf

-some parts looked like the classic cracked soil with water over it but it looked like the Lion King's badlands mixed with the watering hole(the water) 

-my sandals got caught in the muck and so I had to go barefoot, then pull them out and continue

-then we put out hiking shoes on and headed out the find the old camera traps

-we each took turns using the GPS to find all the cameras as we trekked through the hellish forest filled with cactus, thorn bushes and trees, and Christmas tree bush which is alot like poison ivy

-it took us till about 12 and I was scratched and bruised all over my legs and arms

-Abby got over heated so I have her some of my water and Jessica had to stop for a bit too;I was proud of myself that I didn't !! I carried Abby's bag and camera for her

-Croix used my knife to cut the zip ties so it came in use!

-saw a female in the forest area and even better when Kelly threw her grapes 

-we found all the cameras and brought them back

-we all went to the ocean to cool off. I went in my clothes since they were so dirty anyway

-went back to the hotel and ate a cheese and sprouts sandwich , Doritos, and an apple and oj

-slept for 20mins

-went back out at 3 to bait and set new camera traps

-my partner Abby and I were the last ones to set with Kelly 

-we came back then and Kelly got us all a drink

-I had a jungle juice but only about 1/3 because I was hungry and on an empty stomach

-showered, then ate dinner of a pizza veggie burger and rice with veggies and lemon pepper

-talked about music tastes, waited to learn the computer system for going over data

-saw part of Made in Manhattan and some bike delivery thing with Joseph Gordon Lovett 

-went to bed

BVI Friday

-early morning to be at the dock, ate leftover pizza for breakfast

-took ferry to Anegada which took 1.5hours

-got here and got paired with Paige in a room

-ate a yogurt 

-headed out into field to start looking for iguana burrows and nests

-took quick look at the kick start facility 

-then we swam in the beautiful blue ocean 

-went to eat lunch, had cheese sandwich with chips and some hummus and veggies 

-relaxed

-went back out to the field with group: Croix, Connor M., and Jessica 

-found some possible new burrows and nests and a skeleton of a iguana 

-it rained a bit

-looked more

-headed back and showered

-ate dinner: salad, garlic bread, spaghetti

-looked over what to expect from camera traps data

-bed! 

BVI Thursday

-Up

-breakfast: fruit tart, grape juice, eggs

- boat to Virgin Gorda, which I was super seasick

-jumped off in water

-climbed over a ton of rocks and formations, through cave pools

-got to the beach

-rented snorkel gear, saw tangs, yellow tail, sea urchins, a huge (cartoon like it was so big) school of fish, and other cool fish

-ate a veggie burger for lunch, fed one of the little birds some bread and it took it from my fingers the last time! 

-went with Haley, Myles, Connor (not red), and Erica to the baths and rocks and climbed around and took pics

-snorkeled more

-walked back to through the baths to the place we got dropped off and sat in the shade, took a quick dip, then I shaded myself under my sarong and read

-boat came and we swam out and climbed the back steps

-boat ride was much smoother so I was ok

-showered

-went to get gelato: red orange and Dulche Biscotti, SO good

-then we walked around tourists shops and I got some caribbean honey on the way back at their grocery store

- we hung out and waited for Kelly to get back from grocery shopping for Anegada but she wasn't there so we called and she came back and we put food away and went to Pusser's to eat

-we were all deliriously hungry and Myles started mumbling when trying to get Kelly's attention 

-after all the food mix ups, I finally got my salad with thousand island, and cheese pizza

-took some pizza home to hotel for breakfast since its 6am wake up call! 

-off to Anegada tomorrow!

BVI Wednesday

-got up and went to breakfast at a little bake shop, had a cherry apple muffin , eggs, and cranberry juice

-planned out our meals for Anegada

-went to the ferry dock and found out that because the seas are rough, next ferry is Friday morning so we are staying two more nights in Tortula 

-went to Cane Garden Bay for most of the day

-the ride up was scary as the cars come at you up this mountain and they have to let you through 

-had a piña colada

-swam

-met a local dog who we need Charlie, who knows how to shake

-went to the gift shop

- went to Green VI glAss blowing shop by a man named Lion who will be studying under Chousky (guy who does the cool glass sculptures, the one in the Indy museum) ! Super cool! Got a sun catcher 

-ate a grilled cheese

-swam more

-built a sandcastle 

-swam

-looked for shells

-tried to burry Jessica in the sand

-cab back

-shower!!!!---- got a little sun in back :(

-dinner at a pizza place where I had amazing spinach and artichoke dip that was super cheesy and pieces of a spinach, garlic, feta, mozzarella, and mushroom pizza! 

-came back talked to mom&dad and off to sleep for tomorrow! 

BVI Tuesday

-7am flight out of Indy (1.5hrs)

-arrive in ATL, have protein shake from Freshens before boarding for 3.5hr flight to St.Thomas

-land in St.Thomas where greeted with rum samples

-take taxi to ferry

-long(2hr) ferry ride to Tortula

-taxi (back of car/golf cart ride to A&L inn where a man and son helped me with luggage

-met roommate , Erica

-whole group went to dinner at Pusser's 

Where I had a mini pizza and a cucumber/lemon/lime refresher

-group meeting, talking with each other

-prepare for tomorrow! 

Alex Lesniak in the BVI

New blog of my trip to the British Virgin Islands and my conservation expedition to save the Anegada iguana !