This morning we went to church and a monk-like priest ran the service, although we could only catch a few words out of everything he said. We found entertainment in a little girl a couple of rows in front of us who kept squirming around and pushing into her brother. It reminded me a lot of myself. Since it was Father's Day, Roger and Dr. Hains got tags to wear. 
    We returned to the station to change clothes and then hiked around the crater of Freshwater Lake. There were some super steep stairs that went up to the peak of a pretty sizeable hill. Anywhere else I would call it a mountain but not next to these peaks. Dr. Hains was waiting for us at the end of the trail and showed us a mechanism used to monitor the rainfall in the area. Meteorologists claim that Freshwater Lake recieves over 400 inches in rainfall each year based on altitute and environment. Researchers are keeping track of rainfall to test the validity of those claims. 
    I find it amazing that there was Elfin Woodland on and near the dam at Freshwater Lake (the dam was added to optimize hydropower) because higher points on a nearby trail have regular rain forest. We have concluded that "David's Orchid", so named because it only appeared on the island after Hurricane David in 1979, came here by the hurricane winds from Martinique, which is about 30 miles south of Dominica.  At first they thought it came all they way from where the hurricane originated in Africa, but there were populations of the small purple orchid on Martinique pre-1979. We noticed a high concentration of a cohabitation of an algae-fungus group which indicates low nitrogen levels in the atmosphere. The algae-fungus, which looks like frosted moss-grass, releases excess nitrogen for other plants. There was also another type of algae on the gravel which appeared to be spilled gas but was thin and crispy.
    After the hike we rode to Soufriere where there are hot sulfur springs. These are built up so the water flows from cement tub to tub through PVC pipes and each large tub has a canopy.  At one of the lower pools some Rastafarians were smoking marijuana. Unfortunately, all of the pools looked grimy like our mud water in South Carolina due to iron deposits and dirt.  
    I finally got to drink from a fresh coconut today, for just $1 US. As soon as the guy chopped off the top it squirted out coconut water, showing it was the perfect ripeness. It was a lot sweeter than what I had expected; I later found out that coconut milk is less tasty because it comes from an over-ripe coconut or from the juice blended with the meat. We could only drink a small portion of its contents and then I gave the rest to our chefs at the station.
    Then we went down to the ocean where there were a couple more hot springs in the ocean water. There was a very interesting character in one of the pools and we could not figure out if it was a he or a she. "It" was rather plump and just wearing shorts; when we came up he/she/it was belly-down in the water making funny noises and blowing bubbles. "It" stood up a little while later and exposed a rather woman-like front side. Later tonight our chef Sandra told us that HE is a local celebrity; they call him He-he or She-she and he's a great performer. He wears all red to special events, even red heels.
    We tried for the last time to see the Green Flash, but it was too hazy. Dinner was amazing! Sandra made the best lasagna I have ever tasted. None of that cottage cheese filling junk, this was lasagna as it should be. I normally don't like peanut butter on its own anymore, but Sandra made some wonderful light peanut butter ice cream paired with a shortcake that was almost like angel food cake. We are being pampered here for sure.

    We had a very relaxed morning. For some reason Prof. Hains thought we would be too tired and would need an extra nap after breakfast, but that was just him. Since we already went to market day last Saturday, we just wanted to go to the Kalinago Territory today. That is their name for themselves; Europeans called them the Caribs. Either way, they were the first people to inhabit the island, coming from Mongolia/Russia over the Bering Strait, down through Mexico, and off the coast of Venezuela island-hopping up through the Eastern Caribbean. They used large gommier trees to create canoes that could haul as many as 120 people from island to island, creating villages as they went. The Kalinagos on Dominica often used canoes to migrate around the island to optimize the best seasons for fishing and gathering. They also have a trail which is over 100 miles long and can be completed in sections.
    They gave us a tour of a model village with amazing coastal views and we collected some bright red seeds that can be used to make necklaces. Then we went to where some older Carib women were weaving baskets and I got several items for much cheaper than you could ever find at Charleston Market. Then we went to lunch at a place that was supposed to have some really good Caribbean food, but it turned out the owner was out of town until September so all they served us was fried chicken (on the bone), plaintain fries, and cucumbers. Let's just say I was very disappointed because I don't like dealing with bones nor do I like cucumbers. 
    Then we dropped off our souveniers and went down to Roseau for Diane to get some Dramamine for the flight back. When Dr. Hains threatened that if we didn't go shopping we would start working on snails again, we went on the hunt for a chance to drink directly from a coconut. We took a while doing that, but without success. Then we went to the mouth of the Checkhall River and surveyed the placement of our painted snails. Most of the snails either progressed or at least stayed near where we placed them. There was one pink painted snail that managed to go 30 meters backwards, but I suppose that was not attached to rock well and got swept away by waves and current. 
    On the walk to the rocky beach we were flanked on one side by the Checkhall River and the other by grasses taller than me. Today we heard goats in the grass. Kala and I found the goats tethered up to graze, so we found some discarded soda bottles and filled them in the river and tried to give the goats some water. The first one we came to and the one in the middle readily accepted water, but others were too skiddish. There was a mother goat with two tiny kids following her around, but she would not accept water from us.

     This morning we had to be at the Fort Young Hotel at 8am to meet for our trip to Boiling Lake; it is one destination which requires a guide. The four of us students and a man named James climbed into a mini-bus driven by Clem James, one of the guides. James is from England, a volcanologist PhD student. Dr. Hains chose not to go on this trip because his back was still bothering him some from the fall at Trafalgar Falls and he had already been there five times. Close to the trailhead, we picked up our guide for the hike, Elvis Stedman, in the village of Laudat. Once Clem dropped us off at the trailhead, we began a quick hike over rocks to a bridge that crossed over water pipes and the lower part of Ti Tou Gorge. Soon we passed a building under construction to be used as a concession stand and began our real hike up the now infamous stairs. The corner of each step is a log of some sort; sometimes they are fern tree trunks with great traction, but more often they are made of smooth wood with criss-cross cuts which are much more slippery. The base of the step is filled with dirt or mud and sometimes includes small rocks. 
    Elvis was very good about stopping along the way to give us a chance to catch our breath while telling us about the plant life, wildlife, or other properties of the land. He showed us an upper view of Ti Tou Gorge’s waterfall and several aromatic plants. One tree has aphrodisiac qualities, contains aluminum, and is termite-resistant. Further up the trail some of us swung on a vine like Tarzan. Later we crossed Breakfast River and immediately travelled up the Hill of Death. Near the top of the hill, which is actually a mountain, we entered the Elfin Woodland, so named because all of the vegetation, particularly the normally tall trees, grew much shorter. Since they are already at high elevation, they don’t need to reach high for sunlight. Plus, the strong winds would surely knock them over.
               Unfortunately, Kala had an asthma attack on the way up. Diane and Roger coined the phrase “respiratory turrets” because Kala began cussing in frustration at the asthma attack. We finally reached the top of the mountain, which had been cleared and was a great resting spot. Then we continued down the other side of the mountain to the Valley of Desolation. Doing a crab crawl down the slope, we finally made it down to the level of some boiling pits. The place smelled of boiling eggs. The rocks and small streams were covered in mineral deposits: white calcium, yellow sulfur, iron, and so on. If anyone was wearing silver or cheap gold, it would turn black. The only notable life in the valley was a maroon colored moss. Elvis dug a few handfuls of gray mud from under a rock and put it on his face as a mud mask. The ladies and James soon followed suit, having to add some water to make it spread better. The Valley of Desolation was quite possibly my favorite part about the hike.
        About 20 minutes later, we washed our faces in another stream with heavy mineral deposits found in a wooded area. We practically had to rock climb for another portion of the way, then we arrived at Boiling Lake. The lake was like a mixture of jade and turquoise, with a huge boiling portion in the center. Of course steam was rising from it and some of the smaller boiling pits; the edge of the lake had a temperature of about 290 degrees Fahrenheit. We ate lunch about fifty feet above the lake, never going down to the water’s edge. Meanwhile, I began thinking about Chic-fil-a and how they claim to have invented the chicken sandwich. Thus, I asked James if they had chicken sandwiches in England; proving Truett Cathy’s claim wrong. But no one else understood my reasoning and they just found it astounding that I would ask such a question. On the return hike, Elvis got a message that thunderstorms were predicted in the Boiling Lake area around 4’oclock.  Just after we left the top of the mountain again, it started to rain hard enough for us to all put on rain jackets. Luckily the rain stopped after about 10 minutes.
         Once we got down the slippery steps to Breakfast River again, Roger and I took water samples to test for E. coli later in the week since people often drink from that water on the hike. After making it across the rocks to the other side, Elvis told us to continue back at our own paces. Roger, James, and I went ahead while Elvis stayed with Kala and Diane. James and I swung on the jungle vine again and occasionally chatted about differences between the US and England. Dr. Hains was waiting for us at the end of the trail picking up trash. We changed into swimsuits and went swimming up through the gorge to the waterfall. I was scared to go in there by myself because it was like entering a dark cave. I didn't notice the four foot crevice at the top where light could come in. Once into the cavelike surroundings, I managed to get within five or six feet of the waterfall before the current was so strong it wouldn't let me get any closer. 
        We all piled into the rental car and went back to Fort Young Hotel, where James was staying. We sat in the bar area and had drinks for a bit (I had a banana smoothie). We said our goodbyes and returned to the station for dinner and no lecture!

    This morning I almost lost a water shoe to the puppy Matt. He followed me upstairs and when I went back onto the veranda, one shoe was missing. Who could blame him? Those shoes stank of the ocean, river water, and hikes. Luckily, Dr. Hains found my shoe behind one of the other guest houses on the property with only the inner insert separated from the main part of the shoe. Then we went to Dominica’s Botanical Garden and met with author Arlington James, who wrote several books on the species of birds found on the island and flowers and fauna in some areas. He told us the history of the Forestry department, effects of Hurricane David in 1979, and some other facts about making childhood toys before showing us different species of plants, flowers, and his specialty: palms. While I enjoyed learning which trees are palms and which are not, I don’t think I have retained much of the detailed information he told us. Everyone else in the group was taking notes, so I felt rude not to write something. Dr. Hains leant me his note pad. I guess I was expecting more of tour of the gardens and emphasis on history and culture rather than a botany class. Nonetheless, I found entertainment in perfecting photos of flower blooms and watching kids from the nearby schools enjoy nature and recess. Kala and I discovered that the leaves on a cinnamon tree have a bit of a citrus scent, which to me is preferable to cinnamon bark.
               After the garden lecture, which was almost unbearable at times because we stood for so long in one place and couldn’t eat the fruit from the trees, we rushed back to the station to change into swimsuits. Eating lunch in the car, we headed to Champagne Reef. Once we got our flippers, we noticed a hand-sized rock fall down on the path just outside of the shelter. Apparently someone was trying to knock down coconuts with rocks and got into a heap of trouble from the guy getting our supplies together. On our trip down the boardwalk, which went most of the length of the beach so we wouldn’t have to topple over rocks, we saw dozens of lizards. Some brown ones were an invasive species from Puerto Rico; there were also large blue ones and several large iguanas. Just a few yards from the end of the boardwalk, we put on our flippers and made our way into the reef. 
        Almost immediately we found sea urchins, Sergeant Major fish, a snake-like eel, and other fish I can’t name. Later I spotted a couple of reef squid, which Diane called cuddlefish. I had a happy time following some parrot fish around, they were so colorful with every color in the rainbow. The one I was watching was about two feet long and had a purplish base color with streaks of green on his face as if a Native American warrior had painted him up. His top fin had almost iridescent lavender, while his tail had a stripe of orange, yellow, and lime green. The rest of his body looked like a rich, watercolor mixture of indigo, purple, blue, and a deeper green. Forget the Imperial Parrot and the "Jaco" Parrot native to the island’s trees, I like the parrot fish much more. After exploring more of the reef, we made our way back to shore but not before swimming through the bubbles rising from the reef floor which give the area is namesake. There was a significant temperature change as we went over the warm reef in shallow water and then passed over the champagne part  in a trench which was probably about ten degrees cooler than the surrounding water.
               We drove just a little bit down south along the coast and made it to Scott’s Head, the southernmost tip of the island. The peninsula is tipped with a steep hill that has a radio tower of some sort on it, and it is connected by a land bridge. During one hurricane, the land bridge was utterly wiped away, making Scott’s Head into Scott’s Island. But soon the Atlantic Ocean built up sand and dirt deposits until finally the isthmus was renewed, making enough space for a natural road with extra space on the sides. We drove partway and then explored the rest on foot, becoming the first Clemson students to ever reach the top of the mountain on Scott’s Head. It was not a difficult task, but all the classes before us were challenged by rain and storms. Besides a tiny lighthouse, literally about 7 feet tall, I found the remains of a fort or watch-base, with a cannon facing toward Dominica across a Caribbean bay. 

    We ended our day with our last supper with the Texan family; they are leaving tomorrow morning/afternoon. Then we had a quick lecture on the greenhouse effect, which in a positive light will allow us to grow bananas and citrus fruits in South Carolina.

I apologize for not updating the blog, but I haven't been able to connect to the internet the past few days. Pictures load really slowly, but I will add them as I have time.
               We began our day by packing up and moving our things from the Stream House to the lab while we waited on rooms to be readied in the main building. This will make it easier for the ladies to clean our rooms and such, since they don’t have to travel along the road. After we cleaned out the empty aquarium, we rode over to the Rosalie River and collected some larger snails from an area just upstream of the estuary. Already they moved about the buckets quicker. There were lots of egg pods on the rocks as well. We were about to explore a gravel road to the left of the river mouth when we got up to some truly dangerous parts. We would have needed a Jeep with four-wheel drive and great traction to get up that road. It looked like they were in the process of construction because it did have cement on the sides. However, we had a terrific opportunity for pictures of the Atlantic Ocean.
        When we returned back to the station lab, we sorted the new snails into size groups and perfected our painting technique on yesterday’s group. Using three larger tubes, we set out to race the snails 20 centimeters before and after snail polish, measuring and weighing each snail. A few snails did great and got to their destination in under 3 minutes once we added a trail of water for them to follow down the tube. A good many of the snails decided to turn back early and go the other way, so we just had to keep track of where they had been for a total of 20 centimeters. Still, a stubborn few refused to move at all in the tubes. We simply wrote “NM” for no movement if they hadn’t done anything after about 5 minutes. It was a very long process and took us until lunch time to complete the experiment on 15 medium sized snails. The snails in the other containers, where we had counted out 15 or 30 of them, liked to crawl on top of each other and out to explore the table. We were constantly returning them back to their respective lids or petri dishes. The itty-bitty ones, no bigger than a hungry tick, did not venture out quite as much, but we typically had a lid on their dish anyway. 
        After lunch, we painted most of yesterday’s snails with four different colors; pink, blue, green, and yellow. We took them back down to the Checkhall River mouth and returned them by color-coating at 10 meter intervals getting further away from the freshwater. We will check tomorrow morning to see what sort of progress they have made. While we were down that way, we went to pick up our handmade sandals. Diane and Roger wanted postcards to send back to the States, and I went by the bank. On the way back to the car, we found one of the last available copies of our textbook, The Dominica Story, and got some ice cream. I had orange and amaretto (two different flavors, not a mixture of them). 
        Apparently the locals think something strange about me; I’m not sure of whether it is good or bad. Roger and Kala were telling me that an older lady kept watching me as we went down the street, and got her friend’s attention, too. I’m not sure what caught their attention. They proposed that perhaps I looked like an actress to them, but I wonder if they thought my blonde hair meant I was bad news. Prof. Hains told us a story about how the people in Turkey have statues and paintings of a blue eye. When he asked about it, everyone was reluctant to say anything. His friend told him that was the evil eye, because all of Turkey’s conquerors had blues eyes and the paintings are supposed to keep these evil eyed people from attacking them again. A few days ago at the Rosalie River, a man asked me if I was Russian. I have heard that question several times now. When people hear me called Izzy, they immediately think I am French.
        Once we got back to the station, our rooms were ready so we moved our belongings. Now the ladies’ room had six single beds, each with a mosquito net canopy. Diane felt that we are like princesses. We had a large bathroom with a bidet toilet (and a regular one). I instinctively thought it was a urinal without a backing on it. It had a water faucet like a sink and all, but I don’t plan on using it. We also have our own private staircase and veranda. Roger’s room had a doorway that connects to ours, so he could wake us up in the morning. He had a double bed, a bathroom with an extra doorway (which was locked), and his own private staircase as well. Although we haven’t seen Dr. Hains’ room, we assume he picked the best for himself. And we know for sure he had a soaking tub. I’m not sure I would want to soak in the water here; there are plenty of other things to do. But it is good for his hurt back from his fall a few days ago when he slid on a boulder at the hot springs.
        I am going to have to start telling the chef to fix me less food. I think I am gaining my Freshman 15 now; and I was so happy before that I hadn’t gained it this year. It is fine when we have been hiking all day, but today we did very little strenuous activity so I have no reason to eat so much. While it is all delicious (I have even come to appreciate beans some more), I must ask for smaller portions tomorrow. By the way, we had goat meat tonight.

    I officially woke up at 6:30 today and just sort of lounged around until breakfast time. Today the Mother Kitty came out begging for breakfast from us. Her two kittens are about 3 weeks old now. We shared some bread and then Kala set her cereal bowl down. Mother Kitty is my name for her, I don't believe she has a real name here. She is just a kitten herself. The station also has two dogs; Trig is old and has cataracts, while Matt is just a few months old and is going to be neutered on Saturday. 
    Our plan for today was to see the Texas A&M people off and then begin our research. After we cleaned two fish tanks for storing the snails, we headed down to the city to run some quick errands before collecting our specimens. I continue to forget their scientific name; unless I see it written, I don't think I will ever remember it. Regardless, we went to a hardware store and I finally decided to purchase a cutlass; the blade is made in England so it is good steel. Roger also needed some new sunglasses; his went missing somewhere at the hot springs at Trafalgar Falls yesterday. Then we went to mouth of Canefield River, where we have been numerous times to try to see the Green Flash and whatnot. Together, we collected over 100 snails from the north side of the river mouth; plus 11 larger ones from the south side, where we will be calculating the population density. 
    When we returned back to the station, we deposited our snails in one of the aquariums and assured that each one was facing downward so it could get a hold of the tank glass. Transferring the snails from the estuary mix of salt and fresh water into pure freshwater, we were to find out later that this put the animals into shock. Meanwhile, we waved goodbye to the Texas A&M crew, leaving just three other researchers, a geologist couple and their high school son, here until Friday. A nice girl named Juliet, who had given us tips earlier in the week and sat with us at dinner one night, left us extra sunscreen and bug spray. 
    We took an early lunch and discussed our plans for carrying out our study. We needed to determine if the snails could transplant effectively from salt to fresh water, how fast they could move in correlation with their mass, and if nail polish had any effect on their racing abilities when it was applied appropriately to the shell as a marker. Before testing these, we had to find/create small, narrow racing tubes, perfect our polishing methods (because the last group did not let the polish dry enough before returning the snails to water), and divide the snails into groups based on size. We measured the longest part of their shell by millimeters and used an ulta-sensitive scale for their mass. Lengths measured from 3.5mm of the smallest snails  to 14mm of the largest one in our sample group. Masses ranged from .03grams to about .89g; with our small group categorized as .03-.13g, the medium group as .14-.48g, and the large group from .49-.89g. We tried various positions of the tubes to see which one the snails preferred best to do our races: flat, open-ended; flat, closed-end; upright, open-ended; upright, closed-end; and upright with water. We observed the most movement from the flat, closed-end model, so we decided to use that for our races. 
    Dr. Hains discussed with us about the Russian-proven model for observations; 60 comes up time and time again as the magic number, but it has since been cut down to 30 observations necessary to compare data and confirm research. Thus, we had to come up with a way to get 30 observations from each size group before and 30 after we add "snail polish". For the small and medium groups, this was easy because there were many more than 30 snails for those. For the large ones, we only had 11 snails. So we decided to use 10 of them and race them 3 times before and after. We measured and weighed the large snails, put them in order, then set them up for racing. They didn't move so we started setting up a set of 6 medium snails to race. They didn't move either. We squirted water in the tubes. Still barely any movement. We put the tubes in a tray with water, so the snails would constantly be in water. Still no movement. They were shaken up and disoriented, and more importantly in shock from too much fresh water at once. I hope we didn't kill the little guys, but they all seemed to go into a comatose state.
    Later we found out that Dr. Hains led us on that path on purpose; the group before had better success because they used salt water. We cleaned up for the day and went to Emerald Pool for a relaxing swim. Dr. Hains stayed behind at the rest shelter, his leg & knee sore from sliding on a slippery boulder on the way to the hot springs. Diane and Kala would not get near the water, so it was just Roger and I swimming. I explored a bit on the surrounding rocks and encountered probably a dozen lizards and a few river crabs. We were soon joined by a couple afraid of the chilly water. As we were packing up, another couple came in...it just wasn't as nice as when we first went there with the sun shining down on the crystal-jade water and not a soul in earshot. 
    On the way back, we stopped at a roadside cafe named Miranda's for some real Dominican food and a "Pre-dinner Dinner". We had some fish cakes, basically extra large hushpuppies, and Kala and Diane split a...wait for it...chicken salami sandwich that tasted neither like chicken nor salami. Miranda did make some incredible hot sauce, though. Made from local peppers, it put the store-bought hot sauce to shame. I had to dilute it with a lot of ketchup. We bought a bottle of it before we left for only $2 US ($5 EC).
    At real dinner, there were just eight of us, compared to the nearly full dining room last night. Then we had a lecture on water and the energy in the atmosphere.
    

               After breakfast today we went into Canefield and Roseau, which seem to mesh together, to exchange some cash at the bank. During our wait, we saw some of the Texas A&M girls with new sandals made in town. We had to find this place. On the way, we found a place that sells nutmeg and cinnamon. Do you all want some? Then we walked into the shoemaker’s shop, they traced our feet and drew the design we wanted based on other shoes in the store. I chose a flip-flop design truly unique to anything I’ve seen before for EC-$100, which is US-$27. At several points throughout the day we stopped by some hardware stores to look for a nice cutlass. I have been comparing prices and quality, but we still have to check by two more stores.

               Our adventure hike today was to Middleham Falls. The path was part dirt/log stairs, part slippery rocks, and part adventurous tree roots. I tried my best to keep up with Prof. Hains and did pretty well. A few days ago I was called a 19 year-old baby goat. In that case Prof. Hains is a very experienced goat and Diane is a shepherd, usually travelling in the middle of all of us and she carried a stick today. I didn’t take very many pictures today; it was too wet to get my camera out in most cases. I did, however, manage to get a picture of a small, green-spotted snake that Prof. Hains caught on the trail. It let off a musky scent on his hands but never attempted to bite. It wasn’t raining on us, but it rained last night so there was more water in the streams that we crossed over last night and such. Once we got to Middleham Falls, there was a lot of spray coming off onto the viewing platform. The current looked pretty rough, but Prof. Hains went down and swam across the pool at the bottom of the waterfall anyway. Once on the trail Prof. Hains told us that he was going to take his time and for us to go ahead. Our ideas for his decision were that he needed to recuperate, wanted to get algae samples from the streams, or wanted to get us ready to hike without him to Boiling Lake. After we had lunch at a pavilion about halfway back on the trail, Prof. Hains left us in the dust. Still, we stayed in pairs until the end.

               We intended on hiking around Freshwater Lake, but it was far too cloudy. Although we would be able to see where we needed to, it would be a very wet and uncomfortable hike. Instead, we went over to Trafalgar Falls where geothermal rocks help create hot springs. Many hot pools poured into each other, getting slightly cooler as they went further down. They were all too hot for me after the short hike down to them. Instead, I found the perfect spot where water from down from one of the water falls met with the hot water, and I sat on a rock where one leg was warm and the other cool, mixing the water around me to cool down or warm up. Roger sat close by in the cool water, while the others sat in one of the higher hot pools. 
    Afterwards we went to another shop to look for a decent cutlass. I should also note that all of the kids are still in school; each school has its own color for uniforms. We rode through a district with at least three schools all there together with the botanical garden. Later this week we will recieve a walking lecture in the botanical gardens with a guest speaker. Then we went back to Springfield for an hour or so to work on journals and then trekked down to the mouth of the Checkhall river to try for a second time to see the “Green Flash”. It occurs as the setting sun hits the seascape horizon, but it can only be seen on a clear evening. Even though there was a thin cloud just above the horizon, we continued in hopes that the sun would go below it. Indeed, the sun did go below that cloud with room to spare before the sea, but there was a haze partially from ashes of a fire on the mountain above.

There is a mountain directly in our view from our porch with one lone tree at the top, stuck in a windblown position from harsh hurricanes. We have concluded that its prop roots which branch out several feet above the ground surface must help keep it steady. Somehow amongst hurricanes and fires it has prospered. The only major plant-life that has joined this tree is lemongrass. But today an individual set fire to this lemongrass, as they do periodically (though not with the forestry division). I cannot see any glow on the mountain as I write this evening, so the fire must have been contained to the lower part of the opposite side.

    We started the day out early for breakfast before the 8:00 Catholic church service. On the way to church, we saw one of the workers at Springfield station who is pregnant (due in September with a boy; he has 3 brothers and 3 sisters) and we turned around and gave her a ride to work. Then we hurried back down the mountain to church and got inside just as they were singing the last few introduction songs. I actually understood a good bit more of the priest's speech than I expected, since most of the people speak Creole.  They were celebrating the first communion for just over a dozen young ones. They all dressed in their best suits and the little girls wore fancy white dresses; some had veils, tiaras, and gloves. Then the rest of the congregation had communion, but seeing as how most of our group isn't Catholic, we didn't participate in their communion. Prof. Hains told one of the ladies behind us that we were Presbyterian, which is close enough I guess. Their musical rendition of The Lord's Prayer was so beautiful; much more upbeat than any version I've heard before and they used various instruments for an awesome harmony. I wish I could've recorded it on camera. 
    The service got out at about 10 and then we went to Fort Young, which is now a high-end resort spot. We had smoothies at the outdoor bar (actually virgin daquaries; I had banana). They host tour groups, so we will be travelling with one of their tour guides to Boiling Lake later this week. The veranda reminded me of Charleston, but it had much better views because you could see mountains on the side and the sea wasn't crowded with ships.
    We returned to the station for our bag lunch (a sandwich, banana, a pack of crackers, cookies, and a Capri-Sun). Then we headed up to Freshwater Lake where some other tourists were kayaking. I couldn't figure out what language they were speaking; definitely not English or Spanish, perhaps it was French or Portuguese. The lake was formed by a volcano's crater where a smaller volcano peak rose inside it. One side of the open part of the crater is Freshwater Lake, the other side is Boeri Lake, where we hiked to next. On the way, a small drainage stream of cold water flowed between the mountain and the road, and one pipe emerging from the mountain let out warm water from a hot spring. Then we began our trecherous hike beginning with stairs made from dirt and logs (some of the fibrous logs were made out of tree ferns), which later commenced to slippery rocky sections. One had to be careful about footing and placement, being sure to have a hand on some other surface on occasion. Prof. Hains was glad he brought his machette (which the Dominican's call a cutlass) when he had to chop up debris from a fallen tree. We tiptoed across streams, while Kala decided to just wade across and forget about keeping her feet dry. Finally, redfaced and a bit out of breath at that altitude, we made it to Boeri Lake. It was nice and chilly, but quite refreshing after the hike. The shore was completly made of rock, so I'm glad I brought my water shoes so I could get a grip and have flexible footing. They also helped to avoid that slippery algea feeling on the wet rocks. A couple of Europeans came up and took pictures of the mountain tops covered in clouds, as we observed the clouds lowering towards us into the valley of the lake. 
    On the hike back down to our parking spot, Prof. Hains took some algae samples from the streams we crossed over and we ran across a fairly large crab. Be sure to check out the pictures in a few days (they upload really slowly so I need to wait until I have ample time for my computer to wait). 
    We took a break at the concession stand at Freshwater Lake and I had the most delicious cheese sandwhich I have ever tasted, that's not hunger talking! The guy added some kind of special sauce that included mayonaise and ketchup, and some other seasoning. He had a pit bull puppy just 3 months old named Singe. I tried to get some pictures of an orchid plant but they don't do it justice. We planned on walking a trail that goes around Freshwater Lake, but the clouds began to sink into the small valley. 
    On the ride home, we saw large pipes made of Douglass Fir tree (which is imported from another island). The boards were held together by straps no more than 5 inches apart. As long as the wood stays wet, it will not dissentigrate. On the steeper slopes they used steel or cement. These pipes carried water from the mountain to hydropower plants below; the steepest slopes make for the best return on electricity. Using 3 hydropower stations, Dominicans get 25% energy outflow. A diesel station in the city, however, only gets about 10% energy outflow. We rode about the towns and saw the Princess Margaret Hospital.

    Continental breakfast started at 7 this morning; there was fresh guava juice. We drove to Roseau to visit the market. There were just a few panhandlers by the coast, but they weren't bad. One tried to step into my picture of the mountains in the distance and said it cost $2 for a picture of him. Once out of the market, which was mainly just food and only a couple of woven hat stations, we found some souvenier spots all clumped together. I checked the prices on some woven baskets, but Prof. Hains advised us to buy them at the Cabrits, where the indigenous indians make them.
    The roads are so long and windy that most people either walk to their destination or catch one of the many fast-driving mini buses going in their direction. We took a short drive on the way back to the station to the mouth of "Check-hall" river. I'm sure that's not how it's spelled but that's what I hear. We found some specimens of the type of snail we are going to be studying, along with some marine species as well. Our snails are black with small but close-together white spots. They are amphidromous, meaning they are spawned in fresh water, spend their larval stage in salt water, and then travel upstream as juveniles through adulthood. 
    After putting bathing suits under our clothes, we headed up to Emerald Pool. It's a gorgeous jade-colored pool at the bottom of a waterfall that, over the millienia, has worked its way further and further back and created an alcove in the rock below. You will see this in some of the pictures. The stream flowing out of the pool has created a small gorge with steep banks. The light came down over the waterfall perfectly and we were the only people there on a Saturday afternoon. We went swimming in the pool and I could see my feet clearly, even the rocks I stood on. I even stood under the waterfall, although the pounding on my head wasn't the most pleasant experience of the trip. With snorkle masks on, we could see a few freshwater shrimp and gobies (small gray fish). Along the trail we got some other interesting pictures and found a stick bug remnicent of a praying mantis. We also saw part of a trail created by the Carib indians long before Columbus' crew came to the island.  
    Next we went to another river mouth called the Rosalie, passed by a site used in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean 2, and found that our snails preferred a more freshwater mix in the estuary rather than the salty waves of from the Atlantic Ocean. They also seemed to populate the darker colored rocks slightly more than lighter ones. The rocks were very slippery; in fact, most of the coast is rock. One family taught us how to extract almonds from their shell using rocks; they tasted wonderful. 
    We returned back to the station for dinner. After dinner I went by the bar (it's actually attached to the dining room) and asked the bartender, Clinton, if he made any virgin drinks. He said all he has without alcohol is soda water with lime. However, I did smell some of the other Dominican specialties, particularly rum punch and another kind of rum they drink at Christmas time. Unfortunately, they all smelled too strong of alcohol for my taste. Everyone loves Kabuli, the locally brewed beer, but I don't care for the smell of beer anyway.

    When the island came into view of the airplane, we saw some magnificent, lush mountains. It's a shame they wouldn't allow electronics to be on to take pictures. As we circled about the north end of the island, we saw rooftops along the prominent roads, rarely far from the roadside other than a few agricultural properties. Some land was grassy and we could see abandoned ruins of shanties damaged by hurricanes, but most of the land was uninterrupted tree life. Among other forest leaves that look similar to the Appalachain mountains from a distance, if you can imagine them without pines, the palms and other tropical trees towered in their midst. 
    Upon landing, immigration and customs was very quick considering that two flights came in at about the same time. My luggage was a bit dirty, but customs did not bother to go through our bags; probably because they recognized Professor Hains and knew why we were here. We rented a small SUV, which Prof. Hains drove on the left side of the road, and took the older of two routes to our lodging at Clemson's facility called Springfield in St. Paul. When we stopped for gas an older woman walked up o the car asking for money for bread; though we apologetically denied. The ride was roughly an hour long beside the coast, through mountains, over rivers, and past shanties and people walking along the road. A couple of times we passed some guys who made cat calls going "Sssssssss"; Prof. Hains said that last year some of the girls on the trip caught the guys' attention and they were called "white chocolate." Gosh I hope they don't say that to me! I'd rather be called sugar or butter; I don't like white chocolate...it just doesn't cut it as chocolate.
    When we got to Clemson's property, Prof. Hains went off-roading a little to show us an old guest house called the "Bee House" and grabbed up some lemon grass for us to smell just by reaching his hand out the window. It was planted as an experiment for agricultural diversification. Clemson also has an overgrown area of banana trees.
    After getting back on the main road, we entered the Springfield-Archbold station, a nice set of buildings and a beautiful garden. There's no powered air conditioning, but there's really no need. We are so high in altitude that even the middle of the day is comfortable outdoors. Most of the windows have screens on them & slats so we leave them open. Our group from Clemson is staying in the Stream Guest House, just on the other side of a stream from the rest of the buildings. Texas A&M has a larger group using the dorm rooms; they leave Tuesday. There are 3 bedrooms, 2 of which have on-suite bathrooms. We do have hot water! It is heated as it comes out the showerhead at the flip of a switch. The ladies' room has two single beds and a bunk bed; I'm on the top bunk next to the window. :)
    Before dinner at 7, Kala, Diane and I went down through the garden to a pool in the stream just a short walk through the forest. We noticed crab legs along the path where birds left the remains of their snack. Some of the rocks down by the pool were a bit unstable, giving us practice for future excursions. Prof. Hains has told us that Springfield has soap that we can use to bathe in the pool. 
    At dinner we had some kind of purple potato-like things called "dasheens". I'm sure that's not the correct spelling. They are a root plant but when we saw the plants growing on the roadside they looked strikingly similar to elephant ear plants. After dinner we ventured into the laboratory to grab some outlet converters and other equipment for our studies. Then Roger, a teacher in Charleston's alternative school, showed up by taxi; he had taken a later flight on a different route. We finally settled in for the night.