It was my first time...
1) Being on a plane! Well technically my second, but my first time was when I was eight years old and I don't remember it very fondly. This time around I was definitely nervous, but was happy that I wasn't alone. Luckily, I got the window seat so I didn't get bored the entire flight!2) Eating Alligator! I am the pickiest of eaters and never try anything new. When I heard that Dr. Z had ordered alligator bites I was pretty grossed out. Yet everyone was trying it and said that it was fine so I trusted them and had a tiny bite. They weren't bad at all! Now I can go around telling people I had tried alligator and get to see their reaction to it.
3) Seeing and touching a shark in the wild! This was absolutely crazy and I loved every second of it. Shark tagging was probably my favorite part of the trip. All of the sharks we caught were so beautiful and I was very lucky to have been a hand in their research! Plus I got a pretty cool picture out of it too.
4) Snorkeling! I'm a marine science major going into my senior year and it was my first time snorkeling ever. I know. I had a blast both days we went out and could see all the marine life very clearly! I really didn't want to leave the water once we got in, but alas, we had time limits. I'm also very thankful I wasn't the only one snorkeling! Shout out to Colleen, Justin, and Cailin for making snorkeling a great experience!
5) Kayaking in the ocean! It wasn't my first time kayaking overall but it was my first time in the ocean. We claimed an island and named it, got kicked off and moved to another one, and even got to see some dolphins!
6) Feeding tarpon! This was probably the first time any of us have done this and it was pretty funny. The tarpon were so much larger than I had originally thought and feeding them really got my heart racing. Holding the bait over the water, you didn't know when the fish was going to bite. I might have screamed a little and I think a few of us had the pleasure of getting our fingers nibbled at.
Overall, I had the time of my life down in the Florida Keys. It's been full of incredible "firsts" and I'm so glad to have shared it with everyone who went! I have some amazing memories, pictures, and stories to tell and I can't wait to see what the future holds for all of us!
Want to feed a tarpon? Check out Robbie's!
Want to eat alligator too? Here's some nutritional facts.
It definitely was a first for all of us! My first "legal" alcoholic drink was consumed down in the keys! It really was an amazing week and I'm so glad we all became friends
ReplyDeleteI had a ton of "first's" on this trip as well. This trip really expanded my horizons not only in the marine science field but especially when it came to food. I had such a great time with everyone and I cannot wait to go back.
ReplyDeleteThe tarpon were so scary! I did not think they could get that big and they were pretty vicious too! I really thought I would get my hand bit off and they jumped out of the water too! I hope I never come face to face with one in the wild lol I don't think I'd go for alligator again but at least almost all of us gave it a try! The kayaking and the shark tagging were definitely highlights of the trip!
ReplyDeleteThe trip was memorable and I will relive all of it all over again. The company was great and I made new friendships along the way. I had many firsts in the keys as well from the alligator bites to trying hummus it was all magical and fun (especially the shark tagging!)
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