FTV January 26

For our second day in port in Curacao, the cadets had the option to participate in many different activities. LT Magee put some great excursions together. The Cadets could choose to go on a fishing charter, a tropical paint ball, or a kayak/snorkeling trip. One group of Cadets took some of their shore leave time to assist with a humanitarian effort at a local children’s hospital for handicapped and disabled kids. At the hospital the cadets took part in a garden reconstruction project at the hospital.  After their long stretch at sea, some Cadets chose to simply relax at the beach or do some exploring of the island. Between all the different options students had a great time on liberty today.

Personally I choose to relax at the famous Mambo beach all day and I am very excited for tonight when an MMA soccer team made up of students from the boy’s and girl’s MMA team will take on the island’s #1 team in a friendly match. It should be a great game and I can’t wait to share the outcome of the tonight’s match with you tomorrow!

Curacao’s reef is very close to the shore line, which makes snorkeling there so much fun. The cadets who went on the snorkeling tour were able to see a great variety of species of fish and coral right from the beach. One of the best areas to snorkel is the Curacao Underwater Marine Park, at the southeastern end of the island. There you'll find 12 miles of beautiful coral gardens, colorful fish, turtles, dolphins, and even sunken ships.

Learn more about this beautiful reef ecosystem: 
The Life of a Marine Biologist: Coral reefs of Curacao video
Try this: The Changing Coral Reef Community Game. 
Explore the ecological role of sponges on coral reefs