BONEFISH SPAWNING AND RESTORATION
Join marine researchers on Abaco as they study the bonefish movement and behavior pre-spawn, during spawn, and post-spawn. Studying specific bonefish spawning sites in the Bahamas will provide information on the Bahamas bonefish population and guide fishing regulations in the area. This is done through visual observation via SCUBA and collection of wild bonefish. Guests can take part in the research, and can dive along with the scientists during the spawning events where hundreds of bonefish come together only a few times a year.
SHARKS IN TIGER BEACH
If you want to get up close and personal with a tiger shark, this is the trip for you. This is also a unique opportunity to work with expert researchers from the RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program at the University of Miami. Guests will have the opportunity to work alongside researchers as they pull sharks up onto the tagging platform, take measurements and tag each tiger shark as part of ongoing research on the Little Bahama Bank. Approximately 20 miles north of West End, Grand Bahama Island, is Tiger Beach, a well-known spot for shark activity. SeaKeepers researchers will educate guests on various shark species, especially the tiger shark which gives Tiger Beach its name. Additional opportunities include assisting with hydrophone work (hydrophones are mounted to the seafloor to record tagged sharks passing by) and enjoying a shark dive with a leading shark scientist as your guide.
CORAL NURSERY AND MONITORING
Washington, DC went dry in 1917 thanks to Congress, but the city turned out to be anything but a model dry city. Bootleggers kept the district well stocked with liquor to supply the city's 3,000 speakeasies. The Potomac River had a key role in Washington's defiance to dry law. We'll explore brothels and Sunday saloons in Rosslyn, shootouts with the police on the 14th Street Bridge, bootleggers bringing "hootch" by boat up the river, Navy nurses bringing rum up from Cuba to the Navy Yard, and even a speakeasy on a boat. You'll learn about Congress's chief bootlegger, George Cassiday, and how Martin's Tavern in Georgetown - founded in 1933 - sold liquor in the waning days of Prohibition. And, lest you fear that this will be a dry cruise, our yacht will serve as your personal speakeasy for the day as you learn how to make cocktails such as the Rickey and the Scofflaw.
NASSAU GROUPER SPAWNING
A haven for fishing, diving and boating, Long Island sits on the edge of the Bahamas and not too far away is a well-known grouper spawning area. Nassau Grouper populations are dwindling due to overfishing and these spawning areas are extremely important to the recovery and sustainability of the species. Watch researchers dive during the spawning events to study fish behavior and make counts. Guests can become part of this exciting research by SCUBA diving or snorkeling with the research team. These spawning events are enormous and bring hundreds to thousands of groupers together to make it a once-in-a-lifetime experience (December through February around the full moon).
SAWFISH RESEARCH
Few cities have a wild river passing their front door, and this river provides not only countless recreation opportunities, but also the DC area's drinking water. This catch-all narrated tour will explore this river and its many historic sites as well as its natural features, from the Three Sisters in the Potomac Gorge to Roosevelt Island, to the slowly healing Anacostia River. On-water activities such as paddle boarding, fishing or kayaking can be arranged. Full day charters will visit the Potomac Gorge with the opportunity to explore a colonial mill and industrial site where the Declaration of Independence and other key federal documents were hidden while the British burned Washington in 1814. An optional excursion to Great Falls includes a picnic near an amazing waterfall and a hike on the Billy Goat Trail along the edge of Mather Gorge.
CORAL REEF RESEARCH
Join SeaKeepers coral reef researchers for a reef-mapping expedition on the many intricate coral patch reefs off the Florida Keys. Spend a day or more offshore diving and snorkeling with reef scientists as they share their knowledge of the reef with you and create a large-scale map of the area to be used for future reef monitoring.