By Melissa Abdo, February 25, 2009
We all awoke bright and early to wafting smells of saltfish and ackee coming from the kitchen. Yum. Accompanied by steamed yam and plantains, we all cleaned our plates and the team set out. After meeting with our local Forestry Dept. staff counterparts, Keron expertly led the way up into the Cockpit. It was a great first field day to say the least, with several important plants found right off the bat. Keron doesn’t miss a beat, and his expert botanist’s eyes take in everything around him. The day led into another long but impassioned evening wherein we proceeded to: further plant identifications, enter full specimen and habitat data, clip and prepare, number and organize, photograph, and press the precious plant specimens. Whew! Our committed team finally got to bed for a well-earned rest after a rigorous and exciting start to the expedition.
