I’ve got a few last updates on my senior project before I wrap it up and fly home tomorrow! I’ll give you an overview of the past week — The internet has been spotty as of late and I haven’t been able to update as often as I’d like.

Last Thursday and Friday were Claire’s and my days off from DRC. On Thursday my grandmother took us into downtown Key West to look around and sight-see a little. We saw Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum, which showed off many gold and silver artifacts from the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de Atocha that he discovered in July of 1985. After that we swung by Ernest Hemingway’s house — a lovely southern colonial-style hosue nestled behind beautiful street side landscaping. Before leaving the downtown area we took a trolley tour of some of the prettiest houses in town — an interesting fact: most houses have unique gingerbread trims that their owners, ship captains, would carve while out at sea, giving each house a distinct and homey look, as well as a connection to the past.

Saturday we went back to work, with no more days off! That was no problem, however, as working at DRC was such a pleasure each and every day. Claire and I did the usual: feeding birds in the morning, sweeping off the underwater platforms, and assisting with encounters. Late in the week, our two Volunteer Directors, Becky and Kris, arranged for us to go down on the docks and partipate in a Meet-a-Dolphin program, in which we gave backrubs to three dolphins (Kibby, Tanner, and AJ) and got handshakes and kisses in return!

It’s been a fantastic two weeks. I fly home tomorrow. Hope you all have had fun reading these posts!

Yours,

Mary Kate