Bahamas Youth Shark Expedition
Nassau, Bahamas · 2017
In early 2017, 15 Kent Denver middle school students traveled to Nassau, Bahamas, for six days of scuba diving and shark research through TIDES. Across 14 dives, the students observed Caribbean reef and nurse sharks and learned to measure sharks underwater with a tool designed by other Colorado students.
Preparing for the field
Ocean First scuba instructor Mark Duvall led the dive training, and OFI shark biologist Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza guided the research. Kent Denver science teachers Chrissy Frederick and Steve Newman joined the group, and the local dive team helped coordinate the dives. Training covered shark ecology, buoyancy, navigation, nitrox, and underwater photography. The group became the first to earn the SSI Shark Ecology specialty, which McComb-Kobza developed.
How students measured sharks
Students from the St. Vrain Valley Innovation Center designed the twin-laser rig used on the trip. The two laser dots appear a known distance apart on the shark, providing a scale for estimating its length from the video without handling it. The students practiced species identification and used the rig while diving with sharks.
Watch the Nassau expedition
Student reflections
Over the course of the seven days there I learned many things. I was given the opportunity to dive with reef sharks and measure them. This was probably one of the coolest things I had ever done because, before this trip, I was not very fond of the idea of being with lots of sharks. But, as I got in the water, I realized that the sharks were not out to get you, but really just go on with their lives. I now have no problem getting in the water with the sharks and now just think of it as a normal part of diving
Davis E.
We dove 14 dives and learned lots about the reefs and oceans. The most significant part about our dives is learning the unknown truth about sharks. At first, looking from the surface at a shark, I saw a deadly beast. This is the unfortunate stereotype that sharks have. Once I had the experience to dive with sharks, I realized they are very friendly, safe, curious and playful creatures. The best part about my trip was learning that sharks are not a threat, they are our friends
Will M.
Before this trip I was scared to death of sharks, but then seeing the sharks circling us in feeding mode and not even paying attention to us changed my perspective to this: sharks are simply predators at the top of the oceanic food chain, just like lions, and we do not make big movies about lions slaughtering humans. At the end of this trip we all got certified in the shark course, and we were the first people in the world! This trip changed my life. It was simply amazing
Jack H.
Before this trip, I was reluctant about diving with 20-30 sharks swimming around me. In the moment, when I was at the bottom with all of the sharks, I came to a revelation that sharks are important and we need them. They are not monsters at all, and in fact they are friendly and neat underwater creatures that have been completely misinterpreted
Bradley F.
Related Bahamas fieldwork
OFI’s archive also includes Kent Denver TIDES planning records for the Exumas in the 2017–2018 school year. Baited remote underwater video, which records animals as they approach a camera rig, is another field research method associated with the Bahamas expedition listing. The Nassau report documents shark observations and laser measurements.
Read Ocean First’s companion field report.
Photos from the expedition
