From NYC to the Bahamas: Two NAC Interns Recap Exchange Program

By Gisela Hernandez, Development Intern
and Valeria Ortiz, Content Marketing Intern

Who knew going to the Bahamas would be in our summer plans? Not us! When we first heard about the opportunity, we couldn’t believe our luck. We were both excited and curious about what lay ahead.

We’re Valeria and Gisela, two NAC interns who just got back from an amazing trip to the Bahamas with the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve (LLNPP). Founded in 2006 by Shelby White, in partnership with the Bahamas National Trust, LLNPP aims to preserve the native plants of the Bahamas. Since 2018, the exchange program has been bringing together interns from both organizations to learn and grow as a team. The goal is to exchange ecological and cultural knowledge and learn about the botany, geology, and ecology of the Bahamas. Interns from LLNPP spent one week in NYC, and interns from the NAC spent one week in Eleuthera.

Our itinerary was packed with diverse activities. We worked on permanent forest plots and explored Seahorse National Park, where we walked along the shoreline of Sweetings Pond, a landlocked lagoon connected to the ocean underground and full of a variety of sea creatures, like giant crabs, octopus, and of course, seahorses. We also learned about the history of the park. While it was not open to the public, our guide, Ethan Freid, botanist at the Levy Preserve, who was instrumental in the creation of the park, was able to get us in for a quick tour. We also visited some small towns throughout Eleuthera, including Gregory Town in the north and Tarpum Bay in the south. On the last day of our trip, we all went out to eat at Governors Harbour and stopped by Fish Fry, a block party-style event where the whole town comes together to eat, dance, play games, and celebrate the beginning of summer.

We each want to share two of our favorite experiences on the exchange. We were both inspired to go on this exchange because we were thrilled to learn about the culture and ecology of the Bahamas. Meeting the LLNPP interns, getting a detailed tour of the preserve, and walking around local towns made us excited to go on this trip. This was our first time taking an exchange trip to learn about botany, and we knew that this was truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

Gisela’s top 2 experiences

Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve

One of the first places we visited was the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve. It was definitely a memorable experience. Dr. Ethan Freid, our host, is LLNPP’s botanist and he had a big role in developing the preserve. He is also the course director for the Bahamas summer internship. Ethan took us on a tour and showed us the herbarium, lath house (a place with ideal conditions to grow new plants), weather station, and tower trail. Even though the trail to Ethan’s tower was quite long, it was worth it. The view from the tower was beautiful since you could see the entire preserve all at once.

Cathedral Cave

Cathedral Cave was the first cave we went to on our trip. To enter the cave we had to go down a couple of steps. Once we reached the bottom, we saw lots of spider webs and bats flying around. This cave in particular stood out to me because of its structure. I liked how there were lots of holes at the top which allowed sunlight to go in. However, I know that if I were to go here at night I would definitely be scared.

Valeria’s top 2 experiences

Hatchet Bay Cave

One of my favorite places we visited during the trip was Hatchet Bay Cave. The most thrilling part was seeing the bats up close; it felt like something straight out of an adventure movie. We saw graffiti from as far back as 1898, making it feel like a time capsule. Our group climbed down to the end of the cave system, about a 20-minute journey. At one point, we all turned off our flashlights to experience complete darkness, which was an unforgettable sensory deprivation moment. It made me appreciate how people have been exploring caves for centuries and sparked a discussion about preserving the cave’s history and natural state.

Queen’s Baths

My second favorite spot was Queen’s Baths in northern Eleuthera. This location is unique because the island is so narrow that you can see the Atlantic on one side and the Caribbean on the other. The natural rock pools are carved by centuries of waves, creating warm tidal pools perfect for soaking. Dipping my feet in the pools and watching the small fish swim around while the rough ocean waves crashed nearby was incredibly peaceful. It made me reflect on the power of nature and the millions of years it took to form these stunning geological features.

Just the beginning of our botanical journey!

The trip to the Bahamas was an amazing experience for all of us, filled with excitement and excursions that taught us about the unique botany and ecology of the region. We had a lot of fun experiencing things we couldn’t in NYC. For us two, it was our first time learning about plant identification and floristics, which really piqued our interest. This experience provided us with the basics of botany and conservation, drawing us into the field. We learned the importance and challenges of fieldwork and realized how rewarding and crucial it is to care for natural areas. Since the trip, we’ve been comparing NYC plants to those in the Bahamas, and we’re eager to continue learning about ecology and hopefully visit again.

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