Scroll through and read the 2025 Captain’s Log to see what we were up to on this year’s Marine Biology Trip!
Entry 1: Ahoy from the Keys!
Although the students of our 2025 Marine Biology trip will not be arriving until tomorrow, the voyage has already begun for some of our staff! The Captain, along with a few of his crew, arrived at the Gulf View Waterfront Resort this afternoon ready to prep for 10 days of adventure!
Some of us staff left earlier in the week with the boat and the trailer of equipment to drive the long trek down from Wisconsin to Grassy Key, Florida. Michael flew into Miami today and we picked him up at the airport, just like we will be doing tomorrow with the students and the rest of the staff.
Though today was mostly a day of travel and settling in, we have already begun discussing and planning for the week’s activities that lay ahead. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the rest of the group and are looking forward to showing them the vast beauty and mystery of our Creator’s underwater world.
Entry 2: And So It Begins!
Today was the official start of the Marine Biology Trip 2025! The students flew into Miami and were brought to the Gulf View Waterfront Resort, arriving just in time for dinner underneath the coconut trees!
While the transportation for the students and the remaining of the staff was underway, some of the other staff stayed back at the hotel and began prepping for the week ahead. Aquariums were set out, books were distributed, food was packed away, and tables were set.
After dinner, we did a brief orientation and then split the students into their habitat groups, getting to know who they would be studying with for the week. They have only been here for a few hours, but we are already impressed with how outgoing and friendly everyone is. There was already so much laughter and relationships already forming. We are very excited to see where it goes!
We have had a few setbacks and challenges throughout the day (bad traffic, some changes in our schedule, amongst other minor things), but we are already seeing the Lord working. Pray with us that He would continue to move in wonderful ways!
Entry 3: First Excursion Day!
It was a great first day of working in the Keys! The day began with a lecture on Cnidarians and Ctenophores, taught by our habitat leader, Joie. After the lecture, the students broke out into their habitat groups and set off for a day of excursions. Each group went to two different habitat locations today, consisting of the mangroves, rocky coast, and grassflats. While some habitats were accessed by the van on land, most of the kids got to enjoy a boat ride on the open sea. We heard that for some, the boat ride was their favorite part of the day!
When they returned from the excursions, the groups got to work on classifying the specimens that they collected and recording the information into their lab books. One of the students said, after a couple hours of classifying, “This is actually really fun! I didn’t think it would be, but it is!”
After dinner, we had a Bible session by the seaside where Michael began his series for the week, “Is the Bible Full of Errors and Contradictions?” and tonight’s topic was on why there appears to be a contradiction between the four Gospels on how many times the rooster crowed when Peter denied Jesus. We learned that Jesus was not talking of a literal rooster but rather, He was talking about the time of night. So, this “error” is not valid.
We ended the evening with the start of our volleyball tournament and some more classifying. The students all seem to be getting along great and forming some great friendships and team building skills. We are looking forward to another fun day tomorrow where the students will get to go out to the coral reef!
Entry 4: Change of Plans
Today had a change of plans. We were scheduled to go to the coral reef today with Captain Hook’s but we woke up to some high winds this morning, and so we rescheduled the excursion to Monday. We are very thankful that the staff at Captain Hook’s is always accommodating and more than happy to help us find the best day of weather to take our group out. We are praying that day the seas will be calmer!
So instead, we enjoyed a delicious Lumberjack breakfast (pancakes and bacon) and after our lecture on marine worms this morning, the habitat groups worked on classifying more organisms and set out for some excursions.
The question for tonight’s Bible Session was “If Jesus was crucified on Friday and then rose on Sunday morning, how could that be considered three days and nights?” Michael instructed the kids on how the ancient Hebrew culture was very different to how we tell time today. Three days and three nights in this culture did not mean 72 hours, and it was actually likely that Jesus was dead for about 36 hours instead, which would line up perfectly with the timescale the Bible gives us with the crucifixion on a Friday and He rose on a Sunday. The students learned the Hebrew word “onah” which is how the Hebrews measured their days. In conclusion, we can’t take modern time and trying to fit it in ancient culture.
The evening then wrapped up with volleyball, microscopic labs, and more classifying! The habitat groups are getting to know each other quite well and there has been a lot of laughter! Now off to bed for a good night’s rest and looking forward to Easter Sunday!
Entry 5: Happy Resurrection Sunday!
The students had a more leisurely morning for Easter, but we started the day out already celebrating the resurrection of our Savior by having a delicious Wrangler’s Breakfast on the lawn. After stuffing ourselves, we gathered for an Easter service, one that I am sure that the students will remember. There is nothing like singing praises to our King while sitting under the coconut trees, by the ocean!
Michael spoke on why the four Gospels seem to give a different account on who went to the tomb the morning Jesus rose from the grave. We learned that the Gospels all give a different portrait, focusing on a different point in each book, like how an artist notices different things about a painting. So once again, we were shown that this is not an error in the Bible.
After the service, the students enjoyed some down time, which most of them spent in the pool, before getting back to work classifying or heading out to excursions. And the Lord greatly blessed one group who came upon a group of about 15 manatees, and they even got to snorkel with them. It was a once in a lifetime experience for sure!
Tonight was the lecture on marine botany and the alternation of generations, given by Michael. It is always a long lecture, but we rewarded the kids with fry bread at the end!
Tomorrow is our rescheduled day for the reef. Pray that the winds will be calm, visibility will be clear, and that none of the kids would get seasick!
Entry 6: His Beauty in Creation
Unfortunately, our plans for heading to the Coral Reef were once again cancelled. We have been experiencing unseasonal winds down here and there have been small craft warnings and reports of 0’ visibility in the water. While it was a huge disappointment, we are making the best of it and have decided to take the students to the Sea Turtle Hospital on Wednesday instead.
And so, today was instead one of our “normal” days. Richelle lectured on Porifera and Echinodermata this morning, but God had a fun surprise for us at the end. Two of our staff were fishing off the dock and reeled in a juvenile nurse shark. We got a kiddie pool of saltwater quickly set up, placed him in there, and summoned for all of the students to come take a look! It was a hands-on experience! Michael came and listed off many shark facts while the kids got a chance to pet the shark and examine its anatomy up close. They feel just like sandpaper because their skin is basically made of many tiny teeth. After all of the groups had a chance to classify the shark and record the information in their lab books, the shark was released back into the sea, unharmed.
The afternoon was then spent once again doing lab work and going on excursions. It was a beautiful day for excursions and we had some awesome finds, from very long sea cucumbers, some giant crabs, brightly colored sea anemones, to the pink pen shell. Some of the students said it was their favorite excursion day.
The Bible session for the evening was on why Jesus has two different genealogies, and how this isn’t actually a contradiction. Michael explained that he believes one of the reasons was because God had placed a curse on the royal line of King David, after the evil deeds of Jehoiachin, stating that not one of his offspring would sit on the throne. And, being Jesus was adopted by Joseph, God was able to keep His word. Also, the other genealogy was Mary’s and this states that he is a blood descendant of David and it also proves the point that Jesus, though He is fully God, He was also fully man.
After session, groups broke out to do more lab work. But we were surprised by something quite spectacular in the night sky. A large meteor was moving across the sky but so slowly, all of us were able to enjoy the spectacular. “The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1
Although plans were changed once again, and we are all disappointed about not getting to go to the reef this year, God is still blessing us in so many ways by showing us His beauty in creation. From the beautiful creatures we found today, to the intricately detailed microorganisms we looked at in our labs, to the meteor shooting across the night sky, He is revealing Himself and His glory to each and every one of us.
Entry 7: Aquarium Encounters
Today was an exciting day as the students got to spend the majority of it studying at the Aquarium Encounters. We are so blessed to have had an outstanding relationship with the director of the aquarium for several years and we had the privilege to once again arrive before they opened for Michael to give the lecture on Chordata (fish) in front of their Coral Reef and shark tanks.
After the lecture, the students had the opportunity to snorkel in their Coral Reef tank and feed the numerous species of brightly colored fish and rays through a squirt bottle. They even were then given a piece of dead fish that they then stuck into a hole in the glass to feed the large sharks in the neighboring tank. So many students raved that this was an incredible experience!
While at the aquarium, they were also able to go on informative tours with the aquarium staff, and then they got back in their habitat groups and began classifying some of the specimens that were in the tanks. And before loading back up in the vans to return to the hotel, they had some free time to roam around the grounds and enjoy some of the exhibits on their own time. Petting the cownose rays was a big hit!
Upon arriving back to the hotel, students went back to their habitat groups and continued classifying the specimens in our own tanks. Some students conducted the scientific experiment of kissing a sea anemone to feel the sting of the nematocysts. Our skin is too thick for the venomous barbs to penetrate. However, the skin on our lips is much more sensitive. Most of the students say it feels similar to licking a nine-volt battery. Lots of laughter was heard as the students passed the creature around, each taking their turn at giving it a big smooch!
The Bible session for the evening was on the contradiction that the Bible sometimes state that Jonah was swallowed by a fish and in other areas it says he was swallowed by a whale. So, which was it? Michael instructed the kids that oftentimes, things get lost in translation, and that Jonah was actually likely swallowed by a fish, plus there are biological facts to support this. Students said that they feel much more confident in defending the Bible now that they know that they need to often go to the original Greek/Hebrew that the Bible was written in.
We ended the evening with a round of volleyball. I have to say, this has been the best group of volleyball players we have ever had! These games have been intense!
Entry 8: Turtle Hospital
As recorded in the previous log, we unfortunately had to cancel our trip to the coral reef due to high winds and rough seas, and instead we decided to sign the students up for a tour at the local Turtle Hospital. And so, after a morning lecture by Michael on arthropods and some lab work, we loaded the kids up and drove them to the facility.
At the Turtle Hospital, the students sat in on a class, learning all about species of turtles – the different kinds of species, why they are endangered, and the role the hospital plays in rehabbing and releasing them. They then got a tour of the hospital and were able to see the operating room that they use for turtles in need. Next, they went outside the building to visit the turtles that were currently there for rehab, and they got to feed the resident turtles that will not be able to return to the open ocean.
The students loved the experience and many of them said that they preferred getting to do this over going to the reef. Plus, their tour guide for the day did an excellent job and we found out that he was a Christian studying to be a marine biologist.
This evening, we had a great worship session. Everyone was quite enthusiastic with the praise songs, especially “Days of Elijah”! Michael spoke on two topics tonight, “Who was Cain’s wife?” and “How are there four different blood types when God only created two people?”. Michael explained that Cain likely married his sister, and at the time this was accepted until God told Moses that one must not marry into his own family. And Michael was able to use science to explain how we got the four blood types from only two people. Once again, the Bible has been proven to be accurate!
Tonight was spent finishing up classifying and starting to prepare for tomorrow’s skits and the “evaluation” on Friday morning. We are on the homestretch of the trip, and it is hard to believe it is almost over!
Entry 9: Skit Day!
We are in the homestretch now! This morning was our final lecture, given by Michaela on mollusks. At the end of the lecture, the students each dissected a cultivated oyster, and each were rewarded with a pearl. It was fun seeing all the different colors of pearls – pinks, white, purples, and even aqua were found!
Then, the groups spent the next few hours finishing recording information in their lab books and began planning out their oral presentations, aka the skits. And oh boy, we had some great skits this year! The presentations are a way for the students to share the information they learned this past week while also having some fun and letting loose! By the end of the skits, we were all dying of laughter!
For dinner, we travelled down the road to the SS Wreck and Galley. It was a wonderful evening, and everyone seemed to enjoy the food. Several of them decided to try new things, like conch, calamari, frog legs, and oysters.
When we returned to the hotel, Denise had made the infamous Key Lime Pie, which the students quickly devoured before pouring the rest of their energy into studying in preparation for the exam tomorrow morning.
We are praying that the students will get a good night’s rest tonight, that they will be at peace tomorrow, and able to focus on their test and do their very best!
Entry 10: Exam Day!
Today is the day – exam day! They have all been working very hard for this day, often staying up late and getting up early to study. Everyone took their work this week very seriously, and they were all eager to see how they would do.
The exam took place in the morning, and everyone was nervous. They spread out across the hotel grounds, supervised by their habitat leaders, and spent the next 90 minutes working on their exam. The first portion of the test is closed book and the second portion is open, where they can use their lab book and all of the information they have been filling out for the past week.
At the end of the test, the students had time off for the rest of the afternoon and many of them spent their time hanging out at the pool, soaking in the last rays of the Florida sun before returning home tomorrow.
For dinner, we loaded the entire group, students and staff, and headed to Sombrero Beach in Marathon for a pizza party. While we were there, a mystery pirate came up to us on the sandy beach! The students enjoyed talking and taking selfies with him and he even joined in on our group photos! Then, this pirate proceeded to have us sit down and have a talk with us on the good news of salvation, and comparing our pardon from sin, offered to us freely through Jesus, to the pirates’ pardon from the king. It was a shame that Michael had to miss it…
We let the students swim for a while in the ocean after the talk with the pirate before loading them up in the vans to head back to the hotel. Once we returned, we gathered everyone in a circle to talk about how they were impacted on this trip and what their highlights were. It was a wonderful evening of sharing and bonding before our goodbyes tomorrow. So many of them seem to have had the best time and we all have become quite close. Goodbye tomorrow will be quite hard.
Entry 11: Saying Goodbye
Today we said goodbye. Goodbye to the hotel. Goodbye to the Keys and the ocean. And goodbye to one another. We loaded the students into the vans and drove them to Miami to catch their flights home. And a handful of our staff began the long trek, driving the boat and the trailer of equipment back to Wisconsin.
We did enjoy a souvenir shopping spree before officially bidding one another farewell. Each year, we stop at the large souvenir store, Shell World, and let the students pick out some purchases for themselves, to help them remember their time down here. And from there, the journey home began.
Prayers would now be appreciated for us all as we journey home. Please pray that the students will get through the airport quickly and on time for their flights, and for safe flights home. Please pray for the staff that are driving, and that they will be able to stay awake and alert, and that they won’t have any difficulties with the vehicles on the trek home. And ultimately, pray that these students will cherish these memoires and continue to pursue the friendships that they developed on this trip, and even more so, pray that they would continue to pursue God and that their faith would be strengthened.
Entry 12: Recap:
The 2025 Marine Biology Trip has finally come to an end. We have made it back to the much cooler climate of Wisconsin, but yet, we are still reflecting on all the memories made on this year’s trip. From snorkeling with wild manatees, to seeing sharks, to vying against one another in volleyball, to worshipping the Lord by His wonderous sea, we were blessed to experience so many wonderful things.
Check out what some of this year’s students had to say about their experience:
“Seeing His wide array of creation through a scientific lens was really impactful. Loved how everything pointed back to God!”
“Biology finally made sense to me. I learned 5x more in 10 days than I did in an entire year back home. This was just seriously so fascinating. May or may not be devasted to leave.”
“This is the best learning experience ever.”
“It showed me how wise God is. As well as how considerate He is! He loves us and all He created SO MUCH!”
“I am very proud of what I have accomplished. It showed me how hard I can work and remember.”
“I’ve grown closer to God through Michael’s sermons and hanging out with God focused people.”
“I learned more in this week about biology than any other point in my life.”
“Helped me truly see how beautifully made everything is and God’s attention to detail.”
What a blessed trip this was! We are honored to be able to serve the Lord and point people to Him, helping them to open their eyes to the vast array of life that our Creator has made in the sea. We pray that the Holy Spirit will set a fire in each of these youth’s hearts, and that they will seek Him in all their days to come. Until next time, we, Lord willing, will return to the Keys in 2026 to do this all over again!
“Here is the sea, great and wide,
which teems with creatures innumerable,
living things both small and great.” Psalm 104:25