7th day 1/3/17

Oh my goodness! Today is definitely the most exciting part of our trip. We are going to get to go on a safari trip to swim with pigs (Natural Environment)! Who would've thought that we would get the chance to do this?  This is a day long trip, so we had to get up early to be there on time. The last thing we would want is to miss the boat. We woke up bright and early at 6:45 to get ready for the safari. At around 8:00, we drove up to the Bay Street Marina where the boat would depart from. The boats that we traveled on were called Parker RIB's. Although they were comfortable, they were very small and made us feel a bit sea sick. But it was definitely worth it! When we reached the Exumas, our first stop was meeting the famous Bahamian Rock Iguanas.

These iguanas are very unique to the Bahamas and are mostly found near the Exumas. The Bahamian Rock Iguana is dinosaur-like and is one of the most endangered species in the world. They live mostly in sandy areas, which are best for nesting. We were able to feed the iguanas by putting grapes on the end of a twig, and letting them jump up and eat it. It was really interesting to see these iguanas in their natural habitat. Up close, their scales were greenish-brown, very intricate, and beautiful. It is terrible that they are going extinct!




After the iguanas, we went on the most exciting part of our trip. The pigs!!! The main attraction was at Big Major Cay, a.k.a Pig Beach. We got off at the shore and immediately we were able to see almost 10 pigs approaching us. At first, we were a bit scared, but as soon as the little piglets came up out of the water, we got out of our comfort zones to pet them. They were the cutest little things! We got the chance to feed them carrots and swim with them in the shallow waters. They were very fun to play with, so when it was time to go, we didn't want to leave.

After seeing the iguanas and pigs, we stopped at the Staniel Cay Yacht club for lunch. This restaurant was by far the best food experience we have had on our trip so far. Or maybe it was just that we were starving! But seriously, all jokes aside, the food was amazing, and the club was just off the shore, so from our table we could see the stingrays and baby dolphins in the crystal clear waters. It was an amazing view that was just unreal. As for food, Avni ordered a Conch Po'Boy sandwich, Alyssa got a Garden Veggie Burger, and Kailynn got a BLT. I'm so glad we went there for lunch because it was such a fantastic beach sight!

After our meal, we proceeded back to Nassau and arrived when the sun was starting to set. We sat on the beach to take pictures of the sunset, relax, and hear the waves crashing. When it got too dark, we drove back to the hotel, showered, and dozed off right away. We had a long day, but it was totally worthwhile and was an amazing and beautiful experience!