Come and Learn at The Cape Eleuthera Resort Eleuthera,
The Bahamas

Come explore The Island School and Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) during your stay at the Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina. The Island School is a semester program for high school students and CEI is a world-renowned research facility that promotes conservation, sustainability, and natural resource management. See what we have to offer by participating in one of these exciting programs or taking a general tour that includes an overview of our projects and interacting with students and researchers.  Tour suggested donation is $25.

• Full campus tours can be scheduled for a suggested donation of $25 per person. Contact info@ceibahamas.org, or call 242-334-8552 for more information.
• Children 10 and under pay half price on all activities
• 2 person minimum per activity; 6 person maximum
• All activities are 3 hours unless otherwise stated and begin at CEI reception at 9:15 am, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; alternate time requests can be made

The Ocean's Apex Predators: Sharks

The shark ecology and conservation research program at CEI is gaining worldwide attention for its work by collecting data on the abundance and dispersion of these apex predators around Cape Eleuthera. Come join the research team as they either drop baited underwater video survey cameras in the study area or engage in long-lining for tagging purposes. Tagging includes deploying traditional cattle tags or watching scientists perform surgeries to implant transmitters which allow the shark to be tracked closely. After a couple hours with the shark team you will understand the majesty and importance of sharks and any fears that you have will be quelled by your up close and personal experience.

If weather is not cooperating, come hear a lecture on CEI’s shark research, watch videos and possibly see a dissection in the lab. $125; $65 for just lab tour and lecture.

An Ocean Farm

Fisheries all over the world are under severe pressure from over fishing. To address the need to grow fish in a sustainable way, CEI has partnered with the world leader in aquaculture, the University of Miami’s Rosensteil School, to run a pilot project to grow cobia in an offshore cage. The 3,000m3 cage is like nothing you’ve ever seen-it is anchored 90 feet below the surface in crystal clear water, only 100 meters from the wall of the Exuma Sound. This is a major fish aggregation site so be prepared to see sharks, amberjacks, yellowtail snapper, Atlantic spadefish, and remora to name a few. You will have the chance to circumnavigate the cage while snorkeling or SCUBA diving as well as swim above the deep blue of an oceanic drop-off! Depending on harvest season (June-Septemeber), you will also be able to harvest cobia for dinner (cage is currently only stocked from December to Septemeber). $125

Flats Discovery

CEI is a proud partner of the Flats Ecology and Conservation Project that works to better understand the elusive bonefish, flats predators, and conservation of coastal areas. There are several creeks nearby Cape Eleuthera that provide great opportunities to walk the flats or cast a line. We routinely see bonefish, barracuda, and lemon sharks on various outings. During this half-day fising exerience you will be accompanied by a scientist who will inform you about best practices in handling sport fish, current research on predator-prey relationships, and new discoveries about the spawning of bonefish. $125

Coral Reef Surveys

Come hang out with marine biologists for a half day. Learn about local fish species and how to identify what you will be seeing, understand more about reef ecology, and snorkel beautiful shallow reefs around Cape Eleuthera. While you are snorkeling, you can take part in the lionfish survey program. Lionfish are an invasive species to this part of the world but we will teach you how to catch and handle them, and then clean the fish so you can eat them when you return to the Cape. $125

Green Living

The Island School and CEI are on one of the most low-impact campuses in the world and adhere to the whole-systems thinking that is promoted by permaculture. The campuses are powered by 75% renewable energy (wind-solar hybrid system that is tied into the Bahamian electricity grid), rainwater is collected in cisterns, waste is processed in gardens, buildings are made with local materials, and conservation principles are practiced every day. Come walk around with the systems expert and dig into how The Island School and CEI are trying to be true leaders in the “green” revolution, and think about how you can incorporate some of these initiatives into your life. $65; 2 hours

Prehistoric and Historic Settlements

Take a trip via land to Palm Island, or Deals Point, one of the nearby archeological sites. Here, you can learn about the pre-Colombian Lucayans, or colonial plantation settlements that existed on Eleuthera and throughout The Bahamas hundreds of years ago. You can view ruins at beautiful Deals Point, and search for hole-punched Conch and palmetto ware (Lucayan pottery) at nearby Palm Island. $65; 2 hours

Aquaponics Greens

Spend a half day learning about CEI’s recirculating aquaponics system, which produces fresh tilapia and daily greens for the community. You can feed the fish, prepare new seeds and plants for the system, and help cut greens to be served in the dining hall at lunch and dinner. And if you are self-catering at the end of the day, come team up with the aquaponics managers to cut yourself some fresh lettuces for your own dinner on the Cape!