BAHAMIAN  FIELD  STATION,

 SAN  SALVADOR

 

The Bahamian Field Station (a.k.a. Gerace Research Centre; the place has gone through many name changes) is the most commonly used jumping-off place for doing geology & biology teaching and research on San Salvador Island.  The field station was an American naval station from the early 1950s to the late 1960s.  The American military’s presence on San Salvador had a two-fold purpose: 1) tracking Soviet submarines in the western North Atlantic near America; and 2) tracking test missiles fired from Cape Kennedy/Cape Canaveral in Florida.  The BFS is located near the island’s northeastern corner, just southwest of North Point Peninsula, and across the road from Graham’s Harbour Beach.

 

 


 

Bahamas Field Station (BFS) (a.k.a. Gerace Research Centre) (satellite view) - Graham’s Harbour is to the north.

 


 

Bahamas Field Station (oblique aerial view) - Graham’s Harbour is to the left.  Reckley Hill Settlement Pond is on the upper right.  Man Head Cay is the island at the upper left corner.

 


 

The Bahamian Field Station can house several academic groups simultaneously.  Facilities include housing (a 2-story dormitory for high school and college students, graduate student housing, and faculty housing), a cafeteria, a library, a wet lab, a biologic specimen repository/museum, and a building with a conference hall + lecture rooms + lab rooms.

 

Bahamas Field Station

 


 

Bahamas Field Station in the 1990s, before the old, rusty water tower collapsed.  Three large water tanks on the southern side of the field station are now used to clean and store water captured from a large catchment basin.

 


 

Sunrise over San Salvador Island at 6:02 AM in March 1999.

 


 

Sunset over Graham’s Harbour on San Salvador Island in March 2011.

 


 

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