Glover's Reef Research Station (GRRS) offers a full complement of facilities necessary for marine research on the Glover's Reef Atoll. The station is comprised of eleven buildings, including two dormitories, the Operations Manager's house, a kitchen/dining area, wet and dry laboratories, a classroom/library, compressor and generator house, a workshop, a boating equipment locker, and an observation tower.
Lodging
The station is equipped to house up to twenty guests at any one time. Two dormitory buildings, housing up to sixteen people, are set slightly away from the main ‘village’area, looking east over the outer reef wall. There are six 2-person rooms and one large 4-person room, all with electrical sockets, fans and shelves. Two additional 2-person dorm rooms flank the library/classroom. Sheets, pillows, and towels are provided and changed twice a week upon request. There are no laundry facilities for short-term guests. Special laundry arrangements can be made for guests staying over two weeks.
The shower facilities are located across from the dormitories. There are two showers and sinks fed by collected rainwater during the rainy season and pumped, treated well water during the driest times. There are four toilets on the island, two near the dormitories and two near the library/classroom. The toilets are Clivus Multrum composting units; enclosed and non-polluting.
Dining
The dining room seats up to 20 at any one time. A full-time cook is responsible for the kitchen and dining area. Meals are served three times a day with packed lunches available when necessary. Food is primarily Belizean and North American cuisine. Special diets can be accommodated but must be communicated well in advance of researchers’ arrival at the station. Food and other supplies are purchased on the mainland and arrive once every two weeks, normally on Fridays. Drinking water is available at all times.
Education and Research Facilities
The dry lab shares its space with the education center. There are four lab stations with storage drawers and electrical sockets. The station has a very limited supply of laboratory equipment, so researchers and educators coming to the station should bring any specialized laboratory or field equipment that they may need.
The wet lab is located below the dry lab. Several aquaria are available, and filtered seawater is piped from the atoll lagoon to various outlets over workstation troughs. A large table is situated in the middle of the wet lab, equipped with electrical sockets, to provide a large working area.
The classroom/library is equipped with a TV, DVD player, LCD projector, and a small marine science library. With three tables, the classroom can be configured in different ways to accommodate your group.
Wireless internet is available 24 hours a day in the dining area, wet and dry labs, and the classroom/library.
Out on the Reef
Our 200 foot dock provides secure moorings for the station and visiting researchers’boats. GRRS owns and operates three boats. All boats are driven by a licensed boat captain, and station guests are required to wear a personal flotation device when travelling in any of the boats. In recent years, GRRS has endeavoured to maintain and promote new energy technologies, and as a result has converted all boat outboard engines to four stroke.
Koolie Gial is our 38ft Bradley skiff with two 200hp outboard engines and can transport up to 20 people to and from the atoll. KoolieGial is also used in the atoll for larger groups and can accommodate up to 20 divers at a time. Itajara is our 26ft skiff and can accommodate up to 12 passengers or 6 divers, while Frenchie, the smallest of our skiffs at 25ft can accommodate 6 passengers or 3 divers. Both boats are for work in and around the atoll, with two and one 60hp engines, respectively. All boats come equipped with GPS, compass and safety equipment. Life Jackets will be provided and are required to be worn by all passengers.
SCUBA and Snorkeling:
The station has two dive compressors and 20 aluminium tanks and weights available for use. It is the responsibility of our guests to comply with research station diving regulations and provide evidence of having successfully completed a certified diving program by an approved diver training organization (PADI, NAUI, etc.). All divers are required to show proof of dive insurance, such as DAN or similar. All divers are required to have a GRRS-provided Dive Master who will guide guests who use scuba as an integral part of their work.
Guests who snorkel are required to have a GRRS-provided Water Safety Officer accompany them on all snorkelling excursions.
All SCUBA divers and snorkelers are to inform the Boat Captain and Operations Manager of their dive/snorkel plans and must always carry a dive buoy with them.
Station guests must bring all necessary scuba gear and equipment, with the exception of tanks and weights. Occasionally, GRRS can rent masks, snorkels, and fins from a neighbouring resort, but this is based on availability, and this service should not be relied upon.
A large sink with freshwateris available for rinsing all gear. Additionally, the dive shed can accommodate storage of gear.
Sefety and Communications
A VHF radio system is in place, for communication in and around the atoll. The station also has a fixed line phone for use with phone cards, and there is wireless internet access. In case of emergency, the station can be reached at +501-532-2153 twenty-four hours a day. A satellite phone is also carried on boats to and from shore in case of emergency. A comprehensive first aid kit and oxygen set for dive-related injury are maintained at the station.
Your safety is our first priority on any boat trip. Whether you are crossing the open sea or exploring the lagoon within the atoll, all trips are contingent on the weather. The final decision to postpone boat trips due to inclement weather falls on the captain and/or the Operations Manager. Please understand that any such decision, no matter how inconvenient, is based solely on your safety.
Sustainability
GRRS is committed to minimally impacting the island and surrounding marine reserve, and therefore has developed a power system that relies mainly on renewable energy. Solar and wind power provide the main sources of power for the everyday needs of the station, with a 2,000 Watt array of solar panels that charge a bank of 12 deep cycle batteries. DC generated power is converted to standard 110 A/C system by an Outback inverter, providing standard house current which powers most appliances for the majority of the working day, and lights and fans at night.Two generators are in place as a back up when needed, and run on an average of 3 hours a day to maintain battery charge and freezer temperatures for the night.
In addition to using renewable energy, the station’s composting toilets are non-polluting, and the majority of water consumed is from filtered rainwater. Pumped and treated well water provides an alternate source of water during the driest months of the year. The station strives to be efficient in its use of both water and electricity in order to avoid waste.
