FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

This is not an option for our internships, as part of the experience of interning with the Shark Lab is being fully integrated into the world of a remote research station.

There is limited access to fresh food (fruits, veggies) on the island, with supplies shipped approximately once per month. As the date draws closer to our next shipment, fresh produce is limited and the lab relies on its frozen food supplies to make the majority of meals. We have a small garden and try to supply our own fresh vegetables as much as possible.

Three meals/day are provided, and most meals are fairly carb heavy to ensure the crew have plenty of energy for long field days. The lab will try to accommodate food allergies, but ask that all participants are open minded and flexible when it comes to their food preferences in Bimini. All food is sourced from Florida, with the exception of locally caught fish.

On days off, there are some rules in regards to what ingredients and quantities you can use for cooking your meals.

There is a convenience store a short 10 minute walk down the road where you can purchase snacks, candy, dried and canned goods, soft drinks etc. Snacks provided by the Lab will be rationed for days in the field.

On work days everyone rotates cooking family style meals for the household.

Yes. However, as there are limited supplies in Bimini we cannot cater for all food preferences/allergies. If you have additional dietary restrictions (lactose free, gluten fee etc.) you will be expected to supplement your own diet. We cannot cater to vegan diets.

Note that a large part of shark research requires the fishing, culling, and storage of fish as bait. While you do not have to take part in the culling of fish, you will still be expected to handling bait as it pertains to the workload.

Internship fees assist with the costs of living at the Station and include your accommodations (shared dorm-style bedroom, wifi, laundry) three meals per day, all field work and training activities. We do not profit from internship fees, and the cost of living in The Bahamas is quite expensive. Note that the fee does not include your personal travel, personal insurance or personal equipment costs.

On acceptance of the internship, you will be sent clear instructions by the Station Admin. All invoices are sent via Quickbooks. If you are paying through a bank of the United States, you can easily pay the fees via bank transfer. International payments are transferred through a “wire transfer” that must be made through your local bank. Please note, there is a an additional $15 charged by the bank to make such a payment.

Most interns are granted 90 days (sometimes 60). At the end of this period, you can apply for an extension on island. This is assessed on a case by case basis by Bimini Immigration. Nine times out of ten you will be automatically granted an additional 90 days. At the end of this extension you will be asked to leave the island, and re-enter to stay on longer as a intern. The Shark Lab will provide you time during the day to request an extension. In some rare cases, interns may be requested to leave Bimini earlier and re-enter, to renew the tourist visa. This is the decision of the Bahamian government and is out of the Shark Lab’s hands. While the Shark Lab team will support and offer advice to you during this time, it is up to you to cover the costs of additional flights in and out of the country in order to accommodate this request.

You MUST be able to transit to & within the USA. Passports from countries outside of the US, Canada and The Bahamas must look into the entry requirements for the USA & The Bahamas, and obtain an ESTA or Travel Visa when required. All interns will be responsible for checking their own eligibility, and organizing the correct documents for travel into the US. All interns are given a letter to state they are staying at the Shark Lab. You will be granted a tourist visa on arrival in The Bahamas.

The ESTA is only required for transit through the US and is not technically required to stay in the Bahamas. Note the following:

The Bahamas is considered part of the ‘contiguous territory and islands’ of the United States for US visa waiver purposes. Therefore the Bahamas cannot be used as your “Exit Country” if you have already spent 90 days in the US prior.

Other than this, the Bahamas does not count towards your 90-day maximum allowance in the US, as it has its own tourist visa system.

If entering the US on the ESTA system you may, however, be asked to show proof of a return flight out of the US (out with the contiguous territory and islands, aka your international flight home) depending on where you are flying from and what airline you are flying with. We recommend researching this thoroughly.

The BBFSF will organize intern flights from Fort Lauderdale (Florida, US) to Bimini International Airport (South Bimini, Bahamas) through Tropic Ocean Airways. Interns will be responsible for organizing all travel arrangements (flights and additional transport) to Fort Lauderdale International Airport. To avoid tight connections, we highly recommend arriving in Miami/Fort Lauderdale the night before your flight to Bimini. Flight times will be explained after acceptance.

Bimini is a small island, and as such the charter flights are the Shark Lab’s main source of bringing over supplies. As you take your seat upon our charter flight, you are also helping to support the lab by accompanying scientific equipment and fresh food. The team really appreciates this!

All volunteers must have travel insurance that covers repatriation and emergency evacuation from Bimini in case of accident. There is a basic medical clinic in Alice Town, Bimini; for any serious conditions you will be flown to the US by air ambulance. Hurricane season also runs from June to November (with peak season being August – October) every year. If you are interning during this time, please be aware that in the case of a hurricane interns will be asked to leave the island and remain in the US until it is safe to return. Please make sure that you have sufficient access to funds if this situation was to arise. Most insurance companies will require a Government Evacuation Notice to claim any travel expenses due to natural disasters. The Shark Lab will likely be evacuating interns before such a notice is released, as the Bahamas tend to post notices late.

A detailed list will be sent upon acceptance to the program.