Travel Information

If you're concerned about hurricanes or sea surface temperatures check out the weather page. There are links to water temperatures, weather maps, and plenty of other relevant information. We will have no email access at the Field Station. Cell phones do not work on San Salvador.

To get from the Ft. Lauderdale Airport to the Comfort Inn ("Comfort Inn Ft. Lauderdale - Hollywood Airport"), use the courtesy phone in the Baggage Claim area to call the Motel to get their complimentary shuttle bus. Alternatively, a taxi costs about $10.

To get from Miami International Airport to Ft. Lauderdale, follow the signs from baggage claim to the Tri-Rail shuttle. Tri-Rail is a commuter train, and there is a bus shuttle between the airport and the train terminal. The phone for Tri-Rail is 1-800-TRI-RAIL or 305-836-0986. Their website is: http://www.tri-rail.com. It is inexpensive. There is also a Tri-Rail bus that meets the train in Ft. Lauderdale to take you to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport (from where one can call the Comfort Inn shuttle bus). Alternatively, there are more expensive, but quicker(?) van services that you might check out (especially if you have a tight connection coming back): The Airport Express (954) 561-8888; and Super Shuttle 1-800-244-8252.

At the hotel: Carleton College pays for the motel room for the night of Monday, December 2nd. Rooms will be pre-assigned, double occupancy, non-smoking, with two beds. You may need to leave a credit card imprint if you want to charge phone calls to your room. The address and telephone number of the motel are:

Comfort Inn Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport
2520 Stirling Road
Hollywood, FL
Tel (954) 922-1600

When you check-in to the Comfort Inn, ask them what room Clint is in (if you have trouble checking in, call me or the TA, or show the motel staff your copy of the "Arrival List (Group)" that you get in class before departure). After you check in and drop your luggage off in your room, please go to Clint's room, where he will tell you any last minute information and give you a copy of the Compendium. We will also deal with luggage and weight issues at this time.

You are on your own for dinner that night in Ft. Lauderdale. There are numerous fast-food and other sorts of dining opportunities within walking distance of the motel (Clint will provide a map). Ask the motel staff for recommendations, if you dare.

Monday, December 2: Students arrive in Fort Lauderdale, group stays at Comfort Inn. Be sure to meet with Clint and/or TA.

Tuesday, December 3: Group travels to San Salvador. Exact flight times will be determined by charter company. We are booking two full 8-seat twin-prop planes. Please see the overflight guide for route and points of interest in the Bahamas Archipelago.

Wednesday, December 4 - Monday, December 16: At the Gerace Research Center. During most days, students will be out in the field from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Thursday, December 17: Depart San Salvador. Program ends upon arrival in Miami. Exact flight times will be determined by the charter company.

Remember! There is a weight limit of 40 lbs per person for the flight, so travel light. If you have too much excess, you may have to leave it behind. We will take the Motel Shuttle Bus to the airport early on the morning of Dec. 3.

If somehow you miss the flight out: If you miss the flight to San Salvador, Clint will try to contact you or leave instructions (and your ticket) with the staff at the charter company in Ft. Lauderdale. If you cannot get over on a charter, you might try going through BahamasAir. You should bring a credit card (not a debit card) or extra cash in traveler's cheques in case you need to buy a plane ticket or stay overnight in either Ft. Lauderdale, Miami or Nassau en route. Contact Clint by leaving a message at his office (507) 646-7021, and he will check in remotely to see if you've left a message if you are missing or late. You can also try calling the field station directly.

If you have too much luggage or want to leave your winter clothing in Florida: Both Miami and Ft. Lauderdale Airports have "Left Luggage" check-in places, where you can check a bag. This costs money, and there are usually limited hours of operation for this sort of service (so you need to be sure that the service is open and available when you arrive and depart!).

At Ft. Lauderdale, for example, Left Luggage is open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and is located in Terminal 2. It costs $3-5/bag (depending on size) per day. The telephone number of this service is (954) 359-1200. Miami has a similar service located in the baggage claim area at the airport.