GEOLOGICAL REFERENCES AND FIELD TRIP INFORMATION

Field Trip Information

    Days four and five of the conference will be devoted to field trips along the Septentrional fault zone, the primary strike-slip fault of this portion of the North American-Caribbean plate boundary zone.  Shoreline features recording recent activity of the offshore subduction boundary that included a magnitude 8.1 earthquake in 1946 will also be featured during the field trips.   Recommended gear to bring:

    A limited number of rock hammers will be available for use.  The trips have been arranged so that there is no walking beyond about 300 m at a stretch.  Some stops have dangerous traffic so we request that you do not attempt to cross the street.

Some additional words of advice:

1. A special note to allergy and asthma sufferers.  There will be larger amounts of airborne particles in the air than you may be used to for some parts of the field trip.  These particles will include wood smoke from small fires in the country, car and truck fumes from the burning of unleaded gasoline and diesel in older vehicles, exotic tropical pollen that you may not have previously encountered, and dust from unpaved roads that we will be traveling on for short parts of the trip. For these reasons, please bring your prescription and over the counter asthma and allergy medications, asthma inhalers, and particle masks to avoid any problems.  If you are subject to acute attacks, please tell one of the meeting organizers before the start of the field trip.

2. Acclimatizing to food and water.  For those of you who don't travel often to developing countries, here is some advice that we offer to keep you "bug free".  We would suggest that for AT LEAST your first four days in the country (including the two days we will be on the field trip), you STRICTLY avoid any water that is not purified.  This would include ice cubes served in cold drinks at bars or restaurants in the airport or conference hotel, water fountains, and tap water in your room at the hotel.  Don't believe that the water is pure unless you see it being poured from a newly opened bottle.  Waiters are often reassuring about the purity of water they are serving that later turns out to be tap water. Bottled water can be purchased in the airport or the store at the conference hotel.  If you plan to arrive late on Monday night, you might bring a large bottle of purified water with you from the US or Europe that you could use until stores open the next morning.  Remember to use bottled water rather than tap water to brush your teeth.  We would also suggest that you avoid any salads or uncooked foods in the hotel restaurant that you have not peeled yourself since these types of foods can be contaminated by water.  After the first four days of the meeting, use your own judgment as to relax or maintain the standards above.  Carbonated, bottled drinks like beer, soft drinks and club soda pose no hazard and are widely available.

3. In case of stomach problems or diarrhea, please bring your medication of choice and use as directed (Pepto Bismol, Immodium, etc.).  Such medications would get you through long periods of talks and the bus rides over the two day field trip.

4. Biting insects.  You may encounter some mosquitos particularly in the morning and evening when they are most active.  In your hotel rooms, you can set the air conditioner on higher temperatures to "deactivate" any ones in the room that may become active at night.  If you don't like cool temperatures in your room, use your ceiling fan at the appropriate speed to maintain a mosquito free area around your bed.  In bright and sunny or windy areas on the field trip or on the beach, mosquitos are generally not a problem. However, we may encounter some black gnats in the Cibao Valley that possess a strong bite that can draw blood and produce a welt.  For this reason, we would suggest that you bring a small container of mosquito repellant containing DEET and apply a light layer to any exposed skin areas.  We would suggest that you wear long pants for Days One and Two the field trip and bring a long sleeved, collared shirt in your daypack in case these gnats are present.  For coastal stops where insects are not a problem, you might also bring a swim suit or shorts to change into.  If you are allergic to bee stings, mosquito bites, or gnat bites please bring any OTC or prescription medications you think necessary and let the organizers know before the trip if you are strongly allergic.

5. Restroom sanitation.  During the two day field trip we will make periodic restroom and lunch stops.  We have attempted to locate restaurants with the most sanitary restroom facilities for these stops.  However, we would recommend that you bring a small packet of flushable, alcohol-based baby wipes to clean toilet seats and small packs of antiseptic soap to wash hands.  Remember we will have 80 participants using a limited number of toilets.

6. Infections.  Small cuts or abrasions which sometimes can result from swimming in the ocean can become infected in a tropical environment.  To avoid this you might bring a small tube of Neosporin antibiotic ointment to use as needed.

References 

 
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