Today the students were divided into three groups to tour the Fundy Discovery Aquarium, go on the Huntsman research vessel, the Fundy Spray, and study plankton in the lab. While touring the aquarium the students were able to see the harbour seals, Loki and Snorkel, the new seahorse exhibit, and lobsters of many shapes and sizes. They were also able to touch skates and different marine invertebrates, such as sea cucumbers and sea stars, which was pretty exciting!
Despite the wind blowing pretty hard down the river the trips out on the Fundy Spray were great! The students collected plankton, counted and sorted invertebrates brought up from the ocean floor with the scallop drag, and used equipment, such as the salinometer and Secchi disc to gather data about the ocean water. A great diversity of animals was collected using the scallop drag including urchins, scale worms, brittle stars, crabs, and sea peaches. One of the groups even caught a lobster! Too bad we had to throw it back. But not all was lost in the seafood department as the students all had the chance to try freshly caught scallop. Quite a few were brave and tried it, with a couple even coming back for seconds!
While at the Huntsman the students study the creatures they collect themselves, and their first opportunity to do this was in the plankton lab. The students used the microscopes to view diatoms, dinoflagellates, and zooplankton, such as copepods. They also got to see and touch a sample of Right Whale baleen, which allows the whales to feed on the microscopic copepods.
The students all seemed to have a great day and are looking forward to our beach excursions tomorrow morning.
Studying plankton.
Collecting plankton.
Scallop drag onboard the Fundy Spray.
scallop
Using the salinometer.
Reading on the salinometer (brrrr, the water is cold!).
Lobster pulled up in the scallop drag.
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