Today marked day 1 at the Huntsman for a group of grade 11 students from Crestwood Preparatory College. After arriving very early this morning after a 19 hour bus trip from Toronto these students were excited and eager to start exploring the marine environment.
Some of the students started at the base of the marine food chain viewing phytoplankton and zooplankton under the microscope. They learned about copepods (microscopic animals) and how the North Atlantic right whale uses their baleen to filter these abundant animals from the ocean. Imagine how many copepods a 17 meter right whale would have to eat to survive!
The highlight of the day for most of the students was going on our research vessel, the Fundy Spray into Passamaquoddy Bay to collect specimens for use in the lab. The students collected plankton and invertebrates such as purple sunstars, hermit crabs, sand dollars, sea peaches, and brittle stars. They also had the chance to use equipment such as a secchi disk and a salinometer, to record different parameters of the saltwater which these animals inhabit. Most of the students were brave and took in the whole Fundy Spray experience by tasting the raw scallop; some even had seconds! It doesn’t get any fresher!
Currently the students are drawing and identifying the animals they collected while on the boat. One of the best parts about their field course at the Huntsman is working and interacting with the live animals; seeing how the move, feeling their texture, and learning about the great diversity of our local marine environment.
This evening the students have free time to check out St. Andrews or catch up on sleep in preparation for the sampling they will be doing at two different beaches tomorrow.
Until tomorrow!
Viewing the amazing world of plankton.
Heading out in all their nice and clean gear (it won't be clean for long!).
Collection from the bottom.
Purple sunstar.
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