CBay Trip 2--Day Six

Ahoy! We on the Sigsbee are now on day six of our trip, more than halfway done! The last two days have been full of fun and education, and we’re excited to keep on going.

            On day five, we set sail from Solomons Island early for a long trip. When we reached the mouth of the Patuxent River, we were able to trawl again. We worked together as a team even better than the first time, as we learned how the process worked in more detail. When all was done, we had hauled in quite a catch! We got a big female blue crab, two small blue crabs, a hog choker, and a huge Atlantic croaker! After successfully identifying all of these specimens, we researched them a bit more, then made drawings and labeled them scientifically. Then, after a quick lunch, we got some time to be in watches. This time, Port watch learned about runoff while Starboard watch got to be “on watch.” Under the leadership of Starboard watch, we sailed all the way to the Choptank River, where we got to dredge for oysters! This was a great opportunity for a history lesson as well as a science lesson, as the Sigsbee was originally built in 1901 as an oyster dredging boat. We hauled in quite a few oyster shells, and even found some live oysters among them to study. We got to compare the oysters we caught in the bay to oysters bought in a seafood market, opening both kinds up and observing the internal structures. After the oysters, each watch group got some time to work on their project—the students are creating a newspaper about the Chesapeake Bay. We docked the boat at Horn Point on the Choptank river, made a delicious dinner of chili mac and cheese, and had an intense rematch of ultimate Frisbee. Then, we got to call home! After many happy conversations, it was time for bed.

            The next day, we got to sleep in a little bit, because we didn’t sail. Instead, we spent the day at the Horn Point Oyster and Fish Hatchery. In the morning, we got a tour of the labs, where we learned how the hatchery is working to replenish the oyster population in the bay. Then we got to work! We cleaned oysters and hauled oyster shells. Then, after a brief break for lunch, we got to help spawn the oysters! Everyone had fun and learned a lot as we got to do hands-on lab work. When we returned, we had more project time, then cooked up some quesadillas for dinner. Then, we got an awesome surprise—showers!! Clean and happy, we settled down to sleep.

            That’s all for now, folks! We can’t wait to set off on the next leg of our journey tomorrow!