Day 2: Solomons Island

     Bugs are rampant here, but so is fun and learning! Today we sailed on the LCF's skipjack Sigsbee—which was historically used for oyster dredging—out from Solomons Island and into the Chesapeake Bay from the Patuxent River. Despite the sweltering heat and relentless bugs, sailing was definitely the highlight of the day! Learning to navigate, tie knots, read charts, dissecting oysters, and spotting cow-nosed rays were only some of the fun activities that took place aboard the boat. Yesterday we caught jellyfish off the dock, explored a maritime museum and went swimming and fossil-walking at the beach at Calvert Cliffs. The cliffs are archives set in stone that show us what the ocean and life was like a long time ago.

     For some of us, this was our first time camping, so when we got to the beautiful campsite, everything was a shock. No flushing toilets, no hot water, and how do you even open the tent bag? These were all things that ran through the heads of the campers. However, with instructions from the crew and trial and error, we got our tents up and our teeth brushed. But oh, the bugs! They were in every crack, crevice, and cranny. They were in the bathrooms, in the grass, and even in our tents! But despite the bug bites and hot weather, this trip has been full of adventure and new things, and we're excited for the rest of our time sailing on the Sigsbee and exploring the Chesapeake Bay!