Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Time Flies When Your Having Fun

So thats it. The trip is over. Time to come home and go back to reality. Florida was an amazing experience; everything from going to the Everglades, shark tagging, snorkeling, and eating at delicous restaurants along the way. One of my favorite restaurants was called Skipper. They had an outdoor deck with a roomy and homey atmosphere. They even had corn hole, a ring game, and giant jenga! Sam and I took part in corn hole while the other gals where playing jenga. The view from our table looked out on a little canal with boats parked all around. The light breeze with live music really set the tone for the whole trip experience. The guy playing live music was one of the best performances I have seen in a while, playing jams from Eric Clapton, Bob Marley, and many others. Dr Z. really knew her way around and made the trip more enjoyable because I didn't have to worry about food.


Another one of my favorite spots was Robert is Here, which was a produce market on the way to the Everglades. We stopped there on the last day before our flight. Not only was there large suckulant fruit, they also had delicious smoothies. My favorite part of the market was that there was a petting zoo in the back housing a large amount of animals. It had chickens, turtles, goats, cows, geese, rams, even emus. This provided a nice sanctuary for these animals because some had phyiscal disabilities. Besides from the food, my other favorite part of the trip was just having the free time in between things that were scheduled to mingle with my class mates and getting to know them better. Key West was the place for this and I utilized every minute we had. I even met some people from Jersey. One bartender at the Flying Monkey went to culanary school at ACC, so that was cool to see people from New Jersey aren't stuck there. Overall the trip was a blast and I would do it again.


A once in a lifetime experience

Who would have thought you could get college credits for having the time of your life!? If you asked me a month ago if school was fun I would have questioned it. However, this class made me realize just how passionate I really am about marine biology and how excited I am chase my dreams. Until this tropical marine biology class, I wasn’t sure exactly what I was getting myself into with my career choices. I thought it was just going to be another job that eventually id get tired of. Now I see that its so much more and id love to explain what I learned and experienced to those who ask.
            During this tropical osprey adventure I learned what it was like to tag a real life shark. This is something not many people imagine getting the chance to do. If it was not for this class, I would have never gotten the experience I did. It was a one in a life time adventure. It was so exciting to learn so much and actually get some hands on experience. We had to bait the hook, secure the weight, and throw the line. It wasn’t just placing a line in the water, as If we were catching a fish. I just wish we could’ve caught more than just one. 


            The snorkeling was my second favorite part of this class. I never imagined snorkeling in the middle of the ocean and seeing sharks swim beneath me! Some my ask what this has to do with learning and why a class would do something that was so much fun. The educational part of this was being able to identify the wild life around you. There were so many species of fish and I was able to identify half of the ones I saw. It took weeks of studying the common name of fish before this tropical adventure. All that studying had paid off in the end and I had the time of my life. When I show my friends pictures, they love that I can tell them exactly what species each plant or fish we saw was.

            If any Stockton student is interested in studying marine biology I strongly suggest taking this class. You can sign up through the Stockton website. Its usually offered as a summer class. Find out more here: https://pssb.stockton.edu/ssb/prod/bwckctlg.p_disp_course_detail?cat_term_in=201550&subj_code_in=MARS&crse_numb_in=3416

#Lifetime #Stockton #Sumer2017 #Sharklife #Palmtrees #Tropicalospreys #Snorkeling #Saltlife

Life's Just Not the Same Without Sargassum in my Hair

Nicole Ertle
Day 1 back home

Waking up to the feeling of rocking in a boat, my eyes adjust to the room around me. I'm back in Jersey and it's bittersweet. Curious about the thunderstorms last night, I open the weather app and it shows me Islamorada, Florida. My heart skips a beat as I program Toms River, NJ to get my local weather. There is a strange transition coming back home from South Florida and my experience with the tropical ospreys.  Sam sums it up in her "time warp" blog written a few days ago. A parallel universe feeling of time stopping while we were away. Speaking of Sam, there was no milkshake song to wake me up today...


As I go about my day, I'm flooded with memories of the trip. Not quite preoccupied but definitely somewhat nostalgic.  I'm incorporating some things from the trip into my life.  I'm pleasantly surprised by just how few items I really need. Some people made the mistake of overpacking, which just may be a human tendency, but a few friends and I got around okay with just bringing a 'personal item' on the plane with us.  Spirit gives the dimensions for such an item as not to exceed 18x14x8.  The phone jail that existed during meal times was a clever way to encourage peer interaction and can be mimicked by just tossing the devices in a bowl during dinner, like our TA Matt does with his friends at home.

To any student contemplating registering for this course, I highly recommend it.  It is a two fold experience with the preparation course in the spring,  followed by the field course in the summer. The experience is what you make of it.  The more studying of flash cards made to identify fish, coral, and algae, the more satisfying it is to recognize them in the field.  Remember that despite the incredible adventures and casual banter, we represent Stockton University and are being graded by both a University professor and student TA.  Keep in mind that our professor knows a lot of people in the marine science field and has the right to share her opinion of us with them. I found it best to delve right in to the sticky, buggy paradise that is Florida, keeping an open mind and absorbing the experience.


I've learned a lot more about marine science and where I see myself in the field. As much I have always loved dolphins, I have grown a fondness for marine macroalgae.  I feel fortunate to have collected some specimens of my own, and may have gotten just a tad over excited when Dr. Z offered me some of her herbarium paper to mount my algae, along with lending me This trip was one for the books! I don't think I'm alone when I say that I'll never go to the beach again without my snorkel gear!


To see other field couses Stockton offers, visit www.stockton.edu
I used Cressi snorkel gear on this trip. To see their products check out www.cressi.com

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Fun Factoids!

Today was our last day in Florida as Tropical Ospreys. Throughout this week, all 11 of us became very close to one another through rooming together, and through car ride conversations. One of those interesting conversations of ours was fun facts about ourselves! Some people had trouble coming up with a fun fact and others had two fun facts.

11)      Dr. Z shared with us that while she was an undergrad in Florida, Dawson’s Creek was filmed on campus! She also became an extra on the show!
22)      Matt the TA’s uncle helped start Canada Dry!
33)      Sam presented a research project on hurricanes that she did, at a NASA conference.
44)      Marissa is related to President Eisenhower

Image result for president eisenhower

55)      Toni’s fun fact is that she has a mixture of different accents. Since she grew up 10 minutes away from New York, she has that city accent that we from South Jersey know too well. She also spent a lot of her time growing up in the south with her family in North Carolina, so she has acquired a bit of southern accent, along with a “South Jersey accent”. Her second fun fact is that her hair dressers daughter dated Trey Songz! And he came into the salon while she was getting her hair done!
66)      Caroline has a pretty middle name of Waverlee. Caroline also was learning and living on a sailboat for a semester, traveling around to different islands in the Caribbean Sea, doing different oceanographic research projects.
77)      Nicole has a steady hand in shooting archery!
88)      My fun fact was that I was contacted on LinkedIn by a researcher who needs interns, for a project that is focusing on breeding and cultivating sea cucumbers on the Ontong Java Atoll, in the Solomon Islands.
99)      Erika traveled abroad to Brazil with 17 other people for a few weeks with fellow Stockton students and a professor for class.


Although there are fun facts missing for Shawn and Dana, we all may know a little too much about each other in the brief time that we were together. Sharing our fun factoids with each other sparked laughter, jokes, and other conversations. This was truly an unforgettable experience, I wouldn't have wanted to go on this trip with a different group


What I learned in Boating School is….

What I learned in Boating School is….
Erika Schoeneberg
Florida Keys
June 13, 2017
Whether you are going out on a dive boat, shark tagging, on a jetski or even in a kayak, you should always be aware of boat safety so that your experience is a positive one!  Living on land gives humans a little bit of a challenge out on the water.  There are boating accidents and water related injuries/deaths more often than they should be.  By being aware of a few boat safety rules accidents can easily be avoided.

Boating school
Each state has different rules and regulations for their boaters.  There are boating classes offered in almost every shore community that a cheap and take just one day or can be completed online.  Getting a boating license is a good idea if you plan on being out on the water, even swimming or kayaking.  Being in the water means that you have a good chance of encountering a boat.  Knowing simple rules like red right return and what channel markers are can make you better prepared and understanding of boats you may be on or around.  Don’t worry, boating school does not mean you will be under high stress like Spongebob was, it is fun and considerate.  After completion, you can help boaters with your new knowledge of knot tying and water reading.

Know your boat
Every time you step aboard a vessel, you should be aware of where emergency equipment is located.  Always check to make sure the boat is registered, if it is not the owner may be irresponsible or unaware, two things you don’t want your driver/captain to be.   By locating emergency equipment such as life vests, life rafts, first aid kits, fire extinguishers and flares, you can lower your reaction time to an emergency and have a better chance of solving issues quickly.  Be aware of the boat you are on, maybe even ask the driver to explain how running the boat works especially if it is only you and one other person aboard.  You do not want to be stuck out on the water not even knowing where the radio is or how to steer.

Be aware of your surroundings
Most people tend to boat in the same spots year after year.  By knowing what the bottom is like you can know where to anchor and where your boat may run aground.  Keep an eye out especially when drifting just in case the person in charge doesn’t notice you are drifting to too shallow water or into a busy channel.  Notice the weather and use good judgement when deciding to go out on the water when it is rough or a storm is coming.

Secure objects
Water can be very unpredictable at times.  Always make sure that coolers, gear and heavy items are securely tied down to the boat so they do not slide around and hit anyone.  Fishing poles should always be in holders and have a tie to the boat so they don’t hook anyone or fall overboard.  Diving equipment should always be bungeed down and extra gear should be placed under seats or in the cabin.

Sit back and relax
Choose a place to sit and stay seated while the boat is leaving/entering the dock.  Hold on to bars and walls, and if you cannot balance try sitting as low as possible.  Stay out of the way of lines and NEVER stand on ropes or chains.  Avoid dangling your feet under the bow bars because sometimes a large wave can come out of nowhere when heading out.  

Being out on the water is an amazing experience.  Boats allow us to enjoy water activities, cool off, and reach great fishing/dive spots.  Remember these few rules next time you are aboard and have a safe trip!

If interested in signing up for a boater safety course, follow the directions on this site in your state: http://www.aboutboatingsafely.com/exams.html?gclid=CNiTyoCxu9QCFcQfhgod2lIB6g#states
For more information on boating safety visit http://www.uscgboating.org/


#floridakeysadventure #saltlife #boatingsafety

Monday, June 12, 2017

The Kayaking Squad - Our Hour Adventure

Date: 6/12/17

Location: Bahia Honda Beach, Big Pine Key

The Kayaking Squad - Our Hour Adventure


By: Dana Fellerman

What a 'horrible' day...
Out of all that stepped on Bahia Honda Beach only four brave souls dared go out onto the water with only paddles in their hands and life jackets on our shoulders. Despite the warnings of 'choppy waters' and 'high winds' that dared to make us capsize and fall into the water to be told 'you shouldn't have gone out there' they still braved their way down the path to the kayaks. Pushing their trusty kayaks into the water they were off on an adventure from 1:15 to 2:15 PM EST. Who were these brave souls to go kayaking in the ocean on this 'no good' day?

Selfie Time!

TA Matt too shy for pictures...



















Erika and Toni showing the peace and love!
My friends Erika S., Toni M., Matt L. and myself took it upon ourselves to have an adventure out in the water instead of soaking up rays on the beach or hiding inside from said rays. Despite being a greenhorn, Matt and Erika being pros, it was Toni's first time out on the water in a kayak but she handled it like a champ for her first time! We had ventured out into the shallows where we could see the bottom along with patchy sea grass beds. While we unfortunately could not identify what was there exactly, or see any fish, there was plenty floating Sargassum in the water! The water was perfect temperature for a quick hop in and with the water being shallow, about 2-4' in some locations, it was a walk rather than a swim! 

When it was time to return the equipment, though, I had no flip flops to easily slip into and ended up having to run across the parking lot in short bursts to reach the safety of the grass! Aside from that, though, we all had a fantastic time out in the water with plenty of smiles to go around (despite the fact that there were no back rests on the kayaks). 

If you are in an area with a beach you too can go ocean kayaking if it is a nice day! Just always remember to bring a water bottle to stay hydrated, sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun, and a buddy to share the memories with! 

What year is it?? The warp of TMB


Can you imagine having so much fun that you completely forget what day it is? That is how the majority of this amazing trip has gone. Hours turn into days, days turn into weeks, and this week felt like it was a month. Going to lunch after landing in Fort Lauderdale feels like it was last month. I have been mixing up excursions with different days. At least twice a day I ask my roommate Nicole what day of the week it is. The exhaustion of all of the life altering outings makes it feel almost like a dream that we got to experience all of this! I'm sad to say that our journey is almost over and that tomorrow we will be slapped with the harsh world of reality when our plane lands back on Jersey soil.

To think, last week we barely knew each other and now I walk away from this trip with 10 new friends who know entirely too much about one another. From singing in the car together, playing heads up, and evenly applying sunscreen... I think its safe to say were pretty close now! When you experience such an amazing thing, you will never forget the people were there when it happened. Today was the icing on the cake when we traveled to Bahia Honda together and we kind of broke off to do our own things but everyone was so excited to share with one another what they did when we all reconvened back at our smelly, sandy, and smoldering van which we have grown to love! Erika, Toni, Dana and our TA Matt went kayaking, Kristen and Marissa went sunbathing, Caroline, Nicole and I went snorkeling, and Shaun lifeguarded us as we swam with the fishes.

How lucky are we that we had such an awesome instructor who wanted to share with us all of the excitement that is tropical marine biology? Dr. Z showed us Southern Florida through a scientists eyes and it left us with a new respect for what it is that we want to do in life and how we can achieve the goals that we set for ourselves. Every excursion had a lesson and every person we met had a story. From Derek, our shark tagging expert, to Sky, our dive boat captain, we got to see first hand how important conservation is and how lucky we are to see these species while they are still here and what we can do to preserve these for future generations. As we pack our bags and scurry to finish our field notebooks, these are the thoughts going through my mind. Thank you all for making this such a wonderful experience and I can't imagine it without a single one of you. A special shout out to my amazing roommate who has become a friend for life and someone who put up with my craziness all week!

#BahiaHonda #TropicalOspreys #FriendsForLife #SmellyVan #TripMemories

Out on the Edge!

June 12, 2017
Written by: Toni McRae

Out on the Edge!

If you always find yourself going for walks in the park to feed the geese and fish, you should definitely visit Robbie's!  Robbie's is a famous tourist attraction in Islamorada, Florida where you get to buy Florida's beautiful shells and feed Tarpon fish.  When people come to feed the 6 to 8 foot long Tarpon, they don't just throw the small fish in the water, they live life on the edge a little bit.
The visitors don't have to, but choose to lay down onto the dock holding the bait in their hands close to the water and release the food as the Tarpon pops up.  Because the Tarpon fish's mouths are so wide, some people, like this little feller aren't so quick to get up out of there in time and get their hands bitten off!  Okay, I may be over exaggerating a bit.  Your hand won't be bitten off, but it can hurt a little.  NO BIGGIE, just watch for the approaching fish.  Oh yeah, because you're feeding these big guys, the pelicans try to steal a free meal for the day.

They float on the water near the dock, where the feeding is occurring and act as creeps waiting for their next opportunity to happen.  During my trip today I witnessed three people in a short amount of time lose a fish that they originally wanted to feed to the Tarpon to a greedy pelican.  I mean hey, a pelican has to eat too right?
And don't worry if you don't like the smell of fish bait on your hands.  Robbie's has an outside bucket on the dock filled with soap and water, and a whose with clean water to wash your hands.  I personally just made sure to wash my hands for a second time when I got the chance to be sure.
Overall it's a lovely place!  The shells and other little trinkets they sell are amazing.  If I were to go by myself for the next time around, I would just have to keep an eye on how much bait buy and how fast I throw it out to feed the Tarpon.  Who knows, maybe I will be the next lucky tourist that reaches down to live life on the edge and get my hand eaten by an eight-foot fish!  It can't be that bad.  What's a hand useful for anyway?

If you would like to know more about tarpon and what they eat head over to this website! Check it out: tarpon_fishing_tips.htm

You can also check out http://www.fla-keys.com/fishing/ to learn more about fishing in the Keys in Florida!

#Robbies #Tarpon #FishFeeding #LivingOutOnTheEdge

Finishing our Trip Strong as Mermaids!

Today was another beautiful day for the Tropical Ospreys! Our main stop was to one of my favorite places, Bahia Honda State Park. During our free time here, Nicole, Sam and I went snorkeling over the seagrass beds, these beds were by far the best we saw the entire trip.
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One of my personal favorite types of algae we saw was the merman's shaving brush, it resembles a makeup brush shape. Underwater you obviously communicate with hand motions and expressions. I was joking with Nicole by picking one up and brushing my face pretending it was real. It obviously was a perfect fit as we were mermaids this trip!
We also saw two conch shells. The shells overgrown with algae were still glistening in the sun placed in the seagrass bed. We of course made a phone call to our southern mermaid friends on it! (Not really! You should never touch and disturb the wildlife.)
A small bicolor damselfish was guarding it territory of a dead coral rock. Nicole and Sam got it see how it acts like a guard to its castle coming out to check you out then retreats. We encountered these fish many times out on the reefs. There was even one guarding the Buddha statue placed at one of the sites! If you put out your hand, it gives you a nice nibble to the finger and not in a friendly way! For such a small fish, they have no fear of us large humans!
The final favorite of our seagrass bed snorkel today was the Red Cushion Sea Star. I think Nicole and I screamed so loud through our snorkels the people on the beach could hear us when we saw the starfish! It was bigger than my head! The vibrant reddish color looked beautiful against the green grass it was slowly, very slowly, grazing over. It was incredible to watch each tube under the arms moving the star along the algae, taking what it pleases off the surface.
Image result for red cushion sea star
Overall, Bahia Honda was an amazing day full of sea life and beautiful water. It never fails to please! If you have the chance to explore the beautiful sanctuary of Bahia Honda and be a mermaid for the day, I highly recommend to go and enjoy!

Read more on seagrass beds! https://ambergriscaye.com/reefbriefs/briefs4.html