Survival: New Smyrna Beach

Survival: New Smyrna Beach

Thursday, May 8, 2003
For the second day in a row, we joined captain JB and Rick on board the Sea Dog Diver. Today’s tasks were to do some biological sampling offshore and in the inlet creeks and to learn about some boating safety drills. We boarded the boat at 8:00 and began our day.

Our offshore and inlet sampling were rather successfull. We learned about the dynamic nature of both environments and how each is an important nursery ground for many different species of marine organisms. We learned how to tie the 5 major knots, launch a cast net from a boat, use a dip net, a plankton tow, and properly identify critters using our field guides. We saw white mullet, scrawled filefish that live in the tentacles of the jellyfish, cannonball jellyfish, several species of gulls, brown pelicans, and some of us were fortunate enough to see a shark and a manta ray leaping out of the water. Once more, Captain JB made this much more enjoyable by bringing along fresh pineapple and watermelon to keep us well-fed on board the boat….and today, everyone kept it all down!

In addition to learning about biological oceanography, we were also responsible for learning how to rescue a man overboard and how to deal with a DCS (decompression sickness) situation on board a boat. JB, Terrence, and Renee breifed us on how to handle these emergencies ahead of time, and we practiced the man overboard drill in the water. On the way back to shore, Terrence, always ready to test us to see how much we have learned, ‘fell’ overboard when we least expected it, and we had to rescue him. After accidentally knocking him ‘unconsciou’ when tossing the life ring, we had to deploy a rescue swimmer to help save him. Then, Amy and Terrence pretended to be divers who were experiencing a DCS emergency. Once we evaluated the situation, we applied the proper treatment methods to our victim, and our mission was a success.

Later in the afternoon, Amy, Terrence, and Renee showed up at our house to continue the ‘spirit of competition’; however, this evening’s plan went a little differently. We were told that for the next 36 hours that we would be engaged in a game of species collection and identification in 4 different ecosystems. The winners will receive a seafood dinner courtesy of the Cambrian Foundation tomorrow night, and the losers have to buy Amy, Terrence, and Carrie dessert as well as do a written project summarizing the species we have seen this week to hand in to Terrence and Amy. They divided us up into teams of 3, gave each group a seine net, and a box of supplies, and off we went. Tonight’s task was to collect and/or properly identify as many species as we could find on the beach in the evening. We worked from 5:30 til about 9:30, and tomorrow we head to the salt marsh, surf zone, and inlet. Let the competition begin!!

Team Commodore:

• Team A:
  
  • Carrie Campbell
    
  • Mike Campbell
    
  • John Boswell
    
  • Woody Dunkum
    
  • Chadd Gable
    
  • Becky Gupton
    
  • Brian Mackintosh
    
  • Stacey Orange
    
  • Josh Owen
    
  • Mary Brittany Townsend
    
  • Jeremy Wyatt
  
  
• Team B:
  
  • Amy Giannotti
    
  • Renee Power
    
  • Terrence Tysall

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Send questions or comments to the trilobite.

Questions and Comments To the Trilobite

Brian and Stacy,
Are you taking time out for Algebra? Hope you are having fun and learning logarithms.

Mean Jean

Hi Mrs. Fowlkes! Glad to hear you aren’t undone! Stacey and Brian say they have done their math homework, and that in fact, most of it was completed before they left for the trip! I wish you were here with us! Amy

Brittany, we miss you.
I hope that you come back soon. Mom misses you too. I love you and so dose mom. I am In band right now.
See you soon.

Love,
Taylor

Hi Taylor – Mary Brittany misses you, too! You’ll have to have her teach you how to use a cast net when she returns home, ok?

Hey you GUYS!!, Woody love your bathing suit legs!!, Becky & Josh Cooking Dinner?, I need some help there myself, when you get back. We sure miss you guys, it’s wondeful being able to see the pictures and the updates. Know you are in HEAVEN having this much FUN!. Forward HO! Hi to Amy, and Thank you for giving our kids another opportunity to GET OUT OF THE BOX! Take care everyone, come home safely with lots of pictures and stories.

Love,
Bolick

Hi Mrs. Bolick – thanks for your note! We all miss you, too, and wish you were here! Maybe you can join us next year, eh? You’re welcome, and thanks to all of the Fuqua teachers who support this trip…it really is a neat experience for the kids! Amy