SEA Connections Summer Content Institute
for Science Teachers
Underway Day 1After a
dockside orientation in New Bedford, we set four
lower sails on our departure from the harbor with
the required hoot and holler as we passed through
the hurricane wall gate.
The heat was left behind as we
sailed on with fog horn blasting into thick fog.
First destination was the
Weepecket Islands across Buzzards Bay for some
bird sightings. However, even at less than a mile
off, we couldn't see the islands and decided to
gybe ship to go for our first otter trawl at
Megansett Harbor.
After striking sail southwest
of Southwest Ledge, we motored and trawled out of
the harbor to place the net on the port side of
the ship. This is our towing side and it is best,
especially in strong winds, to have the wind
coming over the port side thus streaming the net
to windward and away from the side of the ship.
After briefly considering the
harbor for an anchorage, we decided to make our
way across the Bay to Aucoot Cove between Marion
and Mattapoisett as a more comfortable place.
In the image sequences to the
right you can see our otter trawl going over and
back aboard for sorting. Can you tell what large
camouflaged fish Barbara Belanger from Fairhaven
HS is looking at? (Well, time is up, it is an
Oyster Toad Fish) We also get a close-up look at
a special find: a Chip Crab (Lynn Boudria from
Old Rochester Regional HS likes this one
especially)
Captain: Gregg Swanzey
Project Director: Alan Lee Hankin, PhD
Program Coordinator: Crista Mellican
You can access more images at John Wall's
website at http://users.massed.net/~wallj
Follow the links!
Teachers Aboard for this Institute:
Philip Angell
Hanover Middle School
Barbara Belanger
Fairhaven High School
Lynn Connor
Old Rochester Regional HS
Linda Ellis
Joseph Case Jr. High
Sarah Fisher
Southeast Middle School
Charles W. Flynn
Plymouth North High
Kate Jesdale
Andrews Middle Schoool
Carleton D. Johnson
South Boston High School
Jennifer Mallette
Tower School
Darby Pontes
Joseph Case Junior High School
Marilyn Porell
Norton Middle School
Larry Tingley
King Philip North
John D. Wall
Franklin School (Brockton)
Funded thanks to a grant from the Department
of Education and in partnership with the Westport
Community Schools.
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