The weather was cool and breezy. It was slightly overcast. The causeway drive was unforgettable, as it truly captured the beauty of coastal Florida. There were palm trees and mangroves throughout the area.
First, the group went out to a specific part in the water and used a net to examine different aquatic life in the area. Using the net, 'bait' fish were easy to spot, a well as a small crab. There was not much aquatic life found in the nets, however a sting-ray was seen by several of the students. Fortunately for me, I was out of the water at this point!
The pH level was tested of the water and was recorded at 6 (slightly acidic).
The salinty was measured at 35.
On the second part of the trip, we went out and snorkeled for about an hour. During the snorkeling, two different types of seagrasses were found. (Turtle grass and shoal grass) The turtle grass were long, aquatic pieces of grass. You could find these pieces of grass floating, unattached to the ground as well. Shoal grass resembled a more 'brown-bushlike' type of grass. It was more difficult seeing live aquatic life in the shoal grass than in the turtle grass, however one of the students claimed that by moving the shoal grass, an even greater abundance of animals could be found. Different types of fish, sponges, and other filter feeders could be found near both types of seagrasses.
One of the more scarier spotting I saw was a dark gray fish resembling a Frogfish. He/she was very large and came very close to my feet. This was moments after I had just taken my flippers off.
White mangrove seeds could be seen growing on the beaches near the water. Beach sunflowers could also be seen throughout the island. Fred Howard park has (so far!) been my favorite field trip in this Field Biology class and I am looking forward to more interactive spots around Florida.
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