A Week at Vester's

I was really looking forward to my time at Vester Marine Lab and it did not disappoint. It was an incredible facility right on the water and everyone we met was extremely insightful and welcoming. Every morning we had a quick lecture in the classroom and then went straight to the boats. The first two days we got the opportunity to gain geological and archaeological perspectives, which definitely broadened my horizons. One of my favorite things we got to do was explore the lives of the Calusa people at Mound Key. Mound Key is an archaeological site that holds historical significance of the Calusa indians, who survived solely on the coastal environment rather than agriculture. Once at Mound Key, we were divided into groups and given quadrats. We placed the quadrats in places with high amounts of shells at four different sites. My group was at the bottom of the mound. We identified 100 shells from our quadrat. Once the data was collected from each site, we were able to compare the different types of shells found with the ones found towards the top of the mound. We were told to analyze the things we found like we were indians. It was a lot of fun using our imaginations to recreate tools from the shells they might have used to tenderize various mussels and conchs. My group even found a large lightening whelk that showed distinct signs of wear that was most likely from the indians grinding up food. There is so much more to say about this week and trip, but it's difficult to find the words to adequately illustrate my experiences. In all, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the professors and graduate students at Vester Marine Lab. I am eager to further apply all of the concepts I have learned at the Keys this next week!