Vester Marine Station

What a week of variety! I don't think my mind has stopped racing because of all the new information I have obtained from this short week at FGCU. Every day we touched on subjects that I have never learned about, which was very insightful because I didn't realize how rounded this major is. I have always thought there were several directions you can go with in coastal biology, but it truly is a full 360 of options and paths to go down.

The first day of our week wasn't shy of getting dirty and neck-deep into the Estereo Bay. We took long aluminum pipes to the sediment of the estuary and drilled the pipe down as far as our strength could withstand to obtain core samples. Once we got the samples, we took them back to the lab to cut them horizontally in order to view the sediment layer, making observations of the composition and characteristics for weather and environment prediction dating back to about 3500 years ago. I found this so much more interesting than I imagined because I have never took this approach in science. A major reason coring happens is to see what the earth looked like and it can help with issues we face today, such as sea level rising and climate change. This gave me a great insight on my future studies because now I am not only thinking in the present and future tense, but also the past to solve my questions I what to find answers to.

The next day was just as interesting because we were looking at the past, but in a completely different way. Instead of prediction the environmental composition of the past area, we were making observations and collecting data to get a better grasp on the human life on Mound Key when the Calusa resided there. We took samples of the shells that were found around the area they lived and used this information to predict what they used for food, which can allow us to understand several other variables, such as social status, trading routes, and advancements in tools. I absolutely loved standing on those ancient grounds and just wondering what their world was like when they walked on that island. Our society has changed so drastically since then and I could wonder what thoughts went through their minds about the future all day. I also got quoted in a newspaper article... so that was a pretty sweet addition to the day. 

Day three was simply incredible, as well. We took the boat out to the Gulf and went fishing for sharks! I enjoyed this a lot because of the obvious reason, sharks. I have never seen a shark in the wild before so I was stoked and I learned so much about the process in tagging, taking samples, and fishing methods. Even though we didn't actually catch a shark (bummer), it was still a great experience and I enjoyed just basking in the sun on the boat with my fellow classmates (and Bob) while waiting for the bait to kick in a little.

The rest of the week flew by in what seemed like seconds. Thursday was spent traveling to different spots in the estuary, snorkeling and taking samples of the water to compare abiotic gradients and biological zonations. This was a great learning experience for me because we were deeply analyzing different factors and life throughout the Bay and I learned a lot of something I thought I already knew a good deal about. That is just proof that you can always learn more in life, even when you aren't expecting to. Friday consisted of data analysis from the shark tissue samples, looking for mercury concentrations. I volunteered to cut a piece of my hair off to measure my mercury level and luckily I had a very low concentration - .07 mg. It was interesting and sad learning about the toxic levels of mercury that is found in sharks, the apex predators of the ocean. I hate learning about more ways that our actions impact so many aspects of our planet, but it is necessary to hear about because it inspires me more to dedicate my life to educating and changing the world.