Campers Take a Closer Look at the Water

Biological Oceanographer David Kimmel and his research team from East Carolina University have visited Sea Gull and Seafarer several times this summer to collect data on Sea Nettles (a.k.a our beloved friends, the jellyfish).  Fortunately for us, they have been unable to locate many of these creatures in the waters surrounding the camps. 

On Thursday of last week, Dr. Kimmel and several graduate assistants came out to Sea Gull for an “Outreach Education Day” and demonstrated their research methods to the campers.  While some campers embarked on a hunt for Sea Nettles, others boarded a boat to measure salinity and temperature at different points in the water column.  While underway, they also deployed a “plankton tow,” or large net that filters river water and collects tiny organisms.  Campers were then able to view their “catch” under a microscope at the end of the pier.   

A big thank you to the ECU research team for an interesting day!  Read more about Dr. Kimmel’s laboratory at http://core.ecu.edu/kimmeld/index.html