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Camping among the sea creatures
[Photos courtesy of USF College of Marine Science]
IT WAS WORTH IT: Camper Jessica Richardson follows orders to kiss a cowfish. |
By JESSICA RICHARDSON
© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 6, 2001
Smooching fish, cruising the bay, getting cozy with manatees: Oceanography camp was an entirely different way to see a world we often overlook and to meet new friends who live on land.
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ST. PETERSBURG -- Have you ever kissed a cowfish?
I know. Eeiuw. That's what I thought, too. It's gross. Slimy, permanently puckered lips up against yours.
So why did I do it? I had to, at Oceanography Camp for Girls this summer on one of our fun and exciting field trips. My favorite was the research cruise. (Yes, the one where I had to kiss the fish.) We went out into Tampa Bay to do fieldwork; trawling, measuring, observing and mapping the floor of the bay were some of the activities we accomplished. While we were on camp director Teresa Greely's boat, we used a trawl net to catch fish so that we could measure and count them. Little did we know that in order to be allowed off the boat we would each have to pucker up for a fish.
When I first heard about the oceanography camp for girls going into high school, sponsored by the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science, I knew I would love it. What could be better than spending three weeks on boats and at the beach? I filled out the long application and sent it in, teacher recommendations and all. More than 150 girls from Pinellas County applied, and after personal interviews, I was one of the lucky 30 to be accepted. The camp, intended to interest girls in science and related careers traditionally not pursued by women, would be a great opportunity.
As camp time approached, I started getting nervous. Three weeks was going to be way too long for oceanography camp. I was out of school and tired of doing homework, so what could be fun about learning more? My head would probably explode! I thought up reasons not to go.
RESEARCH AT SEA: Jessica Boling, Rachel Fowler, Arielle Conage and Lisa Smith inspect a bucket of marine specimens gathered on a research cruise.
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But I went anyway and on the first day started meeting new people and having fun. Yeah, we were learning tons of new things, courtesy of our science mentors, who included USF graduate students and faculty and other marine experts, but it wasn't like regular school; it was really interesting! By the third day of camp I didn't want to leave at the end of the day and couldn't wait to go back each morning.
During the first week we went on three fabulous field trips: the fish-kissing expedition, one to Fort DeSoto where we observed fish and sea grass, and one to Sand Key where we looked at shells and studied the mangroves.
The days flew by, and soon we were doing labs. My first was plankton lab, in which we took samples from Tampa Bay to compare with plankton samples from the Antarctic. Despite what you may think, learning everything there is to know about the different kinds of plankton and what they do in the food chain was never once boring!
The next week was marine mammals lab, which included a behind-the-scenes stint at Lowry Park Zoo to focus on manatees. I think the hands-on learning at oceanography camp was much better than school. "I thought I already knew everything about (marine science)," said 14-year-old Brittany Diaz. "You realize how important marine life is."
CASTING A BIG NET: Oceanography campers seine for sea creatures at Fort De Soto in Pinellas County.
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Our final field trip was to Sea World. We had so much fun going behind the scenes and watching the animals . . . oh, and riding Kraken, a giant sea monster that is actually a roller coaster.
Family and friends came to listen to us talk about what we had learned, in a final presentation. I met so many nice people and made so many new friends at oceanography camp. Because of our unusual situation (no guys around), it was easier for us to open up and share things with our newly found friends. "Girls only" helped us become closer over the three weeks. Luckily, we will be having two camp reunions every year, where campers will get a chance to see each other again.
I recommend this camp to any girl, even if she's not interested in oceanography, because by the end of the camp she will be! "It's about science, it's about fun, it's about learning about others and yourself," says USF ocean biologist and camp program director Teresa Greely.
Even kissing a fish was worth it!
- Jessica Richardson, 14, will be in the ninth grade at St. Petersburg Catholic High School and is a former member of the Times X-Team.
If you want to kiss a fish next year
What: Oceanography Camp for Girls, sponsored by the USF College of Marine Science
Who: Open to all Pinellas County girls who are completing eighth grade. Taught by marine scientists and graduate students.
Where: USF's Bayboro campus, St. Petersburg
When: Next summer for three weeks, dates to be announced
Cost: Free to accepted applicants (funded by donations and endowments). Applications are available in the spring through school offices.
For more information: Visit www.marine.usf.edu
Here's the rest of today's Xpress
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