Scotch Bonnet

Welcome to the newest online issue of Scotch Bonnet. This marine education newsletter also is available as a portable document file (.pdf) — if you’re like me and want to keep a hard copy!

If you’re interested in container spills or the great Pacific garbage patch, here are a few books to read this summer. Try some of these for yourself — you’ll be glad you did.

• Ebbesmeyer, Curtis and Eric Scigliano. 2009. Flotsametrics and the Floating World: How One Man’s Obsession with Runaway Sneakers and Rubber Ducks Revolutionized Ocean Science. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-155840-2. Curtis Ebbesmeyer, who calls himself a forensic oceanographer, shares the story of how he became interested in floating debris from container ship spills. This is an enjoyable story that traces his early career to what he’s up to now.

• Henderson, Bonnie. 2008. Strand: An Odyssey of Pacific Ocean Debris. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. ISBN 978-0-87071-299-9. As a volunteer for Oregon’s CoastWatch program, Bonnie Henderson adopted a one-mile stretch of beach on the central coast of Oregon. This book documents stories behind some of the debris she saw on her mile of beach, including glass fishing floats, athletic shoes and a dead minke whale.

• Holm, Donovan. 2008. Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea and of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists, and Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them. New York: Viking Press. ISBN 978-0-143-12050-6. Journalist Donovan Holm was attracted by the story of the container spill of The First Years plastic bath toys and follows the search for remnant toys from their creation in China to their final resting place on various shores. An interesting read.

• Moody, Skye. 2006. Washed Up: The Curious Journeys of Flotsam and Jetsam. Seattle: Sasquatch Books. ISBN 987-157061-463-7. A long-time beachcomber, Skye Moody calls herself a “flotsamist,” a person interested in floating wreckage of a ship or its cargo that washes up on the shore. She is a good storyteller, and is very entertaining while sharing her beach finds and research.

Please drop me an email if you read any of the books that I mention in Scotch Bonnet. I would love to have your opinions and impressions of these stories. I’ll be sharing more natural history books with you in upcoming issues of the newsletter.

Explore this issue. There are many professional-development opportunities and family explorations for all of us. Try to take advantage of these wonderful conferences, workshops and more. Keep reading for those unique opportunities and ideas for educators. There is a lot going on in North Carolina!

Thanks to Linda Boyer, James Charlet, Pat Raves, Windy Arey-Kent, Kay Evans, Katie Mosher and Allison Vinson for their contributions to this issue.

2012 Blue Heron Bowl
www.ecu.edu/icsp/bhb2012/

East Carolina University’s Institute for Coastal Science and Policy and the Division of Continuing Studies had the honor of hosting the 2012 Blue Heron Bowl on March 3. This is the second year ECU has hosted this event, which is the regional competition for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB).

The Blue Heron Bowl consisted of 13 North Carolina high-school teams competing in timed, round-robin sessions that included multiple-choice and short-answer questions within the broad category of ocean sciences. The top four teams then competed for top honors. Teams included four students, one alternate and a coach.

Questions were drawn from the scientific and technical disciplines used in studying the oceans, including physics, chemistry, geology, atmospheric science and biology, as well as from topics on the contributions of the oceans to national and international economics, history and culture.

The winning team was Raleigh Charter High School. East Chapel Hill High School came in second, and the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics from Durham was third. Walter Williams High of Burlington was voted the most sportsmanlike team. Raleigh Charter’s team progressed to the NOSB, held April 19 to 22 in Baltimore, where they competed against 24 other regional winners.

Coordinated by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, the NOSB is a national academic competition that tests high-school students on topics related to the study of the oceans and Great Lakes. The NOSB competition is intended to increase knowledge of the oceans, and to raise the visibility and public understanding of the national investment in ocean-related research.

The Blue Heron Bowl is proud to share the news that Raleigh Charter High School finished second in the national competition. Coach Whit Hames is very proud of his team — as are we. Way to go, Raleigh Charter High School!

Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station
www.chicamacomico.net

For maritime history buffs, a visit to Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is a dream come true. This unique historic site — a seven-acre, eight-building complex — is considered the most complete remaining U.S. Life-Saving Service location in the nation.

The eight buildings, which are vailable for tours, include the original station from 1874 that was used as a boathouse and storage shed after the “new” building (also open to the public) was constructed in 1911. In addition, stables, two cook houses and the 1907 Midget House are open for viewing.

There is something for everyone at Chicamacomico. Summer programs for 2012 are scheduled throughout the summer Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. These programs offerings include: learning about the filming of the movie “Nights in Rodanthe” on Mondays; discovering lost tales about the U.S. Life-Saving Service on Tuesdays; meeting the real Taffy of Torpedo Junction on Wednesdays; observing the Beach Apparatus Drill on Thursdays; and solving the mystery of the Lost Colony each Friday.

Don’t miss the thrilling Beach Apparatus Drill using black powder, Lyle gun and breeches buoy. Chicamacomico is the only place in the United States that performs the full Beach Apparatus Drill reenactment for the public during the summer months. It also is the only drill reenactment in the world performed by active duty U.S. Coast Guard personnel.

For more information or for details, contact Chicamacomico at 252/9887-1552.

Summer at the N.C. Estuarium
www.partnershipforthesounds.org

Art exhibits scheduled for the summer include:

• June: “Wild North Carolina Through the Artists’ Eyes,” a juried show by the N.C. Wildlife Artist Society.
• July: Oil paintings by Williamston artist David Brown.
• August: Photographs by Louis Sharpless and wall hangings by Pamlico River Quilters.

Program highlights for June:

• Storytelling with the Inner Banks Storytellers Group: June 20, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; cost: $2. Stories, music and puppets from people who love having fun. Suitable for families and school-aged children. Call for reservations.
• Don’t Get Blown Away by Hurricanes: June 26, 1 to 2 p.m.; cost: $2. Join Michelle Covi, outreach coordinator from the Renaissance Computing Institute at East Carolina University, for a hands-on learning experience about hurricanes. Participants will create and track hurricanes and make take-home crafts. Learn about these storms so you don’t get blown away. Call for reservations (adults and children).

Program highlights for July:

• Aurora’s Famous Fossils: July 10, 1 to 2 p.m.; cost: $2. Meet with George Oliver, educator at the Aurora Fossil Museum, to learn about the unique fossils of the Aurora area. Bring in shark’s teeth for identification. Call for reservations (adults and children).
• BUGS!: July 24, 1 to 2:30 p.m.; cost: $2; pre-registration is required. Children ages 7 and 12. Learn about collecting, classifying and mounting insects from Alina Suedbeck, a student at Green Acres Academy. Call for reservations.
• Fish Printing on T-shirts: July 26, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; cost: $2. Bring your own t-shirt and decorate it with prints of fish and other critters. Call for reservations (ages 6 to adult).

Program highlights for August:

• Storytelling with the Inner Banks Storytellers Group: Aug. 8, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; cost: $2. Stories, music and puppets from people who love having fun. Suitable for families and school-aged children. Call for reservations.
• Fish Printing on T-shirts: Aug. 16, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; cost: $2. Bring your own t-shirt and decorate it with prints of fish and other critters. Call for reservations (ages 6 to adult).

Programs offered all summer long:

• River Roving Educational River Tours: Learn about the history and habitats of the Washington waterfront. These boat tours cruise the Pamlico River Wednesdays through Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and 1:35 p.m., and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. No admission fee or other cost is involved for the tour, but advance reservations are required. Riders should check in 15 minutes in advance. Children must be at least 6 years old to ride; a responsible adult must accompany children under 16. Call for reservations.

The Crab Pot Gift Shop is full of unique gifts with a natural flair. North Carolina products and books are featured — a great place for shopping for that special one-of-a-kind gift.

The Estuarium is located at 223 E. Water Street, Washington, N.C., and is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for students. Please call ahead for program information as space may be limited. The Estuarium is a Partnership for the Sounds facility, an organization promoting ecotourism and sustainable economic development in the Albemarle-Pamlico region (www.partnershipforthesounds.org). For more information or for reservations, contact estuarium@embarqmail.com or 252/948-0000.

North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is hosting some special guests this summer: penguins! Four African penguins will waddle and swim in the Penguin Plunge exhibit from May 12 through Sept. 30.

In addition to their natural appeal to visitors, they make a powerful conservation statement for their wild cousins. Pollution, habitat loss and fisheries depletion imperil penguins worldwide — and wildlife closer to home.

“Although they look like tuxedoed cartoon characters, these penguins carry an important message about the results of human activities on wild populations,” says Allen Monroe, aquarium director.

Penguin Plunge is free with admission or membership to the Aquarium.

North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
www.ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island

Have you ever wanted to dive in an aquarium? Here is your chance to be on the other side of the aquarium glass for a change. The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is now offering a special experience for certified scuba divers.

Dive in the crystal clear 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic exhibit, home to the largest shark collection in North Carolina. Any diver will appreciate the unlimited visibility, number of fishes and impressive encounters with sharks up to 10 feet long.

See hundreds of fishes up close on a unique tour led by the aquarium’s trained dive staff. Imagine staring at sharks as they swim by, only an arm’s length away.

Space is limited, so register now for an adventure of a lifetime. Call Dive Master Jason Sheremeta at 252/473-3494 ext. 239 or email guest.diver@ncquariums.com or jason.sheremeta@ncaquariums.com.

2012 National Marine Educators Association Conference
www.pacname.org/conf.shtml

Join the National Marine Educators Association for their conference in Alaska, titled North to Alaska’s Seas: A Confluence of Science and Culture. This annual event is scheduled for June 24 to 28 in Anchorage, which also is known as “Tikatnu” or the “big ocean river,” place of the Dena’ina Athabascan Indians on Cook Inlet. Held at the University of Alaska, the meeting will be hosted by the Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators and the Alaska Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence. Registration is now open. It’s not too late to head north to Alaska!

Fall Conference for Environmental Educators of North Carolina
www.eenc.org

Scouting Out EE in NC is the theme of this fall’s annual conference for the Environmental Educators of North Carolina. The fall conference is set for Oct. 26 to 28 at the East Carolina Scout Reservation at Blounts Creek, on the shores of the beautiful Pamlico River near Washington, N.C.

Concurrent sessions and workshops will focus on the following strands: Diverse Audiences in Environmental Education, Connecting Experiential Education and Environmental Education, Environmental Education through Sustainable Agriculture, Capacity Building through Research, and Rivers to the Sea: The Importance of Water Education.

There is something for everyone, so don’t miss this opportunity to learn from and network with your environmental education resources from around the state.

‘North Carolina’s Local Catch’ Featured on UNC-TV
video.unctv.org/video/2224183505

A seafood documentary, “North Carolina’s Local Catch,” aired on UNC-TV on April 19. If you missed it, you can catch the 26-minute program on the UNC-TV’s website: video.unctv.org/video/2224183505.

“I had an adventure into my own state. Until filming this piece, I thought I knew all I needed to know about the fish I put on my plate,” notes producer Rick Sullivan, who chronicles various species from harvest to dealers, markets and restaurants, even to his own kitchen.

Sullivan offers insight into the communities that supply an increasing demand for local seafood. Chefs and market owners offer tips to identify the freshest selections.

Connie Mason, president of Carteret Catch, expects viewers will have a new perspective when they head to the coast or to a restaurant. “The mission of the Catch groups in North Carolina is to educate the public to ask for local seafood, to direct them to local sources including restaurants, local fish dealers and the fishermen themselves. This will keep our coastal heritage alive and vibrant and our people healthier,” she says.

Other local catch programs in North Carolina are Brunswick Catch, Outer Banks Catch and Ocracoke Fresh.

The documentary program was supported by the N.C. Fishery Resource Grant Program, which is funded by the N.C. General Assembly and administered by North Carolina Sea Grant. For additional resources, visit www.ncseagrant.org/seafood.

Coastwatch Offer
www.nccoastwatch.org

Coastwatch, North Carolina Sea Grant’s magazine, has a special deal for educators. Until June 30, buy one subscription and get another free for $10. Use the code “2012 Education.” Mail your checks to Coastwatch, North Carolina Sea Grant, NC State University, Box 8605, Raleigh, NC 27695-8605. For more information, call 919/515-9101 or email sandra_harris@ncsu.edu.

Curriculum/Activity Guides Still Available

Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence SouthEast’s (COSEE SE’s) The Educator’s Guide to Marine Debris: Southeast and Gulf of Mexico is a regional introduction to three main categories of marine debris: litter, derelict or abandoned boats, and lost or abandoned commercial and recreational fishing gear. This publication is available for free download on the COSEE SE website at www.cosee-se.org/marinedebris.php and is also available in hard copy, while supplies last.

N.C. Big Sweep’s publication, Undercurrents: A Big Sweep Middle School Teacher’s Guide, includes litter-awareness lessons that are correlated with state learning objectives for 8th grade science and math, as well as for healthful living, language arts and information skills. Undercurrents is available free to North Carolina educators while supplies last.

The Coastal Processes and Conflicts curriculum includes extensive background information for teachers, as well as student lessons that are relevant in any setting — not just the island environment. It is appropriate for middle- and high-school students. The curriculum can be downloaded free from www.ecu.edu/educ/csmte/coastal_processes.cfm. Or you can order a hard copy ($10 includes postage), which comes with a CD containing color copies of figures used in the student activities.

Each of these education resources is available from Terri Kirby Hathaway, North Carolina Sea Grant, terrikh@csi.northcarolina.edu.

Need to Contact Me?

If you ever have information to share with other marine educators, please don’t hesitate to send it my way for inclusion in a future issue of the Scotch Bonnet. Let me know what you’re hearing from the sea!

Please share this website with others — and share my email address with anyone who wants to receive a message when each Scotch Bonnet is available online! Thanks for all you do for students and for other educators!

My contact information is: North Carolina Sea Grant, P.O. Box 699, Manteo, NC 27954; phone: 252/475-3663; fax: 252/475-3545; email: terrikh@csi.northcarolina.edu.

Best Fishes!

Terri Kirby Hathaway
Marine Education Specialist
North Carolina Sea Grant
terrikh@csi.northcarolina.edu