Day 26 - Time to go to sea...and report in...

The main even today was going out on the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology's research vessel, the R/V Pluteus.  FYI, a pluteus is a larval stage of sea urchins, sand dollars, and brittle stars.  Expectations and morale was high (OK, moral is always high) as we boarded.  The boat captain, Larry, was kind enough to take our class photo.  Click on the photo to see a larger image.

We didn't actually go to sea, though we did go on a "3-hour tour" in Coos Bay where we carried out bottom trawls and plankton tows.

Spring 2013 BYU-Idaho Marine Biology Field Experience Class Photo

R/V Pluteus of the OIMB

L-R: Dr. Holyoak (on dock), Tony, Daniel, Blake, Dallas, Kristin, Tyrel, Jessica, Bailey, Patrick, Elysa, Mackenzie, Lindsey

(c) 2013 Alan Holyoak

Before we left the dock Cap'n Larry gave us some important safety instructions.  Here are a few of his sage words of counsel and instruction.

First of all he reminded us that...

...you must be at least this tall to ride this ride.

Next he informed us that on The R/V Pluteus we always...

 ..."Put your left foot in, and put your left foot out..."

Seriously, Cap/n Larry was very good.  He's retired Coast Guard, and he took good care of us.

As soon as we left the dock, out came the cameras. And why not?  How many times do many of the MBFE students have to do this?  Not many.

L-R: Daniel, Tony, Blake, Dallas, Kristin, Bailey, Patrick

Once we reached out destination in the bay it was time to get to work. 

Cap'n Larry instructs Patrick and Blake on how to deploy the trawl net

They listened well, and Patrick and Blake deploy the net.

At the same time Tyrel runs the winch that lowers the net.  Note Ty's serious expression of concentration.

And the net came up.

Daniel and Patrick and...crabs

Kristin made a new friend...that she then released.

L-R: Daniel, Tyrel, Lindsey, Patrick and Dallas check out the haul.

We did more than one haul, so students took turns running the winch, deploying the net...

Bailey lowers the trawl net.

Jessica retrieves it...

Tony takes a turn on the winch too.

Partway through our "Three-hour tour" we hit a small squall...

...but spirits remained high on the main deck.

L-R: Elysa, Mackenzie, ???, Lindsey, Kristin

...and on the bow some of the guys pose for the camera...OK, Blake did.

L-R: Blake, Dallas, Daniel, Tony

The weather turned nicer again as we headed back to the harbor, and Daniel and Dallas take this rare opportunity and captive crowd to show off their newly acquired OIMB Dining Hall physiques.

I'm happy to report that from all indications new and potentially life-long friendships were made during the MBFE.  Here, for example, is "Team Slug" (Elysa and Mackenzie), two of the students heavily involved in following and describing the embryonic development of a number of sea slugs.

So that was what happened this morning.

This afternoon each research team presented results of their research.  This was the last official class activity of the MBFE.  I'm happy to report that everyone worked exceedingly well, and did good jobs on their presentations, though I still have to crunch some numbers before I know their oral presentation scores.

And last, but surely not least...the first group of MBFE students left for home.  Seeing Blake, Tyrel, and Patrick drive off when the group presentations were done was almost like seeing kids leaving home - it was the beginning of the end of the BYU-Idaho 2013 MBFE.

Though today ended up another great day, it started out on a sad note.  Somehow the water was either turned off or never got turned on in Roxanne's tank when she was put back in last night, and she was dead when I checked the lab this morning.  In order to avoid this being a total loss I preserved her and will take her back to BYU-Idaho to be added to our teaching collection.  Sigh.  This is sad, very sad.  I would personally prefer to have seen her taken back to the tide pool where she was collected.

Anyway, as President Clark would say, it's another great day in the MBFE.