Ocean First Education brings the sea to life through high-quality, innovative marine science education and creates lifelong students and stewards of the sea.
On June 13th, 6:00 am, the A Rising Tide scholars met at the Denver airport; some of them for their first ride on an airplane, others their first time to Florida. All of them, for their first scuba diving adventure. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, the students, instructors, and production staff were on their way to Key Largo, Florida where after six months of classroom and pool training the students would complete their open water certification dives.
But first, “Abandon ship!” Before any scuba diving, the students jumped off the boat for a quick dip in the blue waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off of Key Largo. A short snorkel was in order to get a feel for the salt water and a preview of what was to come. Soon the students were back on the boat, gearing up for their first open water dive. After a few equalization issues, a bit of day one sea sickness, a few shark encounters, one green turtle sighting, an octopus display, oodles of reef fish, and a few stings from little nematocyst-carrying critters, there were eight new scuba divers in the world. Eight very enthusiastic, ready to take on the world scuba divers.
As the adventure concludes with a concert by Mishka later today, we can’t help but wonder, “What will they do next?” These eight students who back in December submitted a video of themselves exclaiming why they should earn a spot on the roster. What will they do with the information they’ve learned throughout the semester? Where will they go diving next? Will they remember their skills!? I think so. I think their future is bright. Whatever direction they decide to go, they’ll succeed.
If you’ve ever been to the beach on the east coast of FL, chances are you’ve observed small clumps of tiny, grape-like golden seaweed on the beach. That seaweed is called sargassum. Sargassum is a type of free-floating brown algae. Those tiny little grape-like berries are actually gas-filled structures called pneumatocysts that provide buoyancy so the algae can float at the surface of the ocean and gain access to ample sunlight for photosynthesis.
Giant floating islands of sargassum make unique marine habitats. Stretching for miles across the ocean, these island oases provide food, refuge, and breeding grounds for fish, sea turtles, birds, crabs, and shrimp. Some species like the sargassum pipefish, frogfish, and seahorse never leave the seaweed mats; others, like mahi mahi, utilize the protection of the sargassum temporarily as a nursery.
Currently throughout the eastern Caribbean, including the Florida Keys, sargassum has bloomed causing catastrophic fish and invertebrate die-offs. Larger animals like turtles and dolphins get caught in the tangles of seaweed, become stressed, and drown. As the giant mats of seaweed move into harbors, fishermen are unable to leave port, the damage to their boat propellers and fishing gear is not worth the risk. It’s not just the immediate threat of the living seaweed that is of concern. As the algae dies, bacteria will break it down, utilizing much of the oxygen in the surrounding waters and producing toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. So, what’s causing the unusually large blooms of sargassum?
Scientists aren’t sure. It’s not a regular occurance. It is only since 2011 that excessively large quantities of sargassum have washed ashore at various Caribbean countries. Evidence suggests that a combination of nutrient runoff from agricultural fertilizers and pollution plus increasing sea surface temperatures caused by climate change are contributing factors. Sargassum thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water, able to double its mass in just 11 days under normal oceanic conditions. As sea temperatures increase, these sargassum blooms might become more common, negatively impacting the entire Caribbean Sea ecosystems from fisheries and coral reefs to the economies of many Caribbean nations.
Floating on the surface of the water in the National Marine Sanctuary, off of Key Largo in the Florida Keys, my breathing is deep and relaxed as I prepare for my next freedive. I slowly move my hands back and forth below me in a lazy effort to pop the discarded scuba bubbles as they dance to the surface in erratic shimmery patterns. The blue water had moved over the reef from the Gulf Stream, and from up here I have a prime and expansive view of the eight newly-certified teens cruising the finger reefs 30’ below near the bottom.
Read more about Mehgan’s experience with the A Rising Tide scholars in our latest blog post.
How well do you know the ocean? This regular feature will help acquaint you with our blue planet.
Topic: Nurse Shark
The scientific name is Ginglymostoma cirratum which means “curled, hinged mouth.”
Nurse sharks can reach a length of 14’ and weigh 330 lbs, but the average shark is 8-9’ in length and just over 200 pounds.
Nurse sharks are nocturnal, hunting for small fish and invertebrates alone at night.
Unlike most shark species, nurse sharks are rather sedentary. As such, they are buccal pumpers, using their cheek, or buccal, muscles to pull water into their mouths and over their gills.
Nurse sharks are the fourth most common species of shark to give humans a little love bite. So, hands off the adorably sleepy-looking nurse sharks.
