Service Learning Day 5

Today, we collected one of the two traps that we had placed on our previous Service Learning day.  In the morning, we planned out our day with our advisors, Dr. Haney and Dr. Irwin.  We decided that we would collect one of the two traps we placed a month ago at different locations.  The second trap at each location will be recovered on our next Service Learning day next month.  Before going to get the trap, we stopped at Ace Hardware to pick up a 5 gallon bucket to hold the trap and surrounding water.  We used the bucket to make sure that no aquatic life was lost when recovering the trap.  At Cole Callin’s house on the Newport Bay, Andrew and Adam dove in the water to retrieve the traps tied to the Pylons.  After retrieving the trap, we brought the trap and bucket back to Sage to analyze the marine life.  We spent time observing the different specimen in the bucket and on the trap.  On our next Service Learning day, it will be interesting to see how the marine life acquired by a trap in the water for 2 months compares with one in the water for just 1 month.

Our trap collection was essential to the group experiment because it allows us to observe what kind of different organisms are captured in different locations. We had to adjust our strategy of collecting the trap because the tide was extremely high and we had to find a way to get down to the trap, hold a bucket under it, and cut the zip-tie off of the pylon. Our project addresses the aquatic maintenance needs of our community.  By observing, analyzing, and documenting the marine life in different areas of Orange County and Southern California, we are helping the Crystal Cove State Park and California government in learning about the marine life on the coast so that we can preserve and protect it in the future.  Additionally, our project works to create positive change within our sphere of influence by helping to preserve marine life in the future.  We encountered several roadblocks in that the tide was very high, the water was cold, and the visibility was very poor. Regardless, we used goggles and used a knife to cut the trap. As a group, we accepted our roles and completed our tasks efficiently, each one of us contributing to the project in some way.