Reflection

Looking back on our trip to Wallops Island I could honestly say I was not looking forward to going on the trip. Our trip was over fall break at Shippensburg University. Over break I was planing on working a little, and most of all relaxing. The trip had very little of that, but it realy wasn't in a bad way. We left Friday afternoon for Wallops Island Marine Science Consortium Research Center. Along the way we took a detour to Baltimore's inner harbor where we took a tour of the Baltimore Aquarium. This was the first time I had ever been to the aquarium. The stop was to help us "connect" with nature before we got to the research center. It was fascinating. The exhibits were amazing and any type of animals species you could think of. The only down fall was the time we had at the aquarium, because of budget constraints.
Once we arrived at Wallops Island the work began. We had numerous activities and service projects that we did through out the next four days. Monday morning we kayaked in the Chesapeake Bay and explored the beach. In the afternoon we volunteered at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and clean a 140 year old lighthouse in preparation for its anniversary the next day.
On Sunday we went to Tom's Cove located at the end of Chincoteague Island. We all got ankle deep in mud for two hours and clean a marsh that serves a a buffer zone for the ocean and the mainland. During the clean up we found hundreds of oyster netting that broke away from privately owned oyster beds and washed ashore. The netting as a serious impact on the animals that life in that marsh area, and it was amazing how much netting we cleaned up.
On Monday morning we went to Smith Island and explored the culture and they way they people on the island live which is unique from any other society that i have seen in the modern United States. I have posted and elaborated earlier on this day in a previous post.
On our return trip home we wanted to bring what we learned and are experience full circle. We Stopped at a farm in St. Thomas PA where we were given a tour of the farm and a lecture on best management practices.