eSML April 2008: Season launch

SML summer 2008 has begun! We opened Appledore Island this week under cloudy, wet skies. Fortunately, we had a run of spectacular weather for much of April that allowed us to speed forward on all manner of projects. We�re poised for an exciting summer ahead.

Everyone on Appledore depends on the R.V. John M. Kingsbury . She is our lifeline to the mainland and has served for 25 years as a reliable, beloved vessel. This winter, resident captain Tom Davis and long-time SML friend John Becker put the Kingsbury in top condition for her roles in transportation and teaching. I was with Captain Tom in mid-April as he put finishing touches on the new paint. The boat is a joy to behold, so be sure to come see her!

SML staff based at Creek Farm this winter made great strides preparing for the busy season ahead. Lab preparators Meg Eastwood and Kipp Quinby took the lead on updating the SML species checklist; they also ordered and organized teaching materials for our 25 credit courses including new skeletons, models, field instruments, binoculars, fishing tackle, and the like. Their efforts will make our courses even more productive and fun. Head engineer Mike Rosen coordinated key upgrades for Appledore, including a new filtration system for saltwater lines to enhance survival of specimens in sea tables. And in an extension of our sustainability efforts, head chef Matt Coyle crafted new menus that emphasize local and sustainable ingredients. Most important, having coastal staff in residence during the academic year improved communication with colleagues at the University of New Hampshire.

For the third year, SML will operate the Tern Restoration Project on Seavey Island in collaboration with New Hampshire Fish and Game. Led by Dan and Melissa Hayward with Susie Burbidge, the project results in the largest common tern colony in the Gulf of Maine watershed. Those of you who have visited the Shoals Archipelago during the height of the nesting season know it is an awe-inspiring sight to watch thousands of these beautiful, protected birds in flight. The project also benefits SML students and our seabird conservation interns, who spend a week working with Dan and Melissa in mid-June. We look forward to many years of collaboration in this important restoration effort.

We just finished our second annual Staff Training and Orientation Weekend. This event brings together old and new island staff at Creek Farm and helps ease the transition to island life. All of us look forward to the upcoming volunteer weekend, May 2-5. We expect a good crowd and hope that the weather settles into the same great pattern we enjoyed so much during April.

I hope to see you there!

Willy Bemis, Kingsbury Director of Shoals Marine Laboratory Back to the Top