Coastal Systems – WFJ – Key Largo

COASTAL SYSTEMS WEEKEND FIELD JOURNAL ONE

BY LIS G. CONTOLI

09/15/2018

KEY LARGO

SNORKELING KEY LARGO WITH MARINE LAB

 
WEATHER

Temperature: 84 – 90°F                                                                        

 

REFLECTION

    I arrived extremely early.  It was to my advantage because I couldn’t find where the entrance of Marine Lab was, so I had plenty of time to look for it.  Once I found it, there was a nice, little breakfast joint next to it.  I decided to eat some pancakes while I waited although I wasn’t very hungry.  I’ve only been to the Keys once in my life and that’s when I was really young, so I didn’t remember much.  Being in Key Largo reminded me of The Bahamas.  Especially the streets and the design of the houses, such an island feel.

    An hour and a half later, Marine Lab opened and I was ready to begin the day.  After a cringe-worthy swimming test on what looked like a blocked dead end of the inter-coastal turned into a pool, and the explanations of instructions, we left to go to six different locations for our exploration of Key Largo. I love this course.  It’s like being on vacation and getting tours.  We began our first top at the Mangrove Community.  To my luck, my snorkel was not working.  Air would not come in.  I had to hold my breath instead.  Despite the fact, I saw so many beautiful things.

 

MANGROVES

Some of the stuff we observed at Mangrove were:

TURTLE GRASS

 

SHOAL GRASS

 

MANATEE GRASS

PAN ALGAE

 

OATMEAL ALGAE

 

MERMAN SHAVING BRUSH

 

SNAIL SHELL

 

MANGROVE SPONGE

 

SEA SQUIRTS

 

RED MANGROVE