A Visit to Mote Marine

Sparky LOVES the Mote…Mote Marine Laboratory/ Aquarium...It's a combination aquarium and research facility where the public can view scientists and researchers doing experiments,  talk to researchers while they are working, ask questions, watch volunteers test and take care of sick animals, experience first hand marine life through "touch tanks", of which there are several throughout the aquarium, and learn about the Mote's efforts to preserve marine life.

Theresa and Chuck, Eldy's sister and brother-in-law really enjoyed their visit today….Theresa had her hands in every touch tank in the place! :-)  She especially liked the cow nose rays that are in one of the touch tanks. We saw about FIFTY cow nose rays the other day swimming back and forth along the Anna Maria Island pier….That was so cool!

And so did this little girl….the looks on the little kids' faces are just priceless…They are so excited to touch a living thing!

Sparky always sees something new she didn't notice before on her last visit. Like this certain kind of sea horse that had little appendages that looked like reef branches or seaweed that was actually growing out of their bodies!

It's cool to see the researchers doing their jobs right in front of the public…..

The turtle tanks had a new turtle besides the usual loggerheads swimming around…Sparky thinks the volunteer said it was a Kemp Ridley turtle….one of the world's most endangered turtle species.

As you stand at the edge of the water tanks to watch the turtles, they also have viewing windows down at the BOTTOM of the sidewalls so little kids can get a REALLY up close view of the turtles swimming by, and the turtles seem to enjoy looking right back at you!

Sparky learned some new things from the Mote today….(Depredation is when an animal has dug into the nest and destroyed some eggs….)

How to read turtle nest signs that you see at the beach….There's an exhibit that explains what all the terms and numbers mean on the nests. Not all the numbers here are explained, but here are a few. Initials are the staff member or volunteer who's reporting about the nest. A "V" means it's a verified sea turtle nest. "GMD" means the island address. A "DEP" means depredation--predators have gotten to the nest and destroyed some of the eggs. This nest lost 10 eggs to a predator, maybe a raccoon or ghost crab. An "REL" means the nest has been relocated for any number of reasons by the staff.  A "D" on the sign with a date means there's a depression or drop in the sand on the nest. That means the eggs have started to hatch and the baby turtles are coming out of the nest soon. An "H" on the nest sign means that baby turtle hatchling marks have been observed around the nest so the hatchlings have come out. "DIS" with a date--"disorientation" means baby turtle marks have been observed moving away from the water. NOT good! And finally, a circle with an "x" inside it means approved volunteers and researchers have excavated a nest after the hatching to determine and record the number of hatched and unhatched eggs.

Sparky also learned that when the baby turtles come out and make it to the water, they swim for 24-48 hours nonstop! This is called a "swimming frenzy". They are heading for ocean currents and an offshore feeding grounds called the sargassum weed line. They survive on egg yolk reserve and don't eat until they get to the weed line, where they will be safer from predators…..

There's a new exhibit coming February 1st to the Mote: Survivors--Beautiful and Extreme Adaptations. Gonna have to go back and see that…..We had a fabulous time at Mote Marine today! Tomorrow, the Bok Tower at Lake Wales, FL…..

Red Tide...Or Not?

Sarasota, FL        High:  81    Low:  59

We're still coughing now and then...Can't be red tide, can it? We're too far from the ocean! About 30 minutes. Offshore winds should be keeping any red tide respiratory distress at bay and out at the ocean beaches..But we've been to Longboat Key Beach yesterday and the red tide bloom, as they call it, has been responsible for the collection of 12.4 TONS of dead fish washed up on the south end of the Key to the 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive, right where we biked yesterday. That fish collection occurred in the past few weeks.

In case you wanted to know and missed the previous blog on red tide, here's a little info about it...Red tide is a higher than normal concentration of a microscopic plant like organism. It can cause respiratory distress in SOME individuals, if you are susceptible to respiratory ailments--coughs, cold, have sensitive lungs, etc. If you are sensitive to red tide, you might have trouble with sneezing, watery eyes, scratchy, itchy throat and COUGHING. The most common species that causes the fish to die off and respiratory distress in humans and pets is Karenia Brevis or K. Brevis. 

Mote's "Waldo"

The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium here in Sarasota continuously monitors and reports red tide  conditions updated twice a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year through a daily sampling of water from 26 Gulf Coast beaches. Water samples are taken from the beaches, from boats near shore and offshore, and with the help of local resources like the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation.  It's quite a sophisticated operation. Mote Marine Laboratory even has an underwater vehicle called an AUV--which is an underwater robot or autonomous underwater vehicle. Theirs is named "Waldo". (Too bad it's not called Eldo! Wouldn't that be cool? asks E.) The AUV's have special red tide detectors called BreveBusters. Clever name, eh?

Mote Marine Laboratory developed the Beach Condition Reports that give you the red tide, fish kill, rip current information (for lifeguarded beaches) for 26 Gulf Coast Florida beaches. In Sarasota County, the beach information is listed for: Lido Key, Siesta Key, Nokomis, Venice North Jetty, Venice Beach, and Manasota Beach. You can also call 941-BEACHES to get a report over the phone.

If you look online, the Beach Condition Report shows a Google map with little balloon pins for beach destinations. Click on the gulf coast beach of your choice, and up pops a report!  Things reported are: dead fish, respiratory problems, water color, wind direction, location of red drift, red tide present or not, rip currents, and color of the beach flag flying. Green is great-low hazard, yellow is moderate surf, red is high surf, strong currents, purple is dangerous marine life. Surf conditions and surf height are also listed. Good to know....We've heard of beach goers having trouble with coughing and their dogs coughing as well over at Casperson Beach south of Venice, FL last week.

So-o-o-o-o...is it red tide? Nope! No red tide present this week, it's the coughin' crud that still hangs on, our third week into it...But it's only a very occasional tickle and a certain something eaten that sets off a coughing attack. Like when Sparky went to the grocery store a couple of days ago, and sampled a piece of peppered salami....The pepper INSTANTLY set off a severe coughing jag, like the kind where you think you are going to cough your insides to the outside. Sparky practically ran to the rear of the store trying to find a drinking fountain amidst stares from other customers.."What is WRONG with THAT woman?" Water found, coughing subsided, and Sparky left the store as quickly as possible!

Not much else happening lately...A trip to Millie's Restaurant for breakfast one morning...WONDERFUL food, seniors love it, it's one of the best breakfast places in Sarasota, get there early on a Sunday morning, before 9:00 to get a table right away..Very classy decor, like eating in the dining room of a nice, country style decorated home..We've eaten there several times, it's highly rated on YELP...Sparky loves the breakfast burrito, Eldo loves the biscuits and gravy....YUM!

And the weather just keeps on staying sunny and warm....Guess the tourism industry in Florida is booming this year with rentals of vacation units both here in the park and in Sarasota County way up this year. Record numbers of Amish and Mennonite populations are coming down to the Sarasota area as well. Sounds like a great year for the realtors!  Until next time......