The Cover is Off!
The cover is off and that means spring is surely here! The schooner will go back into the water on March 30 and education sails begin on April 11.
Entries by soundwaters
If You Look Really Closely…
Spring is in the air, and in the water as well! Along the shores on Long Island Sound, spring also means the return of many different animals. Often the first creatures we see are tiny zooplankton. Some, like the ubiquitous copepod, are laying eggs and multiplying quickly. Others, like crab zoea and barnacle cyprids, are […]
Too old for camp, too young to be a counselor?
Join our Counselor in Training program! The CIT experience is designed to offer qualified 14 and 15 year old students with leadership opportunities that prepare them for positions as camp counselors, sailing instructors and outdoor program leaders. The CIT program includes: On the job training in all aspects of a counselor’s job at camp, child development […]
A Face Only A Mother Could Love
The oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) is a famously hardy denizen of Long Island Sound, named for its appetite for oysters, as well as a toad-like face and the ability to produce a croaking sound in order to attract a mate. (Fun fact: it produces the sound with muscles attached to its swimbladder, and these muscles are […]
How the Squid Lost its Shell …
It sounds like a Dr Seuss riddle, but instead, this question is at the heart of the recent New York Times article that explained how evolutionary pressures favor “being nimble over being armored,” which explains how, over time, animals like the squid became shell-less. Here in Long Island Sound the squid (technically the long-finned squid: […]
Winter Water Quality in Long Island Sound
Despite the recent warm weather, the temperature of Long Island Sound is at or near its lowest point at this time of year. What is the quality of the water? First, this is the clearest water we’ll see all year! The cloudiness (turbidity) of the water is affected by the presence of plant and animal […]
The Outdoor Season Started Today!
Outdoor education programs at SoundWaters began today when 75 third graders arrived from Stamford’s Stark Elementary School. Temperatures were in the 30s, but that didn’t keep our intrepid Island Explorers from the marshes and the rocky shores of Cove Island where they studied habitats and collected animals to learn about adaptations. The loudest squeal we heard was […]
The Weather’s Great. Where’s the Ship?
The sailing season is coming, but don’t be fooled by today’s weather; we’re not quite there yet. The Schooner SoundWaters is spending the winter on dry land, under wraps at Norwalk Cove Marina. This is maintenance season and we’ve been sanding, painting, repairing and replacing in preparation for the arrival of the 2017 crew in […]
We’re Seeing the Best Birds at Cove Island.
Animals migrate for many reasons, including food availability, climate, reproduction, and time of year. About 20% of the world’s bird species migrate seasonally and SoundWaters’ home at Cove Island Park is an outstanding place to appreciate some of our local migrating birds. Among these species, we often see a small duck known as the bufflehead, […]
Does Environmental Education Work?
It looks good. It feels good. Teachers and students love it. But does it really matter?!? The most recent research on environmental education from Stanford University answers this questions with clarity: yes! A systematic review of the academic literature showed how environmental education makes an impact on both teachers and students. 90% reported INCREASED skills; 86% […]
