Daily Update March 22, 2012

Yesterday afternoon, Peter and Teschna took their Marine Ecology class SCUBA diving.  We dropped forty feet down to Tunnel Rock, and swam around exploring under rocks, caves, and tunnels.  The idea of SCUBA diving during a class inspired me.  For one, already in our class we have learned a life skill that will extend itself far beyond Marine Ecology class.  In addition, diving gives our classroom work meaning: I find nearby fish species that I visit frequently to be much more relevant to me than those found under the arctic ice cap.  As we kicked our way around Tunnel Rock, my buddy Anna and I stopped at a large school of shrimp, floating under an overhang.  These shrimp swam up and clung to our hands.  We learned that this is a cleaning station; these were Peterson’s Cleaning Shrimp.  Staying under the overhang allowed other fish to stop at their station and be cleaned.  The shrimp that jumped on our fingers were cleaning us!  During marine ecology class, I am sure that we will all learn about these cleaning stations quickly and easily.