St. Croix Summer Camp 2022—Day 1

Altona Lagoon, Christiansted, St. Croix USVI

Monday, July 25, 2022

Coastal Ecosystem Exploration at the Altona Lagoon Beach

Students arrived at the WOS office at 8:00 AM. We reviewed the schedule together, and Jayden volunteered to share a Safety Moment with the team. Jayden's Safety Moment was on Monkeypox. He explained that Monkeypox starts with a fever, then body aches, with the first symptoms similar to influenza. He explained the development of the body rash that may be hard to miss. He explained that It starts as a flat lesion, then forms a nodule and, from there, a blister. He expressed that we should be mindful and avoid close contact. After our safety moment, we watched a short film on shoreline exploration that talked about some of the sea creatures we might see and discussed the importance of ocean conservation.

STX Marine Tour: We then began our adventure with a tour of the St. Croix Marine Center (located just before the Altona Lagoon.) We popped into the Marine shop and met the team. They allowed us to tour the boatyard, and students chatted with some of the workers completing sailboat restorations. The marine manager shared some jobs/careers they offered: marine management, boat washer, marine technician, and marine mechanic.

Exploring Altona Lagoon: Due to the low tides, students could walk inside the lagoon instead of walking the shoreline. This was exciting for the students. They experienced an up-close view of the juvenile fish, crabs, and other small sea creatures. We explored the Rhizophora habitat (red mangrove), saw seedlings in various stages and tree formation, and learned about the importance of the red mangrove habitat. We also identified the white and the black mangroves.

Altona Lagoon Boat Graveyard: Students explored the derelict boat graveyard off the shoreline at Altona Lagoon. We discussed how these boats sometimes cause a hazard to waterways and must be removed. We talked about the skills needed to complete that job, and we explored rock pools in the area. Learned about barnacles, the different tides, and slippery rocks. Great team-building exercise!

Altona Lagoon Exploring the Seashores: Students examine the many forms of life found along the Altona shorelines. A great introduction to seashells, fish species, and crustaceans identification and what it's like living in the shallow.

Touring St. Croix Marine Center

Wading in the Lagoon

At the boat graveyard

Altona Lagoon Rhizophora (red mangrove) habitat