July 3, 2013

Today, Camp WET students watched as the Camp WET logo was screened onto their shirts.

When we went to cool off in the Atlantic, their were amazing sea hares to admire.

Learn more about them by clicking here.

Even bubble Bill from the gift shop made friends with a sea hare!

 This beautiful shell is a lightning whelk. Did you know that lightning whelks are the only snails with a counterclockwise spiral? All others have a clockwise spiral.

This algae is known as cryptonemiales.

It was a great day to explore the near shore reef known as Bathtub Reef. These boulders are made by marine worms! They are literally alive.

 If you visit the Bathtub Reef, remember to stay off!

Here's a close up encounter with a sea hare. Press the arrow and watch!

July 2, 2013

Adventures at the House of Refuge Anastasia limestone formations and dock on the Indian River Lagoon

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Camp WET is off to a great start!

We learned about several important dune plants at a local beach.

Ou next stop after a wavy, windy cool-off in the Atlantic was the Indian River Lagoon, where we seined the grassflats.

Did you know that a sea hare can release ink if threatened? The ink is harmless; it's meant to scare predators away!

June 18, 2013

Camp WET explored the Anastasia Limestone formations near the House of Refuge today. We also seined, castnetted and fished on the dock of the Indian River Lagoon.

 We also had a chance to tour the Environmental Studies Center and meet many of the resident animals.

Sandy, the loggerhaead sea turtle, is scheduled for release on August 10, 2013.

At the Anastasia Limestone formations we discovered that limestone is actually a "soft" rock, and it has been eroding by the ocean waters of the Atlantic for over 300,000 years.

 Some creatures, like these chitons and snails, live on the intertidal zone, where during low tide, they wait for high tide waters to return by sealing themselves up tightly to preserve moisture.

We also found small tide pools where anemones live.

The House of Refuge is open to the public and makes a great family day outing. Learn more about it here.

When we returned from our trip, we had WET Buck Mania!

Camp W.E.T. in the News

Camp W.E.T. 
paddled and raced dragonboats today!

Enjoy these photos from 
Deborah Silver of the Stuart News.
(note: other local camps are also in this photo gallery, not all are from Camp W.E.T.)

Click here for the photos on tcpalm.com

Would you and your family or other group like to race the Dragonboats at your own event?
click here to find out how

Welcome to Camp WET 2013

We enjoyed the Atlantic Ocean . . . 

 We found some really cool things, like this sea hare! More information about them by clicking here.

 Bits of sand dollars were quite popular today. These are actually the skeleton of an invertebrate. You can learn about these interesting creatures by clicking here.

 These gumbo limbo trees have naturally peeling bark that reminds us of sunburnt tourists, so they're also known as the tourist tree. These trees are an important part of Florida's natural environment. Learn more about them by clicking here.

 In the afternoon, we seined a few of the grassflats of the Indian River Lagoon.

 See this juvenile Florida spiny lobster? The Indian River Lagoon is an important nursery for many species of ocean dwelling fish and invertebrates.