First Impressions of Hurricane Island: Chloe

Post by Chloe Tremper (Summer 2014 Science and Education Intern)

Lots of familiar, lots of new.  My first impression started at the Hurricane Island Foundation office in Rockland.  I opened the door to the office and was immediately greeted by two very happy dogs followed by Cait, and I couldn’t have had a better welcome.  Once we pulled up to Hurricane Island itself I was immediately struck with how beautiful the island is. I couldn’t think of a better place to be spending my summer. Every staff member I met throughout the day was really nice and it was pretty apparent they are a tight-knit group of people who love what they do even with the challenges that come along with jobs like theirs.

Chloe on one of the Hurricane Island trails

After getting a chance to walk around the island a bit, everything seemed very familiar.  The forested areas on the island made me feel like I was back in the spruce-fir forests that I’m used to seeing on the mountaintops of Vermont. Dark-eyed juncos, golden-crowned kinglets, Swainson’s thrushes, all birds I’m used to hearing in the dead silence of a mountaintop, I’m now hearing with the crash of ocean waves in the background. On top of that, here I am on an island with an elevation of less than 200ft and I’m seeing mountain ash, red spruce, mountain paper birch, and balsam fir--it’s pretty neat!

Overall, my first impression of Hurricane Island was a great one.  I’m looking forward to getting to know the island better and being able to navigate myself around the trails. I am also really excited to get started with the ISLE classes and my research project to assess the health of Hurricane Island’s forest stands (more on that later!). 

First Impressions of Hurricane Island: Collin

Post by Collin Li (Summer 2014 Science and Education Intern)

The voyage to Hurricane Island was swift. The cool breeze and frigid waters heavily contrasted with what I was used to, but I was too excited to lay eyes upon my home for the next two months to care. After unloading my gear, HIF staff gave us a tour of the infrastructure and I immediately noticed how environmentally conscience the Foundation is. Solar panels lined many roofs, skylights were installed in the cabins, and the composting "throne" toilets, and outhouses with Dutch doors were a plus.

Our hikes later that evening allowed me to begin to explore the inner parts of the island and learn about the local flora and fauna. The task seemed daunting at first, but it is great to be immersed in this learning environment, and with repetition I have been able to pick out the more vocal birds and trailside plants.

As I hiked the trails, I felt like I was walking through a scene of the Hobbit. The songs of white throated sparrows and Swainson's thrushes filled the temperate evening air. Mosses found their homes on rocks and the trunks of the towering white spruces. And the stars began to glisten as the sun set over the mainland. The Island is a place teeming with life and inhabited by the Foundation. Through their work, science education and sustainable living is fostered in the hopes of creating leaders within the field of science for the future. Looking forward, it is exciting to take part in the HIF mission this summer and see what we can accomplish!

Paperwork - the not-so-fun side of research...

Phoebe and I prior to one of our dives on the Muscle Ridge closed area in the fall of 2013.

This month (June 2014), we have been making incremental progress towards getting into the field for the second year survey effort for the Lower Muscle Ridge scallop closed area. Basically, overcoming barriers to collaborative research takes time. Some organizations, like the Maine Department of Marine Resources and the University of Maine already have systems in place to allow their divers to do field work off of commercial fishing vessels while, others have not yet ventured into that realm. I am in the process of putting those systems in place for the Hurricane Island Foundation so our staff will be able to conduct research dives from commercial fishing vessels as well as our own. Doing so can take some time, but it's all in the name of having a safe SCUBA diving operation which is of the utmost importance if we want to continue doing research-related diving in the future. This process involves creating documents that outline the potential risks of participating in field work on a boat and underwater, as well as identifying ways we plan to mitigate those risks by being prepared with safety equipment and identifying the closest medical facilities to our field site. We are also developing a project dive plan that outlines our anticipated diving activity.  Diver conduct will adhere to the University of Maine's diving safety manual until we create one specific to the Hurricane Island Foundation. Eventually, we will create a diving control board made up of experienced scientific divers who will review our dive plans to ensure we are operating safely. We are also considering pursuing an organizational membership with the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS), an organization that specializes in establishing and maintaining scientific diving standards. 

Marissa McMahan, graduate student studying emergent species in the Gulf of Maine

Marissa diving off of Monhegan Island, ME.

Marissa is a graduate student, pursuing a Ph.D. at Northeastern University - Marine Science Center and we got a chance to hear a bit more about her experiences, career choices and time in the field - read on to find out more...

HI: What are your research interests and can you describe a current project you are working on?

My research interests focus on changes in predator-prey dynamics in the Gulf of Maine. Currently, I am working to better understand the impacts of emergent species on local ecology, food web dynamics, and fisheries productivity. In light of recent and continuing climate change, emergent species are becoming more common in areas such as the Gulf of Maine. Specifically, I am interested in the recent range expansion of the black sea bass, Centropristis striata, into the Gulf of Maine.**

**HIF plans to help Marissa collect samples of black sea bass for her research. We'll save any black sea bass we catch in the lobster traps we set around Hurricane Island. We will mark the date, depth, and location at which their caught and then pass them on to Marissa who will analyze what's in their stomachs to understand what black sea bass in the Gulf of Maine are eating.  

HI: What does science or research mean to you?

I'm an ecologist, so for me, science/research means striving to better understand the mechanisms and processes that drive broad ecological patterns.

HI: Was there a memorable experience or a defining moment that made you realize you wanted to pursue a career in science?

I realized I wanted to become a scientist (specifically a marine scientist) when I was 7 years old and started going out with my dad on his lobster boat. I was fascinated by the creatures he would catch in his traps, and I would always fill up a 5-gallon bucket and collect everything he was discarding so I could have a mini aquarium for the day. I wanted to know everything there was to know about the sea and all the interesting critters that lived in it!

HI: Did you have an important person in your life who encouraged you to pursue this path?

My parents were both very influential for me. They taught me to work hard and always do my best. They also imparted a healthy sense of curiosity that drives me forward each and every day.

HI: What words of encouragement would you give to students considering a career in science?

There is never a dull moment in the world of science! The sky is the limit (or your imagination)! It all starts with the tiny first step of asking a question, and from there the possibilities are endless.

HI: What’s the best story or favorite memory from your time in the field?

Several years ago I was attempting to catch cod for an experiment I was doing. I was out on a boat with a research technician, Curt, and an intern, Josh, who was working with me that summer. We had been out all day trying to catch cod, but hadn't had any luck. Everyone was disappointed and getting fed up. Then, out of the blue, Curt says "Ya know, if I had some Bohemian Rhapsody to listen to right now, I bet we'd catch a fish." I laugh, but Josh whipped out his cell phone and proceeded to download Bohemian Rhapsody. Technology is amazing! To Curt's surprise, Josh turned the volume all the way up and blared the song. Apparently cod must really like the band Queen, and Curt must have razor sharp intuition, because he had a bite before the song was over. He reeled in a huge cod! We ended up landing three fish that day, which was less than we originally had hoped to catch, but it was all thanks to that song. Next time you're fishing for cod, try playing Bohemian Rhapsody, it could make all the difference!

Application for our second special license is approved!

We have had our special license application to the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) approved! This means that we can collect specimens from our rocky intertidal and subtidal explorations around Hurricane Island. Part of the application included estimates on the number of individuals of different species we expect to collect and release over the course of the summer and fall. These estimates will give the DMR some indication about the number of marine organisms handled through specially licensed projects. 

As part of the special license application, Brian Smith from the Coast Guard had to inspect the Fifth Generation and the Eastern Flyer (the boats we will use to haul lobster traps) to ensure all the required safety equipment is on board and properly stowed. We were able to double check that we had the right equipment on board before the inspection by using the checklist generator tool (pretty exciting!) and we passed the inspection with flying colors!