Good Fortune and crew hosted a field trip for marine science students from Queens College on Saturday April 14th. The weather was perfect, with NE wind at 10 to 15 K and lots of sun. We had a great sail out to Cape Lookout and anchored off the west beach. We saw dozens of northern gannets and dolphins on the out bound sail. The carolina skiff was launched and students were shuttled to the beach. A dead baby dolphin and two dead loggerhead turtles were spotted and examined. The students collected at least one large knobbed whelk each. A large queen helmet, in nice condition, was also found. We also explored the rock jetty for invertebrates and algae. We crossed the island, to the bay side, and explored the spartina marsh for small fish and looked for more winter/kill turtles. Every one was hungry and tired when we returned to Good Fortune. The return trip was down wind through a water fall of diving gannets raining into the water. You don't see that every day. The spring beach holds the treasures of winter without the tourist pressure on wildlife and shell populations. This is our best shelling time.
This is what Good Fortune Coastal Ecology Sails is all about.
Capt. Ron
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