Notes from Hannah

Here's a letter from another of our touch tank interns, Hannah:

"Hey everybody! The touch tank has been a happening place lately! Though our rare-colored lobster is now at our Salisbury location (visit him there!) we have had a ton of fun with our many sea stars and other animals. Many people enjoy holding these wonderfully different colored animals and watching closely as their feet slowly move their bodies across your hand... it is quite an interesting feeling, as if they're tickling you slightly! There are crafts happening daily for the kids, also! A couple days ago, we had ten or more kids make different colored scallops with the paint and paper plates provided, and the staff was able to admire them before they took them home. It's different from day to day at the Portsmouth Blue Ocean touch tank. We love teaching people about the animals they encounter, as well as meeting people from many different parts of the world. There have been new creatures added and many people have been showing up consistently all summer long to see what's new! We look forward to seeing you!!"

A note from a dedicated intern!

Hi tank blog readers,

Here is an entry from intern Lauren, who recently finished her work with Blue Ocean Society:

"This summer season I was a volunteer at the touch tank. I learned many things about the marine life in the tank as well as marine conservation. I was honored to be able to experience such a wonderful organization that gave back to the community. It was amazing to see how many smiles came from children as well as adults. Some people who visited the tank were from out of state and had never seen these marine creatures up close, while others were locals and veterans of the tank...yet both gave great enthusiasm about the critters. The positive attitudes and curiosity made my time at the tank enjoyable and exciting. I also found there were many things I did not know, such as that a scallop has 86 eyes or that a moon snail makes its own shell out of a substance called calcium carbonate. I highly recommend anyone who has not visited our touch tank make the trip and check it out. Whether it is the unusual creatures you may find lurking in the tank or the devoted and lively staff at the tank, you will surely enjoy your visit!"

Salisbury Now Has 3 Orange Lobsters

For anyone in MA or headed that way, you might want to stop at our Sea Life Discovery Center in Salisbury Beach. Rumor has it that the center is now home to 3 orange lobsters! The center is open Tue-Fri, 10-3 and Sat-Sun, 11-4 and is located at 25 Broadway, right next to Surfside 5 and right on Salisbury Beach.

Calling all urchins!

The one thing we are asked most about at the tank is urchins. "Do you have any?" visitors will ask, only to hear, "Not right now - we haven't been able to find any all season!"
It's true - the only urchins I've come across this year have been tiny, and I've left those in the tidepools at the beach, because they tend not to fare well in the tank at such a small size (the crabs get to them quickly and easily).
Urchins are related to sea stars and sand dollars. They have round bodies (tests), long spines and lots of tube feet that stretch out when you hold them in the water. They use their sharp five-toothed mouths, called an Aristotle's lantern, to munch on kelp and scavenged meat. It can be hard to wrap your brain around the fact that they are, in fact, live animals - until you see their spines move and their feet stick out all around.
To find some of these cool specimens, we're reaching out to you! Have you been tidepooling this summer and seen urchins in a specific location? Please comment on this post and point us in the right direction - or if you're feeling especially daring, bring a few via cooler to the touch tank during our open hours. Thank you!

A great weekend

The tall ships have come and gone, and we were lucky enough to be part of the event. Thanks to everyone who checked out the touch tank on the way to the ships, or who made a stop at our mini tank at the event site. It was wonderful to meet you all! And for those of you who didn't get the chance to stop by, there are still three weeks left of August - we're open 10 to 2 every day.
On Saturday, two friendly scuba divers brought us lots of sea stars. Come watch them move around the tank using their tube feet - if you're lucky, you may get to see them extract their stomachs as they eat!

Missing donations...

Closing up the touch tank at 2 p.m. today, I came upon a sad discovery: A $20 bill had been pilfered from the donation bin. What a bummer after such a great day!
We work hard at Blue Ocean Society to make a real difference with our educational programs, and donations at the touch tank make these programs possible - we are a nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of others to continue our mission. More often than not, people are very giving when they visit us at the tank. But it only takes one person to take away.
While a loss like this directly affects the society, we are not the only ones who suffer. The $20 taken today may have been given by a total of four or five families visiting the tank, all having the chance to learn about the local marine environment and to nurture their sense of curiosity about marine life, coastal ecology and ocean health. After a positive experience with us, they wanted to give to our cause. In an event like this, they suffer as much as we do.
For those of you who gave today or anytime this summer, thank you! Your generosity allows us to promote our mission at the tank - to inspire others to make good choices for the sake of the marine environment. If our pilferer is out there, we would love to accept the money back, no questions asked. We'll see you all at the touch tank!

Orange Lobster Now in Salisbury

Our orange lobster has moved to our Sea Life Discovery Center in Salisbury Beach, MA, where he now has his own tank and can move around freely without rubber bands on his claws!