We had an excellent time at the 20th Great Annual Fish Count. The folks from NEADC and REEF really know how to put an event together! The TRP fielded a team of 3 divers, 2 snorkelers, and 2 shore-support staff. After meeting up at the Beverly Rest Area, we carpooled to our intended dive site, Lanes Cove. Upon arrival, we evaluated the conditions before unloading any gear. The low tide exposed slippery, seaweed-covered rocks along the entire shore, which would have made for a risky entry/exit. We wisely decided to relocate to our alternate dive site, Cressy Beach at Stage Fort Park. The dive went well, and there was plenty of marine life to be counted, especially near the rocks to the left-side of the beach. The folks from NEADC provided a nice BBQ lunch, and after we submitted our fish-count survey reports, there was a prize drawing. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
Highlights:
- One of our very own TRP members, Jeremy S., won the grand prize: a dive in the Great Ocean Tank at the New England Aquarium. Congratulations!
- Jeremy’s partner, Maria, is a Marine Biology PhD candidate. Her encyclopedic knowledge of the local marine life was tremendously helpful in correctly identifying all the critters we saw.
- Jason C., our newest TRP member, completed his Open Water certification two weeks ago, alongside his daughter. This was his first real dive! His dive buddy, Rick, got to watch in real time as Jason grew increasingly more comfortable and confident in the water. The TRP welcomes you to the underwater world, and we look forward to your continued progress!
- A special acknowledgement goes out to Mike “Sully” Sullivan: despite back-to-back business trips, he made a point of joining the TRP on his single day off to support the event and dive for some inner peace. Unfortunately, he forgot to close the P-valve in his drysuit, so the ocean peed on Sully instead of the other way around. He knew that a flooded drysuit can quickly lead to hypothermia, so he made the prudent-but-difficult decision to end his dive before it began. Once he dried off and got warm, he continued to offer his support from the shore.
- Ernest P., longtime TRP member, graciously volunteered for shore support duty. It’s not an easy thing to watch dive flags for an hour, while everyone else is having fun.
- Special thanks to Rick, Sully, and Ernest for helping to make this happen on short-notice. The TRP couldn’t carry out its mission without dedicated staff and volunteers like you. Keep up the great work!
