Floating Classroom with Homeschool Co-Op

Overview

On Thursday, August 8th, 2024, The International SeaKeepers Society hosted 30 students and parents from Homeschool Co-Op onboard DISCOVERY Yacht River Queen. After departing Bill Bird Marina, we headed South in the bay while our Education Manager, Toni, spoke about Biscayne Bay’s function as Miami’s watershed, and the impact of urbanization and pollution on the bay’s health. Water quality concepts were introduced, and using our Earth Echo kits, students split into groups and performed tests for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen level and turbidity. We were pleased to see dissolved oxygen levels of about 6 ppm, much higher than the values we were collecting earlier this summer. After discussing how water quality tests can be indicators of pollution events or algal blooms in the bay, we headed to Sandspur Island for our second activity of the day. Our Community Engagement Associate, Lillian, gave the students an overview of the island and the marine debris crisis created by visitors. The students were handed gloves and buckets and set off to collect trash found on the island and its shoreline. In less than an hour, the students collected over 26 lbs of trash, filling two entire garbage bags with waste to be removed from the island. While we headed back to the marina, we discussed the threats plastic pollution can pose to the water quality and the marine creatures in Biscayne Bay, and how we can make more sustainable choices. SeaKeepers is grateful to the students and parents of Homeschool Co-Op for joining us, and to D/Y River Queen for making the outing possible!