Florida Field Trips Rock!

Tuesday Leah had a trip to Port Canaveral.  I was not sure what to expect, because all I know about the port is that it is the place where the cruise ships dock.  Turns out that the port is home to more than just the cruise ships.  We got to tour a fish market where they bring in the fresh catch and process it.  They have their own boats, so that was pretty neat. to get to see a shrimp boat up close.  The owner of the market also showed us how shrimpers use the Turtle Exclusion Devices (TEDs)  which prevent netting and killing  sea turtles in the shrimp nets.  It was neat to see how shrimpers now accept the devices as a natural part of the shrimping process.  Over twenty years ago, when I was studying marine biology, shrimpers were very angry about the new TEDs devices the government was just starting to make them use.

While we were at the fish market, a cruise ship came into dock.  Another chance to get to see something up close and personal for the first time.  The kids really loved seeing the huge boat, too.  After the market we had a picnic in the park that is also in the Port.  There is actually a  county park with camping sites, playgrounds, picnic tables, beaches and a fishing pier.  Who new.  I had herd the name of the park, but did not know it was at the port.  The pier was the coolest part of the trip.  We got to walk out and look at the wildlife in and around the water.  The grownups were having as much fun as the kids.  I have to say that living in Florida does make for some really fun field trips.