Sci Girls I Day Five

It is hard to believe, but this first week has flown by! Week One of Sci Girls I 2014 ended with a trip to the Rock Quarry to search for different fossils that existed during Pangaea. Our appreciation is extended to Mr. Howard Kirk who is courageous enough to take on a group of 36 curious young ladies with consistent questions about the items that are uncovered on the different mounds. Luckily, some of those finds were actual fragments of shark teeth, shark poo, stingray teeth, and stingray jaw bones. Upon returning to our caravan, we headed to cool off in the waters of Wakulla Springs. Not only were there jumps from the platforms, but many scoops of ice cream on cones and handmade milkshakes. The day ended with a boat tour of this wildlife refuge where Captain Bob served as our tour guide for the second year in a row. He provided vast amounts of information in regards to the river being only 3 feet deep, pointing out North America's shortest railroad, and quoting one of Edward Ball's noted sayings when it comes to key pieces of construction within the park: "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission." We were fortunate enough to see alligators, anhingas, egrets, blue herons, and the swamp spider lily. The greatest treat came in counting not one, not two, but six active manatees. (Did you know that the gestation period of manatees is 13 months and the average birth weight is around 50 lbs?) This is the perfect example of what Sci Girls is all about - learning while having fun. Tall Timbers look out - Sci Girls I 2014 is on their way!