Carolina Coastal Discovery visits Edisto Island

Getting Hands-On Experience onboard Discovery

The Carolina Coastal Discovery marine education program is normally tasked with tutoring the youth of the Lowcountry. But occasionally the general public is invited to board the 45-foot pontoon boat named Discovery in order to explore and monitor the saltwater ecosystem. Edisto Island was the focus of this state-funded program for two days with four research boat trips into St. Helena Sound.

The Hogchoker is NOT a flounder

Departing from Edisto Beach State Park, the Discovery boat took about 25 guests on two-hour boat tours into the ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) operates the Discovery research vessel using funds from sales of the S.C. Saltwater Recreational Fishing Licenses. Which means that recreational saltwater anglers help to educate others about the importance of the coastal Lowcountry

Captain Tom Salisbury welcomes the guests aboard on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. and told them to put on a personal floatation device. The winds were calm and the humidity was low, which made for excellent boating conditions. Education Coordinator Julie Binz used a headset microphone to tell passengers to keep seated while the boat is underway, and that the curriculum aboard the Discovery includes pulling a trawling net to gather and identify marine life, before returning it to the estuary.

To view the entire article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

Kids are drawn to the onboard aquarium 

To view past blog entries from Edisto Island click To view past blog entries from 2016 at Edisto click on Edisto Invitational - Afternoon Heat Relief - Jim Bost Memorial - Dolphin Slam - Cobia Tourney - Spring Shorebird Synergy - Bovine Bones on Beach - Edisto River book 

The Discovery at dock in Big Bay Creek