Puffin? You Otter Know!
Thursday, May 17, third entry – The Florida Tech Biological Oceanography students visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium! There was so much to see at the aquarium.



There were excellent intertidal invertebrate and tidepool displays.


There were subtidal fish displays.

There was even an aviary with some of the endemic coastal seabirds of the Pacific Northwest, including the Pigeon Guillemots and Common Murres we saw at Sea Lion Caves, but also including the more exotic looking Oyster Catchers and Puffins (for latter, see image at top of post) – gotta love those Puffins!

Most of the Florida tech Biological Oceanography students enjoyed the sea otter exhibit. It is interesting that OCA has this exhibit, since sea otters were hunted to extinction on the Oregon coast. They have rebounded in neighboring California and Washington, but for some reason, not in Oregon, although there have been some rehabilitation and release attempts to re-establish them.

Before hitting the road back to OIMB, the Florida Tech Biological Oceanography class went to dinner locally, a break from the dining hall at a place recommended by the cashier in the OCA gift shop.

This place has its own boat and delivers a fresh catch daily and direct to its menu. It also has a fun, eclectic but maritime thematic décor. The consensus: thumbs up!