Boat and Tour Update 08-19-11

Sorry I missed a week - I was in Wisconsin for my nieces wedding. I learned that in Wisconsin, it was against the law at one time to serve margarine instead of butter, and that a drinking fountain is more correctly called a "bubbler." Nice place at any rate, the cheese really was quite excellent and - of course - how can one not really like butter.

But on to more important matters. Thanks to all for doing tours over the last two weeks. Good to have Ron Dodini back. Thanks to Ron Dillinger for coming in for a tour with Joe O'Reilly. Mike Coad, Don Brown, and Gary have all been in for groups. Sarah Orpurt is back and will be doing more weekend tours - so we can expand on weekends a bit! Nicole just keeps on doing those Sunday groups. We can't keep these tours going without you folks.

Touch table notes - every now and then new items show up in the touch table. I may or often - may not - have put them there. If there is something new, assume it is a no touch first.

Case in point - recently there were a few new mushroom corals added (nice specimens, but not sure who put them in) and a large swimming anemone. The anemone, like upside down jellyfish, although a very interesting animal, has a tendency to move out of the no touch area and  land on other creatures and corals and sting them. Check out the blog entry below for more on the swimming anemone. See: How are a cactus and an anemone alike.

Coming up - there is a tentative tour on Wednesday. Sal will find out for sure on Monday. If anyone is interested let us know. Don't forget to check the CALENDAR.

Volunteer Enrichment - I am falling behind on these - do you want a movie night, one of researchers to speak, or a field trip next? Let us know.

Aloha,

Mark