CSW Marine Bio Blog

The goal of this class is to give students a field research experience in which they come to understand how to work as a team to conduct experimental studies in marine science. Students will be off-campus at the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership off the coast of Rockland, Maine, where they will be involved in a variety of new and ongoing projects. They will study the structure of intertidal communities, develop research avenues, and then implement an experiment that will provide baseline data for future work in the area.

Students will also study several related marine topics and systems including lobster biology and fishery management, larval settlement in the intertidal of Penobscot Bay, sustainable innovations on Hurricane Island, and the intersections of climate change and biodiversity. 

Hello from Hurricane Island, Maine! 

Thank you for (virtually) joining us on our marine biology adventure. Each day, students are charged with curating this photo blog with snapshots of their day to share with our wider community, family, and friends. Enjoy!

Saturday, 5-24-25 El '26
Sunday, 5-25-25 Avery '26
Monday, 5-26-25 Maggie '26
Tuesday, 5-27-25 Ethan '25
Wednesday, 5-28-25
Thursday, 5-29-25
Friday, 5-30-25
Saturday, 5-31-25
Sunday, 6-1-25
 

May 24, 2025

El '26

We arrived on Hurricane Island Saturday afternoon and helped each other bring our bags up to the cabins where we are staying. On the girls' yurt we each picked out bunk beds and organized our items to make a comfortable environment for the next 8 days. We were lucky enough to get a guided tour/ hike and began to learn about the history of the island. It was rainy so we ate dinner inside (which was great) and then sat by the fire together. On the hike aside from the beautiful views we also found things like sea glass and beautiful shells. At 9:30 we went to our cabins and settled in for the night. It was fairly cold so we bundled up with sleeping bags and blankets and talked before heading to bed.


May 25, 2025

Avery '26

Yesterday was our first full day on the island! In the morning, we learned about tides and different marine animal categories. Then in the afternoon, we went out to the intertidal zone where there was a bunch of rocks, seaweed, crabs, snails, barnacles, hermit crabs, etc. We caught a bunch of hermit crabs to observe for projects and then let them go at the end of our time there. It was very fun. Yesterday was also my birthday! At the end of the day, we had some cake and other treats to celebrate, and then a few of us jumped in the ocean. It was very cold but a fun experience.


May 26, 2025

Maggie '26

Yesterday morning, we split into two groups and took turns working on projects or helping to harvest kelp. We helped pull kelp out of the water into the boat, and ended up with two or three full buckets. Then, me and a few others went to the beaches to work on our photo projects. After lunch, we got to do a lab where we took samples of the water, and looked at them under the microscopes for plankton. Once the lab was complete, we helped hang up the kelp to dry. We then went to the intertidal zone, and I caught hermit crabs for my project and released them. We also found a starfish! At the end of the day, we took a hike during sunset and enjoyed the incredible views, finishing the night with some sing-alongs.


May 27, 2025

Ethan '25

Yesterday morning, after breakfast, we spent the morning rock climbing. It was very interesting and everyone was able to give it a try. Some people were very into the climbing portion of the activity, while others were more interested in belaying ( the person in charge of making sure that the climber doesn't fall and injure themselves). The whole experience was very motivational for everyone. The second half of the day was spent gardening with the resident gardener, Peter. After that we spent the evening collecting data from the intertidal zone. After which we ate dinner and then had some recreational time.



May 28, 2025

Zoe '25

Hello! Today we woke up at 6:00 am to go down to the intertidal zone and work on our projects! I found a female Jonah Crab with eggs and a tiny baby sea star! We then had the most amazing breakfast and went lobstering. I fulfilled a dream of mine and kissed a lobster!! After visiting HI’s scallop farm, I went on a hike to take pictures and enjoy some views. We then did a raft challenge where three teams were tasked with building a raft to make it to the other side of the pond and back. Though none of our rafts made it far, Harvey and I had a beautiful swim and a warm embrace. We had an amazing dinner and a delicious dessert afterwards. I decided to call it a night at around 8 pm to get ready for tomorrow's 6:00 am wake-up. Truly an amazing day!!! :)

May 29, 2025



May 30, 2025





May 31, 2025





June 1, 2025



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CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.