August 2 – Since I know that you’re all dying to know the answer to yesterday’s groaner, I’ll put it right up front. You call that person an ex-streamist!

Today’s scientific team was made up of Drs. Marty and Nancy Auer, who joined us for a second day, and Dr. Anett Trebitz of the USEPA, a wetlands specialist. We started the morning, as usual, with a plan for the day, context mapping, and questions for our scientists based on scientific readings done by the participants.

And then we took a PowerPoint journey through Lake Superior wetlands guided by Anett. That was followed by Nancy’s description of the Lake Sturgeon, its habitat and ecology.

Following lunch at the Aquarium, we boarded a motor coach, with Al as our pilot, and headed back to Wisconsin (it’s really where all the good stuff is) Point to wade in a wetland on Allouez Bay and try our hand at seining for fish in several types of habitat. Teams of participants competed to see which team could catch the most fish, the biggest variety, the most unique, etc. There were obvious differences in populations based on habitat, and each team was very successful at capturing fish.

From Allouez Bay we headed deeper into Wisconsin and set our course for Bark Bay, a large complex of coastal barrier spit, lagoon, springs, and wetlands occupying an embayment between two rocky headlands. The highlight here was the opportunity to literally walk on top of the water over a quaking coastal bog of sphagnum moss. We were awed by pitcher plants and the tiny, delicate sundew plants which were everywhere. Randy gave us the following memory device for some of the plants we were seeing:
Sedges have edges;
Rushes are round;
And grasses have joints,
When the narcs aren’t around.

Back on the bus, we headed over the backbone of the Bayfield peninsula to Washburn and the Sioux River Slough. Standing just off the main road, we were able to see a complex of wetlands that clearly demonstrated that many differengt habitat types can occur in a very short span. Not all wetlands are the same. A walk to Bayview Beach provided another opportunity to seine, and many people also took advantage of the warm water for a pre-dinner swim.

We boarded the bus again for Bayfield and a wonderful dinner of fresh lake trout or whitefish at Gruenke’s, one of the historically significant establishments in quaint Bayfield. With our hunger satisfied, we headed into the sunset and back to UM-Duluth.

Our Wednesday in pictures…

Working hard over lunch

Brian’s agates. Thanks, Brian!!

We’re off to seine

Checking our Visitor’s Guide…

Nancy and Anett show us how it’s done

We’re all eager to get started

The seining begins

Almost done

What did we catch??

Seining amid the rushes

We caught a Northern Pike!! Or is it a Muskie?!?

Anett leads us at Bark Bay Slough

Anett, Ann and Cindy at Bark Bay Slough

“You are here”

Marty and Nancy Auer on the bog at Bark Bay Slough

Pitcher plant

Sundew up close

Aquatic Invasive Species warning sign at Bark Bay Slough

Brian and Paula share a find

The “Blues” brothers - Steve and Jim coordinate their look

Seining on Bayview Beach

What did we find?

Some of our group emerge from the water between Bayview Beach and Madeline Island

Dinner at Gruenke’s

Brian finds his brother’s old 45 on the wall.

Cindy and Kelly broke the lock on the door of the ladies room!