On a journey of self-discovery

Published 11:00 am Wednesday, May 24, 2006

They boast flashy exteriors, but plankton are at the mercy of the currents.

Even their name derives from a Greek word meaning “drifter.”

But rather than floating aimlessly like the plankton they study, a group of Bainbridge High School students moved with purpose during a sailing trip last weekend, charting their own path and leaving doubt in their wake.

“They came a long way over the course of the trip,” said teacher Tom Armentrout, who oversaw the excursion. “The first day they were tentative, but by the third day they were sailing the boat themselves. Once they got comfortable they just took over. I’m really proud of them.”

Twenty students, two BHS teachers and six crew members from Salish Sea Expeditions pushed off from Anacortes Saturday morning aboard the Carlyn, a 61-feet sailing vessel.

They swiveled their way through the San Juans and camped ashore at both James and Lopez islands, collecting plankton samples throughout before returning home Monday afternoon.

Bainbridge-based Salish Sea Expeditions formed in 1994 and was granted non-profit status in 1996. They have been conducting sailing and research trips for Puget Sound area schools ever since.

The BHS team sought to prove a student-designed hypothesis.

“We thought we’d find more plankton at shallower depths because there is more sunlight available near the surface,” said sophomore Max Fleischfresser of a theory their research seemed to support.

Armentrout said the students chose to study plankton density because of the organisms’ importance to the food chain.

Students were separated into two teams which took turns navigating and sailing the vessel and collecting plankton samples.

The goal of the trip, Armentrout said, was not only to teach students about local marine life, but also to challenge and empower them.

Planning took place over several months, with students, teachers and members of Salish cooperating to plan the outing.

Crew member Jen Wishinski, who’s been with Salish four years, said the crew pushes the students to help them learn and give them confidence.

“We’ve tried to create an outreach education program that bridges the gap between field science and real life,” she said. “The higher you set the bar, the more they achieve. This group really exceeded our expectations.”

The crew, which included two scientists to assist and direct research, coached students through the early stages of the trip, but slowly loosened the reins as time progressed.

By the final day, students were sailing the boat on their own.

“I thought it would be a lot more controlled,” said freshman Sarah Hanavan, who has been sailing for four years. “I didn’t think they would let us sail and learn on our own, so this has been pretty exciting.”

Even for Fleischfresser, already an experienced sailor, controlling such a large vessel was a challenge.

“It was interesting trying to sail this big a boat,” he said. “There’s too much for one person to do, so it was important for everyone to work together.”

Which was a recurring theme on the trip, where creative solutions were encouraged.

On Sunday night, when rain began to fall as they set up camp at Spencer Spit State Park on Lopez Island, the students were charged with the task of designing a shelter under which they could cook and keep supplies.

“The program is continually evolving,” said Wishinski. “But one thing we always try to do is give the kids a chance to shine. It’s fun to see each student latch on to one thing they really enjoy – it gives them an opportunity to find their own niche.”

Armentrout took pride in the resourcefulness displayed by his students.

“I’m just thrilled,” he said. “Seeing the kids do real field science was eye-opening. Some of the students who have had trouble in the classroom got an A+ as sailors and researchers – they became more than just kids in rows to me on this trip.”