Grab a net, a snorkel, a camera and a kayak and come explore Planet Water.
On the simplest level you can hand a kid a net and poke under rocks in a tiny stream or vernal pool. Or capture the tadpoles that have grown in the pool cover or in the watery bed of the unused truck (true story, happened to a friend), and release them into the wild.
You can check your local park for aquatics programs where naturalists lead you on an exploration of a stream, lake edge or marine estuary. Assateague Island and Cape Henlopen both do "marine explorers" programs.
You could, of course, buy a waterproof housing for your Go-Pro and dangle it over the side of your kayak, or slip into the water in your scuba gear... but if you can't afford that...
Make an underwater viewer:
For a real do-it-yourselfer: http://www.instructables.com/id/Underwater-Viewer-1/
A lot simpler, a tube and some plexi and goop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP73ojqJQRE
Fits nicely on a kayak.
On the simplest level you can hand a kid a net and poke under rocks in a tiny stream or vernal pool. Or capture the tadpoles that have grown in the pool cover or in the watery bed of the unused truck (true story, happened to a friend), and release them into the wild.
You can check your local park for aquatics programs where naturalists lead you on an exploration of a stream, lake edge or marine estuary. Assateague Island and Cape Henlopen both do "marine explorers" programs.
You could, of course, buy a waterproof housing for your Go-Pro and dangle it over the side of your kayak, or slip into the water in your scuba gear... but if you can't afford that...
Make an underwater viewer:
For a real do-it-yourselfer: http://www.instructables.com/id/Underwater-Viewer-1/
A lot simpler, a tube and some plexi and goop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP73ojqJQRE
Fits nicely on a kayak.
click on the pic for Planet Pond
A horde of young explorers, shallow water, nets, big white buckets, frisbees or trays, some field guides, and wet feet: all you need to explore the waters in our backyard or yours. You can carry a digital camera, take pics of what you find, and google it later.
click on the pic for Planet Stream
Critters found under rocks and other wonders.
click on the pic for Planet River
From the rocky Susquehanna to the sandy rivers of the Chesapeake like the Sassafras and Chester, wildlife abounds. Sometimes its big and obvious like the cormorants perched on a snag, or the eagle diving for a fish. Sometimes you have to turn over a few lotus leaves...
click on the pic for Planet Marsh
Wetlands, especially mosquito infested salt marshes are your friends. They're not that hard to explore, whether from trails and roads in places like Chincoteague and Assateague, or Eastern Neck Island National Wildlife Refuge on the Bay... or from your kayak.
click on the pic for Planet Ocean
Some of my own explorations as well as some great park programs I had the fun of participating in.
