Biologist Heather Rawlings inspects a fossil a student found along the beach. - FWS photo by Anjanette Bowen

Biologists Anjanette Bowen and Heather Rawlings, Alpena FRO, led a “Surf-N-Turf” Scavenger Hunt for 19 teenagers on July 12.  Students were taking part in the Shipwreck Detectives Day Camp, sponsored by Alpena Community College. 

The Day Camp focused on teaching local teens the process of locating, mapping, and identifying shipwrecks.  The third and final day of camp the students were able to snorkel out to a shipwreck located in Bell Bay in about 30 feet of water.  Half of the students snorkeled, and half participated in the scavenger hunt, then the students switched groups. 

Held at Besser-Bell Natural Area in Presque Isle County, the scavenger hunt was designed for the teens to experience a variety of ecosystems- Lake Huron, a lagoon, a fir/cedar forest, and an old growth white pine remnant. 

Students were instructed to identify a variety of flora and fauna, touch and feel them (except for the snapping turtle), and then comment on various characteristics of that particular item.  Since it was a scavenger hunt there were also a list of items to find such as berries, fossils, pine cones and leaves. 

The Alpena News (7/19/07) quoted one of the students as saying,” The scavenger hunt was my favorite part of the entire experience.  They (the USFWS) gave you an idea of what they did… it was definitely a learning experience.”