This hands-on project will give students an opportunity to expand their understanding of the fishing and seafood industries beyond bait, nets, and strategies to source food to table. At the end of the project, students should have an appreciation for maintaining ecosystems and managing fish and seafood populations to preserve and sustain food demands, careers, and overall financial impact of these destinations.
DAY ONE: We made it to Virginia Beach, VA where our plans for Tuesday changed slightly due to the rain and wind. Thanks to Captain Dave of Payback Sportfishing LLC, he was able to adjust the schedule and will bring an early group of six out at 7 am, and a second group of six out at 10 am. After fishing in Virginia Beach, the group of 12 will travel to Salvo, NC where they'll get ready for near-shore and off-shore fishing excursions later in the week. Look for more updates and photos coming soon!
Day Two: Thanks to some flexibility by one of our charter captains, we were able to get out for our first day of fishing. We split into two groups, and while the first group ended up with nothing but some pictures to show for their efforts, they were able to see a few pods of dolphins swimming near the boat. The second group was able to catch some black sea bass and a dogfish. In the afternoon, we traveled down the coast to our next stop in Salvo, NC.
Day Three: Due to the extremely rainy weather, our fishing charters were moved to Friday. Despite the weather, we made the most of our first day on the Outer Banks. Following breakfast, a quick dip in the ocean, a few cards games, and lunch, we made our way south to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The highlight of the day was our dinner made onsite by Outer Banks Boil Company. Thanks to Alison Kirk for the recommendation! Matt, the owner treated us to a tasty meal and shared insight about how he created the business for his Senior Project in college. By the sounds (and taste) of it, it's obvious the Project was a huge success! Thankfully, the rain stopped after dinner, which allowed for another run to the beach and dip in the ocean. It'll be early to bed and early to rise tonight and tomorrow. Everyone is looking forward to a BIG day of off-shore fishing on Thursday. If you're interested, we'll start our 11-hour day in Manteo, NC with Captain Charles!
Day Four: Following a 4 am wake-up and 5 am departure, we were excited about the 11-hour fishing charter that would take us 30 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean...until the phone rang while we were en route to Manteo, NC...and the Captain canceled our trip due to high winds, which were causing large swells and choppy seas. Despite the change of plans, students made the most of the challenging circumstances. Since we were up and still hungry, some of us enjoyed special treats from Duck Donuts. After regrouping at the house and another couple hours of sleep, we headed back out again. A small group enjoyed the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island while others tried fishing from the Jeannette's Pier. Keeping fun high on the list of priorities, we toured downtown Manteo before heading back to Salvo, and then enjoyed dinner at the Froggy Dog Restaurant where everyone tried frog legs...some for the first time!
Day Five: We went to bed knowing today's fishing charters had been canceled due to the high winds. Before heading north, and making the trek back to campus, students enjoyed sunrise on the beach and did a great job cleaning up the house that treated us well for three days on the Outer Banks. Along the way, we visited the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge, and we got to see a HUGE alligator in the wild! We enjoyed a tasty BBQ lunch in Columbia, NC and made the journey home from Norfolk, VA. Many thanks to Mr. Hobbs for picking us up at MHT at 1 am and getting us all safely back to campus. After a short sleep, we had a quick turnaround and met on Saturday morning to debrief our trip and prepare for the Project Week Symposium, which is scheduled for March 29. Although we didn't have the successful fishing experience we had all hoped for, the group benefitted from staying positive and enjoyed brainstorming potential options for Project Week 2025!